How should I calculate calories burned?

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shadow2soul
shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know that no matter how I do it, nothing is going to be 100% accurate. So my question is would my heart rate monitor be more accurate than MFP estimates or should I just use MFP's estimates?

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  • Rose_bee
    Rose_bee Posts: 226 Member
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    Your Heart Rate Monitor is going to be the most accurate.

    MFP's estimates are almost always too high for me. I always go by my HRM's numbers.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    My HRM is calculating higher than MFP. Although I am around 80lbs overweight and I tend to push to keep my hr at 75% or higher.

    For example:

    Today I went for a walk, walked 2 miles in 38 mins at an average speed of 2.9. My hr never dropped below 75%, according to my hrm.

    MFP estimates 203 calories.
    HRM estimates 623 calories.
  • Rose_bee
    Rose_bee Posts: 226 Member
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    What kind of HRM do you have?

    The ones with a chest strap are fairly accurate. The ones that just go around your wrist (or other body part) don't work so well.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    chest strap
  • Rose_bee
    Rose_bee Posts: 226 Member
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    If it's a good well-known brand of HRM, and the batteries are fresh, I'd go ahead and trust that higher number.
  • artickb22
    artickb22 Posts: 411 Member
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    I'm a huge fan of a good ole heart rate monitor!!
  • Rhonnie
    Rhonnie Posts: 506 Member
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    Given MFP probably doesn't assume your heart rate would be that high at that speed I'd go with the HRM. Keep in mind that number you burn with probably decrease rapidly in the next couple of weeks as your body will probably adjust quickly to walking. Don't be disappointed when/if that happens - its proof you are getting healthier and what you are doing is working!
  • spangey13
    spangey13 Posts: 294
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    I used MFP estimates until about November last year when I bought a HRM.

    Up until then I was not losing ANYTHING. Granted, I had not alot to get rid of anyway, but still...

    I would run for (say) an hour. My HRM will tell me I have burned about 450 calories for an hour of running, but MFP tells me that I burn 600 or so.

    Walking MFP grossly understimates what I was doing. It would give me about 30% credit.

    Definately go with what the HRM says. Until I started using a HRM the scale wouldn't budge but now I have lost my last niggly pounds.

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