Should I count my calories/steps/miles that I log at work

chipchick
chipchick Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I do a LOT of walking and moving around with my job and can burn anywhere from 1,200-2,000 calories in a work day (according to my Fitbit). I was talking about how many miles I had walked and calories I had burned one day with a friend who does Crossfit. He said the ones from my work day don't count. I say they do because I'm off my rear and moving very hard the alternative would be sitting all day long.
So my question is should I actually log my work calories/miles/steps?

Replies

  • bearsmom82
    bearsmom82 Posts: 72 Member
    I would count them - steps are steps, and calories burned are calories burned. Just make sure your activity level is set at "sedentary", then any movement is valid! Go for it!
  • raitch
    raitch Posts: 62 Member
    Of COURSE they count, log them! Do you have your Fitbit synced to MFP? If so it should adjust your calories burned automatically- in that case you don't need to manually log them.
  • headlock_lynn
    headlock_lynn Posts: 79 Member
    yes, any and all activity burns energy and a calorie is a unit of energy. When you make your profile in MFP you are asked about your activity level. Did you put in there that you are active? MFP automatically includes that in your daily allowances then. For sure you will burn far more than us couch potatoes or desk jockeys.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    yes, i would log them.

    but your fitbit does it for you anyway
  • jppd47
    jppd47 Posts: 737 Member
    if your activity level is set low then count and add. If you already have your activity level higher to make up for your work, then its all ready added in (in a sense). You might have to tweak the numbers over time
  • chipchick
    chipchick Posts: 9 Member
    Thank you everyone!!! I just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy and was trying to do this right. This brings up another question...many say you should eat your calories burned. So if I burn 1,500 calories at work I have 1,500 extra calories to play with?
  • jppd47
    jppd47 Posts: 737 Member
    in a way, yes. If everything is calculated right. But over time you might find that you have to eat more or less to meet your goal.
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
    yes, i would log them.

    but your fitbit does it for you anyway

    ^^^ don't you get a calorie adjustment if you sync it with mfp?
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I'm not sure how the fitbit/MFP synching works but if you're active at work, your activity level should reflect that. So, if you're set at sedentary, that's incorrect. If you're set at active or lightly active then those calories burned from your active work day are already factored in. Make sure you figure out the right balance for you so you're not over/under eating. AFAIK, the only calories you "earn" are those done outside of normal daily activity like going to the gym, or for a run.
  • chipchick
    chipchick Posts: 9 Member
    ^^^ don't you get a calorie adjustment if you sync it with mfp?
    [/quote]

    Yes you get a calorie adjustment. I burned 1596 at work today and MFP adjusts it to 963.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    What she said.

    Your body 'counts' it. You should be. But not in the sense that each day you add them up then eat them back from your base level. They should be figured in as part of your BMR adjustment... e.g., moderately active, etc.

    I don't think if you burn 1500 walking calories at work you get to eat that much. 8 hours of BMR is in there and that's significant to double-count, at least a third of that 1500, most likely.
  • jppd47
    jppd47 Posts: 737 Member
    check this out
    www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr

    you can figure your BMR. and here:

    http://www.stack.com/2011/01/12/how-to-calculate-your-daily-fueling-needs/

    you have to do your own math, but it will help you figure out your numbers.

    you can see how figuring in your daily activity level from the start add to your intake for the day.


    Im not sure how the fitbit ties into MFP though

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