Daily walking

challian

I walk the same distance every day - 5.5km. It always takes me the same length of time. When I first started logging this walk on MFP it said I was using up 281 calories - it's now down to 274 calories for the same walk. Why am I using up less calories? I am also suspicious that I'm not actually using up as many calories as MFP says. I read somewhere that it was overstated on here - is that correct? Thanks! :-)

melaniecheeks

Firstly, it wont be that accurate. Secondly, as you lose weight it takes less work for your body to move, so you burn less calories doing teh same activities. Thirdly, 7 calories is neaither here nor there.

paulperryman

MFP is a based on averages for your weight, height and age it plays zero impact on what you are actually burning just use it as a guide. and if you log an exercise the next time you log that same exercise it takes your best burn for it and uses that as the suggested burn you did for a set period

IE if i run for 5 mins and burn 100 calories, the next time i log running i takes 100 cals over 5 mins as the estimate, and if i go for 3 mins or 6 mins it adjusts accordingly.

I would say it's overestimated just like exercise machines generally overestimate, you are better to get a Fitbit or similar and just take half of what it sais you burned. Walking is not gonna burn many cals unless you walk endlessly or really fast anyway

Last suggestion is get a Heart Rate Monitor and test how much your heart is working which IMO is a better indication of how much you are guarenteed to be burning as opposed to just an educated guess.

challian

True - it's not here or there, but I just wondered. Thanks.

challian

OK, thank you!