Calories

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Hi I need help please I've been told by 2 nutritionist not to count the calories the app gives me for excercise as it's inaccurate is this correct
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  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I have always found exercise cals from MFP to be spot on, but not everyone does.
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
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    The one value that is definitely wrong for your exercise calories is 0.

    Enter your exercise. Start by eating back half or three quarters of the extra calories. See how that goes for about a month, and then adjust if necessary.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
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    The only absolutely inaccurate figure is 0.

    Do these "nutritionists" not feel you should fuel exercise at all?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Yakker04 wrote: »
    Ok thanks guys so I should eat them back. E.g. I'm on 2100 calories it gives me 900 calories for excercise so I should be eating 3000 calories?

    What are your stats?

    What exercise did you do to burn 900 calories?
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
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    Yakker04 wrote: »
    Ok thanks guys so I should eat them back. E.g. I'm on 2100 calories it gives me 900 calories for excercise so I should be eating 3000 calories?

    You say in your other thread that you're maintaining, though. Which says that you're at 3000 already.

    How do you weigh and track your food? That could be giving you more than you're eating, in which case it wouldn't make sense to eat those extra calories *unless* you are willing to tighten up your logging, *and* be careful that you're counting your exercise correctly.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
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    Yakker04 wrote: »
    I'm accurate with my food posting etc

    If you're maintaining your weight, while supposedly undereating, no, you aren't.

    Do you weigh everything you eat?
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
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    your goal is to maintain. since you have been doing what you have been doing...has your weight remained stable? how long have you been tracking?

    so are they saying that because 900 is too high an estimated (according to them) to eat... ZERO? there is a HUGE range between 0 and 900. if 900 is too high and estimate, in no way does that mean eat 0. if after tracking and eating back the 900 your weight creeps up then you know that indeed, 900 is too much and eat back maybe 75% of that. or if you are super concerned, eat 75% now and track and see if your weight remain stable.

    but if you have been eating the 900 for awhile now and your weight is stable, then keep doing what you are doing, it works.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,195 Member
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    Yakker04 wrote: »
    Hi I need help please I've been told by 2 nutritionist not to count the calories the app gives me for excercise as it's inaccurate is this correct

    I agree with what others have said above, generally.

    I just want to add this: Sometimes nutritionists/trainers say not to eat back exercise calories because they're used to thinking in terms of TDEE-based calorie estimates as a goal. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) includes all exercise, just averaged over all your days. Many calorie-counting sites use TDEE as a starting point for calorie goals.

    MFP, on the other hand, gives you a calorie goal that is based on NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). NEAT includes your daily life (job, etc.) and general calorie burn just from being alive, but doesn't include intentional exercise. So, you log exercise, and eat it back on top of the basic daily calorie goal, because it wasn't included in MFP's basic daily calorie goal.

    Sometimes trainers/nutritionists (and others) who don't use MFP don't realize this.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    Yakker04 wrote: »
    Some people are saying yes others are saying no. I don't know what to do. Maybe I won't log my excercise and just eat 2100 calories or under

    So you want to choose the one number you know is wrong, without answering any of these other questions which can help clarify the answers you’ve gotten above?

    What is your height and current weight?
    What is your goal weight?
    What activity level did you choose?
    What rate of loss did you choose?
    Do you log everything you eat, using a food scale for accuracy?
    Would you be willing to open your diary?
  • strebor337
    strebor337 Posts: 168 Member
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Yakker04 wrote: »
    Hi I need help please I've been told by 2 nutritionist not to count the calories the app gives me for excercise as it's inaccurate is this correct

    I agree with what others have said above, generally.

    I just want to add this: Sometimes nutritionists/trainers say not to eat back exercise calories because they're used to thinking in terms of TDEE-based calorie estimates as a goal. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) includes all exercise, just averaged over all your days. Many calorie-counting sites use TDEE as a starting point for calorie goals.

    MFP, on the other hand, gives you a calorie goal that is based on NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). NEAT includes your daily life (job, etc.) and general calorie burn just from being alive, but doesn't include intentional exercise. So, you log exercise, and eat it back on top of the basic daily calorie goal, because it wasn't included in MFP's basic daily calorie goal.

    Sometimes trainers/nutritionists (and others) who don't use MFP don't realize this.

    Good summary Ann. Thanks for the deep dive explanation of how that works.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    The exercise calories I've gotten from MFP have been pretty accurate. Accurate enough for me to have lost weight successfully and then to have continued to maintain for several years while eating most of them back...at least try eating half of them back. Then make adjustments if things aren't working.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Yakker04 wrote: »
    WinoGelato.
    184 cms height
    77 kg weight
    Maintain weight is goal weight
    Active is my activity level
    I log everything. I use scales everything is thorough very

    Your maintenance calories cannot be 2100 with those stats.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,969 Member
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    Yakker04 wrote: »
    Why not it's been that way for weeks and have maintained my weight

    Then if you have a couple months of data, go by that. We don't have that, and I'm guessing neither does the nutritionist (?)

    This is your experiment to run. If you're maintaining over a period of 4-6 weeks on a certain number, then stick to it.

    I've always eaten all the exercise calories. It is what allows me to eat enough to be happy, YMMV.