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MyFitnessPal Community

Who Do I Believe?

coahdan

Ok, so maybe it should be "what" do I believe...

Using the Elliptical machine with my HR monitor on I get 2 very different results in terms of calories burned during the exercise.

The machine tells me that in 45 minutes I traveled 5.5ish miles and burned 434 calories.

My heart rate monitor tells me that I burned 633 calories.

For the sake of reducing caloric intake I am going with the 434 calories so that I eat 199 fewer calories in the day, but I'm curious as to the 50% difference in the numbers.

Anyone?

Thanks,
Dan

Replies

jeffrodgers1

Did your elliptical ask your age, height and weight? Chances are this is info you put into your heart rate monitor somewhere and how it arrived at this number of calories.

I would take the heart rate monitor as a more accurate scale than some elliptical equipment. It tends to be more accurate when provided the correct info.

caseoane

I think calorie calculation is an approximation at best. I cycle and I get three totally different results depending on whether I use myfitnesspal, my Garmin GPS, or iMapmyride (an iphone app). Sometimes up to a 50% difference.

I end up going with myfitness pal, since this is where I log my food, so I figured at least I'm consistent!

Nanadena

The HRM is way more accurate.

TBirdGirl

I would believe your HRM. I have the same problem but the opposite. My HRM tells me I've burned 50% of what my elliptical does. And before I had my HRM I was eating back all those extra calories. Glad I have my HRM now and am not doing that anymore (with the 50% extra calories anyway). Hope this helps.

AndriaLL

Use your HRM, assuming it's been updated with current age and weight.

meshellmybell76

i also tend to log the lower one so as not to over estimate, buuuut, I think the HR monitor is probably more accurate because if yours is like mine it is more customized to your particular situation than the machine is, and it is taking into consideration your heartrate over the entire exercise time. I have heard that the exercise machines don't really take this into account. The fact that the HR measurement thingy is currently broken on my elliptical I use at the gym kinda proves this.... it says my burn is the same now (when it says my HR is 44 the whole time) as it did when it was working and I was right around 165 for most of my workout.

JMJohnson1005

I have an elliptical at home and I have noticed that for every 10 minutes there is a 50 calorie difference. I go with the HRM, I believe it is more accurate.

vanfox23

I go with the HRM every time. It is the one measuring your actual heart rate, not the machine

AngelsKisses75

I agree with all the people that have pointed out that the HRM is most likely more personalized than the machine, or any chart that you could use to estimate the burn. I noticed the same thing from my HRM when I for used it. I too took the lesser of the two, but quickly changed as to not cheat myself or to eat too little.

What ever you feel is the best route for you to take is right. So all in all you get to decide which you feel most strongly about. :drinker: