DO NOT RELY ON ACCURACY OF MFP CALS BURNED
Dunkelheit666
Posts: 223 Member
I keep seeing people surprised by the fact that their HRM says they burned less than the cals burned on the site. It’s pretty logical if you think about it:
This site cannot tell how "INTENSE" you are working out. For instance if I select circuit training, one person might burn 400 in half an hour, another might burn way more or less. The only way to get an accurate cals burned # is w/ an HRM.
If you haven’t bought one yet, you can trick the system by deducting 200-300 cals off your burned amount (unless you work out very intensely) or you can select loose two pounds vs 1 lb per week. That way you will be about 500 or so under regardless.
I hope this helps! Not being critical, but i keep seeing the same convo over and over.
This site cannot tell how "INTENSE" you are working out. For instance if I select circuit training, one person might burn 400 in half an hour, another might burn way more or less. The only way to get an accurate cals burned # is w/ an HRM.
If you haven’t bought one yet, you can trick the system by deducting 200-300 cals off your burned amount (unless you work out very intensely) or you can select loose two pounds vs 1 lb per week. That way you will be about 500 or so under regardless.
I hope this helps! Not being critical, but i keep seeing the same convo over and over.
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Replies
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i keep seeing the same convo over and over.
ditto.0 -
No big deal. Your body has the final say. Listen to it.0
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what I've taken to doing is assuming the cals MFP says I burned on strength training are generally correct +/-. and for my treadmill work I adjust the time until it tells me the same or as close to it as I can get to the cals burned that the treadmill says. And I never eat back all of my cals burned - usually just enough to come back up over BMR. Seems to be working so far.0
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No big deal. Your body has the final say. Listen to it.
My body speaks Portuguese which i dont understand.0 -
HRM aren't always correct either. If used correctly and you are at the right fitness level they can be fairly accurate, but if not they can be wildly off.0
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I totally agree! You did not burn 100 calories by vacuuming!!
I bought a heart rate monitor recently and I'm shocked at how few calories I burn. It's a little sad, but at least I know the truth!0 -
EVERYTHING is an estimation - your BMR, your TDEE, the calories you eat (regardless of how closely you log) and your calories burned. Even heart rate monitors are estimates.0
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HRMs are still set up based on formulas for the info entered. If your body is not the "normal", those counts will be off, too.0
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I totally agree! You did not burn 100 calories by vacuuming!!
I bought a heart rate monitor recently and I'm shocked at how few calories I burn. It's a little sad, but at least I know the truth!
I'm honestly not trying to be a pervo, but sex i think is severely underestimated. Old men might only burn 84 cals and hour, but im far more "enthusiastic" than an old guy0 -
EVERYTHING is an estimation - your BMR, your TDEE, the calories you eat (regardless of how closely you log) and your calories burned. Even heart rate monitors are estimates.
^^^^More people need to realize this.0 -
I totally agree! You did not burn 100 calories by vacuuming!!
I bought a heart rate monitor recently and I'm shocked at how few calories I burn. It's a little sad, but at least I know the truth!
I'm honestly not trying to be a pervo, but sex i think is severely underestimated. Old men might only burn 84 cals and hour, but im far more "enthusiastic" than an old guy
Everyone loves a tryer! :P0 -
EVERYTHING is an estimation - your BMR, your TDEE, the calories you eat (regardless of how closely you log) and your calories burned. Even heart rate monitors are estimates.
^^^^More people need to realize this.
Perhaps, but i think that HRM's are still waaaaay more accurate than the totals given on the site simply because the site has no way of knowing how intensely you work out no?0 -
I go the opposite way. MFP might say a walk I have done has burned 100 cals. My HRM says 250.
