Accuracy of Exercise Calories

Thunderfan66

How accurate are the exercise calories on here or are they a guide only? I've been reading some of the opinions on eating back exercise calories, but it's hard to know whether to eat them back if the calories burnt are not accurate! i don't have a heart rate monitor and don't intend on getting one, so are the MFP counts good enough for an estimate?

ChristinaR720

I think it depends on who you ask, but most will say that MFP overestimates calories burned. If you eat back your exercise calories, only eat half of them, if you are going by MFP's estimation of the calories you burn.

Skrib69

I do a general web search and form an opinion from there. Walking seems about right, but the Aikido burn is way out. I guess walking the dog for an hour covering 3 miles is a fairly rigid energy need, whereas 90 minutes aikido has much more scope to get it wrong depending on how intense you do the workout of course!!! Like you I have no intention of getting a heart rate monitor!

MsPudding

Walking seems about right, but the Aikido burn is way out. I guess walking the dog for an hour covering 3 miles is a fairly rigid energy need, whereas 90 minutes aikido has much more scope to get it wrong depending on how intense you do the workout of course!!! Like you I have no intention of getting a heart rate monitor!

Walking is way out for me. I track my walking with a heart rate monitor and MFP's calorie expenditure count is rountinely around a third higher. The same thing with aerobics for me; MFP is way higher.

So personally I wouldn't use MFP's estimates at all because knowing they're so far out for me, it'd totally blow my day if I ate those calories back. Heart rate monitors for aerobic exericse are the way to go.

rfuchs

I personally think MFP overestimates my about 20%.

MrsCassizzleSparkles

I feel like MFP overestimates every activity I've tried, especially now that I can compare it to a more accurate count from my heart rate monitor.