Total Calories Burned versus Net Calories

michelleb148

I just finished the first run of my last week of C25K. I ran 2.7 mi in 30 minutes, which puts me at an average 5.4 mph (yay me!). Excited to have run 30 minutes straight for the first time in probably a year or more, I was excited to log my calories on MFP. Then the confusion began...

After my run, my pedometer read 280 cal (not including warm up walk which I had cleared). Thinking that was a bit of an underestimate, I checked my C25K app at the end of the run and it estimated 332 cal total (including walk). Still, I thought this may be low since when I finished my last 28 min run on the treadmill it listed over 400 cal. When I put it into MFP, it gave me 335 for the run, which I logged as a 5.2 mph run, since there was not 5.4.

Thoroughly confused about the variations between numbers, I decided to Google for another calculator. I found this article "http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-311-8402-0,00.html" which discusses calories burned in running versus walking (interesting read for anyone). It also distinguished between total calories burned during the exercise, versus net calories. Net calories is the total calories minus what you would have burned if you were at rest during that period. Based on their equation, I burned 279 Net Calories (consistent with my pedometer) and 332 Total Calories (consistent with MFP).. Note, neither of which was close to 400 so I guess I'll stop believing the treadmill.

My question is.. does MFP calculate Net Calories or Total Calories?

Thanks in advance for any input you might have!

P.S. I am fully aware that the answer to this might be, "Michelle, buy a heart rate monitor!" but I'm still curious!

MissMaryMac33

You're right --- buy a heat rate monitor -- a good one, wih a chest strap.

If not, then you'll ust have to make your best guess. Add them all up and use the average .

MFP is not using net calores.

juliapurpletoes

hi - MFP as well as heart rate monitors calculate TOTAL calories burned. So it is wise to deduct out what you would have burned just sitting on the couch! Makes for a more accurate picture.

I always have deducted these resting calories and then always eaten back thed amount I burned during the actual workout -and it works for me.

You don't have to, many of my pals don't but....none of them are in "maintenance" with me either though.

Also - just saw that you only have a total of 30 pounds to lose, this makes it pretty neccessary to ba as accurate as possible. I'd get the heart rate monitor because it takes all of your specific info....machines and online calculators don't know the intensity of your wrokouts so they can be accurate, they just use averages. And then, deduct off your "resting" calories!

Good Luck!

Onesnap

MFP tells what the average calorie burn is for a person your gender, your age, your weight, your height is for that particular exercise. For some of the workout classes I take they were not listed in MFP so I had to do the research online and add them to my list so they are there when I need them.

When people talk about NET calories on here they are referring to the NET after logging the food, and the exercise. So on days I was eating 1260 NET I was burning between 300-500 calories and actually taking in more than my 1260 NET goal.

michelleb148

Alright.. a GOOD HRM is going to the top of my Christmas wish list. Until then, I'll use the equations for "net calories" from that article - unless I find a better method.

Right now my focus is on two main things: watching and logging everything I eat, and building up my running abilities. Losing weight is a happy side effect of the two :-)