confused about calorie count on eliptical

shanerylee
shanerylee Posts: 298 Member
edited September 20 in Fitness and Exercise
So I just started excercing two weeks ago and Im very confused. I logged in 25 minutes on the eliptical. The actual machine says i burned 100 calories, but the fitness pal calculater said I burned 140 calories. Which one is right. ?

Replies

  • sasha25
    sasha25 Posts: 1
    Go by what the machine says. I find they estimate way too high for calories burned on here.
  • vhuber
    vhuber Posts: 8,779 Member
    Actually they are both to high, get a chest strap heart rate monitor if you want to know REAL amount!
  • shanerylee
    shanerylee Posts: 298 Member
    but if they are both wrong, how do you change your excercise calories .
  • fooja
    fooja Posts: 451 Member
    i use the elliptical and i find that mfp is accurate to what my machine says. only 1 time mfp was less, but i also think it depends on what resistance level u use too.
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
    So I just started excercing two weeks ago and Im very confused. I logged in 25 minutes on the eliptical. The actual machine says i burned 100 calories, but the fitness pal calculater said I burned 140 calories. Which one is right. ?

    When I'm on the elliptical I burn about 100 cal. every 10 minutes so it may be too low. That's why I wear a HRM so I know exactly!
  • starstealing
    starstealing Posts: 104
    Yeah, I'll bet you burned a little more than that. Get a HRM to know for sure, otherwise underestimation is your friend when it comes to exercise calories.
  • FireMonkey
    FireMonkey Posts: 500 Member
    100 calories does not sound like too much for 25 minutes. I also find that the calories burned on the website are high, but that may be because I've just started using the elliptical and burn about 9 calories per minute on the Cardio program. Today I decided to try one of the "Hills Plus" - did "Foot Hills" but it was so easy I'll be going for "Kilimanjaro" the next time. I just hope it won't be "Kill-imanjaro":laugh:
  • kiffypooh
    kiffypooh Posts: 1,045 Member
    I think that calories burned depends on how much you weight and how much you are working out. Do you program your weight into the machine? At our gym I can't program my weight and I'm 199 so I always assume that I'm burning more then the gym says. I am planning to get a HRM because I want to know the exact number :smile:
  • CinthyNair
    CinthyNair Posts: 261
    I think that calories burned depends on how much you weight and how much you are working out. Do you program your weight into the machine? At our gym I can't program my weight and I'm 199 so I always assume that I'm burning more then the gym says. I am planning to get a HRM because I want to know the exact number :smile:

    I agree! Calories burnt will also be influenced by your weight and height. If you are able to key in those information, it will help to provide a more accurate figure of actual calorie burnt.
  • jeebedo
    jeebedo Posts: 3
    yeah. go by what the machine says because mine says 100calories/10 minutes . I use the eliptical at home and the one at the gym. They are both different brands of elipticals but both show the same amt of calories burned whether im at the gym or at home.
  • jeebedo
    jeebedo Posts: 3
    also according to my personal trainer, make sure your heart rate stays between 135-150 otherwise all your doing is burning muscle. If you stay within range you'll see and feel that your actually gettting a better workout bc you'll be going at a slower pace
  • kiffypooh
    kiffypooh Posts: 1,045 Member
    also according to my personal trainer, make sure your heart rate stays between 135-150 otherwise all your doing is burning muscle. If you stay within range you'll see and feel that your actually gettting a better workout bc you'll be going at a slower pace

    Everyone has a specific range they should keep their heart rate at, it is an equation that has to do with your age and I think your weight. I copies the following from About.com when I googled "how to determine my ideal heart rate for burning calories?":


    You'll use this number to find your target heart rate zone using the Karvonen formula, a measure of your heart rate reserve. Using this formula, we'll calculate a THR zone between 50% and 85% of your heart rate reserve.
    To calculate the low end of your THR zone, 50% of your heart rate reserve, you'll use the following formula:

    206.9 - (0.67 x age) = Max Heart Rate (MaxHR)
    MaxHR - (resting heart rate) = Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)
    HRR x 50% = training range %
    training range % + resting heart rate = low end of THR zone

    The following example shows the low end of a THR for a 35 year old person with a resting heart rate of 60 bpm:

    206.9 - (0.67 x 35) = 183.45
    183.45 - 60 = 123.45
    123.45 x 50%= 62
    62 + 60 = 122 beats per minute

    For this person, their low end THR starts at 122 bpm, which would be a light, warm up pace. Make a note of your own heart rate and go on to the next step: calculating the high end (85%) of your THR zone.
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