Is what the treadmill saying true?

UnicornRides
UnicornRides Posts: 56
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I've always been a bit unsure. I do treadmill workouts (no jogging/running because of my feet and knees) at a 10% incline.. and never noticed, until tonight, that it tells you the calories you burned at the end of the workout.

Here is my treadmill adventures for the day:

2.5 mph at a 10% incline for 30 minutes (2.5 pace, 10 incline, for 30 mins)
3.0 mph at a 10% incline for 5 minutes (3.0 pace, 10 incline, 5 mins
2.0 mpg at a 10% incline for 10 minutes (2.0 pace, 10 incline, 10 mins)
I weigh 189lbs.

Now, the treadmill said I burned around 856 calories in this time..
And this treadmill site (http://42.195km.net/e/treadsim/) says I burned 433..
but, because MFP doesn't let you choose anything but your speed and time.. it says I burned 267 calories..

Help me out! I've been using MFP but I might be burning more calories than what it tells me!
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Replies

  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
    The treadmill cals definitely seem quite high. I would go with the treadmill site or split the difference between the website and MFP cals if you want to eat the cals all back.
  • Resa52
    Resa52 Posts: 182 Member
    The treadmill site is about 10-15 calories away from what my heart rate monitor tells me, so I find it to be pretty accurate!
  • UnicornRides
    UnicornRides Posts: 56
    The treadmill cals definitely seem quite high. I would go with the treadmill site or split the difference between the website and MFP cals if you want to eat the cals all back.

    That's probably what I will do. Thanks for the reply. :)
  • UnicornRides
    UnicornRides Posts: 56
    The treadmill site is about 10-15 calories away from what my heart rate monitor tells me, so I find it to be pretty accurate!

    10-15 calories higher or lower?

    And thanks for the accuracy reply! It's hard to tell which sites are better to go by these days. I just found the treadmill site and it seems pretty helpful (it's all gibberish to me.)
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    So, I've always been a bit unsure. I do treadmill workouts (no jogging/running because of my feet and knees) at a 10% incline.. and never noticed, until tonight, that it tells you the calories you burned at the end of the workout.

    Here is my treadmill adventures for the day:

    2.5 mph at a 10% incline for 30 minutes (2.5 pace, 10 incline, for 30 mins)
    3.0 mph at a 10% incline for 5 minutes (3.0 pace, 10 incline, 5 mins
    2.0 mpg at a 10% incline for 10 minutes (2.0 pace, 10 incline, 10 mins)
    I weigh 189lbs.

    Now, the treadmill said I burned around 856 calories in this time..
    And this treadmill site (http://42.195km.net/e/treadsim/) says I burned 433..
    but, because MFP doesn't let you choose anything but your speed and time.. it says I burned 267 calories..

    Help me out! I've been using MFP but I might be burning more calories than what it tells me!

    That seems awfully high for 45 minutes of walking. I don't even burn that much running at 10mph for 45 minutes. As a rule of thumb, pick the lowest (within reason) estimation for exercise and the highest (within reason) estimation when eating food of unknown caloric value.
  • fluffykitsune
    fluffykitsune Posts: 236 Member
    My rule of thumb is 100cal for 1mile
    so you did like 1.5 - 2miles.. I wouldn't count on more than ~250cal
  • UnicornRides
    UnicornRides Posts: 56
    So, I've always been a bit unsure. I do treadmill workouts (no jogging/running because of my feet and knees) at a 10% incline.. and never noticed, until tonight, that it tells you the calories you burned at the end of the workout.

    Here is my treadmill adventures for the day:

    2.5 mph at a 10% incline for 30 minutes (2.5 pace, 10 incline, for 30 mins)
    3.0 mph at a 10% incline for 5 minutes (3.0 pace, 10 incline, 5 mins
    2.0 mpg at a 10% incline for 10 minutes (2.0 pace, 10 incline, 10 mins)
    I weigh 189lbs.

    Now, the treadmill said I burned around 856 calories in this time..
    And this treadmill site (http://42.195km.net/e/treadsim/) says I burned 433..
    but, because MFP doesn't let you choose anything but your speed and time.. it says I burned 267 calories..

    Help me out! I've been using MFP but I might be burning more calories than what it tells me!

    That seems awfully high for 45 minutes of walking. I don't even burn that much running at 10mph for 45 minutes. As a rule of thumb, pick the lowest (within reason) estimation for exercise and the highest (within reason) estimation when eating food of unknown caloric value.

    Well, you have to take into account that I weigh much more than you.. so I will probably burn quite a bit of calories in just a short amount of time (at an uphill pace)

    The problem with the rule of thumb is if I want to eat my calories back or if I'm not getting enough calories.. because of my weight and workout, I need to be more precise.

