Friends exaggerating their workouts?

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Replies

  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    Calorie burns are different for every person due to weight. Also if a person isn't using an HRM and going by the particular machines estimate or MFP's estimates for that matter-calories burns will be higher and inaccurate.

    if you truly are asking because you care-address this with your "friend".
  • jem33199
    jem33199 Posts: 80 Member
    When I log my exercise on MFP, it estimates the calorie burn based on my weight and the activity. Therefore, I'm not personally saying how many calories I burned - MFP is. When I see some of the numbers, it makes me giggle since it seems exaggerated to me. However, since I exercise for reasons other than calorie burn, I'm not eating back all of these calories and I don't know how to "correct" MFP, I just leave it be. Your friends may not be the ones exaggerating - MFP might be doing that for them.
  • AlbionLass
    AlbionLass Posts: 136
    At the end of the day if you/they are losing at a rate you're/they're happy with then what your/their newsfeed says doesn't matter.
  • Blessedmommy_2x
    Blessedmommy_2x Posts: 419 Member
    Honestly if it truly is a exaggeration.. they are only hurting themselves. But to each his own, I am here to offer support to my friends on here...not pull apart their statuses. IF they asked for advice, THAT is when I would nicely bring up the calories burned.

    Also another thing... IF they don't have a heart rate monitor its very likely MFP is over exaggerating their calorie burn for them. What I would say is if you are truly concerned I would maybe ask them about it, and see if they are using a HRM. Remind them that without a HRM it is very hard to estimate the cals burned and they may want to estimate on the smaller side. OR if they tend to eat their cals back don't eat them all back until the are positive they are burning that much.
  • 50nfit124
    50nfit124 Posts: 21
    LIKE LIKE LIKE!!!! :flowerforyou:
  • modgirlrachel
    modgirlrachel Posts: 44 Member
    Sounds like you have too much time on your hands dude.
    Don't worry about what other people are doing unless they ask you for advice.
  • jenhowse1
    jenhowse1 Posts: 49
    Yeah I saw a 3000 odd calorie burn on someones diary earlier, thought maybe they decided to stay up all night exercising or something lol.

    I've logged a few sessions with this kind of calorie burn.
    But they were for 100k rows on teh C2 rowing machine which took just under 8 hours and one 24 hour row - so yes I did stay up all night exercising!
  • viviennemayer
    viviennemayer Posts: 29
    I couldn't honestly say wether or not someone was exagerating their calorie burn. I will say that most of my exercise buddies at the gym are sometimes there for at least 2 to three hours. They use the crap out of the oliptical which burns about 100 calories in 10 minutes and they're on it vigorously for at least 1 hour. Then they're doing weight training and the treadmill or zumba. If you know for a fact that they're not putting in that kind of time at the gym then let them know when they complain they're not seeing results, otherwise let them figure it out on their own.
  • jzaz903
    jzaz903 Posts: 306 Member
    I BURNED 7 MILLION CALORIES TODAY.

    just kidding. but seriously, if you really care about it, talk to them.
  • tashakk86
    tashakk86 Posts: 81
    I might call the person on their exaggeration, but I wouldn't worry about it.
    Exaggerating their workout is the same as neglecting to log in food they ate.....they are just lying to themselves, and in the end, they aren't doing themselves any favors.

    If they feel good about deceiving themselves, then far be it for you to dispute them.
    In the end, you might just want to delete them from your friends list.
    If they can't take this seriously, then you don't need them as part of your circle.
    i agree completly. there not hurting anyone but thereselves.
  • 50nfit124
    50nfit124 Posts: 21
    I burned 3700 calories not caring about friends exaggerated workouts.

    GOTTA LOVE THAT ONE!!!!:flowerforyou:
  • HealthyAlison
    HealthyAlison Posts: 112 Member
    I don't trust what MFP gives me, but I don't have an HRM, so I don't know the real number (or something closer to real). I just let MFP do what it will and mentally adjust if it doesn't seem right to me. If I'm losing then I must be doing something right regardless of the numbers in my diary.

    Why do you care what your friend has down for their exercise? Don't bother sending me a freind request.
  • davidandrewwillis
    davidandrewwillis Posts: 31
    I don't trust what MFP gives me, but I don't have an HRM, so I don't know the real number (or something closer to real). I just let MFP do what it will and mentally adjust if it doesn't seem right to me. If I'm losing then I must be doing something right regardless of the numbers in my diary.

    oh MFP sooooooooooo needs a like button! I'd be jamming it at this point...
  • missamielou
    missamielou Posts: 83
    Most of my hardcore workouts for between 50 - 70 mins generally burn between 900 - 1100 calories because I do a lot fo cardio. I use a heart rate monitor so I know it is fairly accurate. I got really offended a few weeks back when I only burnt about 400 calories in 45 minutes and one of my "friends" commented saying well done, accurate calories"!! The reason I only burnt that many calories was because I had been feeling a bit rough and spent more time on weights. They were basically implying I was lying.

