Unrealistic weight loss brags
Options
Replies
-
TrailNurse wrote: »I have people on my MFP feed that claim that they burn 1,000 calories doing cardio. Whatever!
I've burned more than double that no bike rides, many times. It takes several hours and leaves me feeling well spent.
This weekend thousands of people will bike 200+ miles from Seattle to Portland, you don't really think they do it on 50 calories do you?14 -
TriShamelessly wrote: »TrailNurse wrote: »I have people on my MFP feed that claim that they burn 1,000 calories doing cardio. Whatever!
And why would you think this is not possible or even likely? It's really not that hard to do with sufficient amount of time and effort.
Actually, it IS extremely difficult to do, unless you are extremely overweight and/or tall (and even then you'd have to be hauling @$$ HARD) or unless you are a professional-level athlete. It's not impossible, but it's KILLER, and you'd have to be at it for at least an hour of REALLY hard, vigorous working out. So I tend to take those claims with a bit of suspicion, unless the claimer has the HRM data to back it up.5 -
TriShamelessly wrote: »TrailNurse wrote: »I have people on my MFP feed that claim that they burn 1,000 calories doing cardio. Whatever!
And why would you think this is not possible or even likely? It's really not that hard to do with sufficient amount of time and effort.
Ya, Saturday, I got 611 calories from steps from my Fitbit One. And I went swimming for another 262 calories. If I had also gardened, I would have hit 1,000.
One thing to keep in mind if one is perplexed by big burns is that bigger people get correspondingly bigger burns. Someone just starting their weight loss journey will get bigger burns than someone at goal, especially if that someone is female and not tall.8 -
AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »Actually, it IS extremely difficult to do, unless you are extremely overweight and/or tall (and even then you'd have to be hauling @$$ HARD) or unless you are a professional-level athlete. It's not impossible, but it's KILLER, and you'd have to be at it for at least an hour of REALLY hard, vigorous working out. So I tend to take those claims with a bit of suspicion, unless the claimer has the HRM data to back it up.
To burn 1,000 kCal in 1 hour requires about 270 watts (regardless of body weight) on a bike. That's going to be a very difficult effort for most people, but possible for a fit recreational cyclist or runner, etc. 100 to 200 watts is what a typical, reasonably fit cyclist is generally expected to be capable of.
But why are we limiting this to 1 hour? To burn 1,000 kCal in 4 hours is less than 70 watts, that's a slow recovery pace.
(HR not required.)15 -
NorthCascades wrote: »AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »Actually, it IS extremely difficult to do, unless you are extremely overweight and/or tall (and even then you'd have to be hauling @$$ HARD) or unless you are a professional-level athlete. It's not impossible, but it's KILLER, and you'd have to be at it for at least an hour of REALLY hard, vigorous working out. So I tend to take those claims with a bit of suspicion, unless the claimer has the HRM data to back it up.
To burn 1,000 kCal in 1 hour requires about 270 watts (regardless of body weight) on a bike. That's going to be a very difficult effort for most people, but possible for a fit recreational cyclist or runner, etc. 100 to 200 watts is what a typical, reasonably fit cyclist is generally expected to be capable of.
But why are we limiting this to 1 hour? To burn 1,000 kCal in 4 hours is less than 70 watts, that's a slow recovery pace.
(HR not required.)
Seems to me the point isn't so much whether it's possible to burn 1000 calories but whether it's likely that the people OP was referring to actually are.15 -
AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »TriShamelessly wrote: »TrailNurse wrote: »I have people on my MFP feed that claim that they burn 1,000 calories doing cardio. Whatever!
And why would you think this is not possible or even likely? It's really not that hard to do with sufficient amount of time and effort.
Actually, it IS extremely difficult to do, unless you are extremely overweight and/or tall (and even then you'd have to be hauling @$$ HARD) or unless you are a professional-level athlete. It's not impossible, but it's KILLER, and you'd have to be at it for at least an hour of REALLY hard, vigorous working out. So I tend to take those claims with a bit of suspicion, unless the claimer has the HRM data to back it up.
