how to determine most accurate calories burned?

kumphort2

What is the most accurate way to calculate calories burned during a work out? While I sometimes enjoy the calorie counts that MFP gives me based on description. I am not always sure if they are so accurate? Would a heart rate monitor or some other device provide a more accurate number?

3dogsrunning

Outside of a lab you can't get accurate.

HRMs are touted here as being most accurate however there are any number of factors that affec their accuracy. They are still estimates. And HRM calorie estimates are based on steady state cardio so there are a lot of situations where they are simply not accurate at all.

Keep in mind everything is an estimate - your calorie goal, your food intake (regardless of how diligent you are at logging) and your exercise.

Track as best you can for a few weeks. If you aren't losing, eat fewer of your exercise calories (it doesn't have to be all or none, you can drop by 100 or 200 at a time)

kumphort2

Bascially, my issue is that I am using Runtastic app, to calculate my walking/running. and it shows a much smaller calorie burn, then if I would input the excersize directly into MFP it'self.

I am getting very frusturated by my calorie burns from runtastic, but don't know if MFP's are accurate either, because those seem very high as to what I am used to.

I guess I should stick with the smaller calorie burns, if I want to maintain my net 0 calorie intake.

I

GetSoda

Go with the lowest, then subtract 15%

Though 0 net calories? At some point, you should consider caring about your health.