Ellipical Machine

tinydancer24

How accurate are calorie counters on the machine's at the gym. According to the ellipical machine, I burned 500 calories in 35 minutes tonight. Do you think that's accurate? I was moving pretty fast and doing intervals....I figured even if it was 100 calories off, I still kicked a** tonight!

wifeygonzo

I think my elliptical machine says I've burned more calories that I really do. First of all it doesn't ask if I'm male or female and males burn more calories than female. I just log my exercise on MFP and use whatever MFP says.

However, if the elliptical says you burned 500 calories in 35 minutes you certainly did kick a**! Good for you!

AZKristi

I always feel like the elliptical machines overestimate my calorie burn. I have nothing to back that up (like a HRM) so take this with a grain of salt.

One of my elliptical workouts focuses on trying to keep my pace at 150 strides per minute or higher. I start on resistance 5 cross ramp 5. At the end of each minute I increase the cross ramp by one until I complete 1 minute at level 11, then I reduce by 1 until I get back to 5. I repeat this 12 minute drill at resistance 7, 9, 10, and 11 for a 60 minute workout. I then cool down for 5 mins at 4/4.

When I do this 65 minute workout on the elliptical, it usually says I burn about 850 calories. I enter that as 700 on MFP to be safe. I lose about what I expect usually so I figure I'm in the ballpark when I'm estimating.

missy5277

This is my favorite at the gym, i do hill/cascades for 45 min on level 7 and i weigh 228, my calories burned normally run around 480.

mrsdauer

you musta been moving! or im really slow! my machine usually registers on average 22-24 calories burned, going at 15.5-16 in 5 minutes.... hope that can help you a little. i guess reading your post, it sounded a little "off" to me, but you could've burned that much if you were at a fast pace....

bigbugboo

That's weird because mine says that I only burn approx 230 when I train moderate to hard for 30 mins. That's an incredible discrepancy don't you think? I wonder whose is more accurate? Hope it's yours! lol

BabyDuchess

Sounds pretty accurate.....I burn 250-260 for 20 minutes. Does it factor in your weight?

aramina1

The machines tend to overestimate calories burned by 35-40% according to my HRM.

curbnoise

With the weather cooling off, I just starting going back to the gym and using the elliptical and over the last several sessions it has been pretty much in sync with my HRM (Polar), each time within 5-10 cals of my HRM. This could also be due to the elliptical getting my actual HR. I think if you use the build in sensors every few minutes or so it should be relatively accurate.

madisonsteelex

you musta been moving! or im really slow! my machine usually registers on average 22-24 calories burned, going at 15.5-16 in 5 minutes.... hope that can help you a little. i guess reading your post, it sounded a little "off" to me, but you could've burned that much if you were at a fast pace....

what kind of elliptical are you using?
I burn about 12-13 calories a minute on average on the elliptical, the slowest being like 10 calories a minute if I'm really taking it easy, your machine must be really off

Maidei

Agreed. The heavier you are the more calories you burn per minute. Age and weight play a big role. Or maybe try using a different machine and see if you get the same output if possible. I usually burn 295 - 300cals in 33mins @ 148lbs.

tinydancer24

Sounds pretty accurate.....I burn 250-260 for 20 minutes. Does it factor in your weight?

Yes, it factors in my weight but I only weigh 145 lbs.

tinydancer24

Agreed. The heavier you are the more calories you burn per minute. Age and weight play a big role. Or maybe try using a different machine and see if you get the same output if possible. I usually burn 295 - 300cals in 33mins @ 148lbs.

I used a different machine on Saturday and got around the same results.