Question about bikes/treadmills

dazleyj
dazleyj Posts: 33 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Good morning :) I have a question about excercise bikes, treadmills, heck any machine that counts my calories. Lets say I ride an excercise bike for 30 minutes, 16 mph, the machine says i burned 200ish calories, but MFP says I burn 387.... which is the right estimate?

On a side note, why is it that i can ride a bike for 1.5 hours at moderate intensity but i can only run for 2 minutes then i have to slow down, my HR gets up to about 180ish at 6mph at a 3% incline! I hope it gets better...

Replies

  • dazleyj
    dazleyj Posts: 33 Member
    bumpity bump
  • BeckZombie
    BeckZombie Posts: 138 Member
    I've heard MFP overestimates calories burned. My current stationary bike's counter is broken, so I go with MFP, but when I had access to a properly working bike, I used its calorie count. Basically, I'd go with the lower number if you eat back your exercise calories.
  • MuddieMae
    MuddieMae Posts: 3
    On a side note, why is it that i can ride a bike for 1.5 hours at moderate intensity but i can only run for 2 minutes then i have to slow down, my HR gets up to about 180ish at 6mph at a 3% incline! I hope it gets better...

    Cycling is one of the most efficient modes of human-powered transport. I presume that carries over somewhat to stationary bikes vs treadmills.
  • orangelobster
    orangelobster Posts: 151
    It's horrid winter where I am so I'm a treadmill person these days.

    I go with the calorie burn indicated on the machine I'm on, though I usually knock off 10% or so (or do an extra 10%)
    I would rather under estimate cal burn and over estimate cal intake than the other way around.

    Sometimes I think the machines are a little too optimistic.

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