Should I "track" calories burned?

”I BURNED 500 calories in class today, which means I CAN eat MORE calories at DINNER"

Sound familiar?

There are a couple key reasons why you shouldn't be "eating back" calories burned or relatively pay attention to calories burned

Your calorie tracker is overestimating calorie burn. Eating BACK the calories you burn through exercise DEFEATS the purpose of increasing movement

Activity TRACKERS should be viewed as TOOLS to ENCOURAGE daily activity

As you get more "fit" the number of calories you expend (daily movement + exercise) will actually DECREASE. Yes, as you lose weight, you're burning FEWER calories than the device is reporting

I earned it mentality. "I worked out today, therefore I am permitted to have... "

This also can create an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise where we begin to associate exercise as punishment.

Repeat after me, "EXERCISE is a privilege, not an OPPORTUNITY."

Forget the CALORIE burn and FOCUS on the health benefits