Confused about calories burned

sharpei65

I've been using MFP as a guide to measuring cals burned when I run although I have been aware that the figures are probably not as accurate as using a HRM. I've not used a HRM for years but bought myself a cheap one the other day to see if I'd get the use out of one - if so I will buy a better one. I usually just use my garmin forerunner 205 to measure distance and pace.

Anyway I've just done a 35 min run and my HRM says I've burned about 450 cals whereas MFP says about 350 I think! I wasn't expecting this as I thought MFP would be giving a higher reading than it should be. I did another run last Sunday and my HRM showed a similar calorie burn.

I've checked my settings and my height, weight etc seem to be right. The only thing that may be making the calories burned inaccurate is the fact that I can't set my MHR high enough. My highest heart rate hits about 182 at the mo but I'm nowhere near running flat out. I am quite active but although have not run for a couple of months I wouldnt have thought my fitness would be that compromised!

I'm going to go with MFP calorie burn for now, give that its lower but would really like to hear from anyone who has any thoughts on this and what I might be doing wrong.

btw my stats are:
weight 150lbs
height 5'4"
age 47
resting heart rate 60

I'm following the EMTLW approach and really need to get the calorie burn right so I eat enough calories.

Thanks
Kay

mcarter99

MFP's est. looks more likely to be right, to me. Most people (non-obese) don't burn more than 10 calories/min. at 'full on' cardio.

waldenfam2

I'm 5'4" and weigh 158 lbs. When I run I burn around 9.2 calories a minute and I am not a runner. I just started C25K a couple of weeks ago, so running is very difficult for me. My maximum heart rate usually hits around 182 but that's when I'm fatiguing fast and can't make it more than a couple more minutes.

I also always subtract 1 calorie per minute because that is the calorie burn already figured into your BMR. (I believe anyways, please correct if I am wrong)

NeuroticVirgo

Well, for one, both MFP and your HRM are only approximates. The way it was explained to me when I started was a math equation...

Take what MFP says your burn a day (Go under goals, and see what is says next to "calories burned: from normal day activity") and divide that by minutes in a day, and that's what you (approx) burn every minute just sitting on your butt doing nothing, you need to subtract that from your HRM.

So for example...if you MFP says 2400 / 1440 (min) = 1.6 cal burned per minute. (your might be different)

So 35 min of running = 450 on your HRM - 60 cal from "norm activity" = 390 burned from that activity.

Readings from the HRM are usually more accurate because its taking your HR into consideration. As you get into better shape that number will get lower...(believe me...When I went from 280 to 212lbs it cut my burns in HALF for the same activity...it was depressing lol)

sharpei65

Thanks waldenfam2 and neuroticvirgo......that's where I'm going wrong....forgotten to deduct the normal activity off the HRM reading :-)

Off to give that a go now!