Calories Counting

[bozmandb9]

Right. I'm no great fan of calorie counting, and would consider that I have a very good knowledge of health nutrition. However all this aerobic exercise is new to me, coming from a track sprint background. I think I may be underconsuming calories, and would be interested to get some feedback.

I just got a new gadget, a Garmin Forerunner 225, and have been using the Garmin connect website, along with the My Fitness Pal app. This tracks all exercise/ movement, plus you input all food/ drink consumed.

According to this, I'm currently at a net deficit for the day, in that I have consumed around 2,400 calories, but I've burned 2,600. This is based on a two and a half hour ride, of 36 miles, and takes into account my age, heart rate, height, weight, plus elevation etc. It may be way out because the app thinks I'm running rather than riding (there's no option to change activity), but I don't think it is, since most apps seem to say I burn around 1,000 calories per hour when riding (again based on my weight height age etc).

Clearly if I'm burning more calories than I'm consuming, that's not good, since it means an effective calorie deficit of 2,000, since I need to factor in at least 1,700 calories to live by (this is low, but based on a calorie deficit to loose weight.

So what do you guys think, just not eating enough, or am I missing something here? I will add that I do generally suffer from very low energy when I'm not riding.

Oh, riding, my heart rate was generally around 140-160bpm, peaking at 178 uphill. I try to ride at least 4 times per week, usually an hour/ 20 miles, but Sunday 50 plus, and maybe another around 30 miles.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

most apps seem to say I burn around 1,000 calories per hour when riding

I try to ride at least 4 times per week, usually an hour/ 20 miles, but Sunday 50 plus, and maybe another around 30 miles.

Lucky you! When did you start this regime? How much weight a month have you lost?

 

[uclown2002]

I reckon you burned 1440 calories on that ride and not the suggested 2600.

 

[Soltydog]

Don't know how your Garmin compares with my old 705 edge, but I have the same data in both Garmin & Strava & calories used is approx twice as much on Garmin as Strava. Too many estimates in both to get an accurate figure for each individual & riding conditions, but if your worried about weight loss, eat more pies
Listen to your body, if it's telling you it's hungry eat a little more

 

[bozmandb9]

I reckon you burned 1440 calories on that ride and not the suggested 2600.

Just managed to adjust the app to record it as cycling. Also I was mistaken, Garmin was not telling me that I burned 2,600 calories on the ride, that figure including walking etc, the ride was 2,100, which I think is reasonable. It's exactly what I get if I go to an online calculator.

Anyway I think Saltydog is right, my body is telling me to eat more. Sometimes when you want to lose weight, I think eating too little can be counter productive. I think it's just making me extremely tired, and get lots of colds etc, and not even working particularly in terms of weight loss (probably losing muscle mass though!).

 

[poynedexter]

do yourself a favour and disregard these devices and calories burned etc.

eat well, eat till your satisfied and fuel your riding. after a month, weigh yourself to decide if you are losing, maintaining or gaining "fat". dont confuse weight with fat btw. slightly adjust your calories to meet the goal you want to achieve (ie eat a bit more or a bit less over time, not necessarily every day). eat up to achieve good health, fitness, and happiness.

 

[vickster]

If you must bother, assume 30 calories per mile, 40 if you are very large, or riding uphill all the time. So assuming 20 miles average, that's around 600 an hour or 1000ish for your 36 miles

How much do you weigh?

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

Bollox! Here we go again!

 

[bozmandb9]

I'm around 13.5 stone Vickster. Not excessive for my height (6ft), but I'd still like to get it down, my lowest has been 12.5.

Thanks for the input guys. I suppose it's all pretty much guesswork, or arbitrary.

Perhaps a better question is, or would be, how to use the heart rate zones to train more effectively!

 

[HarryTheDog]

@bozmandb9 , I am a serial dieter and have been using myfitnesspal along with the Heart rate monitor on my Garmin 800 and now my wifes garmin 1000
( garmin 800 now needs repairing) to lose a pound a week for the last 10 weeks.( put wieght on after a crash and could not excercise) I find it works dam near perfectly. I am a lot smaller than and 11st you so my figures are all lower, ie to lose a pound a week with no excercise woud be 1390 cals per day as I have a desk bound job. My 46 mile per day commute uses 1250 to 1450 cals per day approx at a very similar average to yours of around 140bpm. I have been doing it for 10 weeks and lost 9 lbs. So I think it all works fine.
So how long have you been following it and how much have you lost? If you are losing the wieght gradually and you are not continually knackered it is working. If you are losing it too fast then maybe your calories used is well out and your forerunner needs a tweak in its calculations..

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

Aaah I belong here..!

I also use myfitnesspal.. and linked it to Strava no garmin.. Strava under estimates what you burn.. meaning you burn more.. Garmin is the opposite they over estimate.

I have a daily intake of 1840 calories... and everyday is different..

My goal? 400 grams a week... till I reach 85 kilos..

Currently weight 95.1 kilos.. started like 6 weeks ago at 98 kilos.

Full story of this on my signature.

Good luck with this battle.

Oh..1 You can always go and change the info at myfitnesspawl.. Erase the activity and put it in manually.

 

[bozmandb9]

I must admit today I haven't put in my meals (yet), I guess I will do though. Glad to hear it's working for you The Weekend Report Guy.

To a certain extent, I'm not worried about the accuracy of the devices, since I'm usually way under. For example tomorrow, I'll do a 50 mile ride, which will probably come in at 4,000 calories, according to Garmin (and Map My Ride, and Bryton). But even if it's 100% overestimated, I very much doubt if I'll ingest 3,700 calories, which would get me to my daily target (including the substantial reduction in order to lose weight). Breakeven, if I wasn't trying to lose weight, would I guess be 4,500 calories (again, working on the assumption that I only burn 500 calories per hour, which I think is extremely low).

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

I must admit today I haven't put in my meals (yet), I guess I will do though. Glad to hear it's working for you The Weekend Report Guy.

To a certain extent, I'm not worried about the accuracy of the devices, since I'm usually way under. For example tomorrow, I'll do a 50 mile ride, which will probably come in at 4,000 calories, according to Garmin (and Map My Ride, and Bryton). But even if it's 100% overestimated, I very much doubt if I'll ingest 3,700 calories, which would get me to my daily target (including the substantial reduction in order to lose weight). Breakeven, if I wasn't trying to lose weight, would I guess be 4,500 calories (again, working on the assumption that I only burn 500 calories per hour, which I think is extremely low).

My concern is that you are not eating enough and getting sick and feeling weak..

Can you eat more? you don't want to?

I have no issue eating 5000 calories a day.. I love to eat..!

 

[bozmandb9]

My concern is that you are not eating enough and getting sick and feeling weak..

Can you eat more? you don't want to?

I have no issue eating 5000 calories a day.. I love to eat..!

I guess that's my concern too. So today for example, I've done a four hour ride, Garmin says 3,647 calories, I've consumed 1,568, and according to Garmin, have net calories today -2,841. I very much doubt if I'll consume more than another 800.

So should I up my calorie consumption massively when I'm doing a long ride? Usually I'll have a roast afterwards, which probably helps, but my lunch is already 735 calories, apparently (3 egg omelette plus toast etc). I guess a roast might add 250-500, but I'd still be in deficit.

 

[vickster]

You think a roast is 200-500 calories? Maybe a couple of roast potatoes! Or do you mean 2000?