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How accurate?

Pinkribbon_Doc
Pinkribbon_Doc Posts: 45
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I was wondering how accurate the MFP calorie calculations are for certain exercises? Some of them seem way off...for example, If i do 60 minutes on an elliptical at high resistance, I am likely to burn close to 600 calories according to the machine. But MFP calculates the calories as slightly higher...closer to 650 calories.

Replies

  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
    It's super person-specific. Some people burn a good bit less than MFP, I burn a good bit more. Your best bet is a heart rate monitor, however if you can't.. I'd throw your number in the middle. For me, 1 hour on the elliptical is 675
  • afteil
    afteil Posts: 162 Member
    Ive been curious about that too. For me, mfp says that for 1 hour on the elliptical i would burn 935 calories, but when i am on the elliptical and it counts in my age/weight/hr it says that i am closer to 600 per hour
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,354 Member
    None of them are really accurate. Some machines use your information to calculate, some don't. When it comes down to it they are all educated guesses. That is true even for HRMs. What is closer? No idea. You could always try a few different calculators and average them out.
  • Flyntiggr
    Flyntiggr Posts: 898 Member
    Calorie burn is definitely an inaccurate science, but I'd venturevto say that my HRM is the most accurate of the options...
  • mazomama
    mazomama Posts: 138 Member
    This is why i got my body bugg! I was looking forever for a hrm that would be a match for me but found the body bugg from watching the biggest loser. I always burn more calories then those machines say!
  • Scidoc
    Scidoc Posts: 106 Member
    Using my HRM, and setting the resistance to around 10 out of 20 on the elliptical, I burn around 750 calories in an hour. The machine estimated a little more, but maybe was off by 20-30 calories.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    You could always try a few different calculators and average them out.

    hehehe, i've totally done this before
  • mideon_696
    mideon_696 Posts: 770 Member
    haha taso i think we all have!!!

    its such an interesting topic really.

    just average out. I tend to take the lower number myself.

    Its not going to make a huge difference to your weight loss goals to be honest if your eating properly.
    Take the lowest figure IMO, especially if your NET caloire Goal is 1200. the extra 50-100 calories will do you good and aid with repair.

    :)
  • Scidoc
    Scidoc Posts: 106 Member
    haha taso i think we all have!!!

    its such an interesting topic really.

    just average out. I tend to take the lower number myself.

    :)

    Yea I always take the lower number too! :)
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