Anyone think the exercises are overstating calorie burn?

mr_ashley

I've been a pretty active cyclist for a number of years, but I've noticed how my weight has pretty much hung up around 200 for over 10 years now. Might be 196, or I might be 204, but I'm always hanging around 200, and not much has changed with my workout strategies or level, and my eating has pretty much stayed the same. So, other than the fact that continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result is the first sign of insanity, perhaps I'm over/under estimating what I'm eating and what I'm doing.

It's quite simple to read a label, see how many calories are there, and adjust how much to eat.

But the workout part is based largely on some math calculations and has a lot of variables in it. For a 200 lb. man, age 35, riding my bike at 18 mph for an hour, the exercise calc on MFP states that I'd be burning somewhere around 900 calories. That's a lot. But what if every bit of that is downhill? Not as much of a workout. What if it's all uphill? One heck of a workout. What about doing some pedaling and some coasting? See my point?

So, do any of you think that MFP perhaps overstates calorie expenditure, and for that matter, lots of online resources seem to do the same thing. All of them come up with a similar ball park figure for calorie burn, and I'm inclined to think they ALL overestimate this.

alantin

It definitely does! I had some major issues with this in the past and it took some effort to find out how much I really burn during exercise (Actually, I'm not sure even now..). An HRM would make life a lot easier but even then, it seems, you need to reduce the energy that you would burn anyway just by lying in bed, to come up with the real extra that you burned during your exercise.

glfprncs2

I have found through the information from my Bodybugg and my HRM that if I can get a 100 calorie burn every 10 minutes, that's a GREAT burn. I've really got to be pushing myself, though, and it generally has to be a high-intensity workout to get numbers that high.

I'm always amazed when people post that they burned 1200 calories doing workouts such as P90X's Plyo X or the Insanity workouts. I honestly just don't see how it's humanly possible to be able to burn 20 calories per minute.

richiefixo

I have found through the information from my Bodybugg and my HRM that if I can get a 100 calorie burn every 10 minutes, that's a GREAT burn. I've really got to be pushing myself, though, and it generally has to be a high-intensity workout to get numbers that high.

I'm always amazed when people post that they burned 1200 calories doing workouts such as P90X's Plyo X or the Insanity workouts. I honestly just don't see how it's humanly possible to be able to burn 20 calories per minute.

it is possible because the heavier you are, the more calories you burn per minute. so these people burning alot are probably heavier. and mfp bases its estimation on high intensity work outs which is what you should be doing anyway to consider it a "workout" if you want to see changes in your weight, work out for longer and change up ur food. also just cycling wont do much anymore because ur muscles have memory and are now comfortable with the cycling motion. Throw in some weight training and interval training during cardio and watch ur pounds melt away.

monoxidechick

I believe that I am having this problem right now. I am not finding much time to workout so when I do I want to claim that I am burning lots of cals. I put in what the site says and then usually end up eating close to most of the cals back. I think I need to work on underestimating excercise and overestimate food amounts plus leave a larger amount of cals left after excercising. I was just thinking about this today, and a HRM would be helful as well.

Good luck with your weight loss goals and dropping under 200!! Keep trying to switch things up and seeing what works best, something has got to work!!!

cabocobo

I'll say smth that people may not gonna like.
But if you are healthy, fit and your weight is stable may be its your optimal weight and it's worth hanging on too..
There is no need to push yourself hard just for appearances sake.

goingwithgrace

Sometimes. Other times the default count is correct.

Lynnhilaire

what about getting a heart rate monitor. That should be a more accurate calorie count. don't you think?

mr_ashley

Thanks to richiefixo for his comments. I agree that it's time to work some weight training in. If you look at most cyclists, recreational like me, not the pros (who are grossly thin), all of us have soft upper bodies because we don't put in the time to make the upper body look better. Sure, I can see my abs, but they don't look as good as they could, and my pecs have disappeared. I'm currently hunting down some used weights in my area to buy, and build my home gym a little more thoroughly.

