Whoa! ENDOMONDO Calories Burned Estimates are WAY HIGH

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Replies

  • Erienneb
    Erienneb Posts: 592 Member
    Until I get an updated metabolic assessment on Tuesdy and know exactly what my calories burned at certain heart rates are, I usually cut in half the estimated I get from any app. Including Endomondo and MFP because I believe they are way high and I do not want to mistakenly track too many and then eat too much and not lose weight.
  • randrews0407
    randrews0407 Posts: 216 Member
    Quick update:

    I used ENDOMONDO for two additional outdoor walks (to the train for my commute) since my initial assessment (and SHOCK, lol). It seems normal now.

    One tracked .82 miles in 14:23 at 133kcal
    Other tracked .72 miles in 11:47 106kcal

    Estimates are still a bit high considering the casual walking pace but it no longer seems off the wall.
  • nicosland
    nicosland Posts: 85 Member
    I noticed that with the Endomondo app as well. I use a heart rate monitor with a chest strap and when I have finished a walk, Endomondo over estimates my calories burned by almost double. I'm glad I use a HRM too, hopefully that is more accurate :)
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    I have done one walk with it so far.

    66 minutes, 3.4mph average, 411 calories

    When I input the data in MFP manually, it gives closer to 250 calories. So, I am unsure which is correct really =/
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    Did you know that all calories burned are estimates based on formulas that are mathematical and not able to be accurate?

    The only way to know exactly what you burn is to have metabolic testing.

    There are a number of different formulas, but none will fit you exactly. And, as your body becomes more efficient, you'll actually burn less calories! My point is simply this, use them as a guide, and use the same method for all your measurements. Even HRMs are estimates, but fortunately they are based on the HR which is a better predictor of effort in your workouts.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    Did you know that all calories burned are estimates based on formulas that are mathematical and not able to be accurate?

    The only way to know exactly what you burn is to have metabolic testing.

    There are a number of different formulas, but none will fit you exactly. And, as your body becomes more efficient, you'll actually burn less calories! My point is simply this, use them as a guide, and use the same method for all your measurements. Even HRMs are estimates, but fortunately they are based on the HR which is a better predictor of effort in your workouts.

    Completely irrelevant to the topic. Of course they are not 100% accurate and most everyone here does use them as a guide. Problem is trying to figure out WHICH number to use given the fact that some of us are getting wildly different numbers.
  • mynameiscarrie
    mynameiscarrie Posts: 963 Member
    I can't use Endomondo on the treadmill because it isn't picking up the GPS signal in the gym.

    Why would you use it on the treadmill anyways? It works by GPS tracking distance, speed, hills, etc combined with weight and heigh to get calories burned.... and you don't go anywhere with the treadmill...
  • SheilaN1976
    SheilaN1976 Posts: 266 Member
    i use RunKeeper app but its not compatible with MFP...for me at 191 lbs...a 30 minute walk at avg speed of 3 mph it tells me i burn about 140 calories......so id say that is definitely WAY off and would not go by that at all.
  • mbagradstudent
    mbagradstudent Posts: 29
    Can you switch it from kcal to cal? kcal is what Europe uses, cal is what US uses.
    Quick update:

    I used ENDOMONDO for two additional outdoor walks (to the train for my commute) since my initial assessment (and SHOCK, lol). It seems normal now.

    One tracked .82 miles in 14:23 at 133kcal
    Other tracked .72 miles in 11:47 106kcal

    Estimates are still a bit high considering the casual walking pace but it no longer seems off the wall.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    Can you switch it from kcal to cal? kcal is what Europe uses, cal is what US uses.

    The USA uses kcals. We just simply call them cals. The "standard" diet is actually 2,000,000 calories a day.
  • randrews0407
    randrews0407 Posts: 216 Member
    Quick update:

    I used ENDOMONDO for two additional outdoor walks (to the train for my commute) since my initial assessment (and SHOCK, lol). It seems normal now.

    One tracked .82 miles in 14:23 at 133kcal
    Other tracked .72 miles in 11:47 106kcal

    Estimates are still a bit high considering the casual walking pace but it no longer seems off the wall.

    I went out for a lunchtime walk - 2.36 miles in 32:46 at 379kcal

    Just seems high, I have almost 1000 calories in exercise earned extra food for today alone in MFP...I won't go crazy though, the estimates seem suspect. I do see how someone going by this info can unintentionally end up over-eating based on these "food-credits."
  • ksumme
    ksumme Posts: 283
    Thanks Kathy,

    I like the Nike+ Fuel Band for encouragement purposes...I must admit I'm annoyed there is still no Android app, they promised one by Summer 2012. They only show the iPhone love :-(

    I have a BMF but got it before the bluetooth version existed, I hated that I had to wait until I got home to know how my activity measured up for the day.

