Anyone use My Fitness Pal to track food/calories?

[Zeniada B 43]

I've started using my fitness pal to track my calories and log food. I've noticed that when I exercise it adds calories I've "earned" to my total calories. Has anyone used this app? And if so do you eat back your exercise calories? Since I got an un-fill last week I've gained weight (as can be expected) and don't know if I should eat back the gained exercise calories or not.

[HealthyNewMe 1,935]

I've logged onto MyFitnessPal for over eight months now. I set my daily calorie goal to 900 calories a day. I exercise 6 days each week, and I burn 730+ calories a day (I do about 65-70 mins a day on the elliptical). I eat back most of those calories because I would never be able to survive off of 170 calories a day. So, to answer your question, I personally eat back some of those calories. On the one day a week I don't exercise, I try to only eat the 900 calories..... I find that my harder day! I'm not 100% perfect, but most of my days end up with an average of 850-900 calories total. Best Wishes!

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

I've been on MyFitnessPal since shortly after my banding. I love it. I eat (drink) some of my exercise calories back but not all. My exercise comes out to about 350 calories burned per day lately. I try not to consume over 800 calories, but sometimes go over a little if I eat back some exercise calories. I'm not on solid food yet, so I imagine it will get more interesting/tricky once I can eat again! I'm losing steadily now, so it's working at the moment.

[Zeniada B 43]

I've logged onto MyFitnessPal for over eight months now. I set my daily calorie goal to 900 calories a day. I exercise 6 days each week, and I burn 730+ calories a day (I do about 65-70 mins a day on the elliptical). I eat back most of those calories because I would never be able to survive off of 170 calories a day. So, to answer your question, I personally eat back some of those calories. On the one day a week I don't exercise, I try to only eat the 900 calories..... I find that my harder day! I'm not 100% perfect, but most of my days end up with an average of 850-900 calories total. Best Wishes!

I've been on MyFitnessPal since shortly after my banding. I love it. I eat (drink) some of my exercise calories back but not all. My exercise comes out to about 350 calories burned per day lately. I try not to consume over 800 calories, but sometimes go over a little if I eat back some exercise calories. I'm not on solid food yet, so I imagine it will get more interesting/tricky once I can eat again! I'm losing steadily now, so it's working at the moment.

Wow HealthyNewMe and JustWatchMe both of your calorie limits are low. I've just been following what My Fitness Pal suggested in order to lose 1 lb a week. which is 1630 calories per day. I was initially doing 1380 but was advised to go higher since I wasn't losing.

I was never told what my caloric intake should be. I've very confused.

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

I'm still newly post-op and my surgeon told me 800.

[jamilyne 102668 1,207]

I do my fitness pal also - it's very helpful for me to add the calories & Protein. I also do between 800-1000 calories. I average around 900 also, sometimes less - sometimes more but right around there.

[HealthyNewMe 1,935]

Every time I have my monthly office visit, I'm weighed and then given a Tanita Body Composition Analyzer spreadsheet. One of the analyzed items is the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Of course these figures change as we continue to lose weight. Mine, right now is 1614 calories. To lose 1 1/2 pounds a week, I would have to cut out 750 calories from the 1614 calories needed to just maintain. 1614 - 750 = 864. I round that to 900. This is my own crazy, unscientific Tammie approach as to how I came up with that number of how many total calories I should consume each day. Again, keep in mind that I burn 730+ calories a day at the gym. That's why I eat back most of those calories. With that being said, my Doc doesn't understand my theory either, but said to "keep it up" as I'm losing an average of 8 pounds a month.

[Leepers 1,195]

My surgeon said if I want to follow calories that my intake should be around 900 to 1200 calories a day. I average 1000 to 1100. Sometimes I have days when I eat 1600 or more. (Usually due to alcohol intake). I do not eat my exercise points back. I am losing pretty fast. 62 pounds since December. Not everyone wants to lose that fast or be as strict with what they eat. Fast is not necessarily better. With the amount of exercise I'm doing, sometimes I feel I may not be eating enough. Find what works for you.

