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Exercise equipment calorie calculations

littleengine74
Posts: 37
Hi there... I have a question about which calorie count is best to use, exercise machine or MFP. I know this has been covered a bunch of times, but all seem to deal with situations where, for the exercise machine, all user factors (age, weight, etc) are known, and used to help calculate the number of calories burned during the exercise session.
Which calculation do you use when the machine you're using doesn't allow you to input information for those variables (it's new, instructions aren't clear on how to input user information)? In that case, not knowing your weight, etc... is the exercise machine calculation of how many calories you've expended still more accurate than the totals MFP gives you?
In my case, the exercise bike (using only the pulse bars on the handles, I think) tells me I burn approx. 180 cals during 30 mins of cycling (moderate level). When I plug 30mins into MFP, it tells me I've burned over 400 cals. I assume when MFP makes this calculation it's using the information I've provided in my profile... height, weight, etc.. so this number would be more accurate?
Which calculation do you use when the machine you're using doesn't allow you to input information for those variables (it's new, instructions aren't clear on how to input user information)? In that case, not knowing your weight, etc... is the exercise machine calculation of how many calories you've expended still more accurate than the totals MFP gives you?
In my case, the exercise bike (using only the pulse bars on the handles, I think) tells me I burn approx. 180 cals during 30 mins of cycling (moderate level). When I plug 30mins into MFP, it tells me I've burned over 400 cals. I assume when MFP makes this calculation it's using the information I've provided in my profile... height, weight, etc.. so this number would be more accurate?
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