1000+ calories...or how wrong is MFP?

Yukongil
Yukongil Posts: 166 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
so this last weekend we hiked and biked for 4+ hours, which MFP says is close to 3000 calories burned. Now knowing that MFP tends to overestimate calories burned according to many on this site, I only recorded a little over an hour and a half, which still comes in over 1000 calories.

Anyone have any idea if this is closeish to right? Or have a good formula for actually figuring such a thing out without a heart monitor?

I can tell you from the experience, I was dog tired at the end, got low blood sugar several times, was actually cursing the terrain for the last mile and was near to eating one of the many horses we passed on the trail afterwards. Now I know that these things do not typically dictate caloric burn, but from other times I've exercised and have had accurate calorie burns, this was quite beyond any of those experiences.

And I guess to also add in another layer of conversation, share your own mind-bottling caloric burns...or maybe funny animal pics...whichever.

Replies

  • rocket_ace
    rocket_ace Posts: 380 Member
    i think for such hard work - 3000 calories probably sounds right. even walking 18 holes on a golf coarse (carrying clubs) can add up to that much or more...so job well done!!
  • sarahharmintx
    sarahharmintx Posts: 868 Member
    I hiked this summer with my fitbit. It wasnt a really hard hike but it was 107 degrees out (most of the trail was shadded but it was still blazing). FitBit estimated that I burned 700+ calories in like an hour.

    Do I think 3000 is possible on a 4 mile hike? Yes. I wouldnt eat all those calories back though :)
  • STrooper
    STrooper Posts: 659 Member
    If you are hiking on a trail with some real elevation gain or challenge (particularly with a pack) you can figure between 9-12 calories per minute.

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