    Good News!!! The Android Nike+ App has been out for about a month or so. I did some beta testing with it, and LOVE IT!! I haven't redownloaded from the Play store. It also works with the HRM I have, but since I usually am on a treadmill, I haven't used the app much. It also uses the phone's accelerometer, so you need to use an arm band - and you need to do a couple of calibration runs with it for accurate distance calculation.
  • trienn
    trienn Posts: 29 Member
    I use Endomondo to track my runs (and other cardio workouts I do) but I never pay attention of the burned calorie estimation.
    I just don't believe them - nor I believe the MFP tracker. I think all of these apps overestimate calorie burn to the point of disappointment haha

    But I did connect Endomondo to MFP - and it keeps annoying me with logging my cycling workouts as "stationary bike" (anyone else had these "problems"? O.o) and posting these ridiculous calorie amounts on my MFP profile.

    Per example, it tracked my today 90 min cycling and 20 min running in between as 1100-something calories burn!
    1100!
    Seriously?!
    I did constantly cycle (interval - fast as much as I could then a bit slower, then extra fast again) for 45 min and I did run for 20 min (interval), and then repeated the cycling again, but there's no way that is 1100 kcal. No way.

    Because if that would be true, burning calories would be so easy and I would already be at my goal weight ~sigh~
    -.-
  • KenSmith108
    KenSmith108 Posts: 1,967 Member
    Last weekend my daughter and I walked up to the diner and back. Our coffee walk.
    Out of curiosity I donned my info tracking gadgets. I keep them current.

    Tale of the Tape:

    Omron HJ-112 Pedometer 3081 steps, 2997 anaerobic steps in 27 min, 172 Kcal, 1.36 miles

    Endomondo Walking, Duration 29:23, Distance 1.4, Avg. Speed 2.85, Avg Pace 21:01 min, Calories 275

    Polar F6 HRM Duration 30:06, In Zone 30:06, Heart Rate Max 116 or 72% Avg 106 or 65%, Calories 227 60% Fat
  • randrews0407
    randrews0407 Posts: 216 Member
    Thanks Kathy,

    I like the Nike+ Fuel Band for encouragement purposes...I must admit I'm annoyed there is still no Android app, they promised one by Summer 2012. They only show the iPhone love :-(

    I have a BMF but got it before the bluetooth version existed, I hated that I had to wait until I got home to know how my activity measured up for the day.

    Good News!!! The Android Nike+ App has been out for about a month or so. I did some beta testing with it, and LOVE IT!! I haven't redownloaded from the Play store. It also works with the HRM I have, but since I usually am on a treadmill, I haven't used the app much. It also uses the phone's accelerometer, so you need to use an arm band - and you need to do a couple of calibration runs with it for accurate distance calculation.

    Nike+ has an Android app but it doesn't connect with, recognize or sync with the Fuel Band.
  • NHLeah
    NHLeah Posts: 48 Member
    I used to use MapMyRun for my walks and typically that app would have my calorie burn around 380 for one hour walk at 3.5 mph. Now that Endomondo syncs with MFP I have been trying that. Endomondo put my 66 minute walk at 483 burn. Does one app consider elevation gain/loss as I walk in a hilly neighborhood? I eat back most of my calories burned, so I have been assuming that Endomondo is over estimating my calorie burn by at least 100.
  • Eric53066
    Eric53066 Posts: 46 Member
    From my experience, Endomondo has been WAY high. I've been using Runkeeper for over a year and it's calorie numbers are pretty close to MFP numbers. I would probably switch to Endomondo, but a few things are keeping me from doing so. I can't stand the audio cues in Endo. The ones in Runkeeper are SO much better. I don't like the Endo burn calculator, I just think it's WAY too high. I also have over a year history with Runkeeper. I've imported almost all of my Runkeeper workouts into Endomondo (and Runtastic) but it's all a bit quirky.
  • Marc713
    Marc713 Posts: 328 Member
    Did you know that all calories burned are estimates based on formulas that are mathematical and not able to be accurate?

    The only way to know exactly what you burn is to have metabolic testing.

    There are a number of different formulas, but none will fit you exactly. And, as your body becomes more efficient, you'll actually burn less calories! My point is simply this, use them as a guide, and use the same method for all your measurements. Even HRMs are estimates, but fortunately they are based on the HR which is a better predictor of effort in your workouts.

    Completely irrelevant to the topic. Of course they are not 100% accurate and most everyone here does use them as a guide. Problem is trying to figure out WHICH number to use given the fact that some of us are getting wildly different numbers.

    It's completely relevant to the topic. People think all these gadgets and apps can be spot on, but they can't because of the exact things he mentioned. For the apps, if you aren't measuring your heartrate, it's pure speculation as to your fitness level and how difficult it might be for you to perorm that walk. If someone is just starting out, is obese, out of shape, they are going to expend more energy to walk for an hour than a person that is in peak condition and could easily RUN for 60 minutes instead of walking.

