Stationary bike question.

mudbugs07
mudbugs07 Posts: 28 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I left home without my HRM for my trip. I decided to go down to the hotel gym and do at least a 30 min cardio. I got on their stationary bike for 37 mins at a 18 mph avg. Now their machine indicated that I've burned 200 cals., but MFP indicated with a 12-14 mph avg I would burn 507 cal. My question is which one to use? I usually take what the MFP says minus 20%, is doing it that way closer to true burn.

PS I miss my HRM.

Replies

  • frenchfacey
    frenchfacey Posts: 237 Member
    did you input your weight into the stationary bike? or did you just do the quick start thing that assumes you are whatever weight its preprogrammed to assume (around 150 i think)
  • mreeves261
    mreeves261 Posts: 728 Member
    I'm not sure what kind of bike you were on. I just finished a 30 cycle, 12.8 miles, and the bike said I burned like 198 calories. My Garmin HRM gave me a burn of 210. Sooooo, at least for me today, the bike was far more accurate than MFP would be. I would go with the bike personally.
  • mudbugs07
    mudbugs07 Posts: 28 Member
    It didn't ask for the weight so i guess it the bikes programmed weight
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
    Not sure, but 507 seems extremely high for 37 minutes.
  • mudbugs07
    mudbugs07 Posts: 28 Member
    That's why I subtract 20% from MFP from what It gives me.
  • frenchfacey
    frenchfacey Posts: 237 Member
    hmm. well, when i dont know, i round DOWN, esp if i am trying to stay on track with a deficit or something. but just whatever, chalk it up to you had a good workout today and you wont know exactly but oh well, eat lean today and next time hit "options" on the bike this usually allows you to then work with the metrics and enter in your weight to get a more accurate result
  • WDEvy
    WDEvy Posts: 814 Member
    Normally my HRM gives me a burn almost exactly 50% of what the bike gives me. MFP one is CRAZY inflated.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    200 is way more accurate number. MFP calculates about double what actual bike rides burn, especially for women. I confirmed this months ago when I started using a HRM.

    ETA, just saw that you were male. You guys burn more cals than we do, so your number could be a bit higher than 200, but I wouldn't count more than 300 IMO.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    That is a tough question. Usually MFP numbers are a bit inflated. I know when I bike vigorously for about 30 minutes I get somewhere between 250 and 300. Not all bikes are created equal. Some have said the bike gives them too much but the ones in my gym reflect almost half of what my HRM (Polar) says. Maybe take the difference of the two and go with 350?

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