MFP overestimates exercise calories?

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majii13
majii13 Posts: 17 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've read a number of posts in the forums that indicate that MFP overestimates exercise calories, and people seem to take it for gospel, but I've noticed the opposite. More often than not my heart rate monitor says I've burned more calories than the MFP estimate for whatever exercise I've done. The most glaring example I've noticed in my own exercise diary was for softball. MFP said that an hour of softball would burn 380 calories, but my heart rate monitor said that I burned about twice that many calories. Does anybody have any examples of exercises where they've measured their calories burned and the number has been less than what MFP estimates? I'm not doubting that it happens, but I just wonder which exercises might be the worst culprits.
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  • KY2022runner
    KY2022runner Posts: 72 Member
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    mine had me burning 100 calories for running .5 miles (via runtastic). I know that is too high so i usually half that. It depends on the exercise though. When i used to do harcore ellipitical intervals MFP would always measure in too low.

    Remember timing an actively cant accurately gauge calories since it doesn't really factor in intensity.
  • belle713
    belle713 Posts: 30
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    I've read a number of posts in the forums that indicate that MFP overestimates exercise calories, and people seem to take it for gospel, but I've noticed the opposite. More often than not my heart rate monitor says I've burned more calories than the MFP estimate for whatever exercise I've done. The most glaring example I've noticed in my own exercise diary was for softball. MFP said that an hour of softball would burn 380 calories, but my heart rate monitor said that I burned about twice that many calories. Does anybody have any examples of exercises where they've measured their calories burned and the number has been less than what MFP estimates? I'm not doubting that it happens, but I just wonder which exercises might be the worst culprits.

    I don't have any idea what the correct numbers would look like but mine seem CRAZY HIGH! If they are correct, yay for me but it seems almost impossible. LOL
  • daniellemm1
    daniellemm1 Posts: 465 Member
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    For walking and running MFP gives me twice the burn then I deserve.
  • majii13
    majii13 Posts: 17 Member
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    For walking and running MFP gives me twice the burn then I deserve.

    When I run, MFP's estimates are closer, but they're still usually lower than my heart rate monitor says.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    I've read a number of posts in the forums that indicate that MFP overestimates exercise calories, and people seem to take it for gospel, but I've noticed the opposite. More often than not my heart rate monitor says I've burned more calories than the MFP estimate for whatever exercise I've done. The most glaring example I've noticed in my own exercise diary was for softball. MFP said that an hour of softball would burn 380 calories, but my heart rate monitor said that I burned about twice that many calories. Does anybody have any examples of exercises where they've measured their calories burned and the number has been less than what MFP estimates? I'm not doubting that it happens, but I just wonder which exercises might be the worst culprits.

    I don't have any idea what the correct numbers would look like but mine seem CRAZY HIGH! If they are correct, yay for me but it seems almost impossible. LOL
    So why do you think they're crazy high if you have no idea what they should look like?

    OP - I've found that MFP seems to underestimate a little when compared to my heart rate monitor (which is also just an estimate of course). For walking, MFP estimates way below what my HRM suggests.
  • knityoupants
    knityoupants Posts: 76 Member
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    Yeah, I feel it estimates high too. I usually just put my workouts in for shorter than they actually were and hope for the best. I think this is also the reason why MFP members who eat back their exercise calories plan on eating back just 70%. Meh, compensating is compensating.

    All I know is my fun but not even remotely killer Zumba class CAN'T be burning 500 calories. My heart rate is above 130 for maybe a third of the time. Maybe.
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
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    I find MFP is usually spot on with my heart rate monitor, sometimes even lower.
  • DavidMartinez2
    DavidMartinez2 Posts: 840 Member
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    The most glaring example I've noticed in my own exercise diary was for softball. MFP said that an hour of softball would burn 380 calories, but my heart rate monitor said that I burned about twice that many calories.

    You did not burn over 700 calories playing softball for an hour.
  • majii13
    majii13 Posts: 17 Member
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    The most glaring example I've noticed in my own exercise diary was for softball. MFP said that an hour of softball would burn 380 calories, but my heart rate monitor said that I burned about twice that many calories.

    You did not burn over 700 calories playing softball for an hour.

    According to my heart rate monitor, I burned 650 calories in 55 minutes of playing softball. 5 more minutes at that rate and I would've been a little over 700 calories burned.
  • Zaggytiddies
    Zaggytiddies Posts: 326 Member
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    A half hour of circuit training usually gets me 150-160 cals based on my heart rate monitor. MFP quotes me 286. Im pushing hard Im just really short.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/estimating-calories-activity-databases-198041
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Yea, I have a hard time believing I burn 1000 calories or whatever it is that MFP tells me when I go for a 15 mile bike ride. I never wear a heart monitor though. I don't put to much thought into it.
  • belle713
    belle713 Posts: 30
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    I've read a number of posts in the forums that indicate that MFP overestimates exercise calories, and people seem to take it for gospel, but I've noticed the opposite. More often than not my heart rate monitor says I've burned more calories than the MFP estimate for whatever exercise I've done. The most glaring example I've noticed in my own exercise diary was for softball. MFP said that an hour of softball would burn 380 calories, but my heart rate monitor said that I burned about twice that many calories. Does anybody have any examples of exercises where they've measured their calories burned and the number has been less than what MFP estimates? I'm not doubting that it happens, but I just wonder which exercises might be the worst culprits.

