Calorie Burn
thisisitnic
Posts: 56 Member
Hey. Is it necessary to eat back any cals? Could I just go by the daily cals provided to me by MFP and ignore what I burn? Has anyone been successful doing this or is it necessary that I eat them or at least some of the back? x
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Replies
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If you’re following MFP’s goals it’s expected that you eat your exercise calories back. You want to make sure your body is properly fueled and that you aren’t creating a larger deficit than necessary, which can have some consequences. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation1
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Personally I do not eat all of my calories back, maybe 60% since machines overestimate the calories burned and we often undercalculate the calories eaten (in my case at least). Just make sure that you don't get too low too often because even if you lose weight and feel good, you may be hurting your organs in the long run.1
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I've always eaten every delicious one. Why wouldn't I want to be able to eat as much as possible? I lost all my weight doing so and I've maintained for a decade.
The only way to find out which is right for you is to pick one and do it for a couple months. Eat all, eat none, eat half.
If you are losing too quickly or slowly adjust. If your hair falls out and your skin is flakey and you are fatigued, irritable, anxious, depressed, sleepy - adjust.
The numbers are a start point. It's your experiment to run with your numbers.1 -
You asked the same question a couple of days ago and seemed happy with the answers you got then.
What has prompted you to doubt the responses now?
You are going to have to account for your exercise when you got to goal weight so why not learn the skill now?
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It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x0
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thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
This site is the only site I've found that uses NEAT, not TDEE to figure your calorie allotment. That's the difference.
This site uses the Mifflin St Jeor calculation.
Here's the FAQ about this:
https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/410332-how-does-myfitnesspal-calculate-my-initial-goals-
or
https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/12031-what-are-net-calories-0 -
If you have set your stats to sedentary your allocated calories are set to take into an inactive lifestyle - if you suddenly start being more active then you may need to either change your setting to something other than sedentary or eat back at least some of them (I usually aim for 50%).0
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thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.2 -
motivatedmartha wrote: »If you have set your stats to sedentary your allocated calories are set to take into an inactive lifestyle - if you suddenly start being more active then you may need to either change your setting to something other than sedentary or eat back at least some of them (I usually aim for 50%).
@motivatedmartha
Remember activity setting and exercise are two different and separate things on here.1 -
thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?0 -
thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?
For the same reason as mentioned above - they are not working with the same information, that the calorie goal provided by MFP is based on NEAT and under the assumption of no exercise. They too may be working from a presumption of using TDEE.
Why are you talking to a trainer about calories anyway? If you've got a trainer who doesn't think you need to eat to fuel your workouts, whether the calories are built into the goal up front or eaten back the way MFP is designed, I'd get a new one anyway.0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?
For the same reason as mentioned above - they are not working with the same information, that the calorie goal provided by MFP is based on NEAT and under the assumption of no exercise. They too may be working from a presumption of using TDEE.
Why are you talking to a trainer about calories anyway? If you've got a trainer who doesn't think you need to eat to fuel your workouts, whether the calories are built into the goal up front or eaten back the way MFP is designed, I'd get a new one
I’m not speaking to trainers. It’s just research. The figure MFP gives me is lower than my BMR no matter what calculator I use. Why would the MFP allow you to go below that? Surely the figure they give you should be above what your body would need to survive a day? That’s why I don’t get how 1200 is healthy. I’ve been given 1500 and my BMR is 1550 (approx). It makes no sense.0 -
What are your stats? There's nothing wrong with eating below BMR, but if you don't have much to lose you may have chosen a higher deficit than necessary.0
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MFP is a dumb tool. If you ask it to give you a too-aggressive weight loss, it's glad to oblige.
You must be close to goal weight, right? How much weight are you trying to lose? You probably set it too aggressively.
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cmriverside wrote: »MFP is a dumb tool. If you ask it to give you a too-aggressive weight loss, it's glad to oblige.
You must be close to goal weight, right? How much weight are you trying to lose? You probably set it too aggressively.
I have 2 stone to lose. I’ve set it as sedentary with a 1lb a week loss x0 -
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thisisitnic wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »MFP is a dumb tool. If you ask it to give you a too-aggressive weight loss, it's glad to oblige.
You must be close to goal weight, right? How much weight are you trying to lose? You probably set it too aggressively.
