Accuracy of Calories Burned

Soccer_Chick

I use a Polar heart rate monitor every time I exercise, I love the thing and wouldn't want to be without it. I have noticed on these boards what seems to be many times some VERY high calorie burns. For example, "Using a lint roller on my clothing" 30 minutes, 750 calories; or "Shucking corn" 15 minutes 350 calories. I notice also that some folks list general everyday activites as exercise and rack up tons of extra calories in this way.

As an experiment I compared my actual calories burned this morning against what MFP estimates for the same exercise. MFP estimated my calories burned at nearly 200 calories more than what I actually burned using a heart rate monitor. This may not seem like a big deal to some people, but if you add it up for the week it can really make a difference. Especially if you are eating up your exercise calories (which I do).

I know that not everyone can afford to purchase a heart rate monitor or may not feel it is an important tool. It has made a world of difference to me. It is very similar to going from estimating how much food you are consuming to then buying a food scale to see what you are REALLY eating. That was eye opening for me and quite helpful.

So, just as a suggestion for consideration...think seriously about using a heart rate monitor. I believe it will help us track our exercise more realistically and help us reach our goals quicker.

kellicarter11

How can I make my hrm tell me how many calories I burned? If some one can send me a message I would be really grateful

VidaSana

GREAT to know!! Thank you for this post.

Goal4Good

I ordered a HRM last week and I'm anxious for it to arrive so I can test the calorie burn against what MFP says I'm burning. After a month, my weight loss has slowed even though I'm still doing the same things. I also am a heavy exerciser and eat every calorie I burn. So......maybe if the calculator for MFP is incorrect, I am over-eating. We shall see!

tusher2011

I just used my new Polar on my treadmill workout this morning...and i got 60 LESS calories burned on the HRM than what the treadmill said!! I did the same exact workout out I've been doing so I could see what the difference might be. I can't believe it was that much of a difference.

greeneyes82

Yeah I use a Polar HRM also. I also noticed it shows more on the MFP calculations, but I only go by my HRM. I don't want to give myself too much leeway & be wrong & gain weight. If MFP is more correct, than that just means I'm doing better than I thought! I got my HRM on sale on Amazon. Love it! But I think I'm addicted to it because I can't stand to workout if I don't have it with me to know just how good I'm doing! Lol

dittiepe

MFPs calories burned are extremely far off. It's terrible. If you don't have and can't afford an HRM, I suggest this website: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculators.html

it's the most accurate I have seen. I've compared it with my HRM on several occasions and it's only off up to +- 20 calories.

BrookeEspinosa

My hrm gives higher calories burned than mfp, usually by 100 or more. So I always subtract 100 from my hrm. I would rather underestimate than overestimate.

SueInAz

How can I make my hrm tell me how many calories I burned? If some one can send me a message I would be really grateful

You may want to look at the manual that came with it. It will also depend on the brand. I know with my HRM that I have to start the stopwatch for it to start calculating calories burned.

Tereztaylor07

I just bough a polar ft7 this morning on Amazon. I really would like to know exactly how much I am burning. I have lost 55 lbs without one, but now that my weight loss is slowing, I think it's going to be a great tool to have.

greeneyes82

On your HRM, you should be able to personalize it to put in your birthdate, height, weight, resting rate, max rate, etc. Mine has a chest strap which keeps a constant count & sends it to the watch. I don't have much confidence in the HRM's where you just touch with your finger. But that's just my opinion.

27strange

My Polar HRM sometimes gives me less calories than MFP says for the same exercises, but sometimes my HRM gives me way more calories than MFP. So it really depends on the type of exercise and how intense you do it, how high your heart rate is and for how long. HRM isn't perfect either, but a lot more accurate than MFP or fitness machines.

melbaby925

I use a bodybugg - and see the same thing. My calories burned for doing certain exercises are WAY over what MFP has, because I might have done a fast pace and hills. And some days it's way under, because I was a slug and walked my miles at a slow pace and had no elevation.

I think anyone looking for an accurate burn should do either an HRM or a BodyBugg (BodyMedia FIT, same thing) to get the best data that will take your personal 'configuration' into consideration!