    But thanks for the reply and the idea. I usually go by that in other circumstances.
  • UnicornRides
    UnicornRides Posts: 56
    My rule of thumb is 100cal for 1mile
    so you did like 1.5 - 2miles.. I wouldn't count on more than ~250cal

    I never really keep up with miles because I'm on a treadmill. And the one I use doesn't show me mileage. :(

    Thanks, though.
  • katebowen37
    katebowen37 Posts: 55 Member
    Half an hour of walking with no incline, the treadmill tells me I burn 200. I go to the eliptical and do a half hour on strength program 4 (it's like an interval workout) and it says I burn over 400. The 400 seems high to me but it's a workout!
  • _namaste_
    _namaste_ Posts: 246
    Can you get a heart rate monitor? Then you will know almost exactly. I use one and always eat almost every single calorie back and have been losing steadily so it's definitely on point. :)
  • jrreed1
    jrreed1 Posts: 57 Member
    Read this. It may answer some of your questions.

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/articles/net-versus-gross-calorie-burn.aspx
  • fluffykitsune
    fluffykitsune Posts: 236 Member
    My rule of thumb is 100cal for 1mile
    so you did like 1.5 - 2miles.. I wouldn't count on more than ~250cal

    I never really keep up with miles because I'm on a treadmill. And the one I use doesn't show me mileage. :(

    Thanks, though.
    think of it as, 20 minutes walking at 3mph is 1 mile, because 60 / 3 = 20 C:
    the incline does add more burn.. but I would rather undershoot than overshoot, you know?
  • TarshCooper001
    TarshCooper001 Posts: 25 Member
    Inaccurate.. a heart rate monitor is the closest you will get to knowing your calorie burn :)
    Also- you cannot expect to continue to work off exactly the same calories everytime you do the same exercise for the same amount of time.
    Variables include your increasing fitness and your weight loss. I definately know I burnt alot more calories doing an hour of mixed cardio initially and now have to push further to burn the same amount of calories I used to!
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    Both are going to be inaccurate unless you can input your age weight, gender. The most accurate way of knowing is with a heart rate monitor.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    I don't think so.. at all.. I run on the treadmill and even when I weighed the same weight as you, I didn't burn more than 300 for a 30 min session. HRM is a bit more accurate and allows you to input factors not typically included on cardio equipment.
  • maniesduchocolat
    maniesduchocolat Posts: 39 Member
    I heard a lot of them are pretty inaccurate. Just for the sake of it, I substract 20% of what the machine tells me
  • Chan42069
    Chan42069 Posts: 1
    If you want to be extremely accurate i suggest the polar ft watch line... For about 90$ you get a watch and a heart rate monitor that work together. It tells you your heart rate and accurately measures your calories. Treadmills are set to count calories for certain weights, which might not be yours. I use my watch almost everyday and it was more that worth the 90$
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    If you want to be extremely accurate i suggest the polar ft watch line... For about 90$ you get a watch and a heart rate monitor that work together. It tells you your heart rate and accurately measures your calories. Treadmills are set to count calories for certain weights, which might not be yours. I use my watch almost everyday and it was more that worth the 90$

    Definitely agree with this post!
  • teebeegeebee
    teebeegeebee Posts: 218 Member
    Walking, 2.9 To 3.5 Mph, Uphill, 6% To 15% Grade 396calories burned ( assumptions were female 5'3" age 40(sorry) and weight 189lbs )

    Hi - I use this website to check the gym machines accuracy out http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calories_burned.htm , obviously with the right age and height you will get a better estimate as to calories burned.

    If my gym machine is plus or minus 5% on the above result for my age, weight height gender etc then i go with that, I deduct 20% for my food add back as a means to keep me from over indulging - some days i get major munchies.... for snacks in the evening

    I hope this is a help for you
  • JoanB5
    JoanB5 Posts: 610 Member
    Another short term alternative might be to go to a local gym for a day that has treadmills with heart monitor straps and do the same workout.

    I accidentally left my husband's settings on one day (he's heavier than I am), and I could not believe the burn when I was done! LOL. He can do the same workout as me and net a much better burn!

    I have a Sole F80 treadmill, and it let's you put in your weight, age, and gender, and adds in the calculation for heart-rate (which goes up with the hills). You definitely want to be netting results from all your hard work.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    So, I've always been a bit unsure. I do treadmill workouts (no jogging/running because of my feet and knees) at a 10% incline.. and never noticed, until tonight, that it tells you the calories you burned at the end of the workout.

    Here is my treadmill adventures for the day:

    2.5 mph at a 10% incline for 30 minutes (2.5 pace, 10 incline, for 30 mins)
    3.0 mph at a 10% incline for 5 minutes (3.0 pace, 10 incline, 5 mins
    2.0 mpg at a 10% incline for 10 minutes (2.0 pace, 10 incline, 10 mins)
    I weigh 189lbs.

    Now, the treadmill said I burned around 856 calories in this time..
    And this treadmill site (http://42.195km.net/e/treadsim/) says I burned 433..
    but, because MFP doesn't let you choose anything but your speed and time.. it says I burned 267 calories..

    Help me out! I've been using MFP but I might be burning more calories than what it tells me!

    I think 856 might be a little high.

