Freemotion Treadmill Calorie Counter Accuracy?

katrann

I run on the Freemotion brand treadmill. I did a 5mph pace for a half hour at zero incline and it said I burned ~270 calories. How accurate is that? I don't have a heart rate monitor and the machine's aren't usually too accurate. I entered my weight and age (128lb/19) as well

vismal

What is your height and weight? Did the machine ask for your height and weight? Most of the machines are not that accurate. If you are really wanting to be as accurate as possible when determining calories out, you'll need a heart rate monitor. Otherwise, any number you get will be mostly a guess. Some machines or equations guess better then others but again a HRM would be best.

katrann

I was able to enter my weight, not my height. I'm 5'5"

vismal

I was able to enter my weight, not my height. I'm 5'5"

Well 270 calories for 5 mph x 30 minutes could be accurate or not, without knowing your weight no one could really make a guess. If you weigh 130;lbs the number might be a little high, if you weigh 230lbs the number is probably a too low...

katrann

I weigh ~128, so is the count a little high?

vismal

I weigh ~128, so is the count a little high?

Yeah, I'd say it's a little high. Again, if you are going to calculate exercise calories and eat them back, you really should consider a HRM. The other choice is to not concern yourself with calories burned doing activities, and use the TDEE method of weight loss. This is what I do because it's less things to keep track of on my part and one less variable.

StaciMarie1974

The lighter you are, the fewer calories you burn. To average ~10 calories per minute you'd need to be working out very intensely. A safer assumption would be 6-8 per minute for running @ 128 pounds.