Conflicting Data

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kathyw731
kathyw731 Posts: 22
in Fitness and Exercise
I did 53 minutes on the treadmill today at Golds Gym. I entered age and weight. At the end of the workout, the data showe 466 calories burned. I averaged 2.8 mph. I came home and entered 53 minutes in at 2.5 mph (that was the only one available that was close to my speed). The total calories burned according to Myfitnesspal was barely 300. Now I don't know who to believe. I don't want to putt in 466, because that might put me over on calories. Anyone know which is the correct one to enter?:

Replies

  • aeich8899
    aeich8899 Posts: 55 Member
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    I would go with the lower although you were .3 mph faster than the speed you put it in as. But going with the lower would be best and just use that.
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
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    I would go with the lower although you were .3 mph faster than the speed you put it in as.
    But going with the lower would be best and just use that.
  • NZhellkat
    NZhellkat Posts: 355 Member
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    Rule of thumb: Overestimate food, underestimate workouts. Gives you a bit of room to move.
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
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    ^^This. I prefer to underestimate exercise and overestimate food, unless I am planning on overindulging, then I try to be as accurate with exercise as possible LOL
  • TravelDog14
    TravelDog14 Posts: 317 Member
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    Whatever MFP tells me for a calorie burn I automatically chop off about 1/3.

    I'd always rather underestimate my calories burned than the other way around.
  • kathyw731
    kathyw731 Posts: 22
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    All of you seem to think the same way. I feel that way to, but then I get in trouble by not eating all my calories. My personal trainer said I'm exercising too much and not eating enough. I never thought I would see the day when a skinny person tells me, "You're not eating enough and working out too much". Great problem! Still, she says I will stall because I will go into starvation mode.
    The original point though was that there was such a big gap in the calories burned between the two. I guess I'll just go with the lower unless someone has some scientific data as to why I should go with the higher. Thanks everyone!
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
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    Get a cheap decent HRM it'll be slightly more accurate. Both the machine and MFP are doing best guess estimates
  • kathyw731
    kathyw731 Posts: 22
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    Get a cheap decent HRM it'll be slightly more accurate. Both the machine and MFP are doing best guess estimates

    Thanks! That's great idea. Didn't think of it.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
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    Exercise cals on mfp don't include those coming from your BMR/normal activity level, but HRM do, and maybe the machine did too. As for skinny people telling you to eat more, you will find lots of mfp members like that :laugh:. Please believe her, not necessarily about the starvation, but about being able to eat more than you might be at the moment.
  • frando
    frando Posts: 583 Member
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    I found with food to over and exercise to under estimate.

    As I'm on interval training, slow/fast minutes, I find that the gym equipment wasn't accurate enough- the MFP readings, other calorie burn sites and the machine readings didn't even out. When I had my second reassessment at my gym the owner took a shine to me 'not many girls sign up for weight loss and get to the first assessment' so he gave me money off a heart rate monitor. I adore the thing!

    If you're looking to loose alot, or to have cardio as a new part of your life, you may want to invest in one (hopefully they'll cheapen up in the new year!) as it will give you more accurate measurements on your burns.

    Good luck!

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