Does MFP use your stats to calculate calorie burn?

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teamaven
teamaven Posts: 6
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all!

Does anyone know if MFP uses your info (age/weight etc) to calculate calories burned in the exercise log? I've been struggling to lose weight though I've been meticulous about logging food, eating exercise calories, drinking water blah blah blah. I've also read the great posts for newbies about starvation mode, exercise calories, and possible initial weight gain. ANYWAY, I used a calculator I found online that takes age, weight, and heart rate to calculate calories burned. It showed I burned 100 more calories today than MFP lists for the same workout. Should I use this or similar tools? Or is MFP accurate? Hmmm

Replies

  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
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    No. Just as is any website's info, it is an estimate. You need a HRM to better determine calories burned for your stats.
  • kennedar
    kennedar Posts: 306 Member
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    My husband and I will often work out together and I know that when we enter it into MFP we get very different results for the amounts of calories burned. I know when I have done some looking, there usually is some disagreement between MFP and other sites. I figured I could either drive myself crazy trying to figure it out, or I could chose one and stick with it. If I really do not believe something MFP gives me, like 600 calories for curling, I will still search it, but for the most part I think it is fairly accurate.

    All that being said, the best and only real accurate way to know how many calories you are burning is a HRT. I am saving up for one now, so I totally realize that not everyone can afford to go run out and buy one, but it is the only way to be 100% certain of the numbers you are putting in.
  • NikkiJ17
    NikkiJ17 Posts: 295
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    I found this website http://whatscookingamerica.net It give you a list of exercises and how many calories burned per minute. Then they give you formula to calculate how many you burn. It's based on your weight. Good Luck!!!
  • teamaven
    teamaven Posts: 6
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    Thanks for responses! It seems to be close enough but I guess I'm trying to be as accurate as possible now cause I'm not losing inches :( Need to get back into my clothes! Budget doesn't allow for new ones haha. I think I'll try the HRM on the gym equipment until I can afford one of my own.

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