Exercise calories

sflano1783
sflano1783 Posts: 117 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi can I eat back my exercise calories and still lose weight

Replies

  • sflano1783
    sflano1783 Posts: 117 Member
    Thanks
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 921 Member
    Yeah, if you already have your calorie goal set at a deficit (which if you used MFP to calculate a calorie goal then it should be)....you SHOULD be eating back some or all of those calories.
  • sflano1783
    sflano1783 Posts: 117 Member
    Is my fitness Pal accurate enough for tracking exercise calories I walk at a normal pace each day but not sure if my fitness Pal is calculating my calories perfectly?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    sflano1783 wrote: »
    Is my fitness Pal accurate enough for tracking exercise calories I walk at a normal pace each day but not sure if my fitness Pal is calculating my calories perfectly?

    Probably no device on earth is capable of tracking your calories perfectly. All you need is "close enough."

    Is MFP tracking it closely enough? Some people find that it does, others find that it is an overestimation. If you're choosing entries from the database and logging your exercise manually, some people do find that to be an overestimation, especially if you're doing rough estimates of how far you've walked and your pace.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    In a database of hundreds of options there's all sorts of estimates from dreadful to OK but it's poor for walking estimates - it gives you a gross calorie estimate (includes the calories you would have burned anyway) rather than a net calorie estimate (just the extra calories burned because you were walking for that time period).

    This is a better estimate, select the net calorie option.
    https://exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs
  • sflano1783
    sflano1783 Posts: 117 Member
    I don't understand I need to get into a calorie deficit for weightloss
  • sflano1783
    sflano1783 Posts: 117 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    In a database of hundreds of options there's all sorts of estimates from dreadful to OK but it's poor for walking estimates - it gives you a gross calorie estimate (includes the calories you would have burned anyway) rather than a net calorie estimate (just the extra calories burned because you were walking for that time period).

    This is a better estimate, select the net calorie option.
    https://exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs

    Or find my maintenance then I can get into a calorie deficit
  • sflano1783
    sflano1783 Posts: 117 Member
    edited March 2021
    sijomial wrote: »
    In a database of hundreds of options there's all sorts of estimates from dreadful to OK but it's poor for walking estimates - it gives you a gross calorie estimate (includes the calories you would have burned anyway) rather than a net calorie estimate (just the extra calories burned because you were walking for that time period).

    This is a better estimate, select the net calorie option.
    https://exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs

    I'm 93kgs 5ft 9inchs tall 31
    year old male
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    sflano1783 wrote: »
    I don't understand I need to get into a calorie deficit for weightloss

    You asked how to better estimate your walking burns. Are you now asking how MyFitnessPal works?

    Your deficit is normally selected by choosing a rate of weight loss in your goal set up but you must have months of data and know what your weight has been doing at the calorie level you have been eating at.

    Adjust from what you know.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    sflano1783 wrote: »
    I don't understand I need to get into a calorie deficit for weightloss

    If you choose your initial goal as one that puts you at a calorie deficit BEFORE your walking exercise (and MFP can help you calculate this if you put in your goals and stats) and then you do exercise and eat those calories back, you'll still be at a deficit and you'll lose weight.

    The variables here are accurately estimating your activity level, your calorie intake, and the calories you're burning through exercise. Sometimes people need to tweak a bit to get to the right level with these. They do this by comparing their real life results to what they expect over time.
  • sflano1783
    sflano1783 Posts: 117 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    sflano1783 wrote: »
    I don't understand I need to get into a calorie deficit for weightloss

    Can I make a suggestion as you seem to be struggling long term with how MyFitnessPal works and not making the progress you should be?

    I'm assuming these three things so please say if my assumptions are wrong:
    • Your current calorie goal seems to be around 2600.
    • Your only current exercise is walking.
    • Your weight isn't dropping as you would expect.

    My suggestion would be to eat to a 2500 calorie limit every day, don't try to estimate your walking just eat 2500 daily for a month. At the end of that month see what your weight loss has done. If you are losing around half a kilo a week then carry on at 2500. Losing slower reduce the calorie limit a little, if losing quicker increase the calorie limit.

    Ok thanks

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