CV machine calories burnt.

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RoyBeck
RoyBeck Posts: 947 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Firstly I know that the amount of calories burnt indicated on a treadmill are to be taken with a pinch of salt. I have the treadmill on a level 12.0 incline with a speed of 4.0kph and it says I burn 700 per hour. I now don't enter my exercise on MFP just food only but recently I've started using the bike in the gym.

I sweat a lot on the bike (Using more energy right?) whereas on the treadmill after 45 minutes or so I'm not really sweating at all. However, the bike says ill burn 340 calories per hour? My question is why should I do the bike if I burn twice as many on the treadmill even if I don't sweat??

Also how accurate is the bike for calories burnt?

Replies

  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
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    Do the machines ask your age and weight? the ones that do are more accurate. peeps here will tell you to wear a hrm. I use the machine figures but eat allowing for a margin of error
  • SlinkyAndHerAmazingBunsOfSteel
    SlinkyAndHerAmazingBunsOfSteel Posts: 434 Member
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    In my experience, the excersise bike under estimates my calories burned. The machine says I burn 250 cals an hour, but my HRM gives me about 360 cals burned per hour. The elliptical machine at my gym tells me I burn 840 cals in an hour, but my HRM tells me I burn 540 cals in an hour, so that machine over estimate by WAY too much.You should still do the bike as well, even though you don't burn as much as you would running on the treadmill because it works different muscles in your legs. :smile:
  • RoyBeck
    RoyBeck Posts: 947 Member
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    Both machines ask for weight but not age. I just can't see how there's such a big difference when I appear to be exerting much more on the bike as I'm glistening with sweat after 10/15 minutes?

    I see your point about using different leg muscles. HIIT on the bike is great too for me so I might use the bike primarily for this.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,621 Member
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    I'd recommend trying both machines with a HRM, so you can scale the readings correctly.

    My typical workout is 65 minutes on the elliptical with a target heart rate of 140. The HRM says I burn around 530, but the machine says 780. The MFP database says 926.
  • RoyBeck
    RoyBeck Posts: 947 Member
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    I'd recommend trying both machines with a HRM, so you can scale the readings correctly.

    My typical workout is 65 minutes on the elliptical with a target heart rate of 140. The HRM says I burn around 530, but the machine says 780. The MFP database says 926.

    I've stopped inputting my exercise calories into MFP for this very reason. I monitor it in a diary. I've considered a HRM watch.

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