Do I follow fit band or gym machine?

UmaMageswarymfp
UmaMageswarymfp Posts: 280 Member
edited December 26 in Fitness and Exercise
Hii so I just started using the cardio machines at the gym like Cross trainer , Treadmill, bicycle and etc. specifically for treadmill , should I follow the machine’s calorie burn amount or my fit band steps count. It burn much more calories on my fit band compared to the machine. For 30 mins , speed 5.3 , 0 incline. It burns 90 calories using the machine vs my band it shows 150 cals. Eventhough not much difference, I still wanna be accurate with the calories I’m burning

Replies

  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    The band takes into account your age, weight, etc. I assume. Does the machine?

    Not sure if you mean 5.3 mph or 5.3 kmp. So you walked/ran 2.65 miles or 1.65 miles. 90 cals seems low for either distance in my opinion. Verywellfit.com says: A rule of thumb is that about 100 calories per mile are burned for a 180-pound person and 65 calories per mile are burned for a 120-pound person.
  • UmaMageswarymfp
    UmaMageswarymfp Posts: 280 Member
    nanastaci2020 wrote: »
    The band takes into account your age, weight, etc. I assume. Does the machine?

    Not sure if you mean 5.3 mph or 5.3 kmp. So you walked/ran 2.65 miles or 1.65 miles. 90 cals seems low for either distance in my opinion. Verywellfit.com says: A rule of thumb is that about 100 calories per mile are burned for a 180-pound person and 65 calories per mile are burned for a 120-pound person.

    Oh yea my fit band takes age weight and height. The machine doesn’t . I’m 178cm and 104kg atm
  • UmaMageswarymfp
    UmaMageswarymfp Posts: 280 Member
    And 21 years old.
  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
    When it comes to calorie estimates, I tend to underestimate "exercise calories" and overestimate "food/drink calories."

    Basically, I trust nothing and would take the lower number if I had a choice between the two 🤷🏿‍♀️

    Do what works for you over time though, Uma!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's all an estimate...but what distance did you travel? Mass moved over distance is a more important element than the speed.

    Personally, I've always gone with the more conservative number.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    So machine doesn't know your weight.

    Was Fit band close on the distance? (what device exactly?)

    calories is measure of work done - moving your body mass over distance.
    Machine doesn't know what that weight is.
    How can it be close unless you just happen to weigh what it's assuming, and do you know what that is?

    Age in machine is merely for it to do HR based programming and readouts.

    Make it easy - log the net value.
    https://exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs

  • UmaMageswarymfp
    UmaMageswarymfp Posts: 280 Member
    MaltedTea wrote: »
    When it comes to calorie estimates, I tend to underestimate "exercise calories" and overestimate "food/drink calories."

    Basically, I trust nothing and would take the lower number if I had a choice between the two 🤷🏿‍♀️

    Do what works for you over time though, Uma!

    Wait omg I do that too!! If my band says I burnt 450 cals I only log 300 just Incase
  • UmaMageswarymfp
    UmaMageswarymfp Posts: 280 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    It's all an estimate...but what distance did you travel? Mass moved over distance is a more important element than the speed.

    Personally, I've always gone with the more conservative number.

    It was 2.5km ish
  • UmaMageswarymfp
    UmaMageswarymfp Posts: 280 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    So machine doesn't know your weight.

    Was Fit band close on the distance? (what device exactly?)

    calories is measure of work done - moving your body mass over distance.
    Machine doesn't know what that weight is.
    How can it be close unless you just happen to weigh what it's assuming, and do you know what that is?

    Age in machine is merely for it to do HR based programming and readouts.

