Just a quick question

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brandy66763
brandy66763 Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
When logging an exercise are the calories burned accurate? I dont have a body bugg or anything like that to help keep track just this site.
For example: Walking at 3.0 mph for 90 mins burns 574

When I workout on my elliptical like tonight for 14 1/2 mins I burned 200 at a steady 4.5 rpm.
But according to this site it said I should have burned 248.

I know nothing is 100% accurate but does this base the calories burned of my current weight?

Replies

  • vkpmusic
    vkpmusic Posts: 343 Member
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    I've found it greatly overstates some and understates others. You don't have to get anything as expensive as a body bug to give you a better idea. I have a Polar FT7.
  • jen1516
    jen1516 Posts: 77 Member
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    I've chosen to go with the lower number just to be on the safe side. You could buy a heart rate monitor that goes around your chest which is much more accurate. I almost did today until I saw the price of $50-$60.
  • jaded42
    jaded42 Posts: 14 Member
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    The calories burned according to MFP should be based on your current weight...I wondered about it myself so I searched for a while online and finally found several different sites that showed basically the same results for my weight...height..sex..etc...I dont ever go by what the thing on my bike says cause its not set with my weight...
  • ccckwalk
    ccckwalk Posts: 262
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    I have a source2 arm band, not too expensive. I have found that I usually burn 30-50 calories more during my circuit training. Not sure about walking. It still is cold here, so I haven't been out walking yet? :)
  • KellieR56
    KellieR56 Posts: 135 Member
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    I use http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

    I don't have anything to tell me how much I actually burned, but as long as I'm losing weight and not gaining, I'm fine with it.
  • ocsurfmama
    ocsurfmama Posts: 127
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    Many are not accurate because it depends on a lot of factors. I find the numbers given here are on the high side.
    As suggested by the site, if you are using gym equipment use the calculations given there. Since the exercise calories burned are extra net calories and earned, I tend to only use or "eat" half of the actual earned calories. That way I am using some of them for fuel, but I am not going over my daily amounts due to inaccurate amounts.
  • PegasusDeb
    PegasusDeb Posts: 665 Member
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    Personally I am going with the less cal burn. Rather have bonus then think I'm doing more then I am. I have a HRM & my Turbo Jam reading was way less then this site, but then when I walk my cal burn is higher. Although my t'mill & MFP were in the same range where my HRM was almost double! It's all kind of confusing.
  • brandy66763
    brandy66763 Posts: 14
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    Thank you all very much. It nice to know I wasnt the only one with that question :) Best of luck to all of us on our weight loss journey! I started mine Thanksgiving night weighin 292 lbs and today I weigh 255. I found this site about a month or so ago through a friend and I would be lost without it :)
  • cng1117
    cng1117 Posts: 225 Member
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    i wondered that too, but to be on the safe side i try not to eat back about 200 or so of my exercise calories. figure ill do that until either i either start gaining weight or feeling tired/weak, then ill know something needs to be adjusted.
  • beautifuldirtyrichx
    beautifuldirtyrichx Posts: 13
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    i wonder this quite often because i work out daily on my treadmill and elliptical, and both seem to have drastically different cal counts. honestly, i've learned to not care as much about the cal count and just keep exercising regularly, because it can't hurt. as long as you're breaking a sweat and working at the intensity that is suitable and healthy for you, the calories don't matter so much :) or at least that's my way of seeing the confusion with calories. hope i helped!

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