Phanessa917

I AGREE. I LOVE my HRM too! sometimes I can burn more calories doing the same exact exercise for the same amount of time (maybe I had more energy due to coffee?) so it is important to me to use the HRM and get a more accurate number of calories burned. I also weigh everything I eat. HAHA my scale & HRM are my best friends! I think it's great that you want to share this with everyone! THx ♥

cheeksv

I like that MFP encourages people who before did nothing as in the way of fitness to see what even doing house work for a certain amount of time can do for them. I do think though that those who did the same work at the same pace BEFORE they joined MFP logging this type of info incorrectly could be as you pointed out detrimental. Especially if the calories burned are that overestimated and the person is eating back their calories. Hopefully if someone is having this problem or not where they want to be in their goals this post will give them an idea of how a HRM can help.

Thank you for crunching the numbers on this one! I am thinking about getting a HRM myself and although I am measuring my food via measuring cups would love a food scale!

foremant86

I think for some things it is way over, but for most things(like bike riding) it seems pretty spot on.
I know it's only an estimate though which is why i don't eat back every last bit of calories i've burned.
Basic intelligence tells you that doing your grocery shopping and counting that as a daily exercise isn't going to cut it...Losing weight doesn't have to be an exact science.

Wish i could afford an HRM..but for now i shall hope for the best!

schobert101

MFPs calories burned are extremely far off. .

I wouldn't go so far as to generalize that this is the case all the time for everyone. I have compared my running and biking and for me the HRM and MFP are spot on. But for hiking MFP gives me more. So even for the same person it may be different for different activities. I guess I am somewhat different than everyone on here who loves their HRM. I rarely use mine but have found it useful to do the comparison between MFP and HRM for various activites. Between the IPod, my Garmin 405, cell phone etc etc I just feel too 'wired up' to add the HRM. Also everyone needs to be aware that HRM's do NOT actually measure calorie burn. They measure heart rate and then use that via a formula to ESTIMATE your calorie burn. So even the HRM's may not be accurate especially if you are on beta blocker drugs that slow your heart rate etc.

Bakins929

How can I make my hrm tell me how many calories I burned? If some one can send me a message I would be really grateful

If your HRM does not do calories, you can use some online tools to find out. This one seems pretty good:
http://www.braydenwm.com/calburn.htm

100lb

I suppose everyone tracks things differently, but I too find MFP high on their estimations. I only count exercise of going to gym (as this is above my normal stuff), and I only count cardio not strength. MFP says 30 mins on elliptical trainer is 550 calories. If I do it at 70rpm and say avg resistance of 16 (out of 25) the machine tells me around 400, if I set resistance at 22 and keep above 65rpm I get about 500 cals. If I do one of the pre-set programs on the machines its usually under 400 calories. I'm aiming to get to 550 in under 30 mins and getting closer to that each time lol.

Well I guess, as I heard in another thread, use whatever method works for you. If someone is logging at higher rates and its keeping them motivated, getting fit, etc then that's fine. If someones over estimating, "eating their exercise calories" and then not losing despite wanting to and their diary saying they have enough deficit, then its time to reexamine.

What model Polar heart rate monitor is it? I have one I bought 15 years ago when I used to gym a lot before, that only does heart rate with min and max alarms, no cal burn stuff.

danacromwell1

Even if you're eating your extra calories from what MFP calculates your burned calories to be, as long as you're still coming in at your net calorie goal, everything should be ok. Because in reality we do burn calories showering/grooming, cooking, cleaning, walking to the car/printer/bathroom, etc. I agree those things shouldn't be tracked as "exercise" unless you did like a major spring cleaning type thing - something out of the norm. You could do an extra exercise like jumping jacks and not "count" it if you're afraid you might miscalculate.

dittiepe

I think for some things it is way over, but for most things(like bike riding) it seems pretty spot on.
I know it's only an estimate though which is why i don't eat back every last bit of calories i've burned.
Basic intelligence tells you that doing your grocery shopping and counting that as a daily exercise isn't going to cut it...Losing weight doesn't have to be an exact science.

Wish i could afford an HRM..but for now i shall hope for the best!

Give this site a try, it's almost as accurate as my HRM(Polar ): http://www.healthstatus.com/calculators.html