How many calories is MFP off compared to your HRM?

readytodrop60

Hello,

I don't have a heart rate monitor yet, in the meantime I am wondering how many calories MFP is off so I can try to balance my calorie deficit a little better. If you have an HRM can you please tell me what it reads verses what MFP calculates.

Thanks!

lollie1285

MFP is several hundred calories off for me. I cycle and can burn anywhere from 700-800 calories a session, even more if I do ab work afterwards. MFP had me at 500 or so calories for very vigorous cycling. The circuit training is semi-accurate. I usually burn around 400 calories or so and MFP has me in the 300-400 hundred range from what I remember.

morganhccstudent724

bump

greeneyes82

Mine is usually pretty close. There might be a difference of 10 at the most, but of course that depends on the exercise. Some exercises must be logged by the HRM. For example, the only stairclimber exercise I can find is "stair treadmill" or something to that nature & it is not based on levels. I may be doing a higher or lower level & burn more or less. Hope that helps!

Jenscan

That's going to totally depend on the activity and the person. For me, "Aerobics, general" was right on. "Walking 3.5 mph" was 150 calories too low. "Yoga" was 200 calories too low. I haven't yet found something where MFP gave me more calories than I burned according to my HRM, but for most people that's the reverse (this is because I do not work out at a gym). Elliptical I think is notoriously too high, but I don't know for sure about that.

Jenscan

edit: stupid double post, sorry

Painten

It's usually pretty close for me. On walking moderate pace it has me slightly higher but everything else is a bit under, Zumba is a couple of hundred lower than my hrm.

Dtrmnd86

Mine was by a lot. I was doing the 30DS and it said I burned close to 350 for level one.. I was logging it like that and then decided to wear my HRM one day.. I actually burned a little over 200 instead. I was overeating by a lot since I tend to eat my exercise calories back. I wear my HRM with everything now. MFP is off by at least 50 no matter what the exercise for me.

rmsrws

I find MFP is about 25% low compared to my HRM. I wished I would of bought an HRM sooner.

beccarockslife

hundreds off for some things pretty close for others.

erickirb

I find MFP is about 25% low compared to my HRM. I wished I would of bought an HRM sooner.

most users find MFP over estimates by 10-50%. The more fit you become the more it over estimates as MFP does not factor in fitness level whereas the HRM does by way of measuring your Heart Rate.

jrich1

I dont know is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Off a number?

misssmiles

i usually burn more according to my HRM than MFP says. i don't eat back everything though... i usually leave about 100-150 exercise calories uneaten incase my HRM was off.

doodledaze

I'm glad that MFP tends to be on the low side. There's no way it could be accurate for everyone and I'd rather be confident that I am understating my calories, so I will still when I eat them!

crisanderson27

For an HOUR of strength training, MFP was giving me like 240cal or some such. In THIRTY minutes of strength training with my Polar FT7, I burn 350cal plus.

This really isn't the norm though...but I sure am glad I bought my HRM.

fdspivey

I have noticed that there is quite a big difference between my HRM and MFP. But I have also noticed that there is a slight difference between my HRM and the machine totals at the gym as well. The gym monitors and my HRM do seem to be more in synch than the HRM and MFP though.

I generally try to err on the side of caution so I take an average somewhere in the middle and set a MFP activity close to the one I performed (but maybe choose a longer interval to up the calorie burn count) but not one that registers as many calories as my HRM. I do personally recommend having a HRM because I like to know that I'm working within my THR zone. Hope this helps.

Just1forMe

That's going to totally depend on the activity and the person.

Exactly...it totally depends on the person. I burn more than MFP says, some people burn less...

lacroyx

for me MFP said I burned alot less compared to my HRM. 30 mins of walking MFP said 300 calories. my HRM would register 400-600.

Losing2Live69

MFP has hundreds of different exercises listed. A person's HRM is programmed specifically for their age, sex, height, weight and resting heart rate. It would be nearly impossible to give you a comparison of MFP vs. a HRM. I can say that some of their figures are too high and some are too low, while others are pretty close. For example, they have "leisurely swimming" as burning over 600 calories an hour. I swim every day and I burn about 350 calories an hour. Their figures for walking are pretty close. I don't think it is possible to say MFP says this and my HRM says that. There are just so many things to factor in though....how hot it is outside can increase or decrease your heart rate, how hydrated you are can affect your heart rate, medications can affect your heart rate, your age, sex, height, weight, resting heart rate are all factors too. The best thing I can suggest is to invest in a HRM as soon as you can. I use mine every day!

JennLifts

when i cycle, i'm about 1.5x's what they say. when I do the elliptical, i'm 100/10min, when i walk i'm 100/1 mile, same with running, when i do the stationary bike i'm about 2x's what mfp says.

Losing2Live69

Mine was by a lot. I was doing the 30DS and it said I burned close to 350 for level one.. I was logging it like that and then decided to wear my HRM one day.. I actually burned a little over 200 instead. I was overeating by a lot since I tend to eat my exercise calories back. I wear my HRM with everything now. MFP is off by at least 50 no matter what the exercise for me.

I totally agree! I found the same to be true!