    Personally I don't think you should assume these people are lying. It's nice to have encouragement. Is it jealousy that you and your girlfriend aren't burning that much or genuine concern for these people and their success.

    I always thought MFP was for support not for judgement on whether someone is "cheating". At the end of the day they are only cheating themselves.......
  • dubw
    dubw Posts: 429
    Scales and mirrors don't belie real information. One who lies to their self (consequently posts same) gains nothing but justification for more self indulgence, then ponders why they can't button their pants.
  • memega
    memega Posts: 73
    If my math is right for my weight, height and age MFP exaggerates between 30ish% of most work outs. Last night treadmill machine said 140 calories, mfp said like 240, elliptical said 360 while mfp was at 500 so I usually just eat half the calories back or just reduce it by about 30%

    I actually see the opposite! [WARNING: The following post contains multiple mentions of bodily fluids :tongue: ]

    I workout atleast 75min cardio everyday, trying to clock min 60minutes of intense workout in that time frame, allotting 15min to warm up and cool down. It's almost like not counting till I start sweating real good. For me it happens at around the 8 - 9 minute mark. I keep up that pace for as long as I can. For me the intensity declines when I no longer sweat that bad! So this works well for me.

    Now, while my elliptical machine shows around 19km and 1200 cal in 75 - 78min, MFP shows 1035. Since I don't really have any ways to verify either, I just go by how satisfied I feel after my workouts. Sounds weird?!

    Add on: I don't eat back my calories, so the MFP cal errors are hopefully evened out!
  • qballjr13
    qballjr13 Posts: 174 Member
    Unfortunately I don’t have a heart rate monitor either. I will say that when i first joined I thought the calories burned for my activities was high as well so I did some further exploring with other sites and calorie calculators (see below for a comparison). I will also say that MFP does not give you any benefit from weight lifting. Recently I have been doing a High Intensity Training (HIT) program where you get very little rest time between sets in your workout. I will say that my heart is at an elevated rate and I am sweating, but MFP does not add that to your calories burned.

    Racquetball - Competitive
    MFP - 1106 calories burned
    Livestrong.com - 960
    Healthstatus.com - 1108
    fitnessforweightloss.com - 1200
    dietbites.com - 700
    healthdiscovery.net - 1166

    So yes there are some slight discrepancies in the MFP calculator but I don’t think it is that far off.
  • minnesota_deere
    minnesota_deere Posts: 232 Member
    I wouldn't say anything... but I never add when I'm doing housework, that one kind of makes me laugh.
    oh you had the 20 calories burned for "moderate dusting"?. one word , dipsh!t!!!
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Messed up HRMs cause this too.
    I also think MFP calculates way high. I entered my own exercises and cut 30-50% off the calories burned.
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    maybe they really do, maybe they really don't. The only person it is affecting is them, so HOPEFULLY they REALLY are burning 3200 calories or whatever it is. If you feel strongly enough that those are not real numbers and you feel the person won't flip a lid, maybe do casually say something to them, but maybe do it in a PM, just in case they do get offended... (Hopefully, they won't).
  • Myles_D23
    Myles_D23 Posts: 51 Member
    Most of my hardcore workouts for between 50 - 70 mins generally burn between 900 - 1100 calories because I do a lot fo cardio. I use a heart rate monitor so I know it is fairly accurate. I got really offended a few weeks back when I only burnt about 400 calories in 45 minutes and one of my "friends" commented saying well done, accurate calories"!! The reason I only burnt that many calories was because I had been feeling a bit rough and spent more time on weights. They were basically implying I was lying.

    Personally I don't think you should assume these people are lying. It's nice to have encouragement. Is it jealousy that you and your girlfriend aren't burning that much or genuine concern for these people and their success.

    I always thought MFP was for support not for judgement on whether someone is "cheating". At the end of the day they are only cheating themselves.......

    Hm well said.

    Trust me I have no room to judge, but I cant help you if you're not honest with yourself
  • steffihoney
    steffihoney Posts: 392
    If they are cheating or exaggerating, they are only cheating themselves!!

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