I have 2 stone to lose. I’ve set it as sedentary with a 1lb a week loss x
Okay. Are you truly sedentary? No job, no kids, don't go to school?
When you exercise you eat more - like we've been trying to tell you. That way you aren't eating 1500 every day.
For the record, I lost almost all my weight on 1600-1700 plus exercise calories. All the weight from 180-140 (5'7") was on that level and I'm much older than you. I exercise 3-5 times a week and added 300-400 calories for that. Always have. So I was actually eating around 1900 on half my days and 1600-1700 on the other. That's totally reasonable and is in fact a lot of food.0 -
1
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thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?
Without seeing the advice or context it's all a guess.
My guess would be stupidity, ignorance (training and nutrition aren't the same thing at all), telling clients what they want hear, short term versus long term view, clients simply misunderstanding what trainers are actually saying, working out a calorie goal in a different way they haven't properly explained, different terminology..... Pick one or several reasons.
The absolute basics of weight loss/gain/maintenance is your calorie balance - it makes zero sense to ignore a significant part of your calorie expenditure if you are calorie counting.
That's not to say there aren't different and sensible ways to lose weight but if you select a tool then it makes sense to use it as designed.2 -
thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?
Without seeing the advice or context it's all a guess.
My guess would be stupidity, ignorance (training and nutrition aren't the same thing at all), telling clients what they want hear, short term versus long term view, clients simply misunderstanding what trainers are actually saying, working out a calorie goal in a different way they haven't properly explained, different terminology..... Pick one or several reasons.
The absolute basics of weight loss/gain/maintenance is your calorie balance - it makes zero sense to ignore a significant part of your calorie expenditure if you are calorie counting.
That's not to say there aren't different and sensible ways to lose weight but if you select a tool then it makes sense to use it as designed.
You really do make a lot of sense. I should stop reading all that other stuff and go with how MFP is designed.
Would you mind checking something for me (tell me to sod off as I am being quite cheeky). Can I give you my stats and can you tell me what you would expect me to have a day to lose? I’m also concerned my FitBit is over estimating the cals burned as it’s saying 600/700 burned for approx 18,000/20,000 a day. I guess that’s why we don’t eat them all back but I just don’t want to be eating more than I should and sabotaging my journey as I have till August to sort myself out.
Ok here goes:
37 years old, 5ft 8 inches, 13 stone, I have 2 kids (8&9), I part time (Mon-Fri, 5 days a week), I walk to and from work every day (2.2 miles a day in total) and have started to do a Joe Wicks HIIT Training DVD 4 times a week. I selected sedentary for activity as it mentions people with desk jobs (me) rather than lightly active. Is that a mistake?
MFP has given me approx 1450 a day (can’t remember without coming off this page and checking it). I’ve then obvs got what i burn to eat back which is anything between an extra 300 - 1000 cals.
What do you think Yoda
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thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?
Without seeing the advice or context it's all a guess.
My guess would be stupidity, ignorance (training and nutrition aren't the same thing at all), telling clients what they want hear, short term versus long term view, clients simply misunderstanding what trainers are actually saying, working out a calorie goal in a different way they haven't properly explained, different terminology..... Pick one or several reasons.
The absolute basics of weight loss/gain/maintenance is your calorie balance - it makes zero sense to ignore a significant part of your calorie expenditure if you are calorie counting.
That's not to say there aren't different and sensible ways to lose weight but if you select a tool then it makes sense to use it as designed.
You really do make a lot of sense. I should stop reading all that other stuff and go with how MFP is designed.
Would you mind checking something for me (tell me to sod off as I am being quite cheeky). Can I give you my stats and can you tell me what you would expect me to have a day to lose? I’m also concerned my FitBit is over estimating the cals burned as it’s saying 600/700 burned for approx 18,000/20,000 a day. I guess that’s why we don’t eat them all back but I just don’t want to be eating more than I should and sabotaging my journey as I have till August to sort myself out.
Ok here goes:
37 years old, 5ft 8 inches, 13 stone, I have 2 kids (8&9), I part time (Mon-Fri, 5 days a week), I walk to and from work every day (2.2 miles a day in total) and have started to do a Joe Wicks HIIT Training DVD 4 times a week. I selected sedentary for activity as it mentions people with desk jobs (me) rather than lightly active. Is that a mistake?