Not really.
A 150 lb person burns about 100 calories per mile. That's a 10 mile run.
The conservative estimate for biking is about 100 calories per 5k. That's a 50 k bike ride.
My weekends often consist of both. During the week two good workouts can total than.
I am neither a professional athlete nor am I extremely overweight.
It does take more than an hour.
I have HRM data to back it up. It almost always gives me higher estimates than this conservative approximations.10 -
Why not just be entertained?12
-
disasterman wrote: »Seems to me the point isn't so much whether it's possible to burn 1000 calories but whether it's likely that the people OP was referring to actually are.
Yes and no. Most people are using some sort of fitness tracking app these days that are involved in a path to a healthier lifestyle. I would assume that's were they're getting those numbers from.
Heck most people don't know how many calories they're eating much less working off. Without some sort of tracking app. I'd challenge them to post a link to said workout to validate there claims.1 -
disasterman wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »Actually, it IS extremely difficult to do, unless you are extremely overweight and/or tall (and even then you'd have to be hauling @$$ HARD) or unless you are a professional-level athlete. It's not impossible, but it's KILLER, and you'd have to be at it for at least an hour of REALLY hard, vigorous working out. So I tend to take those claims with a bit of suspicion, unless the claimer has the HRM data to back it up.
To burn 1,000 kCal in 1 hour requires about 270 watts (regardless of body weight) on a bike. That's going to be a very difficult effort for most people, but possible for a fit recreational cyclist or runner, etc. 100 to 200 watts is what a typical, reasonably fit cyclist is generally expected to be capable of.
But why are we limiting this to 1 hour? To burn 1,000 kCal in 4 hours is less than 70 watts, that's a slow recovery pace.
(HR not required.)
Seems to me the point isn't so much whether it's possible to burn 1000 calories but whether it's likely that the people OP was referring to actually are.
The person who posted that made no reference whatsoever to what type of people they were. We have no idea if she has marathon runner/triathletes/cyclists on her feed.5 -
Guys, I think the person posting about the 1000 calories burned by her friends knows her friends better than you do...no need to get all defensive and titchy because you've burned 1000 calories before and feel attacked.19
-
Guys, I think the person posting about the 1000 calories burned by her friends knows her friends better than you do...no need to get all defensive and titchy because you've burned 1000 calories before and feel attacked.
I don't feel attacked. I'm not sure anyone here feels attacked. We are discussing a statement.
It *is* possible to discuss something, even disagree, without feeling attacked, angry or butt hurt.19 -
I'm willing to bet the one praising the products is just looking for customers.11
-
disasterman wrote: »Seems to me the point isn't so much whether it's possible to burn 1000 calories but whether it's likely that the people OP was referring to actually are.
Yes and no. Most people are using some sort of fitness tracking app these days that are involved in a path to a healthier lifestyle. I would assume that's were they're getting those numbers from.
Heck most people don't know how many calories they're eating much less working off. Without some sort of tracking app. I'd challenge them to post a link to said workout to validate there claims.
Makes sense. Even with the app..
I've argued that it doesn't matter how accurate your calories in/calories out measurements are as long as you get repeatable results. Personally, I lost weight reliably with MFP by setting it up with my stats and goals, logging everything, cutting the calorie burns from exercise logged in half, and leaving an extra 400 calories on the table every day over what MFP allowed me. I don't know what was off; my metabolism, my calorie counts, the burn numbers, or some combination of all but I don't even really care.
As relates to the thread, I do think it's easy for people, even with an app, to overestimate calorie burns. In my swimming example, it's quite possible that I burn 1000/hour with a fast/vigorous swim but a.) "fast" is subjective and b.) I'm probably not swimming for 60 minutes given my swim:rest ratio but it's easy to forget that.
If you ask me the only thing that really matters is results. Tell the world you're burning 4,000 calories an hour and losing 10 pounds a day but the proof is in the before/after photos.
