Does this get logged in for excercise?

I would, but I count EVERYTHING!!!

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.

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.

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".

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.

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.

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.

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?

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?

Ah right now I get it!!! Thanks a lot for your help. Not tiny at 4ft 11 though lol Reason for doing this is that my clothes no longer fit me and it's starting to get rather annoying. You look great in your profile pic too! Well done!!

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?

If this is a daily thing, then i would suggest that you change your activity setting to "lightly active", then it is already accounted for and you don't have to add it as exercise each day. I started out with my level at "sedentary" but found that it was easier to change it up to "lightly active" to account for a number of short walks and other activity during the day.

The key here is to make sure you are only counting the activity once
- you can set your activity level at "sedentary" and add your 1 mile walk (which probably burns about 100 cals so I think it's worth adding).
- or you can change your activity level to "light active" and don't log the walk separately. This way you get extra cals anyway to cover the extra activity.

Try it out and see what works for you!

I think it all depends on how you have your settings set. If you have your self set at sedentary, then yes, I would count that, but if you don't, then I wouldn't. Heck, I sit at my dest at work all day, I would definitely count it as exercise, because it is, especially when you add on the weight of books. That alone should burn a few extra calories.

And I have to disagree on not eating the exercise calories... As a former WW member, I've learned that you need to eat those calories because your body needs the fuel. Now would I eat ALL of them??? Probalby not, but you would have to figure out how your body burns the calories before making that decision. Each person is different. What works for me may not work for you.

Just my two cents worth... Good luck on your weight loss journey!!!

It depends on your fitness level, too. When I started this journey, that would have counted for exercise, because it likely would have raised my heart rate. Now, I'm in much better shape (and a lot lighter), so I have to walk really hard to get my heart rate up where it counts. It all depends on the individual.

That being said, being active is always good. I'd just be wise about the calories.

I wouldn't.