MFP has given me approx 1450 a day (can’t remember without coming off this page and checking it). I’ve then obvs got what i burn to eat back which is anything between an extra 300 - 1000 cals.
What do you think Yoda
"Do or don't do, there is no try...."
I don't use an activity tracker but that is one hell of a lot of steps to select sedentary!
Maybe a Fitbit user would chime in but aren't you supposed to select an activity setting close to your actual activity level to avoid getting huge daily adjustments?
I'm not going to attempt to set a calorie goal for you - that's the job of both MFP and your Fitbit working together.
You are going to have to try for at least a month and then adjust as required. You don't have to get it right first time.
Your 2.2 mile walk is about 120 net cals by the way.
Your DVD - no idea but you could log as callisthenics.0 -
thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?
Without seeing the advice or context it's all a guess.
My guess would be stupidity, ignorance (training and nutrition aren't the same thing at all), telling clients what they want hear, short term versus long term view, clients simply misunderstanding what trainers are actually saying, working out a calorie goal in a different way they haven't properly explained, different terminology..... Pick one or several reasons.
The absolute basics of weight loss/gain/maintenance is your calorie balance - it makes zero sense to ignore a significant part of your calorie expenditure if you are calorie counting.
That's not to say there aren't different and sensible ways to lose weight but if you select a tool then it makes sense to use it as designed.
You really do make a lot of sense. I should stop reading all that other stuff and go with how MFP is designed.
Would you mind checking something for me (tell me to sod off as I am being quite cheeky). Can I give you my stats and can you tell me what you would expect me to have a day to lose? I’m also concerned my FitBit is over estimating the cals burned as it’s saying 600/700 burned for approx 18,000/20,000 a day. I guess that’s why we don’t eat them all back but I just don’t want to be eating more than I should and sabotaging my journey as I have till August to sort myself out.
Ok here goes:
37 years old, 5ft 8 inches, 13 stone, I have 2 kids (8&9), I part time (Mon-Fri, 5 days a week), I walk to and from work every day (2.2 miles a day in total) and have started to do a Joe Wicks HIIT Training DVD 4 times a week. I selected sedentary for activity as it mentions people with desk jobs (me) rather than lightly active. Is that a mistake?
MFP has given me approx 1450 a day (can’t remember without coming off this page and checking it). I’ve then obvs got what i burn to eat back which is anything between an extra 300 - 1000 cals.
What do you think Yoda
"Do or don't do, there is no try...."
I don't use an activity tracker but that is one hell of a lot of steps to select sedentary!
Maybe a Fitbit user would chime in but aren't you supposed to select an activity setting close to your actual activity level to avoid getting huge daily adjustments?
I'm not going to attempt to set a calorie goal for you - that's the job of both MFP and your Fitbit working together.
You are going to have to try for at least a month and then adjust as required. You don't have to get it right first time.
Your 2.2 mile walk is about 120 net cals by the way.
Your DVD - no idea but you could log as callisthenics.
Hmmm listen to you I will1 -
@sijomial
I only selected sedentary as I thought that related to your job going by the examples they give for each level. Because of that I presumed my walking would be taken into account with my exercise?0 -
thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?
Without seeing the advice or context it's all a guess.
My guess would be stupidity, ignorance (training and nutrition aren't the same thing at all), telling clients what they want hear, short term versus long term view, clients simply misunderstanding what trainers are actually saying, working out a calorie goal in a different way they haven't properly explained, different terminology..... Pick one or several reasons.
The absolute basics of weight loss/gain/maintenance is your calorie balance - it makes zero sense to ignore a significant part of your calorie expenditure if you are calorie counting.
That's not to say there aren't different and sensible ways to lose weight but if you select a tool then it makes sense to use it as designed.
You really do make a lot of sense. I should stop reading all that other stuff and go with how MFP is designed.
Would you mind checking something for me (tell me to sod off as I am being quite cheeky). Can I give you my stats and can you tell me what you would expect me to have a day to lose? I’m also concerned my FitBit is over estimating the cals burned as it’s saying 600/700 burned for approx 18,000/20,000 a day. I guess that’s why we don’t eat them all back but I just don’t want to be eating more than I should and sabotaging my journey as I have till August to sort myself out.
