Estimating Exercise calories

abarriere
abarriere Posts: 135 Member
edited November 24 in Health and Weight Loss
Those of you who don't use a fitbit or HR monitor, how are you estimating your exercise calories? I am skeptical of the number MFP throws out.

I am doing a workout program that right now is 6 days a week of:

-3, 30 minute circuit training sessions per week (cardio spurts mixed in).
-3, 30 minute steady state (for now) cardio sessions, i usually do the elliptical or jog slowly on the treadmill. over time it will gradually switch to intervals.
-3, 15 minute ab sessions.

if I use MFP's NEAT calculation, I need 1770 calories to lose 0.5 lbs/week. I am supposed to eat back some calories, but i am not quite sure how much to eat back.

do you usually just use what MFP throws out and then eat back 1/2, or do you try to actually estimate what your real burn is? The 30 minute weight workouts are slightly intense, but i can't imagine i am burning more than 250 calories. Maybe if you count if it causes you to burn more calories throughout the day...

Any tips that have helped you be successful?

Thanks!



Replies

  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,140 Member
    Choose a fixed percentage, for example 50% and then review your weight loss after 4-6 weeks if you're losing more than half a pound per week average, increase the percentage, if you're losing less decrease the percentage.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I would just cut the number MFP gives you in half. If results are not what is expected adjust from there.

    I would ask why your are spending so much time on just abs? 15 minutes 3 times per week seems like a lot of core work, given how much time you spend on other. You can't spot reduce and your core gets worked if you do compound lifts. Instead of the cirucit training and abs, you may want to replace those with somehing like the strong curves program.
  • abarriere
    abarriere Posts: 135 Member
    edited February 2018
    erickirb wrote: »
    I would just cut the number MFP gives you in half. If results are not what is expected adjust from there.

    I would ask why your are spending so much time on just abs? 15 minutes 3 times per week seems like a lot of core work, given how much time you spend on other. You can't spot reduce and your core gets worked if you do compound lifts. Instead of the cirucit training and abs, you may want to replace those with somehing like the strong curves program.

    Thank you for taking the time to reply! I am doing this fitness app that sets out the workouts for you. The abs circuits say 15 minutes, but so far i have accomplished them in 10 or so. Maybe later in the program it actually takes the full 15, not sure yet.

    I decided to go this route after hurting my piriformis from doing a heavy lifting program last summer and having to sit out from working out for 2 months in order for it to heal. I am a little gun shy now with the heavy weights. I want to see if the circuit routine with calorie restriction can effectively shed fat without me hurting myself. I don't have it in the budget to hire a trainer at this point to make sure my form is adequate, so this is what i am going to try for the next 12 weeks.

    Once i am done with this program i will reassess!
  • abarriere
    abarriere Posts: 135 Member
    edited February 2018
    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    Choose a fixed percentage, for example 50% and then review your weight loss after 4-6 weeks if you're losing more than half a pound per week average, increase the percentage, if you're losing less decrease the percentage.

    OK, thanks! That will also maybe help me figure out my real NEAT. MFP might have me too low. I got a BMR test done a couple of years back and it said my BMR is in the 1500's. When I put it on MFP to lose 1 lb per week, the number was my BMR, according to the test. That's why I chose 0.5 lbs/week.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    There is no method short of a metabolic lab that gives precise calorie burn counts. It's just not that critical. If the only thing at your disposal is MFP's database, take half and see what happens for 6 weeks. Adjust based on actual results. I have a Fitbit and it's not 100% accurate either. Nor is a HRM, particularly for strength based workouts.
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