track exercise

I know that the cardio machines are not. MFP gives me a # sometimes as high as 200 calories higher than what the machine tells me. The machine knows your resistance, exact speed, etc, MFP does not. I don't know about strength training or anything like that tho.

Ok, I can see both sides of the coin. The machine knows your resistance and speed but MFP knows your weight (and the machines I use at the gym don't let me account for my weight, and fat people burn more calories per step/stride than a more skinny person).

So I think the bottom line is - use your best judgment.

My attitude about it is increased activity. I use a pedometer everyday and I try to get my 10K steps in. and then on the bikes, weights, and other stuff that doesn't really show on my pedometer I just try a little harder to be a little better. In the beginning I was only doing 5 minutes twice a week on the elliptical and now I'm up to about 20 minutes.

Another lesson to learn from this - don't eat all of your exercise calories. Cause if MFP says you earned 500 calories when in reality you only earned 300 and eat those extra 200 then you are actually goign to gain weight.

I know this is a subject of great debate on this site but my personal option is that I don't eat my exercise calories. But I'm not real strict on counting my calories either (like i don't count everytime I chew a 5 calorie, sugar-free piece of gum). So do what's best for you.

Good luck with it.

Eva

i've been using the tracker for a while and recently got a HRM and i found after doing the same amount of exercise that mfp had been underestimating it a little...which i was quite pleased about! lol


also do not trust machines, i've been burning 1500cals a session....did a workout yesterday with said HRM and it was 600cals over estimated by the machine!!

i would highly suggest investing in a heart rate monitor