Ok here goes:
37 years old, 5ft 8 inches, 13 stone, I have 2 kids (8&9), I part time (Mon-Fri, 5 days a week), I walk to and from work every day (2.2 miles a day in total) and have started to do a Joe Wicks HIIT Training DVD 4 times a week. I selected sedentary for activity as it mentions people with desk jobs (me) rather than lightly active. Is that a mistake?
MFP has given me approx 1450 a day (can’t remember without coming off this page and checking it). I’ve then obvs got what i burn to eat back which is anything between an extra 300 - 1000 cals.
What do you think Yoda
"Do or don't do, there is no try...."
I don't use an activity tracker but that is one hell of a lot of steps to select sedentary!
Maybe a Fitbit user would chime in but aren't you supposed to select an activity setting close to your actual activity level to avoid getting huge daily adjustments?
I'm not going to attempt to set a calorie goal for you - that's the job of both MFP and your Fitbit working together.
You are going to have to try for at least a month and then adjust as required. You don't have to get it right first time.
Your 2.2 mile walk is about 120 net cals by the way.
Your DVD - no idea but you could log as callisthenics.
I use a FitBit and that is definitely not Sedentary. Anything above 7,500 steps/day is usually lightly active, I average 12-15k steps a day and I'm set at active. Choosing an activity level that is appropriate for what you actually do, will help get a more reasonable calorie adjustment. The initial setup of MFP suggesting Sedentary for desk job when most people really aren't, is confusing for people.
@thisisitnic what does FitBit say your total calories burned are?
For what it's worth I'm shorter than you (5'2) and lost most of my weight (>30 lbs) eating between 1600-1900 cals. My TDEE is 2200 per my FitBit and actual results bear that out.0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?
Without seeing the advice or context it's all a guess.
My guess would be stupidity, ignorance (training and nutrition aren't the same thing at all), telling clients what they want hear, short term versus long term view, clients simply misunderstanding what trainers are actually saying, working out a calorie goal in a different way they haven't properly explained, different terminology..... Pick one or several reasons.
The absolute basics of weight loss/gain/maintenance is your calorie balance - it makes zero sense to ignore a significant part of your calorie expenditure if you are calorie counting.
That's not to say there aren't different and sensible ways to lose weight but if you select a tool then it makes sense to use it as designed.
You really do make a lot of sense. I should stop reading all that other stuff and go with how MFP is designed.
Would you mind checking something for me (tell me to sod off as I am being quite cheeky). Can I give you my stats and can you tell me what you would expect me to have a day to lose? I’m also concerned my FitBit is over estimating the cals burned as it’s saying 600/700 burned for approx 18,000/20,000 a day. I guess that’s why we don’t eat them all back but I just don’t want to be eating more than I should and sabotaging my journey as I have till August to sort myself out.
Ok here goes:
37 years old, 5ft 8 inches, 13 stone, I have 2 kids (8&9), I part time (Mon-Fri, 5 days a week), I walk to and from work every day (2.2 miles a day in total) and have started to do a Joe Wicks HIIT Training DVD 4 times a week. I selected sedentary for activity as it mentions people with desk jobs (me) rather than lightly active. Is that a mistake?
MFP has given me approx 1450 a day (can’t remember without coming off this page and checking it). I’ve then obvs got what i burn to eat back which is anything between an extra 300 - 1000 cals.
What do you think Yoda
"Do or don't do, there is no try...."
I don't use an activity tracker but that is one hell of a lot of steps to select sedentary!
Maybe a Fitbit user would chime in but aren't you supposed to select an activity setting close to your actual activity level to avoid getting huge daily adjustments?
I'm not going to attempt to set a calorie goal for you - that's the job of both MFP and your Fitbit working together.
You are going to have to try for at least a month and then adjust as required. You don't have to get it right first time.
Your 2.2 mile walk is about 120 net cals by the way.
Your DVD - no idea but you could log as callisthenics.
I use a FitBit and that is definitely not Sedentary. Anything above 7,500 steps/day is usually lightly active, I average 12-15k steps a day and I'm set at active. Choosing an activity level that is appropriate for what you actually do, will help get a more reasonable calorie adjustment. The initial setup of MFP suggesting Sedentary for desk job when most people really aren't, is confusing for people.
