The Core Function: Preventing Calorie Double-Counting
At its most fundamental, the 'Exclude from total' feature on the Lose It! app is an automatic safety measure designed to prevent a common tracking error: double-counting exercise calories. This most often occurs for users who have connected a fitness tracker, such as an Apple Watch or Garmin device, to their Lose It! account. When a fitness tracker syncs with the app, it sends a holistic data packet that includes both active and resting calories. Lose It! then uses this information to calculate your total daily burn and, if applicable, award you a 'Calorie Bonus'.
The issue arises when you also manually log an exercise that your tracker has already recorded. If you do not activate the 'Exclude from total' option, the calories from that workout would be counted twice—once as part of the tracker's synced data and again as a manually entered activity. For example, if your Apple Watch reports a total calorie burn of 2,500 for the day, and you then manually log a 300-calorie workout without excluding it, your total exercise credit could appear inflated and inaccurate. This could give you a false sense of a larger calorie allowance, potentially derailing your weight loss progress.
In many cases, when a synced workout appears in your log, Lose It! will automatically mark it as excluded by crossing it out. This visual cue indicates that the calories from that specific workout are already accounted for within the overall total calorie burn reported by your device and have not been added as a separate bonus.
How the Calorie Bonus Interacts
For users with connected fitness trackers, understanding the Calorie Bonus is key to understanding the 'Exclude from total' function. The Calorie Bonus is essentially any extra calories burned beyond what the app initially estimates for your daily activity level. Here’s how it works:
- Your daily target burn is based on your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and activity level setting.
- Your fitness tracker reports your total daily calorie expenditure to Lose It!.
- If your tracker's reported calorie burn exceeds Lose It!'s daily estimate, the difference is added as a Calorie Bonus.
- When a workout syncs from your device, it is typically excluded from the bonus calculation to prevent double-counting. Its calories are already part of the larger total burn figure from which the bonus is calculated.
- This system ensures that the overall caloric picture remains accurate, preventing misleading numbers that could hinder your progress.
When and How to Use the 'Exclude from Total' Feature
While the app often handles this automatically, there are situations where manual intervention is necessary, such as when you manually add an exercise without wearing a synced device.
Using a Synced Fitness Tracker
If you use a tracker like an Apple Watch or Fitbit, the default is to exclude the workout from the total to prevent double-counting. You should not manually log the workout again if it has already synced and appears crossed out in your log. If you see a workout that has synced but is not crossed out, you can manually toggle the 'Exclude from total calories' option to ensure accuracy.
Manually Logging Exercise
If you do not use a synced device, you have two options when manually logging a workout:
- Include in Total: The app adds the calories burned to your daily budget, allowing you to consume more food while staying within your calorie goals.
- Exclude from Total: The app logs the workout for your own records and progress tracking but does not add the calories to your daily allowance. This is useful for individuals who prefer to see exercise as a 'bonus' calorie burn and not factor it into their daily consumption.
Comparison Table: Exclude vs. Include in Total
| Feature | Exclude from Total | Include in Total |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Prevents double-counting with synced trackers; keeps daily calorie budget consistent. | Adds calories burned from manual exercise to daily budget, increasing eating allowance. |
| Best For | Users with connected fitness trackers or those who prefer not to 'eat back' exercise calories. | Users who need a higher calorie intake on active days and are manually logging exercise. |
| Calorie Budget | Stays the same as your initial daily target, providing a more conservative tracking method. | Increases dynamically based on the calories burned during the workout. |
| Use Case | A user with an Apple Watch logs a run that is already included in their total daily burn, so they exclude the manual entry. | A user manually logs a weightlifting session and wants to be credited for the calories burned in their daily budget. |
| Risk Factor | Low risk of miscalculation. | Can lead to overestimating calorie burn and inadvertently overeating if exercise estimates are inaccurate. |
The Psychological Impact: The 'Eating Back' Debate
Beyond technical accuracy, the decision to exclude or include workout calories can have a significant psychological impact on your weight loss journey. Some individuals choose to exclude their exercise calories for motivational reasons, preferring to see their workout as an uncounted bonus rather than a justification for eating more. This approach can help maintain a stricter calorie deficit and may be particularly helpful for those recovering from restrictive eating patterns or those who find that 'eating back' exercise calories can lead to overeating.
Conversely, other users may find that having the flexibility to eat more on high-activity days is sustainable and prevents feelings of deprivation. In this case, choosing to include manually logged calories might be a better approach. The right method depends on your personal habits, fitness level, and relationship with food. Consistency and honesty are more important than any single tracking method.
How to Exclude a Workout from Your Lose It! Total
If you are manually logging an exercise and want to exclude it, here is a simple step-by-step guide based on the Lose It! app interface:
- Open the Lose It! app and navigate to your log for the current day.
- Tap the '+' button to add a new activity.
- Select 'Exercise' from the options.
- Search for or select the specific exercise you completed.
- Enter the exercise details, such as duration and intensity.
- Locate the 'Exclude from Total Calories' toggle and activate it.
- Tap 'Save' or 'Add' to log the exercise. The workout will appear in your log, often with a visual indicator that it is excluded from the total.
Conclusion
Understanding what 'Exclude from total' means on the Lose It! app is a key step towards accurate and effective calorie tracking. This simple yet powerful feature helps prevent double-counting of exercise calories, especially for users with synced fitness trackers, and allows for more mindful and consistent tracking. Whether you choose to exclude or include your workout calories, the most important thing is to be consistent with your chosen method. By mastering this function, you can ensure your calorie budget remains accurate, helping you stay on track and achieve your weight loss goals with confidence. For more detailed support on specific app functions, referencing the Lose It! official help articles can provide further clarification.
