Would you consider these hills a hike or a walk on app?

ToxDocAR
ToxDocAR Posts: 49 Member
edited 3:58AM in Fitness and Exercise
So, I am new to the mapmyfitness/myfitnesspal apps. I have begun walking through my neighborhood. My neighborhood is along a mountain ridge and is very, very hilly, with some steep and long hills. It is definitely not a walk. I consider it a hike, even if it is on pavement. Would you agree?? I ask because I want to get the best estimate of calorie expenditure and it appears calling this a hike equals ~2X the calories spent than if this was called a walk.

I wish the app actually used the elevation data to calculate the calories burned, but it does not appear to do so.

Here is what my elevation chart on the mapmyfitness looks like. d8d2l01sb5jk.png

Replies

  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    edited September 2015
    My elevation chart looks like that between buildings at work (0.5 miles), and it is perfectly flat...

    I personally would just call it a walk and be done with it. If you find you are losing more weight then intended, then call it a hike.
  • ToxDocAR
    ToxDocAR Posts: 49 Member
    nordlead2005 wrote: »
    My elevation chart looks like that between buildings at work (0.5 miles), and it is perfectly flat...

    I personally would just call it a walk and be done with it. If you find you are losing more weight then intended, then call it a hike.

    I don't understand. How does your elevation chart look like that if you are walking perfectly flat?
    I am walking along a mountain range, up and down....

  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    I would count it as a hike, but keep an eye on your weight and if you aren't losing, reassess your calorie burn.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    edited September 2015
    I'm saying that the app sucks for measuring elevation. It has the same problem with pace. It doesn't average things out and probably ignores vertical velocity.

    I'm not saying you don't walk up/down a hill, but the graph isn't that useful to determine actual elevation changes of your path.

    If you do what I suggested, then at worst you lose more than anticipated (good result). If you log it as a hike, then the worst is you lose less than anticipated (or even gain if your deficit is small enough and you "hike" enough).

    Within 4-6 weeks you should be able to determine which is more accurate.
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