Trusting calories burnt

SimonT181
SimonT181 Posts: 49 Member
in Getting Started
I have my daily calorie intake set and have been trying to work out at least once a day. I run on a treadmill and use the C25K app and I guess it just tries to guess the calories burnt and then puts it in to MFP but the treadmill list a different value as I guess it know the speed I run/walk at but it does not know my weight. So I am not sure who's calorie count to use. I also used my wife's elliptical trainer today and just had to go with its count of calories burnt.

So do I need to take these results with a pinch of salt ? is there a better way to track what I am burning ?

Replies

  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
    I use my Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) to calculate my cardio calories burned.
    Gym Machines indicators are very inaccurate. MFP numbers always overestimate. I do not trust either.
    Only eat back a percentage of any calorie burned indicator.
    Good luck in your healthy journey
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Acrually its a myth hat all gym machines or MFP is inaccurate or that HRMs are the most reliable method.
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,359 Member
    Yes, only a HRM comes close to accurate as today's technology can. Do not trust gym machines or MFP estimates.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    katkins3 wrote: »
    Yes, only a HRM comes close to accurate as today's technology can. Do not trust gym machines or MFP estimates.

    HRMs are good for measuring heart rate. They can be very unreliable as calorie counters especially if used for anuthing other than steady state cardio.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    edited August 2015
    Non_Stop wrote: »
    999tigger wrote: »
    katkins3 wrote: »
    Yes, only a HRM comes close to accurate as today's technology can. Do not trust gym machines or MFP estimates.

    HRMs are good for measuring heart rate. They can be very unreliable as calorie counters especially if used for anuthing other than steady state cardio.

    It's been good enough for me to lose more than 100lbs. We can talk about theory or we can talk about what works. It's up to you OP.

    Doesnt really prove anything. Did you lose your weight just down to exercise or was it more because you reduced the amount you ate? Are you saying that HRMs are good for recording calorie burns for everything? Plenty of people get along fine using MFP 50% and adjust or machine readings and adjusting. Plenty of people report using 100%. Seems its quite possible to get by withoput a hrm and lose weight.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    Cardio machines are often fitness tested on men, and very fit ones at that, which can throw off the averages on which the calories burns are based. Here's an article from Spark People
    Http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1370

    I prefer my hrm and my fitness tracker. Comparing those two, I feel, is more accurate than the cardio machines or MFP.
  • SimonT181
    SimonT181 Posts: 49 Member
    Thanks for your feedback I was looking at a HRM the other day I might just try and get a cheap one for now, I don't feel the urge to spend a massive amount and get a wrist based one just yet.
  • kywy84
    kywy84 Posts: 20 Member
    edited August 2015


    I use the Polar FT7 as well and bought it on Amazon. I really like it too.
  • itsMcKay
    itsMcKay Posts: 131 Member
    I find that my Polar FT4 heart rate monitor is pretty close to the Brayden Calorie Calculator. So, I just average the two and use 80% of that as my conservative burn figure. Hope that helps. :)
  • itsMcKay
    itsMcKay Posts: 131 Member
    SimonT181 wrote: »
    Thanks for your feedback I was looking at a HRM the other day I might just try and get a cheap one for now, I don't feel the urge to spend a massive amount and get a wrist based one just yet.

    I have a Polar FT4 in green. I love this thing. I wear it as a normal watch. Also comes with a chest strap for heart rate function. Syncs up to any Polar machine, too. I highly recommend it for just $60. It's been great!
  • 6502programmer
    6502programmer Posts: 515 Member
    Nothing's going to be perfect, but my logging approach (weigh what you can, measure what you can't, generously estimate everything else) combined with my Fitbit Charge HR's estimates seems to be working well. I don't lift, and mostly walk for exercise, so the estimates may be more accurate than most. My CI and CO seem to line up really well.

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