How accurate is the excerise calorie counter?

1Corinthians13

I don't know if this has been asked before. I read all the newbie threads and didn't see it. I'm just wondering how accurate the excerise calorie counter is. I've googled stuff like that and found several articles that say no way can it be very accurate at all. I know that it is just an estimate, but I guess I'm wondering how accurate an estimate it is. The numbers I get from the gym machines are always a little different - except for the treadmill. Those are pretty much the same.

1Corinthians13

I don't know if this has been asked before. I read all the newbie threads and didn't see it. I'm just wondering how accurate the excerise calorie counter is. I've googled stuff like that and found several articles that say no way can it be very accurate at all. I know that it is just an estimate, but I guess I'm wondering how accurate an estimate it is. The numbers I get from the gym machines are always a little different - except for the treadmill. Those are pretty much the same.

nickybr38

I don't know if this has been asked before. I read all the newbie threads and didn't see it. I'm just wondering how accurate the excerise calorie counter is. I've googled stuff like that and found several articles that say no way can it be very accurate at all. I know that it is just an estimate, but I guess I'm wondering how accurate an estimate it is. The numbers I get from the gym machines are always a little different - except for the treadmill. Those are pretty much the same.

I don't know. My gym elliptical says I burned 318 calories this morning but if I used myfitnesspal's calorie counter it reads as 550. So I'm leaning towards saying it's not that great an estimate. I'm thinking one would need their own HRM to get truly accurate numbers.

kellch

The calculater is only a guideline. It's not totally accurate and neither are the exercise machines. They are both estimates. The only way to TRULY know how many you've burnt is an HRM. I don't have one, but it is supposed to be pretty accurate. I have used this calculator and stuck to my calories and lost weight and notice muscle tone though so it must be pretty close. Hope that helps. :flowerforyou:

Anna_Banana

It really depends on who you are. I'm going to guess that the numbers on there are averages. If a 110 pound woman walks for and hour she would burn far less calories than a 400 pound man. the same with any exercise. It all depends on your weight and height and metabolism. Kellch is right about the HRM. If you want it to be totally accurate you need one that you enter your personal info into and it monitors your heart rate.

1Corinthians13

I would think they are averages based on our weight though, correct? Either way, I use what the machine says or what a website that uses your weight says...it's all around the same amount of calories burned. I need to start being consistant though and using the same tool all the time, so I think I'm going to use another website that someone else linked to on another thread.