    My stats:
    5'4"
    209lbs
    23

    I went on a 2.9 mile walk at an average speed of 3.2 mph on a trail with a few steep hills, my heart rate monitor estimated at 865. I of course don't trust the amount even a HRM estimates and only logged 80% of those calories, so about 692. Oh and I even jogged on one of the straight stretches (average speed of 4.5), but just logged it as walking.
  • Snapper1985
    Snapper1985 Posts: 124 Member
    Can you get a heart rate monitor? Then you will know almost exactly. I use one and always eat almost every single calorie back and have been losing steadily so it's definitely on point. :)


    THIS.
  • evansproudmama
    evansproudmama Posts: 493 Member
    If you want to be extremely accurate i suggest the polar ft watch line... For about 90$ you get a watch and a heart rate monitor that work together. It tells you your heart rate and accurately measures your calories. Treadmills are set to count calories for certain weights, which might not be yours. I use my watch almost everyday and it was more that worth the 90$

    Definitely agree with this post!

    I third this.. I have the polar f7 which works in conjunction with my iphone app and links up to the machines at my gym that have bluetooth and streams my heart rate on to them. Before I had an iphone I had the watch one and it worked just as nicely, you can find them even cheaper on ebay or amazon used and they work well still if your on a budget :) I found myself addicted to working out when I first got mine because it was so exciting to see a better count of the calories i was burning. I dont eat back all my exercise calories but if I did I would def. invest in a heart rate monitor to be sure I wasn't consuming to much or to little.

    Good lUck on your journey and congrats on making the choice to get healthy!!
  • albertine58
    albertine58 Posts: 267 Member
    Heart rate monitors are probably the best tool we have, but they can be really inaccurate as well. Even the fancy ones! From a scientific perspective, calorie burn is crazy hard to measure and heart rate is only a small part of the equation. For this reason, I personally don't care much about estimating my calories burned during workouts- I make sure to push myself hard every single day and do different exercises every day, and that's what matters!
    Side note- make sure you're strength training! changes your body way faster than the treadmill :)
  • MariaChele85
    MariaChele85 Posts: 267 Member
    The treadmill is NEVER right. Invest in a heart rate monitor.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    So, I've always been a bit unsure. I do treadmill workouts (no jogging/running because of my feet and knees) at a 10% incline.. and never noticed, until tonight, that it tells you the calories you burned at the end of the workout.

    Here is my treadmill adventures for the day:

    2.5 mph at a 10% incline for 30 minutes (2.5 pace, 10 incline, for 30 mins)
    3.0 mph at a 10% incline for 5 minutes (3.0 pace, 10 incline, 5 mins
    2.0 mpg at a 10% incline for 10 minutes (2.0 pace, 10 incline, 10 mins)
    I weigh 189lbs.

    Now, the treadmill said I burned around 856 calories in this time..
    And this treadmill site (http://42.195km.net/e/treadsim/) says I burned 433..
    but, because MFP doesn't let you choose anything but your speed and time.. it says I burned 267 calories..

    Help me out! I've been using MFP but I might be burning more calories than what it tells me!

    If you entered weight, and the pace is correct, it'll be more accurate than HRM at smaller inclines.

    I still can't believe there are treadmills out there that people claim have no place to enter weight.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/774337-how-to-test-hrm-for-how-accurate-calorie-burn-is

    But that is rather steep, and personal inefficiency starts entering into the equation more. Still probably as equal as HRM though.

    Here's another site. What's nice here, for eat-back calories for your workout, you'd use the NET option. To compare to what machine or HRM would tell you, use Gross option.

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs.html
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    The treadmill is NEVER right. Invest in a heart rate monitor.

    How is 3.4 calories off for walking, and 4.8 calories off for jogging, for 1 mile?

    That's way better than a HRM is going to give you.

    Read and learn.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/774337-how-to-test-hrm-for-how-accurate-calorie-burn-is
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    The treadmill is NEVER right. Invest in a heart rate monitor.

    How is 3.4 calories off for walking, and 4.8 calories off for jogging, for 1 mile?

    That's way better than a HRM is going to give you.

    Read and learn.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/774337-how-to-test-hrm-for-how-accurate-calorie-burn-is

    I dunno... I ran on the treadmill today. My Polar synced with the treadmill.. HRM says I burned 332 for 35 minutes running at 7.0mph, treadmill said 175 cals..

    I rounded the burn off to 300 for logging purposes but I can't possible see how the HRM is more wrong than the treadmill which only asked for my age and weight. Normally, I'd agree with what you are saying but given that I was at a stall before owning a HRM (and logging based on the low cals the treadmill would say)..
  • Oncebittentwiceshy38
    Oncebittentwiceshy38 Posts: 127 Member
    The treadmills at my gym have a feature where you can put in your weight and age and tracks your heart rate. If they didn't have that, I wouldn't trust the calorie readout at all.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    ^ I think without factors like age, height, weight combined at minimum, treadmills will never be accurate. A lot of treadmills I've seen also require you to hold on to the bars in order for the sensors to pick up your heart rate.. not good, makes for an inefficient workout. Today, I also noticed how my HRM would show my heart rate higher than what it said on the treadmill, It wouldn't go higher than 166 although I maintained a HR of 170+ during most of my workout

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