Calculating calories burned

Always go with your HRM for any steady state cardio activity.

Always go with your HRM for any steady state cardio activity.

This is what I was thinking but it usually shows a higher calorie burn than the MFP does.

This is what happened with me, too. Try going by the HRM. If this doesn't seem to be working weight loss wise after a few weeks, you may wat to lower it and use MFP estimate. I did well with the HRM numbers.

MFP usually overestimates their calorie burns, but I've also heard that heart rate monitors can overestimate and underestimate as well. I guess it's all pretty much estimates anyway.

As for me, I choose not to use a heart rate monitor but I don't use MFP estimates very often because their numbers are usually way higher than what the elliptical and stationary bike, both of which require weight and age input. I use my Footsteps pedometer for running and walking, which requires weight, height, and age, and their estimates are also way lower than MFP, therefore I use the numbers from my pedometer.

I've been losing weight just fine so, in my experience, the elliptical and stationary bike calorie estimates seem accurate enough and my Pedometer calorie estimate seems more accurate than the treadmill.

Maybe I'll try a HRM someday, though.

HRM?

MFP usually overestimates their calorie burns, but I've also heard that heart rate monitors can overestimate and underestimate as well. I guess it's all pretty much estimates anyway.

As for me, I choose not to use a heart rate monitor but I don't use MFP estimates very often because their numbers are usually way higher than what the elliptical and stationary bike, both of which require weight and age input. I use my Footsteps pedometer for running and walking, which requires weight, height, and age, and their estimates are also way lower than MFP, therefore I use the numbers from my pedometer.

I've been losing weight just fine so, in my experience, the elliptical and stationary bike calorie estimates seem accurate enough and my Pedometer calorie estimate seems more accurate than the treadmill.

Maybe I'll try a HRM someday, though.

I use the HRM for my 'run' training but recently started the Insanity DVD's so I wanted to know I was in my safe range for this new adventure. I ran 5k this morning and was about 7 beats under my normal rate so I'm pretty sure I've upped my cardio capacity since I started the Shawn T program. I'm happy.

That's wonderful! Happiness is the key.