Versaclimer and Doubts About Accuracy of Reported Cals

WSCHEREM · January 2012

I would like to know if anyone else uses a versaclimber in their exercise regimen. Do you take the number of calories used from the computer and put that number into your fitness log? Do you have any reason to believe that the amount of caloires burned as reported by the versa climber is inaccurate.

I am dieting and exercising and keeping under the NET remommended amount of calories for a sendentary lifestyle which should enable me to lose 1 pound a week. I have been at this over 90 days and do not see ANY WEIGHT coming off.

I suppose I initially gained some muscle mass but that cant go on for so long.

I do eat more more than the recommended calories to lose 1 pound a week, but I depend on exercise to bring the average NET below that number. Again, I have lost no weight in 90 days despite committing to an average of 1/2 hour per day 7 days a week on the versa climber..to the point where my quads get exhausted and weak the next day. I have also increased average speed from 45 to 52 feet per minute over 90 days for up to 60 minutes, but no weight loss.

ljcatch22 · January 2012

More than likely you are over estimating your calories burned. Exercise machines and mfp are notorious for over estimating calorie burn. If you have your calories set to lose half a pound, even a small over estimate will put you ever the calories needed to lose weight. I would suggest not eating back your exercise calories or only eating back half to account for this.

WSCHEREM · January 2012

Well I am not estimating anything. All the data comes from the myfitnesspal web site or the screen on the Versaclimber. Versaclimbers have a notorious reputation for burning calories - lot of people hate them so thats why you can find them on craigslist.

While I suspect what you say is true, I was wondering if anyone else with a Versaclimber has had this experience. At 250 lbs it reports I burnt 354 calories after an average pace of 52/ft min for 30.0 minutes. It asks for my weight but does not measure heart rate. Or 712 calories per 60.0 minutes at an average pace of 52 ft/min.

At my target of 2100 calories per day - 712 burned, its too much to expect not to eat some of that 712 back.--- but I am keeping under the average which should allow 1 lb per week of weight loss.

Something is not adding up, or I have biochemistry that shuts down the body after rigorous exercise. (sub clinical diabetes?) The simplest explanation is the exercise equipment display....where are some authorative articles on the accuracy or lack of accuracy on the Versaclimber or other machines. How far off can it be?

dlenning · July 2013

i would suggest that a 250lb person working hard on a versa climbing for over 30 min would burn much more than 300 cal. A 135 runner burns more than that in 30 min. The more you weigh the more you burn. Also, you MUST refeul or your body will go into starvation mode. Keep up the hard work! Build muscle (which burns even MORE calories) and go by body measurement, not the scale to see results.

DavidMartinez2 · July 2013

Well I am not estimating anything. All the data comes from the myfitnesspal web site or the screen on the Versaclimber.

I'll play your game: you aren't estimating anything but guess what? MFP and the Versaclimber are. As you point out it doesn't take HR into account. If you want a more accurate (still not perfect) assessment of how many calories you are burning during your workouts you need to get a HR monitor or a bodybug-like device.
You are correct that the Versa-climber burns a lot of calories; if you can handle the workouts with a decent resistance and cadence you should see some good results. I would recommend not eating all of your calories back; I know MFP is supposed to calculate in the required deficiet but when I was in my weight loss phase I tried to maintain my net cals a couple hundred under the recomended.

Versaclimer and Doubts About Accuracy of Reported Cals

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