Question on logging exercise calories

jennyi27

Good morning fellow MFPers!

I have a question about logging exercise calories. When I go to the gym or a fitness class, I always log it, just like I do with my food calories. I am running into a problem, however. Last night I went on the elliptical machine for 28 minutes. I chose the "weight loss" program on the machine, which is intervals of low intensity and high intensity. The machine monitored my heart rate and measured the time, distance, strides, etc but did not have me input my weight. In the end, it said I burned 225 calories. If I go to MFP and choose "elliptical trainer" as my cardio activity and input 28 minutes performed, it says that I burned 587 calories. This is a BIG difference! MFP has the benefit of knowing my weight when determining their calculation, but there is no indication that level of intensity or type of workout is taken under any consideration when calculating calories burned. I am not knowledgeable enough on exercise science to be able to know what plays the biggest role.

I have been logging the lower of the 2 calorie amounts (i.e. what the machine tells me), because it knows the intensity of the workout and my heart rate. I am wondering what other people are doing, or if they have run into similar problems, and finally, if anyone has any advice to offer.

jademohanty

Myfitnesspal uses a general tracking system. If you want more accuracy I'd suggest getting a heart rate monitor that can save your calories burned and overal heart rate throughout the workout. Fitbits work really well but the most accurate i've seen is by polar. I have tried the polar f4 and the f7 and have loved them both!