Should I subtract resting calories from my exercise calories

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Goalinsight
Goalinsight Posts: 32 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
It just struck me today that when I record my exercise calories, I include exactly what my HRM says I have burned. However, even if I just lay down and slept I would still be burning some of those anyhow. My question is, should I try to estimate how many I would burn if I just sat still for that period, and then subtract that from my exercise session calorie burn before I record it on MFP? I hope this is not too confusing! Any advice appreciated, thanks!

Replies

  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
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    Your calorie intake done by this site accounts for that. Simply fill in your food and exercise and note what results are at the bottom
  • kmturtle3
    kmturtle3 Posts: 556
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    I also would like to know what people think about this. I usually take what my HRM says, and then subtract a calorie for every minute that I worked out. So if I burned 200 cals in 20 minutes, I subtract 20 and put 180 to MFP as my calorie burn. I don't know when or why I started doing this... just seemed like a good idea at the time.

    To be honest, I don't know if it has made a serious impact one way or another on my weight loss. I've still just continued to lose pretty consistently based on my diet and exercise.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Yes and the number would be the extra calories you gain from exercise. The number of calories mfp gives you is what you body burns just to function.
  • ajc2233
    ajc2233 Posts: 2 Member
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    Don't know if it's right but this is what I do: I used the site to calcuate my basal metabolic rate which came out around 1850. If you divide that by 24 it works out at roughly 77 calories burned per hour. I subtract 100 calories per hour from the readout on my HRM - as I'd rather be underestimating calories burned than overestimating!
  • bdur76
    bdur76 Posts: 155 Member
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    I always subtract out my bmr from my exercise calories! It's double dipping if you don't!
  • _SusieQ_
    _SusieQ_ Posts: 2,964 Member
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    I read somewhere in the forums that Yes, you should subtract out resting calories burned. I believe the formula was:
    Minutes exercised X 1.5

    So if I burn 600 calories in 60 minutes, I typically will subtract 90 and record 510.

    It can't hurt to do it, just means you are being somewhat conservative.
  • tonie13
    tonie13 Posts: 7 Member
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    i have to say that regardless of how much exercise i do i never put exercise onto my chart.

    After doing the Kcals for so long now i really struggle to eat my Minimum requirements of 1200kcal per day and am force feeding mself even with the exercise?!
  • becka63
    becka63 Posts: 712 Member
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    I've started doing this and someone posted an interesting blog that included a formula on how they calculated it. I used it and worked out that for me, it was 75kcals per hour. After a lengthy period of weight stagnation, I've been doing this for 3weeks now, and I've started to lose again, maybe just by being more conservative, it's helping me work out my caloric intake more effectively.
  • becka63
    becka63 Posts: 712 Member
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    Here's the link to the blog, if you're interested:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Huskeryogi/view/my-personal-thoughts-on-logging-cleaning-calories-154113
  • Goalinsight
    Goalinsight Posts: 32 Member
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    Thanks guys! (Looks like I need to do a few calculations). :)

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