Just started working out a week ago. Don't trust the machine estimates. Now what?

GoalWeight165by2018

There is NO WAY that workout on the elliptical burned 400 calories.
MFP says it did, and the machine says it did.
I call shenanigans. the other machines seemed high, too.
I logged my weight into each of the machines properly, but it still seemed way too high.
What do you all do to ensure you are tracking calories burned properly?
Does a HRM help?
I plan to eat my calories, so I don't want to be wrong!!

sofaking6

I cut the MFP calories to 40-ish% of their default, depending on how hard I feel like I worked. I'm 5'4, 160 lb if that helps.

Ex: yesterday I did a tough-ish cardio workout. Logged as 'aerobics" for 30 min, MFP tried to give me like 288 calories and I made it 175 because my heart rate was UP for the whole workout.

Today I did more of a circuit type workout but way more focused on weights. Logged as 'circuit training', MFP tried to give me 248 cals and I made it 100 because my heart rate was just slightly elevated.

hope that helps - I'm sure most people will tell you only an HRM knows for sure but I don't have any money for that

navyjen

Buy a polar ft4. (HRM) You can get one on amazon for about 55 bucks. I have one and I love it.