Calorie burn estimates

edena001

A lot have people have said that mfp overestimates calorie burn, and also not to listen to the machines predictions either, as they are after all only predictions. So how should you calculate the calories burnt?

jemhh

edena001 wrote: »

A lot have people have said that mfp overestimates calorie burn, and also not to listen to the machines predictions either, as they are after all only predictions. So how should you calculate the calories burnt?

I suggest using MFP's numbers for 4 weeks and evaluating your results. Losing too slowly? Eat fewer calories. Too quickly? Eat more. Just right? Stay the course.

Helloitsdan

TBH you really can't unless you go to a metabolic lab.

nutmegoreo

Considering your other thread, not getting enough calories. I would suggest you worry about that first. The machines don't tend to be accurate, but I strongly recommend focusing on improving your nutritional balance.

NorthCascades

Helloitsdan wrote: »

TBH you really can't unless you go to a metabolic lab.

Maybe, but a bike with a power meter will get you within 5 % of the truth.

jemhh

nutmegoreo wrote: »

Considering your other thread, not getting enough calories. I would suggest you worry about that first. The machines don't tend to be accurate, but I strongly recommend focusing on improving your nutritional balance.

Interesting. Will have to read other thread.

In general, it is not necessary to have more than a general estimate of calorie burns, no matter your goal. Within 100 either way is close enough, IMO, and it is exceedingly easy to look up calorie burn estimates on a few different sites to see if MFP or your machine is giving you a number that is in the ballpark. Once you've got that and are eating accordingly, real life results are the best way to figure out if you need to eat more or lesd.

Beverly2Hansen

MFP was underestimating my burns pretty seriously. I exercise pretty decently although I'm not a saint. I started getting sick because of my deficit combined with me not eating enough exercise calories back. I ended up buying a chest strap HRM to wear during exercise for accuracy and have been happy ever since. I'm losing steadily and gaining muscle like crazy. That's really the closest you can get to acurate. For some it under estimates for others it over estimates burns because MFP can't take many things into account.

singingflutelady

Beverly2Hansen wrote: »

MFP was underestimating my burns pretty seriously. I exercise pretty decently although I'm not a saint. I started getting sick because of my deficit combined with me not eating enough exercise calories back. I ended up buying a chest strap HRM to wear during exercise for accuracy and have been happy ever since. I'm losing steadily and gaining muscle like crazy. That's really the closest you can get to acurate. For some it under estimates for others it over estimates burns because MFP can't take many things into account.

Gaining muscle like crazy while losing weight? How much muscle do you think you are gaining in a deficit?

Chieflrg

Beverly2Hansen wrote: »

MFP was underestimating my burns pretty seriously. I exercise pretty decently although I'm not a saint. I started getting sick because of my deficit combined with me not eating enough exercise calories back. I ended up buying a chest strap HRM to wear during exercise for accuracy and have been happy ever since. I'm losing steadily and gaining muscle like crazy. That's really the closest you can get to acurate. For some it under estimates for others it over estimates burns because MFP can't take many things into account.

Not trying to be a dik, but this is impossible. IF you are losing weight, you are losing muscle with fat.

OP the suggestion of a HRM isn't bad, even better is this...

jemhh wrote: »

I suggest using MFP's numbers for 4 weeks and evaluating your results. Losing too slowly? Eat fewer calories. Too quickly? Eat more. Just right? Stay the course.