Does this get logged in for excercise?
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electrokate
Posts: 10
I make it a point to park in the farthest possible place from my destination. Round trip from car to class then to work and back to car is a mile and some change. I'm carrying a few books too. So my question is, should I count this in my exercise log since I'm going out of my way to make this walk?
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Replies
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I would, but I count EVERYTHING!!!0
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Then I shall count everything too!0
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I would say no to counting everything because in the end you are only cheating yourself when you could be helping yourself. But a mile is a pretty good distance for a walk and would mark that down.0
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Personally, I wouldn't. How many calories do you think that walking a few 100m burns?0
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I make it a point to park in the farthest possible place from my destination. Round trip from car to class then to work and back to car is a mile and some change. I'm carrying a few books too. So my question is, should I count this in my exercise log since I'm going out of my way to make this walk?
No. That is just your normal daily activity calories. And good for increasing them. Those type pull mainly from fat for energy, so no need to eat them back like the others.0 -
I would count it but i don't eat back my exercise calories.0
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I think that since its about a mile, i'll mark it down but when its anything less than a mile, I wont bother.0
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On the exercise database there are at least 11 walking choices to enter in for exercise. Heck I saw entries for walking with crutches, carrying infants and 15 pounds of stuff. I would add it to your tracker but not eat back the calories.0
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As I understand it, your BMR is the number of calories you need to keep your basic heart, lungs, etc going without any exercise at all, just lying on the bed all day. MFP sets your calorie goal a little below your BMR, taking into account the activities you checked when you entered your information (eg mainly sedentary, or whatever you put in). So that your body takes the extra calories it needs from your fat, and you should lose weight. So normally, I am pretty sedentary, and drive most places, so any exercise I do over and above my norm counts. Like tonight, I would normally have driven back from the meeting, but since my husband who is driving me while I cannot, was not around, I decided to walk. 20 minutes, walking with crutches, earned me a few calories.
But there is a danger, if you don't eat back the calories from exercise, that your body will decide that food must be short, and adjust the metabolism rate to burn fewer calories, and conserve energy - just like turning down the heating in your home if you're trying to save money. So it doesn't eat into the store, and you don't lose that fat. It is a bit of a balancing act eating enough to keep you going, while burning stuff slowly from the store, and not eating too much, so you add to your store, or too little so that your body says "hey, I'd better turn down the heat to save my store from running out".0 -
I don't count anything apart from actual time dedicted to exercising. That way, I am keeping under my calories but also burning a lot more calories than I even know I am.0
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As I understand it, your BMR is the number of calories you need to keep your basic heart, lungs, etc going without any exercise at all, just lying on the bed all day. MFP sets your calorie goal a little below your BMR, taking into account the activities you checked when you entered your information (eg mainly sedentary, or whatever you put in). So that your body takes the extra calories it needs from your fat, and you should lose weight. So normally, I am pretty sedentary, and drive most places, so any exercise I do over and above my norm counts. Like tonight, I would normally have driven back from the meeting, but since my husband who is driving me while I cannot, was not around, I decided to walk. 20 minutes, walking with crutches, earned me a few calories.
But there is a danger, if you don't eat back the calories from exercise, that your body will decide that food must be short, and adjust the metabolism rate to burn fewer calories, and conserve energy - just like turning down the heating in your home if you're trying to save money. So it doesn't eat into the store, and you don't lose that fat. It is a bit of a balancing act eating enough to keep you going, while burning stuff slowly from the store, and not eating too much, so you add to your store, or too little so that your body says "hey, I'd better turn down the heat to save my store from running out".
so much bro-science here, i'm glad they put that warning at the bottom of the screen.0 -
There are some days when walking about a mile (usually with the dog) is my only exercise, and I log that. Today it was 1.4 miles, and about 100 calories.
One caveat... If you've been parking far away and walking this much before you started losing weight, I'd more likely say it's part of your normal daily activities. Just be sure your activity level is set to at least "lightly active," because if you're walking that much, you're not sedentary.0 -
I don't count things like that because I like to consider it bonus!! If you count it, you may end up eating it back.0
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I can understand that it'simportant to eat your calories, but I really don't understand the point of eating your calories back once you have burned them off through exercise.0
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I can understand that it'simportant to eat your calories, but I really don't understand the point of eating your calories back once you have burned them off through exercise.
Simply said, because too large of a calorie deficit isn't good. Less isn't more.
If I don't do exercise, my body will burn about 1700 calories a day. But if I run three miles, my body will burn about 2000 calories that day.
If I was eating 1200 calories a day, I'd have a 500 calorie deficit when I don't exercise, and an 800 calorie deficit when I run three miles. If you have don't have a large amount of weight to lose, your body doesn't have enough excess fat to support that kind of deficit, and you lose muscle. When you lose a lot of muscle, you look heavier than you are. Not to mention flabbier.0 -
I make it a point to park in the farthest possible place from my destination. Round trip from car to class then to work and back to car is a mile and some change. I'm carrying a few books too. So my question is, should I count this in my exercise log since I'm going out of my way to make this walk?
Absolutely!0 -
I can understand that it'simportant to eat your calories, but I really don't understand the point of eating your calories back once you have burned them off through exercise.
Simply said, because too large of a calorie deficit isn't good. Less isn't more.
If I don't do exercise, my body will burn about 1700 calories a day. But if I run three miles, my body will burn about 2000 calories that day.
If I was eating 1200 calories a day, I'd have a 500 calorie deficit when I don't exercise, and an 800 calorie deficit when I run three miles. If you have don't have a large amount of weight to lose, your body doesn't have enough excess fat to support that kind of deficit, and you lose muscle. When you lose a lot of muscle, you look heavier than you are. Not to mention flabbier.
Thanks for explaining. That make sense. You do need a certain deficit amount to lose weight though right?0 -
Generally speaking, 250 calorie deficit to lose a half pound a week, 500 to lose one pound a week, 750 for 1.5 a week and 1000 for two pounds a week.
But it depends on how much you have to lose. If you're losing 75# or more, you can aim for 2# a week, but if it's only 10#, it's best to stick with a half pound a week.0 -
Thanks. I am currently 112lbs and would like to lose 14lbs. So a 200 calorie deficit a day would be a good option? MFP has told me my goal is 1200 cals a day so for example I should eat those and then try to burn off 200 a day?0
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Wow! You're tiny!
MFP already has the deficit in your calorie goal, so you'll lose whether or not you exercise, which is why it's recommended to eat what you burn from exercise.
One thing I would suggest, though, is to take pictures in the mirror or with a self-timer, in a bathing suit or your underwear. You might reach your goal body before you reach your goal weight. I'm about 130# and wearing the same clothes I wore in high school (more than 20 years ago) at 110#. I have so much more lean muscle now that it would be impossible for me to weigh 110# again.0
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