Weight loss

VAleksander
VAleksander Posts: 18 Member
edited November 25 in Fitness and Exercise
Anyone know why this app says when I exercise I have more calories left?

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Your calorie goal is based on the assumption you aren't exercising. When you exercise, your calorie needs increase so MFP gives you more calories based on that.
  • VAleksander
    VAleksander Posts: 18 Member
    Thanks for the reply. Well when I set my goal I put I am active. I run for about 30 mins a days. In total I do around 12-13000 steps a day so I enter the calories burnt from my smart watch
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
    Aside from your runs, what is your activity level like? Desk job with little movement?
  • VAleksander
    VAleksander Posts: 18 Member
    Desk job!
  • VAleksander
    VAleksander Posts: 18 Member
    I do 6000 steps in the gym but still do at least another 6000 until I go to bed
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you put that you're active, your exercise activity would be included in your activity level and thus logging them again would be double dipping.

    You'll note that the descriptors only mention your day to day...like your job and stuff and no mention of exercise. So if someone works in an office, the MFP method would have them select sedentary, at which point any additional activity like exercise, more steps, etc would be additional activity to account for and thus you log it and get additional calories.

    You're rolling everything up into your activity level, which is fine...but in that case, your estimated calories for that activity are already in your base so you wouldn't add the calories for your exercise...they're already built in.
  • VAleksander
    VAleksander Posts: 18 Member
    My Calories set for lightly active is 1260. My fitness watch says I burn around 500-600 a day. So should I still only eat 1260 even though I can do that many calories from my run and steps?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Thanks for the reply. Well when I set my goal I put I am active. I run for about 30 mins a days. In total I do around 12-13000 steps a day so I enter the calories burnt from my smart watch

    If you chose "active" as an activity level because you were including your running, you are not using MFP as designed. If you then log your exercise and add those calories, you are double dipping.

    To use MFP as designed, set your activity level based on your *non-exercise* activity and then log your exercise.

    If you decide to use another method, you'll have to take your own steps to ensure you aren't double-dipping. If you set yourself as "active" based on exercise, I would not log any exercise.
  • VAleksander
    VAleksander Posts: 18 Member
    edited February 2018
    They give me 1200 calories for not active and 1260 for lightly active. Doesn’t seem much of a difference in terms of food allowance that’s all as it’s only an extra 420 calories a week I can eat and I can burn that off in a day. I’ll just stick to 1260 and won’t log my exercise then
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
    edited February 2018
    What do you have your weekly loss goal set to, and how much do you have to lose?
  • VAleksander
    VAleksander Posts: 18 Member
    1.5 and I’d like to lose another 10/11 pounds
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
    Your loss goal is too aggressive. No wonder you have no calories! With so little to lose, set your goal loss to .5lbs/week.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I would suggest setting your activity level as sedentary, then add in your steps and workouts separately and see how that compares to an "active" activity setting. You could also change your goal to only .5 or 1 lb per week, 1.5 is a little aggressive.
This discussion has been closed.