elliptical

oonegative
oonegative Posts: 47
in Fitness and Exercise
Calorie counter?I use my elliptical on high intensity twice a day but I am skeptical about the calorie counter it doesn't let you put in your weight etc. so If it says I burned about 325/calories on low intensity when I first started and now on high intensity it says 700 ...So I shave off about 200 on each session. 700-800 I put in 500.I do not have a HRM meter so I just want to make sure my estimate is somewhat correct..Did I mention I HATE MATH!!!!So I just stay under my calorie limit as if I never worked out..Not sure if that is bad but it seems to be working but I don't wanna starve myself like a Paris Hilton diet minus the cocaine....

Replies

  • StarIsMoving
    StarIsMoving Posts: 437
    Not sure if this will help you but...
    when it doesn' t have a place to put in weight and height, the general rule is that the machine goes off of weight being 150lbs. However I will also say... my workouts being intense, without heart rate monitor, then getting one.... I found the machines to over-estimate by about 20%.
  • oonegative
    oonegative Posts: 47
    ya i read that about the 150 lbs..so Maybe 20 % will work.confusing...
  • postrockandcats
    postrockandcats Posts: 1,145 Member
    A HRM is a good investment. :)

    http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

    No idea how accurate this is.
  • WickedSpinSistr
    WickedSpinSistr Posts: 139 Member
    I use a LifeFitness elliptical at the gym and while it does request my weight it doesn't ask for my age. For 30-minutes at about 80 rpm, level 7, it tells me I burn 400 calories, which is WAY off. According to my heart rate monitor I burn only 266. What's weird is that the elliptical does seem to have my heart rate correct most of the time.

    I am 34 yo and weigh 113 lbs.
  • Rogiefreida
    Rogiefreida Posts: 567 Member
    If I forget my HRM, I usually do the same thing as far as shaving calories off the machine's estimation. Whether it's accurate or not, I don't know, but I figure it's better to underestimate the calories I burn during cardio than over estimate, KWIM?:wink:
  • azwildcatfan94
    azwildcatfan94 Posts: 314 Member
    1. Use a HRM then use an online calorie burn calculator that allows you to put in age, weight, and gender. Some HRM's will do this for you, but mine doesn't let me put in my gender and is marketed as for men, so I go with an online calculator.

    2. If you forget your HRM, use the HR on the eliptical to try to get an average HR for the time you're exercising. Then use the online calculators.

    After doing this for a while, you'll be able to come up with a decent estimate of how much you burn in say 30 or 60 minutes of cardio when you keep your HR in your cardio zone.
  • WickedSpinSistr
    WickedSpinSistr Posts: 139 Member
    My HRM (Polar ft40) tells me how many calories I've burned at the end of my workout. Of course its accuracy depends on me having set my profile up correctly for age, gender, height, weight, etc. It also tells me the % of calories from fat, whether I was in the "fitness" or "fat burning" zone and for how long, and also keeps a history so I can go back and see what I accomplished on a specific day last week. I love it.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    Like others have said get a HRM. I have the Polar FT7 and love it.
  • RedHeadDevotchka
    RedHeadDevotchka Posts: 1,394 Member
    can you use the MFP estimates? They have one for eliptical on here under cardio
  • oonegative
    oonegative Posts: 47
    Looks like the hrm is the way to go but untill then I think I will just not add the exercising to my journal.Thanks!
  • oonegative
    oonegative Posts: 47
    yes but they are only low intensity

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