Help - No reply in "Exercise" - Equpmt comptr accuracy?

Self_Control_Freak

I am, by my normal inclination, a lazy person. To make it easy to get into moving around vigorously every day, I purchased a Recumbent Stationary Bike. I can pedal while watching television, and it helps keep me motivated. I'm a beginner and I'm trying to change habits, and I consider this an important first step.

Anyway, the bike has this little computer on it that tells me how long I've been pedaling, and it estimates distance based on revolutions.

I also estimates calories.

When I started, I set the resistance at "7" and 30 minutes yielded about 300 calories. After 2 weeks I increased the resistance to "8." Wow. Would you believe that after 30 minutes the computer tells me I've burned about... wait for it... 300 calories.

I'm trying to be good at journaling and monitoring my progress, and I want to eat the minimum calories every day, so what gives?

Just how accurate are these things? How can I get a more accurate estimate of my calories burned?

heybales

I am, by my normal inclination, a lazy person. To make it easy to get into moving around vigorously every day, I purchased a Recumbent Stationary Bike. I can pedal while watching television, and it helps keep me motivated. I'm a beginner and I'm trying to change habits, and I consider this an important first step.

Anyway, the bike has this little computer on it that tells me how long I've been pedaling, and it estimates distance based on revolutions.

I also estimates calories.

When I started, I set the resistance at "7" and 30 minutes yielded about 300 calories. After 2 weeks I increased the resistance to "8." Wow. Would you believe that after 30 minutes the computer tells me I've burned about... wait for it... 300 calories.

I'm trying to be good at journaling and monitoring my progress, and I want to eat the minimum calories every day, so what gives?

Just how accurate are these things? How can I get a more accurate estimate of my calories burned?

If it would possibly give Watts, you could get estimate.

Because that means it is too, and once you know watts, you know energy, and just need translated into calories. So it would likely be pretty accurate then.

May help.

http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CycleMechMETs.html