exercise, calories and am I doing this right?
I would NOT subtract your exercise calories. It will make things harder in the future. Exercise is great, although at 3 weeks out, it seems you may be overdoing it. I'd hate to see you get injured and be down and out for weeks, but if you're cleared and feel like you're able. . . I wouldn't worry about calories this early out - it will become very important when you get farther out and are able to eat a lot more. Counting calories and weighing frequently is vital to maintenance, not so much in the losing phase. Right now, I would focus on getting your protein and water in. You will be surprised how much you are able to do and how much your life will change once you lose a significant amount of weight. I'm 28 months out, and it gets really hard to keep calories low when you can eat more, that's when daily weighing, MFP and counting calories becomes the focus to maintain.
I replied on the E&F Forum but want to also make an additional comment here.
as stated MFP and other apps grossly over or under calculate caloric burn based on activity. Most of those calculations are based on an Average level of fitness. Example is an 85 minute run at 5mph MFP will say is 1282 calories burned. Now I run with an HR strap and have had my burn rates tested (a couple years ago so data is off a bit). BY HR profile my burn is 1005 calories. MFP considers 14-16mph on the bike vigorous and has me burning 848, HR Zones place it at 662.
So as you get farther out and get to a point where you kick your Activity level up the only true way to know your caloric burn is to get your Metabolism tested and then track the burn based on HR. Trust me these tests aren't fun as they kick yo butt.
The second this that most people consider is that your activity is not IN ADDITION to but rather in place of. People can get their RMR tested which give them a good picture of how many calories they burn in a day. Then they will say well I did 600 calories on my run and add that onto the x they burn from RMR. The reality is your exercise replaces your RMR for that period. In the end it will drive you totally nuts and make you all kinds of crazy.
Exercise is about health and fun and being a bad ass. I don't race triathlons so I can eat, but Eat so that I can race. Find what you enjoy doing and do it enjoy your new life and go become a bad ass
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
My doctor says exercise is helpful to keep your muscle mass and burn fat. It's also good for your bones, especially for women to help prevent osteoporosis. I wouldn't worry about the calories as much, like others have said it will mess with your mind and give you permission to eat more. I ignore how many calories I burn from exercise because I don't want to have "left over" calories and eat something I shouldn't, not that I really can yet, but down the road I know I will be able to, and I want to make sure I get my eating habits to become healthy habits now. Good luck!