5 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »Guys, I think the person posting about the 1000 calories burned by her friends knows her friends better than you do...no need to get all defensive and titchy because you've burned 1000 calories before and feel attacked.
I don't feel attacked. I'm not sure anyone here feels attacked. We are discussing a statement.
It *is* possible to discuss something, even disagree, without feeling attacked, angry or butt hurt.
Yes, that's true. Which is why I didn't use either the word "angry" or "butthurt". I used "defensive" (and titchy which I'm pretty sure is just a word my mom used with me and not a real thing but translates to uncomfortable/defensive). Because if you didn't feel like it was directed at you, there would be no need to argue what her friends burn using personal examples.
She expressed disbelief that her friends burn that amount. People jumped in trying to prove they personally burn that amount as if she ever said it was impossible, or as if they thought her disbelief extended to them (i.e. defending themselves, which is inherently defensive). It's not about you!8 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »Guys, I think the person posting about the 1000 calories burned by her friends knows her friends better than you do...no need to get all defensive and titchy because you've burned 1000 calories before and feel attacked.
I don't feel attacked. I'm not sure anyone here feels attacked. We are discussing a statement.
It *is* possible to discuss something, even disagree, without feeling attacked, angry or butt hurt.
Yes, that's true. Which is why I didn't use either the word "angry" or "butthurt". I used "defensive" (and titchy which I'm pretty sure is just a word my mom used with me and not a real thing but translates to uncomfortable/defensive). Because if you didn't feel like it was directed at you, there would be no need to argue what her friends burn using personal examples.
She expressed disbelief that her friends burn that amount. People jumped in trying to prove they personally burn that amount as if she ever said it was impossible, or as if they thought her disbelief extended to them (i.e. defending themselves, which is inherently defensive). It's not about you!
I didn't think it was about me or directed at me. I used myself as an example.
The way she phrased it (and the following poster) did make it sound like it was impossible or only possible user extreme circumstances, not just in relation to her own friends, which is why I responded with my own example.
I also used the extra words because they are often used on these boards.
3 -
Guys, I think the person posting about the 1000 calories burned by her friends knows her friends better than you do...no need to get all defensive and titchy because you've burned 1000 calories before and feel attacked.
People are responding in the spirit of the OP. The very first post in this thread complains about people perpetuating false ideas about weight loss and sowing confusion. And then people follow up by posting the false idea that it's impossible for anybody but an athlete to burn 1,000 calories by exercising, which sows confusion. It isn't defensiveness that's making people open up and share their experiences. We're chatting about our fitness journey.8 -
I ride my stationary bike sometimes 90 minutes in a day and hit 1000 calories burned..
2 -
disasterman wrote: »As relates to the thread, I do think it's easy for people, even with an app, to overestimate calorie burns.
Sure. I've used two apps and/or devices at the same time to track something (out of curiosity) and they've given me different numbers. They can't both be right. At least one is wrong, likely both.
Most HRM systems I've used massively over-estimate bike calories.2 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Guys, I think the person posting about the 1000 calories burned by her friends knows her friends better than you do...no need to get all defensive and titchy because you've burned 1000 calories before and feel attacked.
People are responding in the spirit of the OP. The very first post in this thread complains about people perpetuating false ideas about weight loss and sowing confusion. And then people follow up by posting the false idea that it's impossible for anybody but an athlete to burn 1,000 calories by exercising, which sows confusion. It isn't defensiveness that's making people open up and share their experiences. We're chatting about our fitness journey.
Who posted that idea? All I saw was a woman implying her friends didn't burn 1000 calories. You're the one who is extrapolating and assuming to create the false idea.1 -
Several of my mfp friends post 1000 calorie burns. When I do that, it's a software glitch. I don't need to call them out on it. If they are losing weight and want to do so, then that's great. I have a mostly inactive mfp friend who posted large burns and low calories for months without posting weight loss. She did admit that her body was getting tighter, in a muscly good way.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392K Introduce Yourself
- 43.6K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.7K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 402 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.4K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 998 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.4K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions