MFP calories expended vs. machines

skeds

I am having trouble deciding which number to use for calories expended in exercise. I use a treadmill and recumbent bicycle, both of which ask my weight before calculating calories expended. MFP consistently reports more calories expended than these machines. I am using the lower number to be safe, but does anyone else have this issue and what do they do? MFP want to chime in?

chelcscarbrough

I use the lower number too, but for me the lower number is the one MFP gives. My favorite elliptical in the gym is notorious for greatly exaggerating the amount of calories burned. I'm not really sure how to say for certain how many calories you burn, but you should be safe going with the lower number. That way you won't eat more calories than you actually burned and may even unknowingly save some if you burned more than you thought you did at the gym, ya know?

mkrafick

I had the same problem, and again it was the gym machines giving a higher calorie expenditure.

I ended up buying a cheap heart rate monitor and use that instead. It overrides both MFP and the machines. $80.00 investment and I find I use it all the time.

skeds

Thanks you guys. Helped a lot. May try the monitor!