Calories burned..database vs. real life???

ohthatbambi

When I go to the gym my calories burned is much different from what is listed in this database. Equipment at my gym always shows less than what they allow here. I have been going by MFP database but I am wondering how accurate it is. Is anyone else having discrepancies b/t in their calories burned? Just wondering which one to actually go by. It makes difference in extra eatable calories and I certainly don't want to eat too much. Advice please!!

ohthatbambi

When I go to the gym my calories burned is much different from what is listed in this database. Equipment at my gym always shows less than what they allow here. I have been going by MFP database but I am wondering how accurate it is. Is anyone else having discrepancies b/t in their calories burned? Just wondering which one to actually go by. It makes difference in extra eatable calories and I certainly don't want to eat too much. Advice please!!

baldwin0125

I go by what the gym equipment says b/c the elliptical asks my weight, age, etc. I adjust the time on MFP to reflect the calories my gym equipment said. For example, if I worked out for 35 minutes and burned 300 calories according to the elliptical, then I put in 31 minutes and it shows 300 calories burned. Hope it helps. Ask your gym if the machines are acurate as well.

Anna_Banana

If the machine asks for your height and weight I would go by it. These numbers here are just averages (I think). It takes a lot more calories for a 6 ft 7, 300 pound guy to do the same thing as a 5 ft 2, 120 pound woman.

deanea

I have compared my treadmill cals to other websites, to MFP. The cals on MFP are consistant with other web sites; my treadmill claims I burn more when my stats are entered. I go by MFP's numbers now.

kaybee176

You can go in and change the calories burned when you input your exercises. Just where it says calories type in how much you actually burned. Hope it helps.

ohthatbambi

The gym I am currently enrolled in has older equipment so I didn't know if that might be why there is such a big difference. I am changing to new place at the end of the month. It is run by a hospital and the equipment is top of the line stuff so it will be interesting to see how it compares to MFP database.

Thanks all of you for you input. I guess I will just make the adjustments myself b/c I don't want to eat more than I should based on calories that I may or may not have burned.

AtlantaSara

I think the machines at the gym are "estimates" - they ask for age and weight (for heart rate consideration) but they do not take into account height or gender. I find them to be about 20-35% off in terms of calorie burn.

I purchased a watch that has a heart rate monitor, asks for your age, weight, height, gender, and resting heart rate. Yesterday when I was at the gym, I did my "usual" 45 minutes on the eliptical at resistance level 7 and incline of 10. I walk on a treadmill for 10 minutes increasing the incline every 2 minutes from 1 to 8 and then run at 5.5 mph for 15 minutes, walk for 5 minutes at a 5%incline. Total work out burn according to the machines 800 calories. According to my snazzy new watch -- 625. That is a pretty big difference. Especially if you allow yourself to eat those extra calories.

The watch I bought was pretty reasonable (not so attractive) at 35.00 its by miosport. I actually picked it up at Wal-Mart in their fitness section.

Good Luck to you. :bigsmile:

createsure

I walk and hike outside almost exclusively for my cardio, and I too have been surprised at how much I supposedly burn. It just doesn't seem quite right... I guess I adjust subconsciously by not eating all the calories I am alloted from the workout. I like to leave a couple hundred at the end if possible, and I guess that is a good thing considering the calorie count may be off by quite a bit.

annathelu

I understand you can change the exercise machine calories to what they tell you, but I really wish someone on the site could explain how they arrive at the calories for hiking, aerobics, etc.

Good topic! Then again, the idea to self-adjust by not eating everything allotted makes sense. As my boyfriend CONSTANTLY tells me, "it's just a guide."