Calories Burned? MFP vs Exercise Machines???

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PositiveGoals
PositiveGoals Posts: 50
in Fitness and Exercise
Which is more accurate? The calories burned calculated here at MFP or the calories burned that the exercise machine shows us? There is a huge difference. I know MFP takes into consideration age, weight, lifestyle, height etc. So I would think it is MFP. Any other opinions on this?

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  • mghane
    mghane Posts: 109 Member
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    I have the same issue but stick to what the machine tells me. I hear the most accurate would be a heart rate monitor which I still need to invest in :P.
  • AliDarling
    AliDarling Posts: 373
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    i go with the machine. the eliptical tells me i burned 876 for 65 min wheres as the MFP tells me 804. but when it comes to walks, or something you cant count, i have no choice but to believe MFP
  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472

    definitely a heart rate monitor and read this MFP link first!

    That said, I have an elliptical trainer at home and it take NONE of my personal info and just spits out this incredibly high calorie burn, I guess it is based on some random average given the heart rate it picks up on these sensors....can we just say joke!

    I do wear my HRM and it is about 1/2 the calories that the elliptical reports.........

    How that compares to the MFP database is also suspect.....it is never accurate for me either. Although it does take a few more bits of our info, it cannot take a heart rate which is what your" intensity" would be based on......... and THAT is what makes all the difference in a calorie burn. It just uses an "average" but yeah way better than the machines score for sure, because unless the machine asks for any personal details....well I think you get what I mean!
  • sgrinavi
    sgrinavi Posts: 80
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    It's all based on METS which can be expressed as a calorie expenditure based averages for your gender, age & weight. SO, if the machine has a way to enter your gender, age and weight it is a more accurate measure of the calories you expended.

    HRMs are pretty much the same deal : the calories it shows you expending are based on averages @ a specific % of your MaxHR for a person of your age/gender/weight.

    Either way is really not 100% accurate as they don't take into account your lean body mass.
  • califigureeight
    califigureeight Posts: 134
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    I use a treadmill that asks for my age and weight and it's about 10 calories off from MFP--so I go with the machine. I also don't eat back all of my exercise calories though.
  • califigureeight
    califigureeight Posts: 134
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    I use a treadmill that asks for my age and weight and it's about 10 calories off from MFP--so I go with the machine. I also don't eat back all of my exercise calories though.
  • MissChyna
    MissChyna Posts: 358 Member
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    I usually go with what the machine says or what my HRM calculates (they are usually either the same or only off by very little). I know it's not all 100% accurate but my doctor once said that it's the best way to go if you are tracking everything.


    Take care ^_^
  • mghane
    mghane Posts: 109 Member
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    800-something for 65 min? My elliptical trainer which asks my weight only gives me 130 calorie loss for about 30 min of interval going at 75 rmp. That's a HUGE difference. MFP gives me something closer to 300 for 30 min. I just go with the 130. But how does that work?

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