HELP logging exercise

lexidanko14
lexidanko14 Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I wasn't really sure what forum to post this in but here I am. So every time I do cardio I generally log it in and I've noticed (obviously) that MFP adds those calories back to your calories for the day. What I wanna know is, is that even beneficial? I know you can see how many callories were added but it kind of messes with me thinking I can consume that much more than I actually should. The whole point is it burn off those callories not add them back in??? So why bother logging your workouts at all??

Replies

  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    MFP staff expect you to eat back those calories - your deficit is built in BEFORE exercise.

    But, many users recommend eating back only half to account for any overestimation from trackers, exercise machines, or your best guess etc.

    Failing to eat back any of your exercise calories may not be bad, but in some cases can lead to you eating too little and suffering health problems because of that.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    I eat back all or most of my exercise calories - if not on that day then over the week - and have had no problem losing and maintaining. The trick, as with logging food, is to be honest with yourself and not over-estimate how much effort you have put in. So I rarely log "aerobics - vigorous effort" because even energetic workouts have a warm up and cool down, so I either just enter it as "aerobics" or log it as two halves, vigorous and light effort. I use my Garmin to work out whether I have really walked at 4mph (or just think I have because I am sweaty/tired), or at 3.5 mph or even 3mph.

    The more active you are the more calories you NEED, which is why MFP asks you to define yourself as sedentary, lightly active etc. Quite apart from the weight loss, activity is beneficial to your health in other ways, so its nice to get a payback for all that exercise in the form of "free calories" that you can choose to "spend" wisely or foolishly without affecting your weight loss programme.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation
  • ISweat4This
    ISweat4This Posts: 653 Member
    I log my workout and enter it as 1 calorie burned. I don't eat back my exercise calories.
  • rlarkin591
    rlarkin591 Posts: 39 Member
    I noticed that with the workout calorie "eat back" I was eating much more. I lowered my calorie goal to compensate. Especially important once I got a fitbit and started synching it with MFP. That way I can eat the earned calories and still be under my original goal. For me, it is all mind over matter (and mind over munchies).

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