    I don't have any idea what the correct numbers would look like but mine seem CRAZY HIGH! If they are correct, yay for me but it seems almost impossible. LOL
    So why do you think they're crazy high if you have no idea what they should look like?

    OP - I've found that MFP seems to underestimate a little when compared to my heart rate monitor (which is also just an estimate of course). For walking, MFP estimates way below what my HRM suggests.

    I see numbers like 1,000-1,200 calories burned for 80 minutes of swimming or water jogging, moderate pace. I'm assuming b/c of my weight (high), those numbers are much greater than a person of average weight, but even so, that seems strangely high. I don't adjust my caloric intake based on exercise though...I eat the same amount regardless. I've always been curious how much I'm actually burning but I'm not sure how accurate MFP is.
  • Raclex
    Raclex Posts: 238
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    MFP has me burning:

    427 calories for a mountain run with an elevation of 480m. That's for a total of 52 minutes, 6km. Seems about right.
    8 calories per minute for capoeira (brazilian martial art). There is a lot of HIIT, conditionning (push-ups, burpees, hand-stands, hand-stand push-ups, cartwheels, back flips, kicks, etc..) and cardio. We usually break 15-30 seconds in between sets. So about 720 calories for 90 minutes. Seems pretty close to me.

    Next month, I'll be getting my HRM. So I'll be able to really compare. Until then, I can only tell you what MFP gives me and I don't believe that it is grossly exaggerated.
  • belle713
    belle713 Posts: 30
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    MFP has me burning:

    427 calories for a mountain run with an elevation of 480m. That's for a total of 52 minutes, 6km. Seems about right.
    8 calories per minute for capoeira (brazilian martial art). There is a lot of HIIT, conditionning (push-ups, burpees, hand-stands, hand-stand push-ups, cartwheels, back flips, kicks, etc..) and cardio. We usually break 15-30 seconds in between sets. So about 720 calories for 90 minutes. Seems pretty close to me.

    Next month, I'll be getting my HRM. So I'll be able to really compare. Until then, I can only tell you what MFP gives me and I don't believe that it is grossly exaggerated.

    I'm exhausted just reading that!! I wonder if I burned any calories... ? LOL
    Congrats. :)
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    The most glaring example I've noticed in my own exercise diary was for softball. MFP said that an hour of softball would burn 380 calories, but my heart rate monitor said that I burned about twice that many calories.

    You did not burn over 700 calories playing softball for an hour.

    I agree - I need to run ~ 5.5 miles to burn 700 calories (I weigh ~ 180).

    That's ~ 40 minutes if I'm running fast, 50 minutes if I'm running slow.

    No way in hell could I do that in an hour of softball.
  • majii13
    majii13 Posts: 17 Member
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    The most glaring example I've noticed in my own exercise diary was for softball. MFP said that an hour of softball would burn 380 calories, but my heart rate monitor said that I burned about twice that many calories.

    You did not burn over 700 calories playing softball for an hour.

    I agree - I need to run ~ 5.5 miles to burn 700 calories (I weigh ~ 180).

    That's ~ 40 minutes if I'm running fast, 50 minutes if I'm running slow.

    No way in hell could I do that in an hour of softball.

    It's possible that my HRM is incorrect, but I trust it much more than MFP's estimates.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    One of the users here posted a few blogs that address these issues. Its quite interesting.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/exercise-calories-sometimes-the-cardio-machines-are-more-accurate-404739
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/estimating-calories-activity-databases-198041

    The biggest issue with your HRM and softball is HRMs are designed to estimate calories during steady state cardio, which softball is not.


    But you are right, people assume that HRMs are the right estimate, when that is not always the case.
  • tl_dr
    tl_dr Posts: 96
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    I find that MFP underestimates my calories burned when I compare it to the readings I get from gym equipment. The treadmill and elliptical machines I use include a heart rate monitor as well as personal info input, so I trust them a little more.
  • viajera99
    viajera99 Posts: 252 Member
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    It's possible that my HRM is incorrect, but I trust it much more than MFP's estimates.

    It's not just possible, it's guaranteed it is incorrect. A HRM is not an accurate estimator of energy expenditure for any activity that isn't steady state cardio.

    Once again, Azdak explains it best:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472

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