I don't get how people say MFP isn't accuarte for exercise tracking...

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satisfyingmyinnerfatkid
satisfyingmyinnerfatkid Posts: 43 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay straight up proof here.

I did about 20 mins of exercise on my elliptical.. Fitbit Charge HR said I burned 143 calories and my avg. bpm is 129.. seriously.. only 129? NO WAY.. it's because it is not real time.. I stopped and it updated to 155.

Anyhow MFP says for my weight 20 mins burns me 245 calories on the elliptical.

To recap:

Fitbit=143 calories burned, My Fitness Pal=245 calories burned for the same 20 mins of the elliptical.

You'd think a device with a heart rate monitor would be more accurate but not if that heart rate monitor is not real time.

Replies

  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    For running and walking MFP's calculations are probably the most accurate because there are different speed options so it gets a better idea of your effort. For most other activities, though, it just doesn't know how hard you were working. The calorie burn I get for an hour of strength training is about 250 which I think is ridiculously overinflated. MFP has no idea how much rest I took between sets or how hard I was exerting myself.
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,034 Member
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    MFP has estimated burns. Your body type, effort and pace will make a huge difference in how many calories you are burning. If you are just letting your arms go along for the ride on the handles instead of purposefully pushing and pulling, you will burn less calories. If you are holding the stationary handles, you will have even less burn. Perhaps MFP is assuming you are using the machine exactly the way it was meant to be used - maximum leg use with maximum arm use? The difference would be significant.

    As far as heart beat in real time, I know that when I step off the elliptical, my heart rate increases for a short period and I sweat more than I did when I was on it. I have no idea why this is but if I were wearing an HRM, mine would show a spike when I step off the equipment.
  • satisfyingmyinnerfatkid
    satisfyingmyinnerfatkid Posts: 43 Member
    edited February 2015
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    [quote="debrakgoogins;31454266"If you are holding the stationary handles, you will have even less burn. Perhaps MFP is assuming you are using the machine exactly the way it was meant to be used - maximum leg use with maximum arm use?[/quote]

    Crazy thing is I was using the moving arm handles nearly the whole 20 minutes.... the Charge HR keep losing my heart rate because my arm was jiggling around .. no matter how tight I get the device this is the case. So it always loses contact and therefore heart rate isn't as accurate on that device.

  • satisfyingmyinnerfatkid
    satisfyingmyinnerfatkid Posts: 43 Member
    edited February 2015
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    debrakgoogins wrote: »
    If you are just letting your arms go along for the ride on the handles instead of purposefully pushing and pulling, you will burn less calories. If you are holding the stationary handles, you will have even less burn. Perhaps MFP is assuming you are using the machine exactly the way it was meant to be used - maximum leg use with maximum arm use? The difference would be significant.

    Crazy thing is I was using the moving arm handles nearly the whole 20 minutes.... the Charge HR keep losing my heart rate because my arm was jiggling around .. no matter how tight I get the device this is the case. So it always loses contact and therefore heart rate isn't as accurate on that device.
  • ahoier
    ahoier Posts: 312 Member
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    cant vouch for the charge hr....but i use a cheap crane brand heart rate monitor chest strap and the chest strap always clocks in lower calorie burn than the machine, as well as myfitnesspal.

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