Is MFP accurate regarding elliptical calories burned?

FORIANN

Ok...for starters I weigh 310lbs...my current target is 300lbs and I've already lost 15lbs. I am a big guy...not fat....BIG. I'm 6'4" and most of the time when I shake people's hand they feel compelled to comment on the size of my hands. Now that that's out of the way.... In peak physical condition I weighed 290lbs.

Right now I'm trying to tone up and slim down and I am all about doing cardio on the elliptical machine. When I log my cardio it says 60min 1266 calories/90min 1904 calories.

Is that even close to accurate? I do up the resistance and using a HRM keep my HR up to around 75%-80% of my max, but those numbers just seem high.

fitnwhole

I wondered the same thing. I just mentally count it as half. So if it says 600 calories burned I would just make sure I don't eat past 300 calories.

jhehle

When i log in that i have done 30 min elliptical it says like 500+cal on MFP. But my exercise machine says its only 230some...

My husband is 6'4, 252 lbs and he does 50 min on the elliptical each night and he averages around 700 cals burned with a resistance level of 5.

carolann_22

Heck no! It's about 40% over my actual burn compared to my Bodybugg. But walking is about 40% under.

escloflowneCHANGED

Don't trust the machine(unless you enter your weight/age/height) or MFP on the calories burned, For me it is 20-30% higher on MFP compared to my actual on my Polar monitor!

FORIANN

Eventually I'll pick up a polar....but as for MFP...it does know my height/weight. Wouldn't that perhaps make it more likely to be accurate?

escloflowneCHANGED

It doesn't know your heart rate, I have found it very inacurate.

mrsskinny629

if you're eating your calories back, i'd probably go with eating 1/2 of those only .. but would highly recommend a hrm w/ chest strap .. much more accurate and safer when eating back your calories.