    Make it easy - log the net value.
    https://exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs

    I’m using Honor Band 5 Huawei, not the best out there but it gets the job done
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    So now using an accurate formula (do the math on your distance and time to get pace, not "ish" pace), you can confirm if the band was close or not to trust in the future, or if you need to just use that calorie calculator.
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    I would take the lower of the two to be on the safe side, but that’s just personal preference. I would rather be pleasantly surprised on the scale because I underestimated calories burned than be upset to see I gained or didn’t lose what I expected because of an overestimation and calorie expenditure.
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    Your treadmill is like the one I have at home. Hubs & I put it together, there was never an option to set personal details. So when it gives calorie burn information, it is for a mysterious stranger that we've never met. I don't know if its based on a male or female, younger or older, healthy weight or not lol. So that # is pretty much useless.
    UmaMageswarymfp wrote: »
    nanastaci2020 wrote: »
    The band takes into account your age, weight, etc. I assume. Does the machine?

    Not sure if you mean 5.3 mph or 5.3 kmp. So you walked/ran 2.65 miles or 1.65 miles. 90 cals seems low for either distance in my opinion. Verywellfit.com says: A rule of thumb is that about 100 calories per mile are burned for a 180-pound person and 65 calories per mile are burned for a 120-pound person.

    Oh yea my fit band takes age weight and height. The machine doesn’t . I’m 178cm and 104kg atm

  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    nanastaci2020 wrote: »
    Your treadmill is like the one I have at home. Hubs & I put it together, there was never an option to set personal details. So when it gives calorie burn information, it is for a mysterious stranger that we've never met. I don't know if its based on a male or female, younger or older, healthy weight or not lol. So that # is pretty much useless.
    UmaMageswarymfp wrote: »
    nanastaci2020 wrote: »
    The band takes into account your age, weight, etc. I assume. Does the machine?

    Not sure if you mean 5.3 mph or 5.3 kmp. So you walked/ran 2.65 miles or 1.65 miles. 90 cals seems low for either distance in my opinion. Verywellfit.com says: A rule of thumb is that about 100 calories per mile are burned for a 180-pound person and 65 calories per mile are burned for a 120-pound person.

    Oh yea my fit band takes age weight and height. The machine doesn’t . I’m 178cm and 104kg atm

    OP is using ones at the gym though and those typically have options to at least enter your current weight. Some of the higher end commercial units offer age, etc also I believe. But literally EVERY commercial gym cardio machine I have ever used had the option to enter weight for more accurate calorie calculation.
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    Which is why I asked if the machine she used considered her weight. She replied that it did not.
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »

    OP is using ones at the gym though and those typically have options to at least enter your current weight. Some of the higher end commercial units offer age, etc also I believe. But literally EVERY commercial gym cardio machine I have ever used had the option to enter weight for more accurate calorie calculation.

  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    nanastaci2020 wrote: »
    Which is why I asked if the machine she used considered her weight. She replied that it did not.
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »

    OP is using ones at the gym though and those typically have options to at least enter your current weight. Some of the higher end commercial units offer age, etc also I believe. But literally EVERY commercial gym cardio machine I have ever used had the option to enter weight for more accurate calorie calculation.
    Yes, but I think she might be mistaken since she states that she is going to a gym. I think she might just need to ask an employee for some guidance on how to use that feature
  • UmaMageswarymfp
    UmaMageswarymfp Posts: 280 Member
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    nanastaci2020 wrote: »
    Which is why I asked if the machine she used considered her weight. She replied that it did not.
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »

    OP is using ones at the gym though and those typically have options to at least enter your current weight. Some of the higher end commercial units offer age, etc also I believe. But literally EVERY commercial gym cardio machine I have ever used had the option to enter weight for more accurate calorie calculation.
    Yes, but I think she might be mistaken since she states that she is going to a gym. I think she might just need to ask an employee for some guidance on how to use that feature

    Wait they do have that feature sorry my bad but it’s faulty , the buttons don’t work only for speed and incline it works. I’ll try other cardio machines next time
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    FYI - riding a bicycle isn't steps, completely different movement.

    If your bike gives you a power reading (watts normally) it could be very accurate for calories.
    Data that isn't accurate on a stationary bike is speed and distance as it bears little relation to outdoor cycling.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories