Map My Walk Calories Burned Question

osier5
osier5 Posts: 429 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Has anyone noticed that their total calories burned as calculated through the MapMyWalk app has drastically changed? For the last 6 months, I've walk 4 miles almost everyday and it usually says that I've burned around 750 calories...yesterday I did the same walk at the same rate, as every other day this week, and the calories were cut almost in half.
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Replies

  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    750 calories sounds like a lot for 4 miles. I agree with Tavistock that they may have made the calorie estimate more accurate.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    To get a reasonably accurate estimate of the actual net calories expended multiply your weight in lbs x .30 x distance in miles (eg at 200lbs I would burn an additional 240 cal walking 4 miles)

  • osier5
    osier5 Posts: 429 Member
    Thanks! That’s helpful.....I knew it was inaccurate...but I wasn’t sure what the sudden change was about.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    osier5 wrote: »
    Has anyone noticed that their total calories burned as calculated through the MapMyWalk app has drastically changed? For the last 6 months, I've walk 4 miles almost everyday and it usually says that I've burned around 750 calories...yesterday I did the same walk at the same rate, as every other day this week, and the calories were cut almost in half.

    Cutting it in half is more accurate. Nobody is burning 750 calories on a 4 mile walk. For reference, I burn around 750 calories on a 25 mile bike ride.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    There's plenty of alternatives to MayMy - maybe try one that is more realistic?

    Even cutting in half still seems very high unless you weigh over 300lbs.
    300 x 0.3 x 4 = 360 net cals.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    You would have to weigh almost 600 pounds to burn 750 calories walking 4 miles. See the formula already posted in this thread.
  • sammidelvecchio
    sammidelvecchio Posts: 791 Member
    What if its all at a 10% incline
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
    sammidelvecchio wrote: »
    What if its all at a 10% incline

    Using this calculator: https://www.exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs I believe you would have to weigh roughly 183 lbs. to burn 750 calories walking 4 miles on a 10% grade. I am not at all certain that grade and incline are interchangeable. Something odd seems to happen around a speed of 3.7 mph - but I would be truly impressed if you could WALK at that pace, at that incline, for that distance.
  • KLD145
    KLD145 Posts: 106 Member
    I think it’s totally wrong. I have been on lots of exercise sites and it says 30 min run 10 mins a mile is around 300 calories.
    Today I did that plus an hours fast walk. So 1.5 hours and only 200 calories on map my walk. Really.
    Is now putting me off using it.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    KLD145 wrote: »
    I think it’s totally wrong. I have been on lots of exercise sites and it says 30 min run 10 mins a mile is around 300 calories.
    Today I did that plus an hours fast walk. So 1.5 hours and only 200 calories on map my walk. Really.
    Is now putting me off using it.

    The calculation for walking has been posted upthread.

    For running it's bodyweight in lbs x 0.63 x distance
  • KLD145
    KLD145 Posts: 106 Member
    That would then be 223 calories for the 30 mins.
    Then another 3.7 miles walk. So another estimate of 220 calories. So at least 440 calories.
    The link above says 513 for whole amount.
    So 200 calories on MMW seems very low and disheartening.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    KLD145 wrote: »
    That would then be 223 calories for the 30 mins.
    Then another 3.7 miles walk. So another estimate of 220 calories. So at least 440 calories.
    The link above says 513 for whole amount.
    So 200 calories on MMW seems very low and disheartening.

    So use the calculations from now on? Job done.
  • KLD145
    KLD145 Posts: 106 Member
    Yep. Sure. Job done.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    KLD145 wrote: »
    Yep. Sure. Job done.

    Feel free to explain what the problem is? We're all here to help...

    You now have an accurate way of calculating how many calories you're burning walking and running...?
  • Kalex1975
    Kalex1975 Posts: 427 Member
    It looks like MapMy... has updated their calorie calculations to be more accurate (yay!). There is a post explaining the change here...

    https://support.mapmyfitness.com/hc/en-us/articles/200118084-Why-Aren-t-My-Calories-Displaying-Correctly-
    We have based our calorie count on established scientific research detailed in the Compendium of Physical Activities. This update may impact the estimated number of calories burned for a given workout.

    I'm happy they made this change. Their old estimates were a joke!
  • MonaLisaLianne
    MonaLisaLianne Posts: 398 Member
    I no longer use MapMyWalk (the voice got too annoying) but I have noticed that my Misfit Shine is calculating steps/miles differently all of a sudden. I walk almost the same route all the time & it was *always* 3.5 miles. It's now showing as about 3 miles. I should check it in my car maybe.
  • bumbambi
    bumbambi Posts: 11 Member
    MonaLisaLianne wrote: »
    I no longer use MapMyWalk (the voice got too annoying) but I have noticed that my Misfit Shine is calculating steps/miles differently all of a sudden. I walk almost the same route all the time & it was *always* 3.5 miles. It's now showing as about 3 miles. I should check it in my car maybe.

    Easiest way to check is google maps. Set your route and let the allmighty google tell you how long it really is.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    They adjusted the calorie burns in the latest update. They gave an explanation but I didn't read it. Check your updates list for details.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Kalex1975 wrote: »
    It looks like MapMy... has updated their calorie calculations to be more accurate (yay!). There is a post explaining the change here...

    https://support.mapmyfitness.com/hc/en-us/articles/200118084-Why-Aren-t-My-Calories-Displaying-Correctly-
    We have based our calorie count on established scientific research detailed in the Compendium of Physical Activities. This update may impact the estimated number of calories burned for a given workout.

    I'm happy they made this change. Their old estimates were a joke!

    MyFitnessPal also sources the Compendium.

    Worth noting that the estimates are gross not net, which isn't that significant for intense (high MET) short duration exercise but can make a fairly large error if trying to estimate net calories for a low intensity and long duration exercise such as walking.

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