cardio burn on exercise diary

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merzback
merzback Posts: 453 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
appears to be way off mark- for example, I burned 500 calories doing 40 min of elliptical today- if I use the MPF number, they have me burning close to 800. Why the discrepancy?

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  • petreebird
    petreebird Posts: 344 Member
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    I believe that MFP isn't completely accurate. But...I also know, depending on the type, the ellipticals don't take into consideration the weight of the individual using them, they use an average weight (whatever that is). At least I know the elliptical that I used to own before I killed it didn't have any way to input my weight in order to figure out calories burned for ME. Just my thoughts.
  • ClarkAddison
    ClarkAddison Posts: 86 Member
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    The elliptical at my gym does allow you to put in age and weight. It does show a much lesser calorie burn than MFP. I don't know if this is right or not but I use the lower of the numbers.
  • ohpilot
    ohpilot Posts: 73 Member
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    I think it's hard for MFP to be completely accurate when it can't take into account how intensely you worked. Sometimes if I know I copped out in a workout I'll lower the amount of time I did it for.
  • denise_earheart
    denise_earheart Posts: 354
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    I myself have no idea how many calories I am burning. I just mapped out a 2.6 mile path around my neighborhood to start walking/ jogging... any dea to figure it out without buying something that tells you?????
  • boys4rmine
    boys4rmine Posts: 53
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    I like to search online at other sites and compare and see which number to use and create my own for MFP that feels more accurate for me. For example, doing my kettlebell workouts. I guess the other choice would be to get a HRM and use that for a more accurate count.
  • mlachance9
    mlachance9 Posts: 49 Member
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    I found the same thing with a spin class. MVP game me just under 500, but the system they have at the YMCA (which uses my weight and age) gave me over 700. Not sure which to use . . .
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    I myself have no idea how many calories I am burning. I just mapped out a 2.6 mile path around my neighborhood to start walking/ jogging... any dea to figure it out without buying something that tells you?????

    Since you know exactly how long your walk is, all you need is the time, then you can enter it as "Walking, 3.9 MPH" or "2.5 MPH" or whatever it works out to...
  • ElementalEscapee
    ElementalEscapee Posts: 552 Member
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    Yeah...I almost always have to lower the calorie burn on here, so if I hiked for 2 hours I'll only put 80 minutes in because I feel like I didn't burn the amount of calories MFP claimed I did! ^^
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    appears to be way off mark- for example, I burned 500 calories doing 40 min of elliptical today- if I use the MPF number, they have me burning close to 800. Why the discrepancy?

    You can use several sources and average them.

    I did that for months when I first came here. .just find some other calorie counting/burning websites you like and use them and this one and average the three or four including the elliptical's number. Heart rate monitors can be helpful, too.

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