short people / calorie burn

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I am discouraged at seeing how when I walk at 3.5 mph for 60 min. I burn about 275 calories, but I see others who walk the same speed for the same time and burn double that. What's up with that? I wonder how the calculator decides how many calories I burned and could it be based on weight of the walker? With no way to say how tall I am or how old I am, I wonder if (hope!) I'm really burning more calories than the calculator says.

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  • kdao
    kdao Posts: 265
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    I have found for myself, that the calculator on here isn't very accurate for calorie burns compared to my HRM. Every individual is so different. The way your heart works alone is indicative of how many calories one person burns vs. another.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    If you weigh less, you'll burn less, as your body has less "work" to do.
  • eeeekie
    eeeekie Posts: 1,011 Member
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    I'm guessing those people who are the same height as you aren't the same weight or fitness level...

    Weight has a lot to do with how many calories you burn. The bigger you are the more calories you burn...I could do a 30 minute workout and burn over 600 calories and someone smaller than myself can do the same one and only burn barely 300.

    It would however be beneficial if you got yourself an HRM so you know exactly how many calories you are burning.
  • bbygrl5
    bbygrl5 Posts: 964 Member
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    You are unfortunately correct. I'm 5'3" and under 130lbs and hitting the elliptical hard, I only burn about 400 calories in an hour. Lately I've been having HRM issues which say I'm burning less than that even, but I know that's a mistake. The nice thing about it though is at our height and size, our bodies don't require as many calories for intake as someone taller, so I see it as a balance.
  • lismagee
    lismagee Posts: 3
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    I believe it's based on your weight...the heavier you are you will burn more calories.