    The point is, don't put so much faith in them, use them as a guide.
  • aechl
    aechl Posts: 2
    Endomondo estimates WAY more calories burned biking than I get from any other site. I used my bike to commute to work all spring and summer, (and some of the fall, when I can...) 10.5 miles each way, and it was saying 700+ calories per ride. There is no way that is correct. MFP estimates about 400-500/ride, and that seems much more likely...
  • Eric53066
    Eric53066 Posts: 46 Member
    At this point I can't recommend Endomondo to anyone if they're using it to calculate calorie burn. If they want to use the other features of it, it's a decent app, although I think there are better ones out there.

    I use Runkeeper and have for over a year. It's calorie numbers are pretty similar to MFP. For grins last night I went out for a walk/jog wearing my HRM and used Endo instead of RK. Endo calculated my burn at 444 calories for my quick 35 minute route (I had already done 30DS before I went out) and I averaged 4.2mph. When I imported the .gpx file into RK it calculated that I had burned 350 calories. If I go into MFP and enter 35 minutes walked for me it comes up with 350 calories for a 4.0MPH walk.

    Did I actually burn 350 calories? I have no idea. Do I think that I burned 444 calories? I'm more skeptical of that than I am of 350.

    So in a nutshell, if you're really looking to calculate your calorie burn, DON'T go by the Endomondo numbers. And since MFP is using the Endo numbers if you have your accounts linked, you're probably inserting sunshine where sunshine isn't typically found.
  • indeterminate
    indeterminate Posts: 63 Member
    When looking back at the track on Endo for some lunchtime strolls, I can see that the elevation maps for my local area are well off. Endo thinks I'm running up and down mountains when I go for a walk around my only moderately hilly route and says I'm burning 400+ kcals for a 35 minute walk. Clearly not right. I think if Endo's elevation map of your area is accurate then you can have a bit more confidence in the numbers but I would say its doubling mine.
  • randrews0407
    randrews0407 Posts: 216 Member
    I stopped used Endo for a little while but decided to start back up today to track distance (moreso than guesstimate burn). For my 45 minutes lunchtime stroll it clocked just over 2.5 miles and 417 calories. Distance seems right, cals again...seem WAY OFF. I just don't "eat back" the calories.
  • isoisi
    isoisi Posts: 1 Member
    I guess Endomondo counts all the calories one is burning during the exercise and not just the extra calories on top of the bmr. Then when you import the exercise to mfp it just adds the calories to what you burn in a day. So for the time you trained you get the bmr calories doubled.
  • ssl444
    ssl444 Posts: 88 Member
    Haven't used endomondo, but do have a free app on my phone called cardio trainer, it's free very easy to use you can select various activities ie walking, cycling etc and it will track where you hav gone, your average speed, distance covered, time, calories burned, and its quite bang on as I wore my hrm at the same time to compare.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I have an HRM with chest strap that is synced to endomondo, rather than just using the app on it's own. They are very accurate for me. I typically burn between 350-500 calories per hour of strenuous exercise according to the HRM + endo sync calculations. When I had a different HRM with a chest strap that also came with a watch, the calorie burn showed fairly equal. I had to buy a new HRM and chose the one that syncs to endo since it also syncs with my Fitbit and MFP.

    I have never really used the endo calculation without the heart rate readings, though.

    ETA: If I had known before responding that this thread was old and dug up from the grave, I probably wouldn't have responded, lol. But my response still stands. :tongue:
  • DemonicWombat
    DemonicWombat Posts: 48 Member
    I've found if you use a decent HRM with the bluetooth synced up Endo Calorie counts are a little high but not bad.
  • Nicks_scotland
    Nicks_scotland Posts: 77
    You can sync your HRM to endomondo? That might help, cos the 112 mins of walking I just did was over 1000 according to edmondo and only 550 odd according to my polar.

    Now to figure out how to sync it!

    Edit: hmmmmm you need a specific dongle and strap. Won't be sync'ing then!
  • tuesdaythefifth
    tuesdaythefifth Posts: 1
    i use RunKeeper app but its not compatible with MFP...for me at 191 lbs...a 30 minute walk at avg speed of 3 mph it tells me i burn about 140 calories......so id say that is definitely WAY off and would not go by that at all.

    sounds about right to me,
    see http://www.nutristrategy.com/caloriesburnedwalking.htm
  • lynn413
    lynn413 Posts: 40
    I have Endomondo app as well and it is pretty much right on track for me. It also matched up with my pedometer and HRM. I love this APP.
  • triggsta
    triggsta Posts: 140
    I use endomondo with a HRM, so I guess I don't have a problem there, but sometimes the HRM bugs out on me (or it needs a changing of batteries) and when I do that, the calories are about the same as I would think they would have been otherwise.

    The only thing I can suggest is that perhaps you had your GPS on and your GPS wasn't functioning properly so it thought that, say, in an hour you did like 5 miles or something (where you would HAVE to be jogging to achieve that pace). I know my roommate has had that happen to her before. She looked at her map and even though she was going in a straight line, the GPS was zig-zagging like crazy so it thought she had done twice as many miles as she really had done (granted, this was on her iPod with a different app).

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