[Bandista 7,466]

Hi there, I am on and off of My Fitness Pal -- please feel free to friend me: SabinaDublin -- I think my feed is all banders; there are lots of us there! I never use the MFP exercise calorie allotment as part of my thinking, but that's just me. In fact when I am counting calories on MFP (which is less and less) I put in my exercise sessions at 1 calorie burned so that it doesn't throw my numbers off. Some one gave me that tip.

And I also use 900 as a general calorie goal, although I'm also really trying to let go of counting as I have been very restrictive in my life and want to have an easier relationship with food. That's part of my goal for banded life. But this is because I am older and have done so much with diet and nutrition over the years and I know a "good" calorie from a not so good one. (By the way, of course all of this dieting was unsuccessful until I got the band!)

I like to track my exercise on MFP as an added incentive for me -- and I love, love, love plugging in my weight even if it is up a few before it goes down a few plus one, etc. It's a nice app for me to see that it is, indeed, going down, down, down and if it seems slow of course it's really not. It's those decreases over time that really add up. And the community is nice, it's fun to follow how others are doing on a day-to-day basis.

Good luck with your goals -- I'm pretty sure exercise is the magic ingredient. That and listening to our bodies to sort out whether hunger is real or an old habit.

[Bandista 7,466]

My surgeon said if I want to follow calories that my intake should be around 900 to 1200 calories a day. I average 1000 to 1100. Sometimes I have days when I eat 1600 or more. (Usually due to alcohol intake). I do not eat my exercise points back. I am losing pretty fast. 62 pounds since December. Not everyone wants to lose that fast or be as strict with what they eat. Fast is not necessarily better. With the amount of exercise I'm doing, sometimes I feel I may not be eating enough. Find what works for you.

Hi Leepers, way to go on your weight loss -- you're doing great! Reading your post (we were writing at the same time so I didn't see it), we have a similar thing going on -- the not eating the exercise points back and heavier caloric intake days being due to alcohol. If we have a highly social couple of days I really take it easy for a couple of days after and it seems to be working. I'm very happy with my loss so far and look forward to getting to Onederland soon (please, please, please!).

[chrissy10 159]

I am also on MyFitnessPal and I do not eat back my workout calories. I usually eat around 900 calories a day on average and burn anywhere from 250-350 calories with working out. It works for me and I am down 30 pounds since the last week of March. Most was lost on the pre-op diet. Good Luck everyone!

[Mikee57 699]

I too have started using My Fitness Pal...but am unable to exercise yet...so I'm sorry I can't say...but the folks on here responding to you are really savvy...so listen to them...they know their stuff. Best wishes and hope things fall into place for you soon!!!

[Leepers 1,195]

My surgeon said if I want to follow calories that my intake should be around 900 to 1200 calories a day. I average 1000 to 1100. Sometimes I have days when I eat 1600 or more. (Usually due to alcohol intake). I do not eat my exercise points back. I am losing pretty fast. 62 pounds since December. Not everyone wants to lose that fast or be as strict with what they eat. Fast is not necessarily better. With the amount of exercise I'm doing, sometimes I feel I may not be eating enough. Find what works for you.

Hi Leepers, way to go on your weight loss -- you're doing great! Reading your post (we were writing at the same time so I didn't see it), we have a similar thing going on -- the not eating the exercise points back and heavier caloric intake days being due to alcohol. If we have a highly social couple of days I really take it easy for a couple of days after and it seems to be working. I'm very happy with my loss so far and look forward to getting to Onederland soon (please, please, please!).

You're so close to Onederland! I'm totally jealous! Yes, I had four days of going out then got right back on track last week. I needed the break from wine. Lol!

[Leepers 1,195]

If anyone wants to friend me on MyFitnessPal, my id is lleepers. Send me a request!

[jamilyne 102668 1,207]

I don't eat back my exercise calories either. I am taking a slow & steady approach, I am not trying to lose a ton of weight quickly. I have had one fill and I am just plugging along lol