@thisisitnic what does FitBit say your total calories burned are?
For what it's worth I'm shorter than you (5'2) and lost most of my weight (>30 lbs) eating between 1600-1900 cals. My TDEE is 2200 per my FitBit and actual results bear that out.
Do you know I’ve never looked at the cals on FitBit! Strange but true. For the day I walked just under 20,000 it says 3298 burnt?!!!!!! Does this include my BMR? It must do right? How do I check? x0 -
thisisitnic wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?
Without seeing the advice or context it's all a guess.
My guess would be stupidity, ignorance (training and nutrition aren't the same thing at all), telling clients what they want hear, short term versus long term view, clients simply misunderstanding what trainers are actually saying, working out a calorie goal in a different way they haven't properly explained, different terminology..... Pick one or several reasons.
The absolute basics of weight loss/gain/maintenance is your calorie balance - it makes zero sense to ignore a significant part of your calorie expenditure if you are calorie counting.
That's not to say there aren't different and sensible ways to lose weight but if you select a tool then it makes sense to use it as designed.
You really do make a lot of sense. I should stop reading all that other stuff and go with how MFP is designed.
Would you mind checking something for me (tell me to sod off as I am being quite cheeky). Can I give you my stats and can you tell me what you would expect me to have a day to lose? I’m also concerned my FitBit is over estimating the cals burned as it’s saying 600/700 burned for approx 18,000/20,000 a day. I guess that’s why we don’t eat them all back but I just don’t want to be eating more than I should and sabotaging my journey as I have till August to sort myself out.
Ok here goes:
37 years old, 5ft 8 inches, 13 stone, I have 2 kids (8&9), I part time (Mon-Fri, 5 days a week), I walk to and from work every day (2.2 miles a day in total) and have started to do a Joe Wicks HIIT Training DVD 4 times a week. I selected sedentary for activity as it mentions people with desk jobs (me) rather than lightly active. Is that a mistake?
MFP has given me approx 1450 a day (can’t remember without coming off this page and checking it). I’ve then obvs got what i burn to eat back which is anything between an extra 300 - 1000 cals.
What do you think Yoda
"Do or don't do, there is no try...."
I don't use an activity tracker but that is one hell of a lot of steps to select sedentary!
Maybe a Fitbit user would chime in but aren't you supposed to select an activity setting close to your actual activity level to avoid getting huge daily adjustments?
I'm not going to attempt to set a calorie goal for you - that's the job of both MFP and your Fitbit working together.
You are going to have to try for at least a month and then adjust as required. You don't have to get it right first time.
Your 2.2 mile walk is about 120 net cals by the way.
Your DVD - no idea but you could log as callisthenics.
I use a FitBit and that is definitely not Sedentary. Anything above 7,500 steps/day is usually lightly active, I average 12-15k steps a day and I'm set at active. Choosing an activity level that is appropriate for what you actually do, will help get a more reasonable calorie adjustment. The initial setup of MFP suggesting Sedentary for desk job when most people really aren't, is confusing for people.
@thisisitnic what does FitBit say your total calories burned are?
For what it's worth I'm shorter than you (5'2) and lost most of my weight (>30 lbs) eating between 1600-1900 cals. My TDEE is 2200 per my FitBit and actual results bear that out.
Do you know I’ve never looked at the cals on FitBit! Strange but true. For the day I walked just under 20,000 it says 3298 burnt?!!!!!! Does this include my BMR? It must do right? How do I check? x
The Total Calories Burned on FitBit is analogous to your TDEE, it included everything. If accurate, and yours is 3300 and you are eating 1400 then you are at close to a 2000 calorie deficit and would be losing far too rapidly to be safe or sustainable. Is that activity typical for you? You can look at weekly, monthly and longer averages on your FitBit dashboard. How long have you been using MFP and how accurate is your logging? Do you use a food scale? How much weight have you lost during the time period you've been using MFP?0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »thisisitnic wrote: »It’s crazy how many websites even forums in here say it’s best not to eat them. There are just as many saying eat them. Completely mind blowing x
Other websites work in a different way - you aren't comparing like with like.
