My elliptical has settings for different calorie burns for 30 minute workouts.

CaliMomTeach

I have read on here that elliptical machines overestimate calories you burn. My precor elliptical has various work out setting, including 30 minute 300 calories, 30 minutes 400 calories, and 30 minutes 500 calories. I choose the 500 calorie setting. It is a good workout, and I can feel that I have worked hard by how much I sweat and can feel my heart rate is up. I am 5'6 female and weigh just under 140 pounds. How many calories should I figure I am actually using during these workouts?

Spliner1969

The only way to know for sure is to eat those calories and watch your weight loss. If you're not loosing at the rate you would expect then it's overrated for you. It's going to be a different calorie burn for someone who's 6' tall weighing 300 lbs than it is for someone who is 6' tall weighing 200 lbs, or someone who's in better shape than another. It'll be a different for male vs female. My point is that they are usually over inflated, but by how much depends on the person. You'll need to make an educated guess and go with it for a period of time. If you aren't losing weight as fast as you anticipated, then assume it's over-inflated and drop the calories back a bit. If you're losing weight faster than you expected in say a 1-3 month period then figure it's under-rated. It took me probably six months or more to zero in my favorite app/device to what I believe is accurate for me.

JustinAnimal

This isn't very official, but when I think something has overestimated my calories, I cut it in half just to be safe. That way, if I'm still overestimating, it won't be by much. If I'm underestimating, then my deficit is that much lower (again, not too low). It's informal, but you have to do what works for you. I also quit eating back my exercise calories, which makes life a lot easier (not worrying about accurate measurement). Again, this is simply what works for me and is only intended as a suggestion. I believe you have to experiment.

Spliner1969

JustinAnimal wrote: »

This isn't very official, but when I think something has overestimated my calories, I cut it in half just to be safe. That way, if I'm still overestimating, it won't be by much. If I'm underestimating, then my deficit is that much lower (again, not too low). It's informal, but you have to do what works for you. I also quit eating back my exercise calories, which makes life a lot easier (not worrying about accurate measurement). Again, this is simply what works for me and is only intended as a suggestion. I believe you have to experiment.

When I first started out I also did the 50% thing. I set my goals based on MFP's suggestions (and later on iifym.com's) then as exercise was entered I'd only allow myself to eat back 50% of those calories. It worked well for weight loss, but when I hit maintenance it was more important to be accurate. It took a while, because eating back 50% of them (for me, remember everyone is different) wasn't enough and I was still losing weight even at what I thought was my maintenance calories. In the end I had to adjust up slowly 10% at a time until I leveled out. For me that was about 80-90% of what my app/device was estimating for me. I've stayed with that ever since and it does work well for me. About a year ago though I went back to iifym.com, allowed it to calculate my exercise calories into my daily goals, and spread them over a week. So now I eat the same every day of the week and don't have to be hungry on rest days. It works well and I've been able to maintain my weight and be happier. But again, I'm not in weight loss mode any more, so if you are, you have to make the decision based on that and what works for you. Everyone will say their method is more accurate (my favorite is listening to the power meter guys/gals tell me theirs are 100% accurate for everyone) than yours, but honestly what works for you is what's important. Pick your device/method/app/whatever, stick with it and adjust over time. No need to buy an expensive device, a power meter, switch to cycling, heavy lifting, etc. Do you. Learn over time what works. Stick with it.

Azdak

It's a bass-ackward way of programming, but it sounds as though the 500-cal program, by random chance, is a good one for you. Not because it burns 500 calories (which it doesn't), but because it puts you into an intensity level that is better at increasing fitness. And it will maximize your 30 min calorie burn (which is probably closer to 300, not 500).