Machine Calories or Myfitnesspal Calories Burned???

So I worked out at the gym this morning for 52 minutes on the elliptical on the manual setting and it said that I burnt 482 calories when I was finished. When I put in 52 minutes of elliptical on Myfitnesspal it said automatically populated 807 calories burnt. I know that I can change this to what the machine says but I wonder if I should or not? The reason I question this is the machine does not know my body such as age, height and weight and myfitnesspal does so I feel like myfitnesspal would more accurately know how many calories I burnt. Wondering what everyone's thoughts are?

Replies

  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    807 for an hour seems fairly high to me. What I've done in the past is to take MFP, the machine and another site's number & average it and go with that.
  • superspork2
    superspork2 Posts: 99 Member
    Honestly, I would take MFP. I used to think MFP was full of crap, but then I got my heart rate monitor and found they were actually really close. MFP does a good job of taking your age, currently weight and height into account and be more accurate. And 800 cals for an hour of cardio doesnt seem crazy, so I would go with that
  • titus21114
    titus21114 Posts: 13 Member
    Honestly, I would take MFP. I used to think MFP was full of crap, but then I got my heart rate monitor and found they were actually really close. MFP does a good job of taking your age, currently weight and height into account and be more accurate. And 800 cals for an hour of cardio doesnt seem crazy, so I would go with that

    Awesome thanks!! I agree and think I should go with the MFP number. 800 cals for an hour doesn't seem crazy to me either I've heard of people burning up to 1200 in a Zumba class. And also I felt like I burned a lot I was sweating like crazy (TMI lol).
  • linkirving
    linkirving Posts: 121 Member
    I've wondered this. I always take the lower number, because it would really suck to think I was burning the 800 calories MFP told me when I really only burnt the 157 the machine said. I'd like to get a HRM and really see what I'm burning.
  • titus21114
    titus21114 Posts: 13 Member
    That is very true as well. My goal is to not eat the calories that I lose even though they are added to my daily total I can intake. If I do then I try only to eat a small portion of them and its not on junk food.
  • janupshaw
    janupshaw Posts: 205 Member
    The machines I use let me program in my age & weight. I take the lowest number (which is usually the machine), but there usually isn't that wide of a spread for me.
  • titus21114
    titus21114 Posts: 13 Member
    I've wondered this. I always take the lower number, because it would really suck to think I was burning the 800 calories MFP told me when I really only burnt the 157 the machine said. I'd like to get a HRM and really see what I'm burning.

    Maybe I should get a HRM so that I know exactly what I am burning. Good idea!
  • loubidy
    loubidy Posts: 440 Member
    I can fully recommend a polar ft7 it's fantastic!