Exercise calorie allowance

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Mmuir7727
Mmuir7727 Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a question about Fitbit calorie allowance for exercise! If part of my Fitbit walking steps are combined with my exercise is that accounted for when it gives you calories for the actual exercise itself!? Meaning... I did 17 minutes of elliptical exercise and it gave me calorie credit for that, and then it gave me calorie credit for Fitbit steps. But as you know when you're on an elliptical you are essentially making steps. So, should it be giving me calorie credit for both and should I somehow change that?

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  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    edited March 2018
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    activities1 wrote: »
    Meh I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Just keep in mind what it’s deducting. Also, you shouldn’t be eating those calories since weight loss banks on exercise. If you consume the calories you got from exercising you’re not going to lose.

    You obviously don't understand how MFP works.

    Your deficit is set based upon your normal daily activity without exercise. If you exercise in addition to that, you're burning extra calories above and beyond whatever deficit you set for your weight goal, and it's anticipated that you'll eat those calories back - both to avoid an overly severe calorie deficit and also to adequately fuel your workouts. Since calorie burns are often overstated, some people choose to eat back a portion (50-75%) of those calories just to add a safety margin.

    Fueling your workouts may not be a big deal if your workouts are light and not particularly intense, but if you're training hard it becomes more important.
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
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    activities1 wrote: »
    Meh I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Just keep in mind what it’s deducting. Also, you shouldn’t be eating those calories since weight loss banks on exercise. If you consume the calories you got from exercising you’re not going to lose.

    This is incorrect. MFP is set up on the basis that you eat back exercise calories. The deficit is built into your daily calorie goal assuming zero exercise. Most people start eating back 50-75% to compensate for possible over-inflated burns.
  • JaxxieKat
    JaxxieKat Posts: 427 Member
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    If you're working out, start by eating back 50% of your exercise calories and see what happens. The one thing I don't count are Fitbit steps. Only calories burned when I'm really putting in the work.
  • JMcGee2018
    JMcGee2018 Posts: 275 Member
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    I probably wouldn't log my time on the elliptical if my FitBit is also calculating those "steps." A simple solution if you still want to log your elliptical workout would be to take your FitBit off while you are on the elliptical and put it back on when you are done. Then there's no double-dipping.
  • angelb1983
    angelb1983 Posts: 160 Member
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    I personally don't log any exercise and just have fitbit do all the work. If I stay within fitbits allowed calories when I have MFP set to sedentary, I lose.
  • Mmuir7727
    Mmuir7727 Posts: 2 Member
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    Thank you so much!! I just noticed that it's adding the calories burn from my Fitbit app as well as calories for steps so I just wanted to make sure that it was syncing correctly and that I was doing something correctly. I am not eating back those calories in fact I wish it wasn't showing them but I just wanted to make sure I was doing the thinking correctly between the two apps. And before anyone says anything about eating back the calories, I'm doing primarily Weight Watchers so I'm counting points and if I eat back the calories it will throw me over on the points so either way I'd be screwed LOL right now I am using my fitness pal just to make sure I am getting at least 1200 calories a day.

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