calorie burn on machines at the gym

Sharkiedaisy
Sharkiedaisy Posts: 3 Member
edited September 2024 in Introduce Yourself
Do you think that the amount of calories the machines say you burn at the gym is an accurate measure of what you actually burn? I was told that it wasn't very accurate, but that is what I have been using to track my calories.

Replies

  • «lindsay»
    «lindsay» Posts: 65 Member
    Unless you enter your stats, like height and weight, then it will probably be incorrect. Buy a HRM that tracks Calories Burned. I bought a Polar F6 and I <3 it!!! Hope this helps!!
  • Desiderata
    Desiderata Posts: 91 Member
    what you actually burn is about 15% of what the machine said.

    So if the machine says youve burned 600, youve actually burned about 510

    :( sad i know
  • RedneckWmn
    RedneckWmn Posts: 3,200 Member
    I bought a Polar F7 on Amazon. Best $100 spent! I have noticed on the treadmil I burn a lot more then what the machine says. On the elliptical I burn less then what it says. So I would say they aren't accurate at all! Even when you enter your information. The bike is just as bad. If you have some extra money I suggest investing in a HRM. You wont regret it.
  • Bleux
    Bleux Posts: 186 Member
    I find that what my HRM says on my watch and what the machine says are COMPLETELY different. I burn far less calories according to my HRM as what the machine displays. I wouldn't trust it. ANd you don't have to buy an expensive one, my cost me around 20$ (25 Euro) and it works fine.
  • Laceylala
    Laceylala Posts: 3,094 Member
    Depending on how fast I'm going, how high the intensity level, etc. the elliptical can show more or less cals burned than what the HRM does...but yeah. I go off my HRM. Polar F6.

    Best $100 I've ever spent. It is totally what motivates me at the gym to keep going and keep pushing.
  • mworld
    mworld Posts: 270 Member
    If you do go with the Polar and decide to log calories that way remember this (which you can get off Polar brand FAQs):

    Polar (as well as most exercise equipment) uses a calorie algorithm that is INCLUSIVE of your metabolic rate calories.... i.e. calories burnt in TOTAL during exercise (including those you would have burnt if not exercising).

    So if I used one, i know I burn about 150 calories in an hour just doing nothing at my desk, so I would have to take what the polar says and subtract 150.

    There are some pricier ones from other manufacturers that will give you the calories in EXCESS of your metabolic rate and I believe they include Timex and Oregon Scientific. (i did the research a couple of years ago so I its been a while and there may be a lot more).
  • Jenks
    Jenks Posts: 349 Member
    If you do go with the Polar and decide to log calories that way remember this (which you can get off Polar brand FAQs):

    Polar (as well as most exercise equipment) uses a calorie algorithm that is INCLUSIVE of your metabolic rate calories.... i.e. calories burnt in TOTAL during exercise (including those you would have burnt if not exercising).

    So if I used one, i know I burn about 150 calories in an hour just doing nothing at my desk, so I would have to take what the polar says and subtract 150.

    There are some pricier ones from other manufacturers that will give you the calories in EXCESS of your metabolic rate and I believe they include Timex and Oregon Scientific. (i did the research a couple of years ago so I its been a while and there may be a lot more).

    Thanks for the info.
  • Sharkiedaisy
    Sharkiedaisy Posts: 3 Member
    Thanks for the info, I'll have to do some research!
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