Runtastic makes no sense

CipherZero

Today's cardio: 3.34 miles in 50 minutes.

Set Runtastic to walking as type: 223 Calories.
Set Runtastic to treadmill as type: 508 Calories.

Any explanation?

brianpperkins

My guess would be that the "treadmill" setting is for running, not walking, on a treadmill and the formula is set accordingly.

danamack

I'm frustrated with Runtastic too. If you use the gps it shouldn't matter whether you have it set to running or walking, but I've run when I've unknowingly had it set to walk and earned about half of what I would have earned for running. A 9/mile is a 9/mile, I feel like my calories should be calculated based on that. Ugh!

brianpperkins

I'm frustrated with Runtastic too. If you use the gps it shouldn't matter whether you have it set to running or walking, but I've run when I've unknowingly had it set to walk and earned about half of what I would have earned for running. A 9/mile is a 9/mile, I feel like my calories should be calculated based on that. Ugh!

Even speed walking produces a different caloric burn than running. But yeah ... blame the app for your inability to tell it what activity you're doing. :huh:

lawlorka

I'm frustrated with Runtastic too. If you use the gps it shouldn't matter whether you have it set to running or walking, but I've run when I've unknowingly had it set to walk and earned about half of what I would have earned for running. A 9/mile is a 9/mile, I feel like my calories should be calculated based on that. Ugh!

Even speed walking produces a different caloric burn than running. But yeah ... blame the app for your inability to tell it what activity you're doing. :huh:

The point is that you should burn the same amount of calories whether you walk/speed walk or run 9miles. The calorie burn is the same for the distance. So the fact that Runtastic gives different calorie burns for the same distance is definitely a fault of the app

brianpperkins

I'm frustrated with Runtastic too. If you use the gps it shouldn't matter whether you have it set to running or walking, but I've run when I've unknowingly had it set to walk and earned about half of what I would have earned for running. A 9/mile is a 9/mile, I feel like my calories should be calculated based on that. Ugh!

Even speed walking produces a different caloric burn than running. But yeah ... blame the app for your inability to tell it what activity you're doing. :huh:

The point is that you should burn the same amount of calories whether you walk/speed walk or run 9miles. The calorie burn is the same for the distance. So the fact that Runtastic gives different calorie burns for the same distance is definitely a fault of the app

Actually ... you shouldn't (and don't) burn the same calories walking/speed walking and running. Different activities use different muscles and trigger different metabolic processes in the body. Claiming that they should burn the same calories is wrong. Failure to properly set a piece of equipment is the fault of the operator, not the device.

danamack

Sure, they do burn different amounts, but not as dramatic as Runtastic assumes. For example, I took my dog for a walk yesterday so I had it set to walking. A mile in it started to rain, and my dog who normally does not run was amenable and ran the last two miles with me. The first mile was a14/mile, the last 2 were 9/miles and I earned 155 calories total. Even if I was speedwalking a 9/mile rather than running it I'm pretty sure that would be more calories than what Runtastic calculated.

danamack

And further more, the way to change your activity is a settings thing rather than select before you start your activity. When you start a gps exercise the app displays 'Standard Activity', not 'Running' or 'Walking' so you have to remember what you set your Standard Activity to which is silly. Most often I am running, but when I take my dog on long walks I do change it and if I forget to change it back, again in the settings so not a one cllick process, then my activity history and calorie count are off.

kathystrauss1

Not to hijack your thread but how do you set your activity type as treadmill? It does not show up on my list on Runtastic.

brianpperkins

All apps use formulae to figure caloric burn. It cannot guess to pick the right formula so it goes with what you input. If you tell it you're walking, it picks the formula for walking and goes with it. If you tell it you're running, it picks a different formula and uses it. Same for any other activity.

Getting upset at an app for solving for Y when that is what you told it to solve for, even though you did X instead is not the app's fault. It is the operator's.

danamack

Sure you can blame the app, it can have a more sophisticated algorithm for calculation based on the gps information it is receiving. For example, after a run I am able to see all sorts of information detailing the elevation, however none of that is factored in to the amount of calories I earn for it. I earn the same amount of calories for a flat run than I do for hills at the same distance/pace.

Additonally, the interface should be cleaner. You shouldn't have to change your 'standard workout' in settings and it should be very clear what the 'standard workout' is. Sure, it's great if you never use it for anything but running but if you use it for multiple activities it becomes a pain in the butt to change it in settings every time.

HavtaLose

And further more, the way to change your activity is a settings thing rather than select before you start your activity. When you start a gps exercise the app displays 'Standard Activity', not 'Running' or 'Walking' so you have to remember what you set your Standard Activity to which is silly. Most often I am running, but when I take my dog on long walks I do change it and if I forget to change it back, again in the settings so not a one cllick process, then my activity history and calorie count are off.

Then what you probably need is a HRM. It will calculate your burns more appropriately since you like to switch between walking and running.