I've used a HRM before too. I do find that it produces a better number, somewhere around 90-100 calories per 10 minutes. So, a 60 minute bike ride at a moderate pace probably does less than 600 cals. The MFP numbers, as well as many other calculators, are waaay overestimating what I'm doing, and it's contributing to my not losing the weight I'd like to lose.

200 is a natural weight for my body, based on what I'm doing now. I'm riding 4 times per week at 600-800 cals per ride, but I've probably average 2500+ cals intake per day for a long time. So, if my BMR is 1900 cals per day, and I'm consuming 2500 per day (conservatively), I'm going 600 plus per day more. If I burn 600 4 times per week, I'm standing completely still in my weight loss efforts.

1900 bmr x 7=11,400
2500 actual x 7=17,500
600 cal workout x 4=2,400

Azdak

Road cycling is notoriously difficult to calculate because of all the variables--and the fact that, at times, you can move without making substantial effort.

When I was in school for my ex phys degree, this was discussed in the class on calculating energy requirements for designing exercise programs. The instructor gave us a "formula", just so we had one, but essentially said that it was useless and not to bother trying to use it.

Professional cyclists use power meters and heart rate monitors to calculate their precise workloads and calorie requirements.

You also have your answer, as you stated in your last comment. You are in energy balance.

Azdak

I believe that I am having this problem right now. I am not finding much time to workout so when I do I want to claim that I am burning lots of cals. I put in what the site says and then usually end up eating close to most of the cals back. I think I need to work on underestimating excercise and overestimate food amounts plus leave a larger amount of cals left after excercising. I was just thinking about this today, and a HRM would be helful as well.

Good luck with your weight loss goals and dropping under 200!! Keep trying to switch things up and seeing what works best, something has got to work!!!

In general, I think that people put too much emphasis on "eating back exercise calories". I'm not saying to discount them, but for many people who are trying to lose weight, the risk of overeating by eating back exercise calories is about 100 times bigger than the remote chance of going into some type of "starvation mode". I would do so sparingly and with caution.

Sweet13_Princess

I agree that MFP's numbers cannot possibly be correct. I did an hour and a half of an aerobics class and it said I burned 900 calories! I know for a fact, because I used to use a bodybugg, that I typically burn 300-450 an hour in a similar class. If I think the count is off, I adjust my minutes in MFP to underestimate the workout. I also try to do what was mentioned earlier: overestimate my food. I've read lots of articles saying that people frequently misjudge the food they are taking in.

Shannon

JLeeAlton

I have found through the information from my Bodybugg and my HRM that if I can get a 100 calorie burn every 10 minutes, that's a GREAT burn. I've really got to be pushing myself, though, and it generally has to be a high-intensity workout to get numbers that high.

I'm always amazed when people post that they burned 1200 calories doing workouts such as P90X's Plyo X or the Insanity workouts. I honestly just don't see how it's humanly possible to be able to burn 20 calories per minute.

Alot of people that burn high amounts with P90X or Insanity also do a double workout. Whether its running or elliptical or even another cardio routine. I burn anywhere from 300-400 alone doing one routine of either P90X or Insanity. When my burn is higher it is because I also did my elliptical that day as well. I too thought that a friend of mine on here was buring 700 just by doing a strength training workout. But when I look more closes she also ran on the treadmil that day as well.

And as someone else stated.. a larger heavier person will burn more then someone who is less heavy and more fit.

JLeeAlton

Oh and to be on topic.. if you want to know the closest amount to what you burn, get a Bodybugg or a HRM. I NEVER use what MPF states.

DeBlue

Agree many things effect actual calorie burn. Leaning on a machine cheats the actual result we hope for. Our own body makeup of muscle vs. softer tissue which burns slower. Many machines don't adjust for weight and age so overstate results for many of us. Many machines are just not correctly calibrated.