TDEE sites ask you to estimate in advance your weekly exercise and then that's averaged out so that you eat to the same goal every day - some of that goal is made up of your average daily exercise calories.
On here activity setting deliberately excludes exercise and you eat a variable amount in line with that day's exercise.
Both end up in the same place over the course of a week if done correctly.
You seem really knowledgeable. Can I ask why some trainers say it’s wrong to it calories back then?
Without seeing the advice or context it's all a guess.
My guess would be stupidity, ignorance (training and nutrition aren't the same thing at all), telling clients what they want hear, short term versus long term view, clients simply misunderstanding what trainers are actually saying, working out a calorie goal in a different way they haven't properly explained, different terminology..... Pick one or several reasons.
The absolute basics of weight loss/gain/maintenance is your calorie balance - it makes zero sense to ignore a significant part of your calorie expenditure if you are calorie counting.
That's not to say there aren't different and sensible ways to lose weight but if you select a tool then it makes sense to use it as designed.
You really do make a lot of sense. I should stop reading all that other stuff and go with how MFP is designed.
Would you mind checking something for me (tell me to sod off as I am being quite cheeky). Can I give you my stats and can you tell me what you would expect me to have a day to lose? I’m also concerned my FitBit is over estimating the cals burned as it’s saying 600/700 burned for approx 18,000/20,000 a day. I guess that’s why we don’t eat them all back but I just don’t want to be eating more than I should and sabotaging my journey as I have till August to sort myself out.
Ok here goes:
37 years old, 5ft 8 inches, 13 stone, I have 2 kids (8&9), I part time (Mon-Fri, 5 days a week), I walk to and from work every day (2.2 miles a day in total) and have started to do a Joe Wicks HIIT Training DVD 4 times a week. I selected sedentary for activity as it mentions people with desk jobs (me) rather than lightly active. Is that a mistake?
MFP has given me approx 1450 a day (can’t remember without coming off this page and checking it). I’ve then obvs got what i burn to eat back which is anything between an extra 300 - 1000 cals.
What do you think Yoda
"Do or don't do, there is no try...."
I don't use an activity tracker but that is one hell of a lot of steps to select sedentary!
Maybe a Fitbit user would chime in but aren't you supposed to select an activity setting close to your actual activity level to avoid getting huge daily adjustments?
I'm not going to attempt to set a calorie goal for you - that's the job of both MFP and your Fitbit working together.
You are going to have to try for at least a month and then adjust as required. You don't have to get it right first time.
Your 2.2 mile walk is about 120 net cals by the way.
Your DVD - no idea but you could log as callisthenics.
I use a FitBit and that is definitely not Sedentary. Anything above 7,500 steps/day is usually lightly active, I average 12-15k steps a day and I'm set at active. Choosing an activity level that is appropriate for what you actually do, will help get a more reasonable calorie adjustment. The initial setup of MFP suggesting Sedentary for desk job when most people really aren't, is confusing for people.
@thisisitnic what does FitBit say your total calories burned are?
For what it's worth I'm shorter than you (5'2) and lost most of my weight (>30 lbs) eating between 1600-1900 cals. My TDEE is 2200 per my FitBit and actual results bear that out.
Do you know I’ve never looked at the cals on FitBit! Strange but true. For the day I walked just under 20,000 it says 3298 burnt?!!!!!! Does this include my BMR? It must do right? How do I check? x
The Total Calories Burned on FitBit is analogous to your TDEE, it included everything. If accurate, and yours is 3300 and you are eating 1400 then you are at close to a 2000 calorie deficit and would be losing far too rapidly to be safe or sustainable. Is that activity typical for you? You can look at weekly, monthly and longer averages on your FitBit dashboard. How long have you been using MFP and how accurate is your logging? Do you use a food scale? How much weight have you lost during the time period you've been using MFP?
This is only my second week. 20,000 was a high day for me. I average about 15,000 a day but sometimes more. I gained 3lbs for my first weigh in! I only started HIIT training last week too though which means it was probably fluid but nevertheless the gain sent me off track! Idiot I know.
Looking at FitBit I’m averaging just under 2500 burn a day x
** Add 500 or so to that for my HIIT Training 4 times a week so about 30000 -
I weigh ~160 and my total TDEE on days I take 20-22k steps is ~3100-3300. I think that part is reasonable.
