Not sure how to add walking, short legs problem

Personally, if I had the data in hand to do it with, I'd estimate the calories with this calculator, setting the Energy box to "net":

https://exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs

Then I'd pick some random MFP walking entry and overtype its calorie guess with that calorie guess, or create a custom exercise in MFP and input those calories.

But it's also fine to use MFP's "Walking, 2.5 mph, leisurely pace" calorie estimate. Either one is probably close enough, in the big picture - everything we're logging here is estimates, our calorie goals are estimates. It's good not to be wildly far off from reality, i.e. to choose reasonably accurate entries . . . but there's no need to worry over-much about smaller discrepancies.

If I tell MFP I walked for an hour using its estimate, the calories are only 45 calories different from the calculator I linked above. If you're larger than I am, the difference may be numerically greater, but the relative magnitude with respect to your calorie goal is probably about the same.

It's good to ask, though. Some of the MFP exercise calorie estimates are further off from what other sources would say, and it's good to choose a solid source when available.

Best wishes!

I second the use of that particular calculator. It is based on ACSM metabolic equations of motion which for normal weight fit people is with 7% of actual calories burned. And from my own testing when I lost weight, more than close enough to factor calories from walking/running.

A couple points…

For outside walking, use a grade of 1%.

Use NET calories rather than GROSS, since gross includes resting (sedentary) calories. Usually you start with your sedentary TDEE and add to that your above sedentary activity, such as intentional walks, exercise, or other activity over and above your day-to-day sedentary behavior.

Note: Many treadmills use a similar formula for calories burned but report gross rather than net, which gives the impression that they over report burned calories.

if you’ve got an Apple Watch, my take is that it records actually energy expenditure pretty well, although it can be as annoying as all get out when most things record as “light” or “medium” effort when it feels like I’m working my buns off.

However, they just added a new feature where you can go in and adjust “effort”, if you feel like you need to.

For example, I could add effort for my swim this morning: