Way to log intervals on treadmill?

NostalgicDruid

I've been logging my walking/jogging intervals at a set speed and then just modifying the calories burned by what the treadmill told me. (For example: 60 minutes at 5.0 (jogging) when really it is like 3.0 walk for 1/4 mile and then 6.0 run for 3/4). I have been setting it at just a constant speed because I didn't see any way to log intervals? Is there a way and I missed it, or is there any other trick to maybe use? I don't want to have to log the jogging and walking separately. If I have to stay with what I am doing, fine, but just figured I'd ask in case I just missed it.

I am training for endurance running, and if anyone else is doing the same I'd love to be friends with you so we can help motivate one another. I also love friends for the weight loss journey in general, definitely is a help to know you have people watching your calories, etc.

elijackson

I enter how many minutes I spent at each speed. When I do intervals, I do 2 min of 3mph, then 30 seconds of 8pmh. If I do that 6 times, I log 12 min at 3pm and 3 min at 8mph. I find that the treadmill grossly overestimates my calories burned.

cowboydan43

Yup I do the same as the previous poster. I think most of the calorie counts on exercises on here are very high estimates.

NostalgicDruid

I don't do it by time so much as distance, though a lap walked at 3.0 is 5 mins, so I guess I could just calculate out 5 mins for every walk I lapped. What I don't like though is that I'd have to divvy up the calories burned when really it's shared. Damn that OCD.

leilani♥

I created a new exercise and used a Heart rate calories burned calculator to figure out how many calories I burnt from doing intervals on the treadmill for (x) amount of minutes. MFP & the treadmill machines are very generous when it comes to the amount it says you "burned". But -- that is just my opinion.

suzymyers

Hi - I do the same thing. My treadmill workout is a variety of walking using the incline and jogging. It'salways 50/50 in minutes (like 15 minutes for each). I was able to figure out how many calories I burn on each one, so I created my own exercise in the database. Since it is always 50/50, I can adjust the minutes/calories if I do more or less than 30 minutes.

Go to "Exercise" tab then "My Exercise"... you can then add your own exercise.

I also started using a heart monitor and find that it is almost identical to what my treadmill calculates for calories burned.

NostalgicDruid

Yeah, I've noticed they sort of embellished the numbers. I go with whatever one is lower (it's usually the treadmill as opposed to MFP) and I go with that one because I don't want to make myself think it's ok to eat extra calories if they weren't actually earned.

NostalgicDruid

Suzy, creating a custom exercise sounds like a good idea. Thanks for the tip!

16mixingbowls

What is your goal for logging them? Do you want to see an increase in minutes spent at certain speeds? Or more intervals overall? Or more high intensity/less breaks? I'm not sure that MFP can help you much for many of these, and if you're doing it for calorie logging, then the best thing would be a HRM.

My understanding is that HIIT training burns calories after you quit the workout, too, so calories burned won't really be that accurate anyway.

Good work!!! I love HIIT!

NostalgicDruid

Mixingbowls, I do it because I want to know distance (which I put up myself) and a rough calorie count (for knowing how much more to eat). I take everything here with a grain of salt and use it more as a guideline than as a rule.