Walking Apps for Phone - Which ones?

180sarah
180sarah Posts: 10
in Fitness and Exercise
So I used Endomondo today on my walk at lunch. It posted on MFP that I burnt over 300 calories in 20 minutes of walking. Not so (although I wish). So I adjusted it myself using the exercise tabs already in MFP.

I used RunKeeper last week and the distance was way off.

Are these programs reliable and the issue lies with my phone/gps/ap? Is there better apps out there? Is it all crap and just put it in the exercise tab manually?

Replies

  • samb330
    samb330 Posts: 328 Member
    I use Map my Run. It's pretty accurate, haven't had any issues with it.
  • nathalier71
    nathalier71 Posts: 570 Member
    I use runkeeper and I find it quite accurate.
  • jludwick78
    jludwick78 Posts: 34 Member
    Yeah, I use runkeeper also and have never had a problem with it.
  • shaundam
    shaundam Posts: 38 Member
    I use cardio-trainer and have for 2 years now. I like it.
  • Daniloveshockey94
    Daniloveshockey94 Posts: 348 Member
    I use Runsatic to track my runs, it seems spot on with mileage!
  • rachaellumpkin
    rachaellumpkin Posts: 11 Member
    I use Map My Walk and it seems pretty accurate for measuring distance and time. But since it does not interface with MFP, you will have to put the activity in manually.

    I think the problem you have with Endomondo is that MFP calculates your net calories burned, meaning it subtracts from your burned calories that amount of calories you would have burned in that time if you have been sitting still. I haven't found a walking app that calculates Net Calories Burned.
  • FattyFatsoMcTubby
    FattyFatsoMcTubby Posts: 170 Member
    nm
  • shawn1112
    shawn1112 Posts: 94 Member
    I use the Nike running app which uses GPS for your run or walk. Spot on for distance and time
  • arc8706
    arc8706 Posts: 28
    For me Runkeeper works very well with mapping and distance, and I live in a fairly rural area with not-so-great GPS coverage (It often tells me I have spotty coverage when I start my walks but then it still seems to work fine). And as for the calories it says I burned, that often matches close enough to MFP's estimates, and I just try not to eat back all the calories just in case MFP and Runkeeper are inflating them. Other than that though I love Runkeeper, it's simple and works well for me.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    I use RunKeeper and except for the one time where I had a really crappy GPS signal and it started my walk from where it last knew I was - 20 miles away (:laugh: I made some great mileage in 30 minutes walking over 20 miles!) it's been accurate for me.
  • turtlewv
    turtlewv Posts: 9 Member
    so here's kinda a dumb question,,,well maybe,,,can you use those apps as a pedometer for at work? do they kill the battery of your phone?
  • blackNBUK
    blackNBUK Posts: 58 Member
    Generally I've found the apps I've tried to be pretty reliable for distance and speed and I've used RunMeter, Motion X GPS and Runkeeper in the last few months. I don't normally use the calorie figure, instead I enter the time and pace into MFP.

    A couple of times something has gone wrong and I've got really screwed up results but normally they've been fine. One thing GPS needs to work is a good view of the sky; I tried putting my phone in the back pocket of my running shorts once and the reception was so bad I barely got any trace at all. The good apps will all tell you whether you've got a good GPS signal.
  • blackNBUK
    blackNBUK Posts: 58 Member
    so here's kinda a dumb question,,,well maybe,,,can you use those apps as a pedometer for at work? do they kill the battery of your phone?

    Probably not, indoors GPS isn't going to be accurate enough to record the same small movements as a pedometer. And, yes, if you leave the tracking going all day it will kill the battery.

    The latest iPhone, the 5s, has a special chip that records motion without turning the whole phone on. This does allow you to use special pedometer apps all day long with running the battery down. I think some Android phones also have a similar chip. Of course buying a new phone is a pretty expensive way to get a pedometer...
  • turtlewv
    turtlewv Posts: 9 Member
    I figured it would kill the battery,,I use my gps on my ihone 4s to geocache and it just drains it,,,was just curious,,,,THANKS!

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