Does everyone log their exercise?

4stephklug
4stephklug Posts: 86 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I have been logging my exercise but i'm losing soo slowly. My calorie allowance is 1420, then log exercise (between 300-400 usually.) This allows me 1700-1800 calories. I'm 172 lbs, should I just eat 1420, keep exercising and see how it goes? Thx in advance :)

Replies

  • nick1109
    nick1109 Posts: 174 Member
    Male or female? Also when you say you're losing too slowly how many pounds are you losing a week and how long have you seen these 'slow' losses?

    If you're a guy then 1420 Net seems a little low to me in the first instance
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    Yes, I asked them all, and everyone does log their exercise.
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
    I log my exercise, but generally don't eat my exercise calories back.
  • nebulinda
    nebulinda Posts: 120 Member
    MFP's estimates for calorie burn are generally too high. Try eating back only half your exercise calories for a few weeks to see if that does something. Or get a heart rate monitor with a chest strap to wear while you exercise--that will give your the most accurate estimate of what you burn. Also, how long have you been at this? It could be that you just need to give it more time.

    For me, I have my calories set to maintenance, and I don't log my exercise. MFP's estimates aren't too accurate anyway, and I hate getting bogged down keeping track every little calorie that goes in or out.
  • nick1109
    nick1109 Posts: 174 Member
    MFP's estimates for calorie burn are generally too high. Try eating back only half your exercise calories for a few weeks to see if that does something. Or get a heart rate monitor with a chest strap to wear while you exercise--that will give your the most accurate estimate of what you burn. Also, how long have you been at this? It could be that you just need to give it more time.

    For me, I have my calories set to maintenance, and I don't log my exercise. MFP's estimates aren't too accurate anyway, and I hate getting bogged down keeping track every little calorie that goes in or out.

    I agree. MFP estimates are usually well out in comparison to my HR monitor.

    I always eat my exercise calories back though
  • coachblt
    coachblt Posts: 1,090
    I'm the guy who doesn't log his exercise. Don't know why...just don't.
  • 4stephklug
    4stephklug Posts: 86 Member
    sorry, I'm female, and I've only been using MFP consistently for around a month. I don't use MFP's numbers for exercise, I either go by the machine or the low end of a calculator. I had my activity level on 'Active" since I work out most every day, but aside from my workouts, I guess I'm just "lightly active". It's a 150 calorie difference, so hopefully this will speed things up. Thanks for all the feedback :smile:
  • britexmom
    britexmom Posts: 145
    you could also enter a lower amount of excercise, say if you workout for 60 minutes just add in 45 mins....right there you have knocked off 25% of the calories that MFP will give you to eat back...that should account for some of the overage and then you can experiment with eating back all or some of those calories.
  • BreakingOath
    BreakingOath Posts: 193 Member
    I don't log strength training as exercise and I log my cardio on the lower end. I too eat my exercise calories back.
  • britexmom
    britexmom Posts: 145
    sorry, I'm female, and I've only been using MFP consistently for around a month. I don't use MFP's numbers for exercise, I either go by the machine or the low end of a calculator. I had my activity level on 'Active" since I work out most every day, but aside from my workouts, I guess I'm just "lightly active". It's a 150 calorie difference, so hopefully this will speed things up. Thanks for all the feedback :smile:

    for me i dont put my excercise as part of my lifestyle, if i did that then i would have a higher calorie allowance each day and i wouldnt add the excercise as addt since its already added in.
    dont count solely on machines for accuracy either, depending on what type of machine you are using (stepper, treadmill eliptical) you can way off in either direction.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    sorry, I'm female, and I've only been using MFP consistently for around a month. I don't use MFP's numbers for exercise, I either go by the machine or the low end of a calculator. I had my activity level on 'Active" since I work out most every day, but aside from my workouts, I guess I'm just "lightly active". It's a 150 calorie difference, so hopefully this will speed things up. Thanks for all the feedback :smile:

    ^ Yes - this sounds like the right thing to do ^

    I'm set on sedentary (desk all day) - then I log my exercise & eat my calories back (HRM calories).
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    I log my exercise and eat back most of those calories. Its working out great for me!
  • 4stephklug
    4stephklug Posts: 86 Member
    I haven't looked at HRM's yet. Does anyone know of one that's good quality/not too expensive?
  • laurieblair2012
    laurieblair2012 Posts: 106
    I log my exercise, and my doctor has me eating back half the calories I burn. That works for me. :)
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    sorry, I'm female, and I've only been using MFP consistently for around a month. I don't use MFP's numbers for exercise, I either go by the machine or the low end of a calculator. I had my activity level on 'Active" since I work out most every day, but aside from my workouts, I guess I'm just "lightly active". It's a 150 calorie difference, so hopefully this will speed things up. Thanks for all the feedback :smile:

    This is incorrect profile set up. Activity level is your activity outside of workouts. It gives you more calories if you say you are active, then when you log your exercise calories on top of that, you are eating your exercise calories twice.

    The activity level should be set to your activity EXCLUDING anything that you will be logging.


    I don't log my exercise because I wear a bodybugg and eat however many calories I burned that day - 500. Sometimes I do log because I don't like it when I'm at like -800 for the day but know that I am actually in a deficit.
  • 4stephklug
    4stephklug Posts: 86 Member
    yep, I got it-- thanks!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I haven't looked at HRM's yet. Does anyone know of one that's good quality/not too expensive?

    I have a Polar FT4 - I love it. Look for a chest strap ... said to be more accurate.
  • 4stephklug
    4stephklug Posts: 86 Member
    awesome-- thanks! I found on Amazon for $71. sweet!
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