My Fitness Pal OVER-estimating calories burned?

Chadillac8884

I always change the number MFP suggests, and underestimate it just to be safe.

Ohhim

Calorie estimate for cycling seems a bit high. I usually just go by 40/mile for that at my size/weight (175lb, 5'10").

arkowalyshyn

I am 30 years old, 150lbs, regularly active. The burns seem to be close for me, but I think the 'formula' to calculate caloric output is based on someone with similar stats. I don't usually eat back many of my earned calories specifically, just use it as a cushion for error in logging. (Or to "cover" the occasional taste while cooking/preparing food)

KnotAHarley

I lost 56 # in 24 week Following MyFitness There calories were lower than my HRM So it was a plus to follow there's

thefuzz1290

My Garmin syncs to MFP and is probably as close to being as accurate as one can get without spending a TON of money. But you have to be wary of which HRM you purchase, not all of them are equal. Wrist HRM aren't as accurate as chest straps, but its close. Also, don't log stuff like cleaning or doing laundry, that just makes you feel better if you have a cheat meal..."Well I did clean the house and do laundry, which is 500 calories burned, so I can have this piece of cake!"

robininfl

I put the exercise into mapmyrun (sister app to MFP). I think it's good at estimating for running, I do eat back all that, because it tracks me so it knows I am slow.

But yoga? I have to put the classes in as shorter than they are to get the burn estimate down - I told it this morning I was doing a vigorous hour long yoga class (it's 1 hour 15 min power vinyasa but we rest at the end) and it gave me nearly 800 kcal? I weigh 136lb, I am not burning 800 calories in a yoga class no matter how many pushups we do. So I put in classes as 45min or 50min but never 1.25 hours


I will say, though, as a note, that throughout my life the difference in my size has been due much, much more to exercise than eating, personally. Excluding the early years when I was eating disordered, that was eating restriction but was not healthy. My body seems to respond a lot to movement, and be somewhat resistant to diet in either direction. Like if I am working out a lot it's hard for me to gain any weight, but if I am not working out at all (injury) I can't seem to restrict calories low enough to lose even a pound, and weight will creep upward.

ROBOTFOOD

I found them to overestimate by 40%. For me.

ObsidianMist

I correct this by only logging 50% of my exercise minutes. easy peasy.