How accurate are the of calories burned on MFP exercises?

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unicornhug
unicornhug Posts: 68 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When you go to add a cardio exercise on my fitness pal, for example "Dancing general -30 minutes" or "walking slow moderate pace" how accurate is the amount of calories it says you burned? it seems way too high for what I'm doing???

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  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
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    I know some of them are way off so a HRM is suggested to track your calories burned.
  • unicornhug
    unicornhug Posts: 68 Member
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    crap... :/ I feel like maybe eating my exercise calories back may be making me eat more than I should if they aren't accurate! crap!
  • barb1241
    barb1241 Posts: 324 Member
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    Hard to say for sure-really just an estimate. I used my hubs' HRM one time and it came up with nearly double what MFP said for the same thing. Other folks swear MFP values are too high. I just assume they are correct and try to exerxise a few extra minutwes-if MFP is high, then it's a bonus. If MFP is low-then it's a bonus. Helps either way!

    ETA-I eat back nearly all of my exercise calories-or to be more accurate, I figure out what I want to eat and then exercise to compensate for those calories I'm gonna eat. I have lost 72 lbs as of today, so for me at least it's working. I refuse to starve myself into skinny. I would rather work at it a while longer and get fit and healthy-just me sayin'
  • happy_vegan
    happy_vegan Posts: 200 Member
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    Based on what my heart rate monitor shows me, those calorie estimates are easily 25-50% off. Especially the biking or any other light exercise that doesn't get your heart rate above 150. I also notice at the gym the calorie counter is extremely generous. I suspect they are using either heavier people? Does anyone know if men or women typically burn more calories at the same heart rate/weight? That could be another factor too.
  • morticiamom
    morticiamom Posts: 221 Member
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    I have doubled checked mine with an HRM, and they are within 20%.
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
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    I have found them extremely inaccurate for me, I have a low resting heart rate,and my workout rate isn't as high. They are always 25-50% over what my heart rate monitor says
  • unicornhug
    unicornhug Posts: 68 Member
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    Some people have told me its WAYYYY off- some people are saying its dead on.. I know either way im still not eating as much as i WAS before i was dieting.. but I know im eating more than a day where i dont work out... Aye yi yi.... :/
  • unicornhug
    unicornhug Posts: 68 Member
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    how much are heart rate monitors? and where do i get one?
  • caffeinated_frog
    caffeinated_frog Posts: 86 Member
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    For something like Circuit training, MFP numbers are higher than the monitor I wear, but since that involves weights, I'm not surprised. For walking, the numbers on MFP are way lower than what the monitor gives me. I have a high resting heart rate-in the 70's. Generally I am taking the lower numbers, just to play it safe.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
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    They tend to be high. I trust the machines at the gym more, assuming they let me add age and weight.
  • unicornhug
    unicornhug Posts: 68 Member
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    I usually put a few less minutes I worked out into the database- but I still feel that It's over- has anyone GAINED or NOT LOST weight by accidentally going over in calories due to the off cardio activities on MFP?
  • unicornhug
    unicornhug Posts: 68 Member
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    yeah- thought so.... today just seemed too easy... I was eating plenty... and still have "extra" calories according to MFP....
  • aaaron00
    aaaron00 Posts: 16 Member
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    Even if it's not completely accurate it still helps to write down what you did so you're held accountable :)
  • nanaimogirl2000
    nanaimogirl2000 Posts: 2
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    wow, amazing weightloss.
  • joshrocker
    joshrocker Posts: 6
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    I've been curious about this also. MFP will show my running on the treadmill at well over double what my treadmill says i've lost. My treadmill doesn't let me enter my own stats so i've never been sure what to believe. If the treadmill says I lost 200 calories, MFP will show it as 450 or so. I've always gone with the treadmill since it seems more realistic.

    As far as HRM's.....The average cheap ones seem to be around $50 and they can go quite a bit higher. I almost bought one but since i've been losing weight doing what i'm doing i've held off. I'll probably buy one when I hit my next wall.
  • alison590
    alison590 Posts: 61
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    I wondered about this. I keep seeing people with 700-1000 calories burned in a short period. I was pretty skeptical!
  • Sofitin2013
    Sofitin2013 Posts: 39
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    I find that it is a little too generous. I enter into my elliptical that I weigh 20lb less and that evens it out nicely! :)

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