Question regarding calorie intake with exercise output..
HoneyQH
Posts: 9 Member
I've used fitness pal before so I know all about entering things, and how it works. I've recently started back on a weightloss journey. I'm seeing results that's no problem. However I think I may be doing it wrong? I intake about 1400-1500 calories a day and burn 450 calories during exercise. I exercise a couple hours after dinner about an hour before I go to bed. Now when I enter all my details for the day I'm left over with whatever calories I've burned off. Should I be eating those? Or can I leave it? I hope this all made sense.
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Replies
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If your calorie goal comes from MFP, it's given to you with the intention that you will eat back the calories burnt through exercise.
If you're truly burning 450 calories in an exercise session (depending on how you are calculating your calorie burn, that could be an over-estimate), you'll want to eat at least some of those back.1 -
Most will recommend that you do not eat back all of your burned calories because MFP and other online sources are notoriously "off" for the actual amount of calories burned.
The best way to know is to just test it out for a week or so. If what you do still shows up as a loss, you're good - if not, adjust accordingly.2 -
The way MFP is designed you should eat those calories back. You were assigned a deficit with zero exercise built in.
Think of it this way.....1400-450=950. If these numbers are accurate you are living on 950 calories (crash & burn).
Also consider the larger the deficit, the harder it is for your body to support existing lean muscle mass. You want a lower body fat %.....that's healthy weight loss.2 -
Most will recommend that you do not eat back all of your burned calories because MFP and other online sources are notoriously "off" for the actual amount of calories burned.
Additionally it may depend on how you have MFP set up - your calories designated to you depend on whether you chose sedentary, lightly active, or active as your activity level. Usually if you chose lightly active or active MFP already accounts for that in the amount of calories you're allotted during the day - so use exercise calories with caution.
The best way to know is to just test it out for a week or so. If what you do still shows up as a loss, you're good - if not, adjust accordingly.
The "Lightly Active" and "Active," if chosen how MFP intended, refer to non-exercise daily activity. It's not accounting for any additional intentional exercise.
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janejellyroll wrote: »Most will recommend that you do not eat back all of your burned calories because MFP and other online sources are notoriously "off" for the actual amount of calories burned.
Additionally it may depend on how you have MFP set up - your calories designated to you depend on whether you chose sedentary, lightly active, or active as your activity level. Usually if you chose lightly active or active MFP already accounts for that in the amount of calories you're allotted during the day - so use exercise calories with caution.
The best way to know is to just test it out for a week or so. If what you do still shows up as a loss, you're good - if not, adjust accordingly.
The "Lightly Active" and "Active," if chosen how MFP intended, refer to non-exercise daily activity. It's not accounting for any additional intentional exercise.
Oh I see! I misunderstood that part! I took that part out of my original comment. Thanks1 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Most will recommend that you do not eat back all of your burned calories because MFP and other online sources are notoriously "off" for the actual amount of calories burned.
Additionally it may depend on how you have MFP set up - your calories designated to you depend on whether you chose sedentary, lightly active, or active as your activity level. Usually if you chose lightly active or active MFP already accounts for that in the amount of calories you're allotted during the day - so use exercise calories with caution.
The best way to know is to just test it out for a week or so. If what you do still shows up as a loss, you're good - if not, adjust accordingly.
The "Lightly Active" and "Active," if chosen how MFP intended, refer to non-exercise daily activity. It's not accounting for any additional intentional exercise.
In all reality, if you exercise regularly, you can modify the activity levels to include exercise. It would be no different than a TDEE calculator. But if you did include exercise in the activity setting, than you would just not eat back exercise calories.1 -
So should I be entering my exercise into my log first before foods? Should I be changing my activity level?0
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So should I be entering my exercise into my log first before foods? Should I be changing my activity level?
Timing doesn't matter. If you know you are going to be exercising then plan it into your day. Eat a little more at breakfast or lunch if you like.
If your exercise will be a consistent thing, there is also a TDEE calculator (total daily energy expenditure). This number is your maintenance estimate (including exercise). Eat this number less a cut and don't even log exercise.0 -
ETA: there's a very helpful "exercise" bubble. Most people recommend eating 25-50% of your exercise calories back to allow for incorrect tracking.
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I can't really say how much I'm losing per week because I had just started a week before Christmas then Christmas rolled around and I "fell off the wagon" until this Monday.So should I be entering my exercise into my log first before foods? Should I be changing my activity level?
Timing doesn't matter. If you know you are going to be exercising then plan it into your day. Eat a little more at breakfast or lunch if you like.
