Soooo...why does MFP overestimate calories burned? (if that's even true)

3dogsrunning

ElizabethOakes2 wrote: »

Pretty much what everyone else said- It comes down to personal metabolism, fitness level, etc. What I burn on a 1 hour walk won't be the same as what someone else burns. I took to wearing my hrm for nearly everything for a couple weeks, and now I have a pretty good idea of how much I burn doing what. Some of MFPs estimates are crazy, sometimes they're spot on. I just eat back half of what MFP says and that generally works for me.

But the thing is, someone who weighs the same and walks the same speed would burn pretty much the same.


If you read the link above it does help you figure out which exercises would be more likely to be accurate and which ones are probably way off.

SezxyStef

I used to log my exercise here when I first started.

As soon as I started using a food scale and logging my exercise here I lost the 1lb a week I wanted (based on intake and burn)...so they have been accurate for me...

However that being said they are an estimate. I will recommend eating back 50-75% if people ask as most have the mindset that "no I can't eat them back I will ruin all my hard work" and because most don't use a food scale.

haviegirl

myszka0611 wrote: »

I've read multiple threads where a delighted So-and-So would say "I exercised an extra X number of minutes, and was under my calorie goal, so I treated myself to <insert yummy thing here>, woo-hoo!" , only to see later in the thread some Debbie Downer piping in with, "Well, you KNOW that MFP overestimates calories burned, don't you, so I want you to know that you just totally ruined the three years you've been dieting because of that <insert yummy thing here> you ate. You only should have eaten 1/2 of it, you fool, or maybe just inhaled the aroma. Goodness, EVERYONE on here knows that but you, apparently". And then storms off in a huff...

I think this is funny. Thanks for the smile!

jellio98

Regardless of the accuracy of the exercise database, mentally it is sometimes easier to believe the exercise estimate is off rather than the food logging.

frankiesgirlie

Francl27 wrote: »

The only time I used a HRM on the treadmill, my HRM number was actually 20% higher than what the machine told me!

So I don't really know what to think anymore.

But I compared my stationary bike and my HRM and it was 100% on point. So that gives me about 250 calories an hour (and it's some pretty good effort for me)... so when I see people logging 1000 calories for one hour of bike... yeah, I don't quite believe it. Sorry!

What makes me roll my eyes is 300 calories burned in one hour of yoga



That's a generalization. If you've never done intense yoga, then you wouldn't know.
I do HIIT with body weight exercises with either no rests or 10 second rests. So I know what a sweat dripping workout is like.
I also do yoga from time to time and there are stretchy feel nice and calm workouts, and then there are advanced "hold position" sweat dripping workouts. I'm not saying I burned 300 calories in an hour, but I could see how a bigger person could.