Treadmill Calorie Count Question

BroiledNotFried

Precor treadmill's calories burned has at 3.8 mph about 300 calories an hour, but at 3.9 to 4.0 it jumps to about 500 calories an hour. I walk at 4,0 to 4.1 or 4.2, but have to start running at 4.3. I'm 5'4". If I am walking at 4.0, is the 500 calories right? Is the 4.0ish mark where most peope run?

Mokey41

Machines lie. They all over estimate and unless it has you inputting all your info like gender, weight, height then it has no idea who you are and to be at all accurate you'd need to be hanging on to the heart rate paddles the whole time which detracts from your exercise.

Example: My treadmill doesn't know me and last night I ran 5K on it in 30 minutes. It told me I burned over 500 calories while my heart rate monitor gave me 270.

Other question: I have to start running at about 4.5 mph but it's more of a wog there. I usually run at 6 mph.

omma_to_3

When I started running, 4.5 mph was running. It still is (meaning I can't walk at 4.5 at least not for any distance), but my typical pace is much faster now.

The machines are fairly inaccurate in calorie estimations. That does seem like a big jump to make. That being said, something about my stride makes maintaining a 4 mph walk much harder work than 3.7 mph (which is my comfortable faster walk speed). I am 5'4" as well and have proportionally shorter legs.

Azdak

The equations for estimating running and walking are valid for certain speeds--up to 4.2 mph for walking, faster than 5.0 mph for running.

I am not sure why the Precor makes such a big jump, unless they are using their own equation.

Between 4.2 and 5.0 is a grey area. At those speeds, there is too much variability in walking style to use a general equation. I'm not sure exactly how the treadmills figure it.

In the past, when these equations were developed, very few people ran at speeds less than 5.0 mph. And anyone who could walk faster than 4.2 mph usually ran. The large increase in numbers of people running at speeds less than 5.0 mph is a fairly recent development, and there is no way an equation can be developed that is applicable to all exercisers.

Bottom line: if you are running at a speed less than 5.0 mph, it is likely that the treadmill is UNDERestimating your calorie burn--because it is programmed to use the "walking" equation at that speed. (this of course assumes that you are NOT using any handrail support).

Mighty_Rabite

I noticed the calories per hour ramp up on the treadmills at my gym once you hit about 4.5mph, but my guess is that the machine expects someone at 4.5+ is running, and they likely changed the caloric burn equation to fit the physiology of running as opposed to the physiology of walking.