Where I think you may be less reasonable is in selecting a sedentary activity level and being surprised by a significant calorie adjustment when your activity level is considerably higher than sedentary. If I don’t purposefully walk/run/exercise/move, I take less than 5k steps a day. Often less than 3k. I work at home. I don’t even walk from my car to the office. I am sedentary. If you’re averaging 20-22k, that’s WAY above sedentary. Your calorie adjustments will reflect that.
My Fitbit calorie adjustments range from 0-2000 based on how active I am beyond my truly sedentary life. Obviously, on days when I far exceed sedentary (like when I get 20k+ steps), I have a much larger adjustment. That’s exactly how it should work. On days when I don’t move much, my adjustment is much lower. Sometimes nothing. If I were much more active all the time, my adjustments would be much higher on a consistent basis (as yours are).
If the high adjustment is bothering you, set your activity level higher on MFP. The adjustment will be a lower amount but the calorie totals should be about the same. Meaning all the settings and what not won’t really matter. You’ll either get more calories up front from your Mfp (with a higher activity level) and lower Fitbit adjustments, or you’ll stay with the lower MFP calories to start and get higher fitbit adjustments. You’ll end up at the same number either way.
Also - and I’m making some assumptions from your other threads-you’re very early on in this process. You’ve weighed twice (?) so you don’t know if this second one was an off day and you’re trending down or what is going on. You just don’t have enough time or data to work with yet.
Your calorie goal (if you’re eating your exercise calories and weighing your food) is reasonable (although you may want to make sure your MFP is set to 1 lb/week), your TDEE (and Fitbit adjustment) is reasonable for your level of activity.
1 -
I know you’ve got other threads out there for weighing in, but I’ll post this here. Two weighins one month apart. Zero change between the two. Daily weighins show a very clear downward trend. I’m a girl. We have a LOT of fluctuations. Depending on which days I chose to weigh-who knows what I would have found. I stay the course because my overall trend is exactly what I want to see.
1 -
Duck_Puddle wrote: »I weigh ~160 and my total TDEE on days I take 20-22k steps is ~3100-3300. I think that part is reasonable.
Where I think you may be less reasonable is in selecting a sedentary activity level and being surprised by a significant calorie adjustment when your activity level is considerably higher than sedentary. If I don’t purposefully walk/run/exercise/move, I take less than 5k steps a day. Often less than 3k. I work at home. I don’t even walk from my car to the office. I am sedentary. If you’re averaging 20-22k, that’s WAY above sedentary. Your calorie adjustments will reflect that.
My Fitbit calorie adjustments range from 0-2000 based on how active I am beyond my truly sedentary life. Obviously, on days when I far exceed sedentary (like when I get 20k+ steps), I have a much larger adjustment. That’s exactly how it should work. On days when I don’t move much, my adjustment is much lower. Sometimes nothing. If I were much more active all the time, my adjustments would be much higher on a consistent basis (as yours are).
If the high adjustment is bothering you, set your activity level higher on MFP. The adjustment will be a lower amount but the calorie totals should be about the same. Meaning all the settings and what not won’t really matter. You’ll either get more calories up front from your Mfp (with a higher activity level) and lower Fitbit adjustments, or you’ll stay with the lower MFP calories to start and get higher fitbit adjustments. You’ll end up at the same number either way.
Also - and I’m making some assumptions from your other threads-you’re very early on in this process. You’ve weighed twice (?) so you don’t know if this second one was an off day and you’re trending down or what is going on. You just don’t have enough time or data to work with yet.
Your calorie goal (if you’re eating your exercise calories and weighing your food) is reasonable (although you may want to make sure your MFP is set to 1 lb/week), your TDEE (and Fitbit adjustment) is reasonable for your level of activity.
Hey. I only started last week and my first weigh in resulted in a 3lb gain which is what has prompted me to ask all of these questions.
If I change it to lightly active my cals go up to 1600 but again I see your point that MFP/FitBit will just adjust anyone based on my activity that day so it’s by the by.
Am I right in saying then that if you have a FitBit feeding into MFP it makes no difference when all is said and done what activity level you set as it will adjust accordingly anyway? x0
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