And yes running burns almost double the calories as walking. The more your heart rate is up, the more calories you burn.

autumnblade75

Sure you can blame the app, it can have a more sophisticated algorithm for calculation based on the gps information it is receiving. For example, after a run I am able to see all sorts of information detailing the elevation, however none of that is factored in to the amount of calories I earn for it. I earn the same amount of calories for a flat run than I do for hills at the same distance/pace.

Additonally, the interface should be cleaner. You shouldn't have to change your 'standard workout' in settings and it should be very clear what the 'standard workout' is. Sure, it's great if you never use it for anything but running but if you use it for multiple activities it becomes a pain in the butt to change it in settings every time.

Maybe you could consider using a different app? If Runtastic is not meeting your needs, it might be time to shop around...

danamack

Then what you probably need is a HRM. It will calculate your burns more appropriately since you like to switch between walking and running.

And yes running burns almost double the calories as walking. The more your heart rate is up, the more calories you burn.
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Yes, a HRM would be the most accurate and at some point I'll probably bit the bullet and do it, but for now I like the simplicity of running with one device, and the phone houses all my music.

CipherZero

Not to hijack your thread but how do you set your activity type as treadmill? It does not show up on my list on Runtastic.

It's on the website; it's also the phone but the GPS location shouldn't change on a treadmill.

danamack

Maybe you could consider using a different app? If Runtastic is not meeting your needs, it might be time to shop around...
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I have shopped around and used a bunch of different apps all of them have their pain points, so I stick with Runstastic...the devil you know and all. I do like that Runtastic feeds into MFP and I have paid a premium membership and have friends and a history on it that I like to reference, so I'm a bit locked in. Most the time I'll take the lower calories it gives me and not complain, but some days grr...

Mr_Knight

Today's cardio: 3.34 miles in 50 minutes.

Set Runtastic to walking as type: 223 Calories.
Set Runtastic to treadmill as type: 508 Calories.

Any explanation?

How much do you weigh? A 200 pound person will net 200 calories walking that distance, and about 400 calories running that distance. It looks like Runtastic is trying to do the right thing, except it is making the usual error of double-counting RMR (almost all sites/services do!)

Running burns a LOT more net calories than walking...a LOT more.

Mr_Knight

The point is that you should burn the same amount of calories whether you walk/speed walk or run 9miles. The calorie burn is the same for the distance.

It absolutely is NOT! Walking and running are much different biomechanical motions, and running a distance burns a LOT more than walking the same distance.

Mr_Knight

Then what you probably need is a HRM. It will calculate your burns more appropriately since you like to switch between walking and running.

HRMs are completely inappropriate for guesstimating calorie burns for walking.

danamack

The point is that you should burn the same amount of calories whether you walk/speed walk or run 9miles. The calorie burn is the same for the distance.

It absolutely is NOT! Walking and running are much different biomechanical motions, and running a distance burns a LOT more than walking the same distance.

I think my point is that at a certain point the speed you are moving is no longer a walking speed and I'd like the app to recognize that and adjust. Or at the very least calcuate that a 9/mile walking burns more calories than a 14/mile, and currently it does not.

brianpperkins

So you'd like it to do all of the inputs so you don't have to.

Mr_Knight

The point is that you should burn the same amount of calories whether you walk/speed walk or run 9miles. The calorie burn is the same for the distance.

It absolutely is NOT! Walking and running are much different biomechanical motions, and running a distance burns a LOT more than walking the same distance.

I think my point is that at a certain point the speed you are moving is no longer a walking speed and I'd like the app to recognize that and adjust.

That's an entirely different point than your earlier "the point is".... :drinker:

Send an email to the developers. It's an easy thing to add.

colburncrew

I too have had issues with Runtastic having accurate calorie burn. Solution I have used is that I have my Polar H7 HRM synced to both my Runtastic app and my Polar RS400 watch. When the app receives an accurate HR then it is far more accurate in calorie burn measurements. Otherwise, the app has to "guesstimate" based on general averages.

I always compare the data on my RS400 watch which was set to my specific HR data from fitness tests I had done. When the HRM is synced with Runtastic it much more closely reflects actual calorie burn, but I still sometimes have to go back and manually adjust based on the data from my Polar watch.

SezxyStef

calories burned is not just about distance...it's about the speed in which you covered that distance, your weight etc.

If I walk 1 mile vs run 1 mile yes those are going to be different calories burned.

Table A: Calories Burned Per 1-Mile Walk vs 1-Mile Run For A 156-lb Subject

Walking 88.9 calories a mile vs Running 112.5 calories per mile
Walking 4.78 cal a min vs running 11.25 calories per min


this is based on a one mile walk in 18:36mins and a run of 1 mile in 10mins.

http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/running-v-walking-how-many-calories-will-you-burn

so there is a significant difference between the two.

_Zardoz_

As people have said the biomechanics of walking are totally different to running so the calorie amounts will be different. Runtastic also calculates calories in relation to speed, your weighy and gradient so even a walk at the same speed could be different if your going up as steep hill. I also use a HRM (FT7) and actually the calorie burns runtastic give me for running are very close to what my HRM gives me especially on longer runs when it can be within 10 or 20 calories.

Even with a HRM though these calories are just an estimate so all figures you are using to eat calories back with you should be a little cautious about.