Excersise calories burned count

Mattman1975

Hi, new to the app, but loving it so far.

One thing I find is that the count for the calories burned during exercise seems quite high.

I went to play squash last night with some friends. We typically for 80 minutes. Minus water breaks and time spent chatting between games I figure its roughly 60 minutes. We're all pretty overweight but competitive.

The app says that I would have burned 1442 calories, which is more than half of the calories I took for the day! Can that be anywhere near accurate? Then again if I played squash that much everyday, I certainly would expect to lose some serious weight.

Any thoughts?

IsisRosa

If you are relying on MFP's calorie counts and not a Heart Rate Monitor, then I suggest you only eat back a portion of your calories.

paxbfl

Good job on your workout. 60 minutes is a respectable workout, and if you were working hard during that time you can burn quite a chunk of calories.

I also recommend a heart-rate monitor - since I got mine I've really enjoyed seeing how many calories I burn during different workouts. I've found MFP's calorie counts to be a little high, but not too bad. Maybe 20-25% high? MFP has been more accurate than some of the elliptical machines at my gym which overestimate by as much as 60%!

As far as eating back calories, if you're trying to lose weight I'd recommend eating back as few exercise calories as possible. Eat between your BMR and non-exercise TDEE, then put as much of the exercise calories directly toward weight-loss. If you're really hungry or tired, it's ok to eat back some of your exercise calories (so you don't make yourself miserable). But I generally don't unless I'm in maintenance or muscle-building mode.

Hope that helps!

cw106

same query. burned 2400 playing for 140 mins tonite.
logged it but not paying it any heed.
any hrm wearing squash players can validate burn please?

PikaKnight

HRMs are made to be used for steady rate cardio - like running and swimming, not stop and go type activities like squash, yoga, many aerobic dvds, strength training, etc.

angieleighbyrd

I don't use the counts on here. They are horribly inaccurate. I use a HRM.

sino19

I've found MFP's calorie counts to be a little high, but not too bad. Maybe 20-25% high? MFP has been more accurate than some of the elliptical machines at my gym which overestimate by as much as 60%!

:sad: :sad:

dondotwinks

I try use my heart rate monitor for everything , even dog walking as your heart rate is up n down and the harder you work the more calories burned.

healthyfoxx

I don't bother logging exercise on here. I eat my recommended calories throughout the week (even on exercise days), but I almost always go over on the weekends. It must be balancing out, since I still lose weight. If that stops, I plan to just reassess my weekend snacking.

cookmtn

I play competitive badminton 2 days a week, 3 hours each time. I LOG it as social badminton, cut out a half hour for breaks and then eat back only half the calories. So far working great.

racronan

I have also just stopped logging my exercise because I don't trust the calories counts-and it will "yell" at me for eating too little as a result. My daily calorie goal is 1200 calories but between my walking and the yoga/pilates I do 3-4 times a week, it nets out to like 900 calories or less when I track it which I frankly just don't buy. But the app will then provide me with a stern warning that I am eating too little and should increase my calorie count which I find frustrating. So I just stopped tracking it altogether and just go with my diet plan. Lol.

indianwin2001

I don't use the counts on here. They are horribly inaccurate. I use a HRM.

^^this

Amanda4change

It depends on how much you weigh, on how many calories you burn doing a specific activity. I don't use the numbers on MFP I have a HRM that I track my calories with. I rarely eat back any of my exercise calories (unless it is a really big burn day, for example the days I do outside run (instead of a treadmill) or the days that we do really long hike (over 10 miles). There is a site that you can use to get an idea of calorie burn http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc for a fairly accurate idea of what you are burning, but the only way to be sure is a HRM. Good luck

Hornsby

HRMs are made to be used for steady rate cardio - like running and swimming, not stop and go type activities like squash, yoga, many aerobic dvds, strength training, etc.

^this

No reason to get a HRM for squash. They aren't designed for that at all.

Kalikel

I think they way overestimate some and then others are underestimated. I don't know where they get those numbers. Maybe they pull them out of a hat.

Most people eat half the calories it estimates for exercise.

I eat to my hunger. If I can be okay eating none back, I do that. If I am hungry, I'll eat some more.

I do not have a heart rate monitor. On the rare occasion that I care what my heart rate is, I use my fingers. But it has nothing to do with what I eat.

Cryptonomnomicon

Exercise calories

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

cw106

HRMs are made to be used for steady rate cardio - like running and swimming, not stop and go type activities like squash, yoga, many aerobic dvds, strength training, etc.

comparing squash with yoga?

im guessing you have never played squash.

FiverLagomorph

Has anyone used this site?

Calorie Lab
http://calorielab.com/burned/

Seems to cover just about any activity with a good explanation of the calculations.

jrcrmr

HRMs are made to be used for steady rate cardio - like running and swimming, not stop and go type activities like squash, yoga, many aerobic dvds, strength training, etc.

comparing squash with yoga?

im guessing you have never played squash.

For heart rate monitor use, yes, it's a legitmate comparison. That's why he/she mentioned "not stop and go" activities. They are both non-steady rate cardio activities; meaning that your heart rate will slow down and rise significantly (peaks and valleys) during the activity and the heart rate monitor will be inaccurate.

As previously stated multiple times in multiple threads, heart monitors are great for running, swimming, cycling, elliptical (if going intense enough). Anything that will steadily raise your heart rate if you keep going at the same pace for the duration of the activity. Anything else, it will be inaccurate.

cw106

Has anyone used this site?

Calorie Lab
http://calorielab.com/burned/

Seems to cover just about any activity with a good explanation of the calculations.

helpful link.thanks.

2200burn on cal lab versus 2400 on mfp.accurate enough as a guideline.

Hornsby

Has anyone used this site?

Calorie Lab
http://calorielab.com/burned/

Seems to cover just about any activity with a good explanation of the calculations.

Gives me 1200 per hour for cycling at 20+mph. That's pretty exaggerated.

steff274

The fact that I am unsure how much I am burning is generally why at maintenance it's tough to know how much to eat back!! I should eat back more I don't want to get any lighter!! I log body attack as high impact aerobics it gives me about 350 calories for 60 minutes but have been told by the instructor it burns anything from 400 to 1000!! I do all the high impact options split lunges and the press up set I can do the whole set on my toes, spinning for 45 minutes it gives me 250 calories, horse riding general gives me 190 something calories for an hour how they can judge horse riding I don't know!! it not only depends on the rider but the horse!! In all honesty recon I would burn more on my special slightly deranged looney than on some riding school dobbin!!

cw106

Exercise calories

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

good link to a new group.thanks.
certainly has more detailed info for specifics.