Calories being burned during walks....

megsybk
megsybk Posts: 27 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all!!

Question for those of you who log your exercise on the website... I walked tonight at a 4.0 pace for 55 minutes, totaling 3.73 miles. I use the free mapmywalk app on the iphone and it tells me that I burned 274 calories. I came here to log my walk and it told me that for 55 minutes at a 4.0 pace, the calories burned were 705...

HELP! Which one do I believe? Has anyone else had a difference like this??

Replies

  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
    Does the app let you input your gender/height/weight? If not it may be basing the calories off someone 150lb. I'm 138lb and burn about 300 calories for a walk like that. MFP has me at 286 which is comparable.

    edit: The 150lb is an assumption- I've found other apps that use that as a base. Yours may or may not.
  • DianeG213
    DianeG213 Posts: 253
    In my opinion, you are better off recording the less amount. 705 seems like alot for that amount of time anyway. I use an HRM so that there is no guessing.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    705 is off the charts wrong for a 55 minute walk even if you were running.

    go low...always
  • bblonskidesigns
    bblonskidesigns Posts: 47
    MFP is always way off compared to my BodyBug. i'd say the 274 is more accurate.
  • maurodim
    maurodim Posts: 28
    I also find a difference between walking on the treadmill at the gym and walking the same way outside which is usually 2 mph....the treadmill gives me approx 50 more calories burned and MFP is always lower.....not sure which one is correct.....
  • rob_base
    rob_base Posts: 97
    I've heard a general rule of thumb is the "average" person burns about 100 calories for every mile that they move (whether it is running, walking, skipping, etc.).....
  • angelashay42
    angelashay42 Posts: 286
    That's got to be wrong. I walk an hour every weekend day and I burn approx. 200 calories. I'm 5'3" 135 lbs.
  • emilynicole02
    emilynicole02 Posts: 355 Member
    yes i agree, always go with the lower number!

    and you should think about getting a HRM. ever since I have gotten mine (forerunner 110) it bothers me when i don't have it and am working out... usually I won't work out until I can get it haha. Then you always know exactly what you are burning! I have an app on my phone as well that I use as a comparision to my HRM and its kinda cool to see the differences-both use GPS as well so they are pretty accurate. The app is called endomondo. Hope this helps! :)
  • SarahMorganP
    SarahMorganP Posts: 921 Member
    For that kind of walk I would burn about 350-400, based on my HRM. I am 5'3" and 169lbs.
  • eating4balance
    eating4balance Posts: 743 Member
    I would double check that you picked walking, 4.0 mph and 55 minutes. Mine said that I would burn about 270 calories. I don't know why yours would be so... different :smile: Hope you figure it out!
  • skinnyjeansdiva
    skinnyjeansdiva Posts: 119
    I'd say if you walked at 4.0 mph (which is a fast walk) you most likely burned more than 2__ calories but not more than the 700.. find the median and go from there. sometimes to apps are way off. it also depends on your weight. if you weigh a lot you could have very well burned over 700 cals walking that fast in an hour
  • eating4balance
    eating4balance Posts: 743 Member
    I'd say if you walked at 4.0 mph (which is a fast walk) you most likely burned more than 2__ calories but not more than the 700.. find the median and go from there. sometimes to apps are way off. it also depends on your weight. if you weigh a lot you could have very well burned over 700 cals walking that fast in an hour

    That's a good point. Check out this website which allows you to input your weight: http://caloriesburnedwalking.net/
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
    700 seems off to me, i have to run hard for over an hour to get that kind of count...
    as for apps, i use runkeeper - you can input your weight (in your profile on their website), and the calories calculated are usually within 10% of my hrm (i have to remember to update the weight on both of them whenever there is a change...)
  • megsybk
    megsybk Posts: 27 Member
    To give you guys an idea... I'm 6'4 and 339.3 lbs. using the website that pp gave, it says that at my weight, I would burn 707 calories by walking at a 4.0 pace for 55 minutes.

    That seems absurd!
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
    To give you guys an idea... I'm 6'4 and 339.3 lbs. using the website that pp gave, it says that at my weight, I would burn 707 calories by walking at a 4.0 pace for 55 minutes.

    That seems absurd!

    if several sources say the same thing... more power to you :happy:
    <---- feeling a little short now at 5'7" :tongue:
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    707 does seem pretty high for walking, even for a bigger person.
    I estimate that I burn around 5 cals/minute for a brisk walk and 10 cals/minute for a moderate run. But, I'm a lot shorter and also lighter so you are certainly going to burn more.

    All the numbers we work with are estimates so I would just pick one and go with it and see how it works out for you!
    If I had to take a guess, I'd say maybe go for 8 cals/minute which would give you 440 cals, which is about in the middle of those two estimates.
  • tami101
    tami101 Posts: 617 Member
    To give you guys an idea... I'm 6'4 and 339.3 lbs. using the website that pp gave, it says that at my weight, I would burn 707 calories by walking at a 4.0 pace for 55 minutes.

    That seems absurd!
    Actually at that height and weight that sounds about right.
  • ksavy
    ksavy Posts: 271 Member
    I would think that 650 would be closer. I know I burn between 300-400 when walking fast for an hour, and I am at 190.
  • TrainersRoom
    TrainersRoom Posts: 28
    Walking exercise is truly a workout for the body and mind. It can help prevent illnesses, keep you energized, lift your spirits, and improve your athletic performance. There are some obvious benefits of exercise, such as weight loss or building muscle.
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
    I'd burn about 500 calories doing that walk, but everyone is different. I'm 153lbs and 5ft 1.8in.
  • EmRobo
    EmRobo Posts: 146 Member
    MFP told me that 60 mins of walking to preschool with the children only burnt about 200 calories for 60 mins, when I used my HRM, it was actually 450 calories, as MFP won't allow me to say I am pushing a double pushchair and power walking.

    I would go with the lower one, but if you can get a HRM that will show you a better reading :)
  • bio_fit
    bio_fit Posts: 307 Member
    I like mapmywalk because it takes terrain and inclines into account, whereas the MFP 'walking' just estimated calories by time - take the distance/height gain data from mapmywalk and plug it into the calculator on this website: http://hikingscience.blogspot.com/p/calculate-calories-burned_22.html

    You can then include data such as body weight. I have found using them both together really useful!
  • athensguy
    athensguy Posts: 550
    I've heard a general rule of thumb is the "average" person burns about 100 calories for every mile that they move (whether it is running, walking, skipping, etc.).....

    Not true. Running burns more calories per mile.

    Here is a link:

    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-311-8402-0,00.html

    The chart at the bottom might help you estimate calories. Pretty good article, I think.
  • Iceylyons
    Iceylyons Posts: 86 Member
    Maybe take the average of what both of them are telling you?
  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
    To give you guys an idea... I'm 6'4 and 339.3 lbs. using the website that pp gave, it says that at my weight, I would burn 707 calories by walking at a 4.0 pace for 55 minutes.

    That seems absurd!
    Actually at that height and weight that sounds about right.

    It does, actually. At 3.5 mph average, 5'8" and 210, I burn about 220-250 in 30 minutes (and the cals. burned has dropped as my weight has). Considering your weight and the speed, 707 doesn't sound ridiculous to me at all. Walking can be very effective exercise. I use the free Pedometer Pro + app on my phone, which calculates calories burned based on my weight, height and speed. It's usually fairly close to MFP.

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