What MFP says and what the Gym says...

skfj5

Okay...I don't know if this has already been addressed...I didn't have time to scroll through EVERYTHING...but maybe it can be addressed again...

I am at the gym and I spend, say, and hour on the elliptical. I put in all my info, and use the heart rate sensors. When I'm done, it says I've burnt 808 calories. I come home, and enter it into MFP, and it says I burned 942 calories. Thats a BIG discrepiency...especially since I'm trying to stick to my caloric intake and if MFP says I've earned more calories than I really have...I'm going to eat more than I need to and I'm not going to go anywhere fast. Conversely, if the machine at the gym doesn't give me ENOUGH credit...then I am not giving myself enough energy.

I'm inclined to believe the gym because it is, after all, taking my heart rate. BUT...what about the excercises where I'm NOT using a monitor (and no - I don't wanna go spend a couple hundred bucks on one)? Are they going to be high, too? Am I REALLY burning 242 calories during the early morning walk? Or is it just 150?

So far...I have been changing the calories to whatever the lower number is...usually gym.

But what SHOULD I do?

I would love not just advice...but maybe some MFP higher-up to give me soe guidance!!

Thanks!!

gecho

I'll bump this, i'm interested in the same thing!

staceyb_2003

hmmm good question

melissa1977

Go with what the gym says, since it takes your heart rate and how fast you're walking or what incline you're using into consideration.

utes09

I've heard you can get HRM for around $20 at Wal Mart. DEFINITELY worth it!

Once i got mine I noticed that even the gym machine was WAAAAY off. It was too high. What I would do is take the machine number and then times that by 60% and put that into MFP as my number. So if the machine said I burned 400 calories on the elliptical I would input 240 to allow for that error of the machine. Hope this helps.

AidaR

I would trust the gym little more then what MFP posts. I use a heart monitor when i work out and the wwork-out machine reading and what my HR watch says always closely matching (few calories off here and there). you should get one of those HR watches and just wear it when you work out that's the most accurate info. Hope this helps

katrina1025

I have found that gym equipment is notoriously off. Do you wear a chest strap for the heart rate monitor? If not then there is a good chance that the machine is not calculating correctly. Also, they equipment cannot account for lots of variables: For example are you holding on to the rails, for treadmill & stair climber this has shown to have a major effect on calorie expenditure? Are you going forward or backward? That will change your calorie expenditure on the elliptical.

I know this didn't really answer your question. But it's really all a guessing game. Without hooking you up to all sorts of wires, gizmos, and some oxygen monitoring there is no sure way to calculate your expenditure.

I personally have used both the BodyMedia and a Polar HRM each gives me different read outs, which are both different from gym equipment!!

Think of it as trial and error. Try it one way for a week or two and assess your progress then try it another way.

Hope it helps a little! Good Luck!

alex51026

I would trust the gym in this case, it knows your weight, resistance, age, time, etc. PLUS, the gym knows how hard you worked, MFP does not. I use a GPS watch when I run, so I know exactly the distance, time, and speed and can easily log that into MFP. I also tend to be more conservative when I log my calories and exercise unless i know EXACTLY what it is. It is always easier to play is safe when it comes to weight loss, it may look better on MFP, your body can't be cheated... Good luck! Keep up the hard work, 800 calories is an ton of calories!

cynthiaj777

My logic is to go with underestimating exercise calories and over estimating calories consumed. As long as you are eating healthy, within your recommended daily intake before exercise and NOT hungry, I wouldn't worry about it.

I always overestimate food, underestimate exercise and still stay about 100 calories below 1200 (so yeh, 1100) so I don't sabotage my weight loss. I eat and I'm fullfilled, but I don't want to be like...oh I did so well....I burned 800 calories....and I ate 1900 calories (almost all my work out calories) to find out I was sadly mistaken with how many calories my lunch was and how FEW calories my exercised truthfully burned.

All in all, if you are satisfied and not hungry, don't worry about not eating ALL your calories.

Laceylala

I have a polar heart rate monitor that I bought to get a better calorie burn read...what I find is that MFP is way too high and the cardio equipment can be all over the place.

Azdak has written several good blog posts on heart rate monitors, etc., so if you search for him maybe you will find more information.

I think at the end of the day if you are using MFP and logging a calorie burn from exercise and losing weight I wouldn't worry about it too much. But if you are just starting out, then pick with one and stick with it...see how you do and go from there.

Good luck!

edorice

Use a heart rate monitor.

bonitabeca

I just go with what the gym equipment says. If I don't work out on equipment (zumba or step, for example), then I go with what the MFP database says or what my instructor says is an average.

I lost 40 pounds last year by using this strategy, and by always staying within my calorie goals!

heathersmilez

Rule of thumb: GO WITH THE LOWEST NUMBER

For me, 55 minutes on the elliptical 5'8/138lbs;

MFP says 523
HRM says 450
A NEW Life-Style brand elliptical at the gym says 480
and yesterday, I used an older Life-Style machine (same style but no touch screen) said 680, CRAZY!!!!

JLeeAlton

Absolutely positive get an HRM or a Bodybugg. For me peronsally.. MFP and gym machines were never ever right. HRM is probably the closest you will come to the correct number..

rore1

I agree with most of what is written.Use lower end. I personally stay within my calorie range whether or not i went to gym. If I am really hungry I never let myself eat more than half of the extra calories given to me....good luck:)

AdamATGATT

It all depends on the person...for certain exercises, MFP actually read too low for me compared to my Polar HRM.

Get a HRM to know what YOU are burning.

aippolito1

Personally, I'd take the smaller number just to be safe! Your best bet, however, is a heart rate monitor. Get one.

HerBravado

I definitely go by the gym machine's input--because the machines have HRMs, & I input my weight. I find that MFP exaggerates quite a bit. Sometimes I'll go..."you know, there's no way I burned 900 calories in 30 minutes doing this." You know?

But like people above me have said, it's best to buy a heart rate monitor when you do all your physical activity. They tend to be more accurate in my opinion.

skfj5

Thanks, guys!! You've all been super helpful. I was trying to avoid the HRM (I feel like I spend SO MUCH MONEY on gym memberships, the right shoes and clothes, healthy food, etc. etc.) that I was just trying to avoid one more expense. but I guess I have no choice!! I'll just have to start saving my pennies!!

Until then...I'll stick with the lowest number!!

What a great community you are!!

- Shannan