Anyone burn more calories than you thought?

lharper01
lharper01 Posts: 29
in Fitness and Exercise
I just got a HRM, so all my exercise logged before today was off MFP estimates. I read a lot of people saying that MFP was over estimating calories burned, so I was dreading seeing how much I was burning with a hrm. Well, my hrm (with chest strap for better accuracy) said I burned 135 calories more doing a Leslie Sansone 2 mile walk at home video (was logging as 288, and hrm said 423). Anyone else have this happen?

Replies

  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
    That sounds very wrong.
  • bubblygoldfish
    bubblygoldfish Posts: 215 Member
    Have you also tested your all day burn w/o exercise? You might be tracking the calories you get just existing, sleeping, eating, putting away groceries...etc. That might be part of the issue. And I believe the MFP-over estimation issue was with slow burning activities, like cooking, vacuuming, walking at a slow pace, etc.
  • lharper01
    lharper01 Posts: 29
    Have you also tested your all day burn w/o exercise? You might be tracking the calories you get just existing, sleeping, eating, putting away groceries...etc. That might be part of the issue. And I believe the MFP-over estimation issue was with slow burning activities, like cooking, vacuuming, walking at a slow pace, etc.

    No, I haven't tested by wearing my hrm all day. My BMR from online calculations is 1690. This is just starting the monitor when I start the video and stopping right before the stretches at the end.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    OK, please correct me if I'm wrong but the workout emulates walking 2 miles?

    Even 288 sounds high for a 2 mile walk

    http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/how-many-calories-are-you-really-burning?page=single

    based on Runners World's formula a 200lb person would be burning (net) 60 calories per mile walking.
  • lharper01
    lharper01 Posts: 29
    It is more like an aerobics workout than just walking in place. Variety of knee lifts, kicks, side steps, and arm movements are used so it is a lot more involved than something like a walk around the block. It is at a 4-4.5 mph pace. Plus, I am a bigger girl ( 5'7 196lb) so I know I will burn more than someone in good shape.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Does it have a chest strap?
    Also, HRM's don't subtract your BMR from the calorie burns, so generally you either: A) want to figure your bmr and subtract it from the calorie burn or B) Log only 70-80% of the calories the HRM says. The reason I say this is because, MFP gives you a goal that takes into account your BMR, if you log the full burn from your HRM you will essentially be doubling up the BMR portion of calories.

    HRM are only meant for steady state cardio (where your HR is elevated), so if you wear it all day to try and get your TDEE or BMR, it won't be very accurate. (example: I tried this with mine out of curiosity for 2 hours. I did nothing but sit on the couch, walk to the kitchen and walk to the bathroom. My HRM said I burn 700 calories during those two hours....ya right...)
  • lharper01
    lharper01 Posts: 29
    Yes, it has a chest strap. So I need to figure out what my BMR for the hour is by dividing it by 24? So 1690/24= 70.4. Then, since this workout was 30 mins, I would subtract 35 from the calories it shows me burning? The correct amount would be 388? thanks for the help.
  • MsEndomorph
    MsEndomorph Posts: 604 Member
    When I first started back working out, I was so sadly out of shape, I was shocked at my HRMs calorie count. When walking it was a LOT higher than MFP, which I thought was weird since everyone says MFP is too high.

    Well, that lasted a few weeks and then my body adjusted and I'm burning calories like a normal human being, and MFP is now too high to use.

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