calories burned - which one is right?

loreeb18

I walked on my treadmill at 2.5mph for an hour. It told me I burned 340 calories. When I looked up treadmill in the excercises on here, an hour at 3mph said it only burned 206 calories. Which one do I use?

loreeb18

I walked on my treadmill at 2.5mph for an hour. It told me I burned 340 calories. When I looked up treadmill in the excercises on here, an hour at 3mph said it only burned 206 calories. Which one do I use?

SGFlyinHi

I have found, at least for me, that the machines overestimate the calories burned. I have been told by the trainers at my gym to cut the calories in half that the machines show, and after using a HRM it is pretty close to that.

Good job on the walk. :flowerforyou:

loreeb18

I want to try to be as accurate as possible. But dang it, why couldn't the more accurate one be the higher amount of calories burned. :laugh:

LightenUp_Caro

sadly, the machines overestimate.
:grumble: :grumble: :grumble:

I'm not sure if it's so much as doubled, but I do know that it's generally inaccurate.

amunet07

I make it a habit that if I have conflicting data... It is always safe to round down on the exercise and round up (within limits) for food.

cmriverside

:sad: that's just so wrong. (stupid machines will NEVER take over.)

NattalyB

Did you enter your weight on the machine, or just push Quick Start? Cos it's a whole lot more accurate if you enter your weight on the machine. Most of them are set up for guys who are generally heavier and therefore burn more cals. Hope this helps :-)

SGFlyinHi

I always enter my weight on the machines. After 30min of cardio, the machine usually shows anywhere from 100 to 200 cals over what my heart rate monitor shows.

loreeb18

Did you enter your weight on the machine, or just push Quick Start? Cos it's a whole lot more accurate if you enter your weight on the machine. Most of them are set up for guys who are generally heavier and therefore burn more cals. Hope this helps :-)

I have a cheap treadmill so I don't have the option to enter my information. I just adjust the speed and it tells me how long I've been walking and how many calories I've (supposedly) burned.

janice102508

my only thought is that perhaps the machine giving you the higher count might be set on a hill? if it is set on an incline....and you entered your age and weight....then you would expect to use more calories walking on an incline that if walking on a flat plane. just a thought. have a great week