MFP off on calories burned during certain exercises?

kds0682

Hi Everyone! I am newer to MPF and just wanted to say thanks to all of you for your posts, before and afters, and answering questions so quickly! It has really helped keep me positive and motivated!

When I first joined I remember reading something about MFP being a little off on calories burned during certain exercises. I was just wondering if any of you have noticed this and if so what exercises? I use a Gazelle and treadmill for right now until I get an elliptical. Online the Gazelle is considered a type of elliptical but I can not get over the difference in calories burn between an elliptical and treadmill...What do you all prefer??

Thanks again,
Katie

jenslife82

I think it boils down to heart rate and how hard you are working your muscles. If I life weights for 45 minutes, my muscles are getting toned and feel it a lot more the next day than a 45 minute jog on the tread but burn a lot more calories doing a cardio workout than a strength one. (hopefully that makes sense) I use a heart rate monitor and check my calories burned through it. Another thing is your weight and physical health has a lot to do with calories burned. During my normal treadmill workout I burn about 650 calories in 45 minutes. A person who weighs 100 lbs less than me will probably burn 400.
http://42.195km.net/e/treadsim/ is a good site for treadmill calories.

lwoods34

The calories that MFP says is burned during alot of exercises is not accurate. Tracking your calories burned using a heart rate monitor is going to be alot more accurate. For me, my calorie burn is much higher (100-200 calories higher) using my heart rate monitor VS using MFP. For example, I did power yoga for 1 hr and MFP said I burned only 82 calories and my monitor said I burned 200. On the flip side, if you use the machines to tell you how many calories you burned, that will be inaccurate as well. Even if you entered you age and weight into the machine, it cant distinguish gender, metabolism, etc. so its only giving you an estimate based upon whatever speed and incline/resistance you are doing.

kds0682

Thank you both very much! This has really helped! I am def going to have to get a HRM asap!