How many calories am I really burning?

kimM0707
kimM0707 Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all,

I am new to this and am using the elliptical machine as my main source of exercise. The machine at my gym has a calorie burning display based on my speed, duration, age etc. For example, when i work out for an hour, it will usually tell me i burned anywhere from 570-600 calories. When I select the elliptical trainer option on the MFP App, it will say I burned 800 for the exact same amount of time. it would be nice if the app was right and the machine is wrong, but i am afraid of eating more than i actually burned so i have been going off of the machine. Has anyone else noticed this? Do you trust one over the other for any particular reason?

Thanks for your help! :)

Replies

  • ValerieMomof2
    ValerieMomof2 Posts: 530 Member
    This is a very frequently asked question and both are off a little so your best bet is to get a HRM that you enter all your info (gender, weight, height, Resting HR.....) and that will be more accurate
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    The machine has more information than MFP does, so it is probably more accurate.
  • emills1970
    emills1970 Posts: 118 Member
    You should invest in a HRM. I use a Polar FT7 and I love it.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    Go with the machine for now. HRM is a little bit of an investment. If you can guesstimate and be ok, then no real need right now.

    When your ready, your going to want an HRM with a chest strap.
  • dcuevas6235
    dcuevas6235 Posts: 135
    I was always wondering that myself, but for a different reason.

    Of course the machine is not going to be accurate to the T, but I was wondering if those calories burned included a guestimate BMR for that time during a work out. Any one have any ideas?

    btw BMR=basal metabolic rate for those reading who didn't know.
  • ashleab37
    ashleab37 Posts: 575 Member
    Before I got a HRM, I'd always just go with whichever is lower. Just safer that way if you're trying to lose.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I only go off my Polar FT60 heart rate monitor. It gives me the best accuracy of the 3 and even then I only eat back 85% of those calories burned.... Best of Luck
  • Berlygirl10
    Berlygirl10 Posts: 68
    I agree with all those that say get a HRM. I just started working out again and I was sweating crazy but the machines said I was only burning 150 calories.. got my HRM and I was doubling that amount
  • apriltrainer
    apriltrainer Posts: 732 Member
    Ditto. Get a Hrm. I have the polar ft 60. When I used to do cardio...the machines really overestimated what I burned. Also online tables that would guesstimate based on my height/weight also overestimated.

    I remember when I first started running after I my first pregnancy to lose the baby weight...my heart rate monitor told me 100 cals. Later I hit a plateu and my hrm told me I was burning 50 in 10 min.. THAT WAS IT!

    The treadmill? Always told me I was burning more. Always.

    I stopped going by what the machines and online calcs would say and went by my hrm and saw better results. Of course now I don't do cardio but that's what I was doing when I did cardio. HRM. It really is a good investment.
  • kimM0707
    kimM0707 Posts: 3
    Thanks to everyone who responded. I will be looking into getting an HRM, and in the mean time, will go off the lower of the two just to be safe.

    Thanks!

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