madanjen's Journal, 07 April 2016

You need a fitbit hr. I used one for the better part of a year. I don't use one now by choice, I use the default settings on FS and add in my intentional exercise. Per fitbit I would burn between 2500 and 3000 on workout days, 2300 on regular days. Fatsecrets calculations, just default plus exercise are surprisingly close but run a little lower than the fitbit did. 

Hey Madanjen, when you set your RDI here on FS you can choose Sedentary, Low Active, Active or Very Active...all have a pretty good description of what level of activities are included in the RDI without having to include any day to day activities...note also that most (but not all) FS calorie burn estimates for various activities are on the optimistic side. It is MUCH better to under estimate calorie burn and over estimate calories consumed than the other way around if you are trying to lose weight. :-) 

Thanks for that Yolanda. I will take note of the advice. I was just thinking that I probably burn another 600 or 700 other cals that aren't accounted for and I would really like to be more scientific about accurate numbers that will help.  

Steven Lloyd, I will check that out. I figured there must have been something on here that may help.  

Just a suggestion...use sedentary and only log actual exercise...helps keep the calorie burn daily estimate a little lower...more real world. These are just estimates after all. 

I'm a Fitbit user. I agree that the FS calculations are pretty good. I was really surprised. I used a similar a strategy to Steven's until I got my Fitbit. Fitbit also records other data that I find helpful... 

I find FS is pretty accurate against my Fitbit's burn for a day IF....I only log sleep and then add the exercise that Fibit sees (whether it's a timed workout, or a walk or run that Fitbit identifies and logs for me). If I started logging stuff like "desk work", or "driving" , my FS calories burned would just be simply too high. Only occasionally, on a day where I'm just active a lot around the house, or short-run errands, is FS too low; in which case I calculate that in as relaxed walking because that's usually where the difference comes from. After a year on this site and about 6 months with Fitbit, this has been my experience so far, for what it's worth. 

Counting desk work & driving here put my calorie burn too high and gave me a false sense of security. I'd go with the suggestions of only tracking actual exercise. I have a Fitbit HR now too and find it much better as it doesn't lie and any inaccuracy in it is constant. 

My opinion on the calories thing is that while it's great to know what we're taking in / burning, it's all estimates. When I track what I eat as accurately as possible, plan ahead, measure things out and log everything consistently over time and get in regular exercise, I know by results (gain/loss) the calories and macros to shoot for each day. So for me, regardless of the calories my fitbit or websites say I'm burning each day, controlling/monitoring well on the intake side of things is really key to success or lack of it.  

I find that fat secret WAY overestimated calories burned. I would just set your calorie target based on your average TDEE, and not drive yourself nuts trying to count calories burned getting off the couch and adjusting every single day.  

I agree about the over estimate of burn... 

All of the activities that you are talking about are listed under exercise, i.e. cleaning, walking, driving, etc. You can add all of these things under that tab. 

Thanks for the advice, all of it made sense and obviously comes from experience. I did calculate all the activities and it came out to around 700 calories. I really don't want to use that high an amount because based on your opinions, that would not be accurate. I liked Jim's suggestion about not driving myself nuts and I did come to a conclusion. I think these times when I am "RESTING" as FS calls it must be accounted. Mostly because if I need to reduce my intake 1750 calories to lose a half a pound, I don't want to shortchange myself on nutrition, 300 or 400 calories of good food can help that. So the conclusion is to call an activity other reduce the 700 calories burned. To what I don't know but probably between 300 and 500 calories. This will allow me to bring in more protein or other nutritious food in since I started phase II of the P90X and I am spent halfway through the routine where I wasn't before when I was eating more calories. Thanks for your suggestions and give me a critique if you'd like on this idea. Have a great weekend! 

I have started only recording 1 hour of sitting no matter what I do in the day. The FS estimates for burn are way too high 

So EDC1972, what do you put in place of sitting?