I always go for the lower amount. Just to be safe.0 -
Does it really matter how many calories you burned exactly…. I personally think that, it is great that you worked out for 30-60 minutes and were moving… you know you did the best to your abilities, and that’s what really counts in the long run, when the results being to show. It’s the same for food- sometimes we can’t find our exact food on MFP, but we go with approximate… This place is not 100% accurate, but does help to see your pattern in food and exercise. Cheers
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Does it really matter how many calories you burned exactly…. I personally think that, it is great that you worked out for 30-60 minutes and were moving… you know you did the best to your abilities, and that’s what really counts in the long run, when the results being to show. It’s the same for food- sometimes we can’t find our exact food on MFP, but we go with approximate… This place is not 100% accurate, but does help to see your pattern in food and exercise. Cheers
uuuuh yea it matters.0 -
EVERYTHING is an estimation - your BMR, your TDEE, the calories you eat (regardless of how closely you log) and your calories burned. Even heart rate monitors are estimates.
^^^^More people need to realize this.
Perhaps, but i think that HRM's are still waaaaay more accurate than the totals given on the site simply because the site has no way of knowing how intensely you work out no?
Yeah, the HRM is probably more accurate.0 -
Actually you can get tested to know a much closer guess. It's still not perfect but much much closer.EVERYTHING is an estimation - your BMR, your TDEE, the calories you eat (regardless of how closely you log) and your calories burned. Even heart rate monitors are estimates.
They measure your breathing compared to heart rate and you can do it for BMR and your heart rate zones. I got tested for both and since using my HRM with those parameters, and upping my calorie intake from what MFP says, I've lost more weight.0 -
Until I get my HRM I ordered, I have been going off of whatever machine I'm on says I've burned and even then, it's always a different number than what MFP would say if I put the same time in on here. I know neither are probably dead on, so I just assume that it's either a little lower or possibly a little higher than what I have entered.0
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This. I have found the numbers given to me are not working for me to lose weight. I get to adjust them based on my results.EVERYTHING is an estimation - your BMR, your TDEE, the calories you eat (regardless of how closely you log) and your calories burned. Even heart rate monitors are estimates.0 -
I agree with Annie. I cut in half whatever calories the site says I have burned. For me, the goal is to track that I HAVE EXERCISED, rather than track the calories burned by exercising. So I guess it depends on what your goal is -is it to track an increase in movement or track calories burned in relation to calories consumed?
That said - hurray to everyone for getting moving! That is one hurdle I struggle with, so I applaud everyone who does so, regardless of the goal behind it.0 -
Until I get my HRM I ordered, I have been going off of whatever machine I'm on says I've burned and even then, it's always a different number than what MFP would say if I put the same time in on here. I know neither are probably dead on, so I just assume that it's either a little lower or possibly a little higher than what I have entered.
I havent tried, but i've heard machines can be very inaccurate.0 -
what I've taken to doing is assuming the cals MFP says I burned on strength training are generally correct +/-. and for my treadmill work I adjust the time until it tells me the same or as close to it as I can get to the cals burned that the treadmill says. And I never eat back all of my cals burned - usually just enough to come back up over BMR. Seems to be working so far.
^^^This0 -
EVERYTHING is an estimation - your BMR, your TDEE, the calories you eat (regardless of how closely you log) and your calories burned. Even heart rate monitors are estimates.
^^^^More people need to realize this.
Perhaps, but i think that HRM's are still waaaaay more accurate than the totals given on the site simply because the site has no way of knowing how intensely you work out no?
Not necessarily. HRMs assume your raised heartrate is as a result of cardio that burns calories and but an elevated heart rate does not necessarily mean you are doing cardio. You may not be burning calories at the rate it figures. Any number of things can affect heartrate. Look at strength training - people use a HRM all the time but it is not accurate. The heart rate goes up, but your body is not using nearly as many muscles/not burning as many calories as if you were doing cardio.
And again, heartrate monitors are based on average. If you have a slightly faster or slower heartrate in general, the HRM won't be accurate.0 -
I also think the other thing we need to take into account is fitness level.
my heart and body do less work doing the same routine from one week to the next. your body gets more efficient the more fit you are. that is why HRM's are so critical.
