Stationary bike

ValR93
ValR93 Posts: 5 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Good morning. I use a stationary bike (does not monitor heart rate) at home but wonder how many calories to log. For instance, I biked 40 minutes last night and the machine said 90 cal, but when I enter 40 minutes into my fitness pal it said I burned over 300. What do I believe? I am not someone he tends to eat my exercise calories, but I want to be accurate. Thanks!!!!

Replies

  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    It's hard to estimate, but 4-7 cals per minute is probably reasonable. Pick the lower end if your effort/intensity was lower, higher if you worked harder.
  • TheMrWobbly
    TheMrWobbly Posts: 2,541 Member
    edited July 2018
    MFP seem remarkably generous on exercise calories. I use independent sites like the British Heart Foundation who take into account weight, speed, and type of exercise.

    https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/support/healthy-living/staying-active/exercise-calorie-calculator

    As I don't eat my exercise calories it is only a guide anyway so I can use the MFP figures.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Weight has almost no bearing on a bike.
  • ValR93
    ValR93 Posts: 5 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Weight has almost no bearing on a bike.

    Not sure what you mean ...? Are you saying I won't lose weight using a bike? Not the case; by cutting calories and biking I'm down almost 10 pounds. I just don't want to log burning more calories than I really did :)

  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    ValR93 wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Weight has almost no bearing on a bike.

    Not sure what you mean ...? Are you saying I won't lose weight using a bike? Not the case; by cutting calories and biking I'm down almost 10 pounds. I just don't want to log burning more calories than I really did :)

    What was meant is that weight has no bearing on how many calories burned while riding a bike, stationary or not.
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    ^ weight, as in has no influence on the rate energy is expended. Simply put, at the same intensity you will be burning roughly the same number of calories whether you weight 50 pounds or 150 pounds.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    ValR93 wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Weight has almost no bearing on a bike.

    Not sure what you mean ...? Are you saying I won't lose weight using a bike? Not the case; by cutting calories and biking I'm down almost 10 pounds. I just don't want to log burning more calories than I really did :)

    I mean you're sitting down when you ride a bike. Your weight is borne by the frame and wheels. It's different from walking or running where you support your own weight and move it without the help of a very efficient machine. The thing that burns calories on a bike is the work you put into the pedals. How much energy you can put into the bike isn't a function of your weight, it's a function of your fitness.

    Cycling is great exercise and can definitely be part of weight loss or maintenance. I would weigh a lot more if that wasn't the case; it's mid July and I have 240 bike miles so far this month. That's a lot of tacos I got to eat and feel satisfied with, and not gain weight.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,622 Member
    ValR93 wrote: »
    Good morning. I use a stationary bike (does not monitor heart rate) at home but wonder how many calories to log. For instance, I biked 40 minutes last night and the machine said 90 cal, but when I enter 40 minutes into my fitness pal it said I burned over 300. What do I believe? I am not someone he tends to eat my exercise calories, but I want to be accurate. Thanks!!!!

    When I cycle inside, I use the following estimate ...

    I assume I ride at 18 km/h ... because I ride that or somewhat faster outside.

    Using the estimate 100 calories for every 5 km, that would mean in an hour on my trainer, I would burn 360 calories.

    Which would mean that in 40 minutes, I would burn 240 calories.


    On MFP, I select Stationary bike, light effort (bicycling, cycling, biking) ... which gives me 257 calories for 40 minutes.

    240 calories ~ 257 calories. Close enough, given that we're working with estimates. :)

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