Exercise machine readouts

Kipperdog123
Kipperdog123 Posts: 59
in Fitness and Exercise
Why is it that when I exercise on machines, their readouts of caloric burn is less than what is stated in books or on myfitnesspal? It's really low, and I don't know which chart to trust.

Replies

  • moe0303
    moe0303 Posts: 934 Member
    1st, do you enter your weight when you use exercise machines?

    Your weight will have a big effect on the amount of calories you burn..
  • Kipperdog123
    Kipperdog123 Posts: 59
    Yes, I enter my weight and my age.
  • moe0303
    moe0303 Posts: 934 Member
    1st, do you enter your weight when you use exercise machines?

    Your weight will have a big effect on the amount of calories you burn.

    Edit: Sorry for the repost.
  • Gardengail
    Gardengail Posts: 596 Member
    I also get one reading on the cardio equipment, but a different one when logging the cardio into Fitlinxx at the Y. The attendant there said that when they last upgraded the equipment not all the software updated correctly. I log my cardio, etc., at the Y and here, but if the numbers are wildly different I will go to another online calculator to check which number is closer and go with that. Truthfully, I don't stress about the calories as much as my consistency in the number of workouts and the total minutes.
  • rblakeman
    rblakeman Posts: 25
    I am petite (approx 120) and when I use treadmills that don't ask for my weight and age, they say I burn 120 per mile, regardless of how fast or slow I go; incline does make the calorie number go up. However, I got a heart rate monitor this week and tested it on a very tough (hilly) outdoor 2 mile run...heart rate stayed between 190 and 200 for the majority of the run. My monitor said I burned 218 calories. I think cardio machines over-estimate, which is good for motivation, but bad if you are 'eating back' your exercise calories.

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