Theoretically, your heart should do less work doing the same things each week, therefor you need to challenge your body contantly to improve weight loss or results.0 -
EVERYTHING is an estimation - your BMR, your TDEE, the calories you eat (regardless of how closely you log) and your calories burned. Even heart rate monitors are estimates.
^^^^More people need to realize this.
Perhaps, but i think that HRM's are still waaaaay more accurate than the totals given on the site simply because the site has no way of knowing how intensely you work out no?
Not necessarily. HRMs assume your raised heartrate is as a result of cardio that burns calories and but an elevated heart rate does not necessarily mean you are doing cardio. You may not be burning calories at the rate it figures. Any number of things can affect heartrate. Look at strength training - use a HRM all the time but it is not accurate. The heart rate goes up, but your body is not using nearly as many muscles/not burning as many calories as if you were doing cardio.
And again, heartrate monitors are based on average. If you have a slightly faster or slower heartrate in general, the HRM won't be accurate.
But your example isnt necessarily true. When i weight train i do an intense circuit within a 6 minute window w/ 1 minute rest. I burn waaaay more than the guy that does 5 curls of a heavy weight then goes and looks at himself in the mirror.0 -
Until I get my HRM I ordered, I have been going off of whatever machine I'm on says I've burned and even then, it's always a different number than what MFP would say if I put the same time in on here. I know neither are probably dead on, so I just assume that it's either a little lower or possibly a little higher than what I have entered.
I havent tried, but i've heard machines can be very inaccurate.
Which is why I just said I assume it'd a round about number. I mean, I lost 2 lbs in two weeks without a HRM using what the machine tells me, some I must be doing something right.0 -
EVERYTHING is an estimation - your BMR, your TDEE, the calories you eat (regardless of how closely you log) and your calories burned. Even heart rate monitors are estimates.
^^^^More people need to realize this.
Perhaps, but i think that HRM's are still waaaaay more accurate than the totals given on the site simply because the site has no way of knowing how intensely you work out no?
Not necessarily. HRMs assume your raised heartrate is as a result of cardio that burns calories and but an elevated heart rate does not necessarily mean you are doing cardio. You may not be burning calories at the rate it figures. Any number of things can affect heartrate. Look at strength training - use a HRM all the time but it is not accurate. The heart rate goes up, but your body is not using nearly as many muscles/not burning as many calories as if you were doing cardio.
And again, heartrate monitors are based on average. If you have a slightly faster or slower heartrate in general, the HRM won't be accurate.
But your example isnt necessarily true. When i weight train i do an intense circuit within a 6 minute window w/ 1 minute rest. I burn waaaay more than the guy that does 5 curls of a heavy weight then goes and looks at himself in the mirror.
Yes you would burn more but that doesn't mean the HRM can accurately estimate it.
I am goin to search for a link with the explanation of it.
Eta - but re-reading - an intense circuit training would be more accurate. I was more referring to lifting weights not intense circuit.0 -
Until I get my HRM I ordered, I have been going off of whatever machine I'm on says I've burned and even then, it's always a different number than what MFP would say if I put the same time in on here. I know neither are probably dead on, so I just assume that it's either a little lower or possibly a little higher than what I have entered.
I havent tried, but i've heard machines can be very inaccurate.
Which is why I just said I assume it'd a round about number. I mean, I lost 2 lbs in two weeks without a HRM using what the machine tells me, some I must be doing something right.
I lost a lot of weight w/out a HRM too, but because my heart got "more fit" i hit a plateau...you prolly will too. Just sayin0 -
No big deal. Your body has the final say. Listen to it.
My body is telling me to eat an entire large pizza after 7pm.0 -
No big deal. Your body has the final say. Listen to it.
My body speaks Portuguese which i dont understand.
Damn foreigners.0
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