Exercise calories

breeseyb
breeseyb Posts: 15 Member
edited December 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sure someone somewhere has asked this already. The MFP calories burned through exercise don't seem to be accurate. Is there a good source to figure out how many calories you burned from a certain exercise? Or what do you guys do about that?
Thanks!

Replies

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    If your exercise is walking/running this is a nice source:
    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs.html

    Other types of exercise are a bit too hard to predict accurately so some people eat back only a portion of that (50-75%)

    Personally, I just go by what my Fitbit tells me since most of my exercises are step-based anyway.
  • breeseyb
    breeseyb Posts: 15 Member
    Oh ok sweet got it. I rowed for an hour and a half yesterday and got practically half my day's calories back and was like this can't be right lol. Thanks!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I found MFP calories burned bang on for me....but I am apparently average.

    I found the best way to know is eat back some of them and keep increasing until you are losing at the rate you want....not faster...not slower but at that rate.
  • alanlmarshall
    alanlmarshall Posts: 587 Member
    Mfp isn't too bad for sports based activities like running or cycling. I would avoid logging every day activities like housework, they are easily over estimated.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I've compared mfp's estimates to other online calculators, including using the HR monitor on my treadmill. They all come up with similar numbers for me. Just make sure to keep your weight updated in your account. I agree with not logging normal activities, like housework and walking dogs, unless it is something above and beyond the norm.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    breeseyb wrote: »
    Oh ok sweet got it. I rowed for an hour and a half yesterday and got practically half my day's calories back and was like this can't be right lol. Thanks!

    Nope - agree it sounds silly.
    The database is based on METS but where people have to make a judgement call on intensity is where is doesn't work so well.

    Was it a Concept2 rower?
    If so, take the machine's calorie estimate and apply the weight differential to get a reasonable estimate.
    http://www.concept2.co.uk/indoor-rowers/training/calculators/calorie-calculator

    If you happen to be around 175lbs then the estimate would be reasonable to take at face value.
  • DeviatedNorm
    DeviatedNorm Posts: 422 Member
    alanlmarshall wrote: »
    Mfp isn't too bad for sports based activities like running or cycling. I would avoid logging every day activities like housework, they are easily over estimated.

    Really?

    It seems slightly better if I choose "Bicycling, road cycle" but I used to always choose the "Bicycling, 12-14mph moderate" options (or whatever my speed was) and those report 2-3x as many calories as the "road cycle" option. But even just the generic "Bicycling, road cycle" option has approached 1000 calories which seems like way more than I'm actually burning.
  • breeseyb
    breeseyb Posts: 15 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Was it a Concept2 rower?
    If so, take the machine's calorie estimate and apply the weight differential to get a reasonable estimate.
    http://www.concept2.co.uk/indoor-rowers/training/calculators/calorie-calculator

    If you happen to be around 175lbs then the estimate would be reasonable to take at face value.

    It was a concept 2 but I'm way over 175. That's a pretty great tool. Would it not be accurate for someone quite a bit over that?
  • MarkusDarwath
    MarkusDarwath Posts: 393 Member
    I just ignore/don't log exercise calories. My calorie target is set at 500 below maintenance for my target weight, and any extra deficit from activity is bonus. The caveat to my approach is that I'm a big guy and my goal weight is still higher than most (220 pounds), so I still have 2200 calories per day to work with. So far I've dropped an average of 2.8 pounds per week over 10 weeks (down to 264 from 292).
  • breeseyb
    breeseyb Posts: 15 Member
    Cool cool I'll try that out. I started about where you did so maybe that'll be good for me.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    breeseyb wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    Was it a Concept2 rower?
    If so, take the machine's calorie estimate and apply the weight differential to get a reasonable estimate.
    http://www.concept2.co.uk/indoor-rowers/training/calculators/calorie-calculator

    If you happen to be around 175lbs then the estimate would be reasonable to take at face value.

    It was a concept 2 but I'm way over 175. That's a pretty great tool. Would it not be accurate for someone quite a bit over that?
    Yes weight changes the burn significantly as you are constantly having to accelerate/decelerate your mass.
    So yes - definitely adjust the machine readout for your weight.

    I don't normally bother as I'm not far from the default 175lbs.
  • breeseyb
    breeseyb Posts: 15 Member
    Will do thanks for the advice! I've been using those a lot over the last few months, it's a good work out.
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