I double check my machine readouts against averages available on the web for similar exercises. If the machine count seems way off, it probably is. 600 calories for a bike ride over one hour is only possible if the effort is consistently hard, and if you have sweat rolling off. If your shirt is dry and you've been able to carry on a conversation easily, you may be closer to 150-200.

The biggest problem with figuring this out is our own wishful thinking. None of this matters if it is still getting us in better shape, but the danger is it can derail our confidence when what we think we accomplished is not giving us results we hoped for. When in doubt, search for better information everywhere you can. And never, never give up!

JoyousRen

I tend to do pretty standard exercises so the calorie burn seems about right to me. For my cardio, it generally lines up pretty closely to what my HRM says after I take out calories for my BMR. I also just try to make my net calories my BMR. I feel like that gives me enough cushion to prevent over eating of my exercise calories.

telcochik

My husband did a 45 minute workout on the elliptical yesterday and the machine said his burn was over 600 calories. We then downloaded his information off his Bodybugg and that said he actually only burned around 400 calories. He's 6'3" and weighs 240 lbs. I would highly encourage anyone interested in seeing a more accurate representation of calorie burn to get a HRM or Bodybugg rather than take the information at MFP as gospel...especially if you're using the info to add calories to your day.

Sharon

Sporty98

My husband did a 45 minute workout on the elliptical yesterday and the machine said his burn was over 600 calories. We then downloaded his information off his Bodybugg and that said he actually only burned around 400 calories. He's 6'3" and weighs 240 lbs. I would highly encourage anyone interested in seeing a more accurate representation of calorie burn to get a HRM or Bodybugg rather than take the information at MFP as gospel...especially if you're using the info to add calories to your day.

Sharon

Thanks Sharon! I'm hoping to get one right after Christmas (maybe I'll find a sale!)......

I think one problem I'm seeing with the MFP calculations, is that as I get into better and better shape the numbers stay the same. My weight hasn't changed much, so the numbers are not changing either. But when I go back and do a workout that is a bit easier for me, MFP still tells me that I'm burning the same number of calories as when the workout kicked my butt......Yup! Time to get a HRM!

telcochik

Hey Sporty - just an FYI, Chalene often posts a 15% coupon code on her website if you're interested in purchasing a Bodybugg in the New Year.

Sharon

Azdak

My husband did a 45 minute workout on the elliptical yesterday and the machine said his burn was over 600 calories. We then downloaded his information off his Bodybugg and that said he actually only burned around 400 calories. He's 6'3" and weighs 240 lbs. I would highly encourage anyone interested in seeing a more accurate representation of calorie burn to get a HRM or Bodybugg rather than take the information at MFP as gospel...especially if you're using the info to add calories to your day.

Sharon

My understanding is that the BB underestimates calories on machines because of the smaller movement (as opposed to running or cycling outdoors). Given you husband's size, the machine number might be more correct. In any case, it 's not that significant a difference.

I too would never use MFP numbers, but I would also urge caution about accepting HRM numbers with blind faith. Even the best are not precision instruments, and many are no more accurate than making up a number yourself.

Azdak

My husband did a 45 minute workout on the elliptical yesterday and the machine said his burn was over 600 calories. We then downloaded his information off his Bodybugg and that said he actually only burned around 400 calories. He's 6'3" and weighs 240 lbs. I would highly encourage anyone interested in seeing a more accurate representation of calorie burn to get a HRM or Bodybugg rather than take the information at MFP as gospel...especially if you're using the info to add calories to your day.

Sharon

Thanks Sharon! I'm hoping to get one right after Christmas (maybe I'll find a sale!)......

I think one problem I'm seeing with the MFP calculations, is that as I get into better and better shape the numbers stay the same. My weight hasn't changed much, so the numbers are not changing either. But when I go back and do a workout that is a bit easier for me, MFP still tells me that I'm burning the same number of calories as when the workout kicked my butt......Yup! Time to get a HRM!

Chances are you ARE burning the same number of calories--it feels easier because your MAXIMUM has increased, so the effort is a smaller percentage of your maximum--but the actual calorie number is the same (unless your weight decreases).