If your exercise will be a consistent thing, there is also a TDEE calculator (total daily energy expenditure). This number is your maintenance estimate (including exercise). Eat this number less a cut and don't even log exercise.
Where can I find this TDEE calculator?
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janejellyroll wrote: »Most will recommend that you do not eat back all of your burned calories because MFP and other online sources are notoriously "off" for the actual amount of calories burned.
Additionally it may depend on how you have MFP set up - your calories designated to you depend on whether you chose sedentary, lightly active, or active as your activity level. Usually if you chose lightly active or active MFP already accounts for that in the amount of calories you're allotted during the day - so use exercise calories with caution.
The best way to know is to just test it out for a week or so. If what you do still shows up as a loss, you're good - if not, adjust accordingly.
The "Lightly Active" and "Active," if chosen how MFP intended, refer to non-exercise daily activity. It's not accounting for any additional intentional exercise.
In all reality, if you exercise regularly, you can modify the activity levels to include exercise. It would be no different than a TDEE calculator. But if you did include exercise in the activity setting, than you would just not eat back exercise calories.
Absolutely, some people do that and it works. It's why I tried to clarify (in my response) what is *intended* with the various settings.1 -
So should I be entering my exercise into my log first before foods? Should I be changing my activity level?
You can enter your exercise before or after the food --whatever works best for you.
If you feel your activity level isn't accurate, then you should change it. I don't know what it is set to now or if you set it up as MFP intended or using another method, so I don't know how to answer your question.0 -
I can't really say how much I'm losing per week because I had just started a week before Christmas then Christmas rolled around and I "fell off the wagon" until this Monday.So should I be entering my exercise into my log first before foods? Should I be changing my activity level?
Timing doesn't matter. If you know you are going to be exercising then plan it into your day. Eat a little more at breakfast or lunch if you like.
If your exercise will be a consistent thing, there is also a TDEE calculator (total daily energy expenditure). This number is your maintenance estimate (including exercise). Eat this number less a cut and don't even log exercise.
Where can I find this TDEE calculator?
Here is what my recommendation would be: if you are eating 1500 calories, while using a food scale, monitor your progress over 3 or 4 weeks. If you are losing more than 1% of your bw per week, than it may be worth eating 50% of your calories back. Or if you are just hungry for that day, eat exercise calories back. I say this for one main reason; the average person and even professionals can under count calories by as much as 400 calories per day.
One side note, I would suggest making sure you get enough protein (~1.5 to 2.2g/kg of weight is a good place to start). This will not only help with satiety but also helps maintain metabolic functions.3 -
I'm counting and weighing everything. Since I do the same exercise everyday should I just increase my activity level and not enter exercise calories? I just want to make sure I'm doing this the proper healthy way.0
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I'm counting and weighing everything. Since I do the same exercise everyday should I just increase my activity level and not enter exercise calories? I just want to make sure I'm doing this the proper healthy way.
Honestly, all of these things are estimates, which is why it's important to monitor program and adjust based on real world feedback. If you see yourself losing more than 1% of your bw per week, than adding a few hundred more calories per day would be beneficial.
Regarding exercise: What is your current plan? What are your goals (both short and long)? You don't need to spend a ton of time in the gym. Often 60 minutes is just fine if you are pushing the whole time.0 -
I'm counting and weighing everything. Since I do the same exercise everyday should I just increase my activity level and not enter exercise calories? I just want to make sure I'm doing this the proper healthy way.
If it's easier for you to do it that way, then you can. As long as you aren't choosing an activity level that includes your intentional exercise *and* logging it (therefore double-counting it), you can use whichever method you prefer.2 -
Regarding exercise: What is your current plan? What are your goals (both short and long)? You don't need to spend a ton of time in the gym. Often 60 minutes is just fine if you are pushing the whole time.
I workout at home. I use an elliptical trainer 25 minutes a day. I'd like to workup the time to 30 minutes eventually. I want to lose 50lbs and then work on learning how to maintain my weight for the long term.
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Regarding exercise: What is your current plan? What are your goals (both short and long)? You don't need to spend a ton of time in the gym. Often 60 minutes is just fine if you are pushing the whole time.
I workout at home. I use an elliptical trainer 25 minutes a day. I'd like to workup the time to 30 minutes eventually. I want to lose 50lbs and then work on learning how to maintain my weight for the long term.
If I was you, I'd consider adding in some resistance training. Cardio is great for working your cardiovascular system, but you also have a skeletal system that should be addressed. And that is where resistance training comes into play. That and training the same body part daily isn't a good thing.
There are plenty of at home workouts and beginner routines with little to no equipment needed in the below link.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p11
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