Which would you use?

ovi212
ovi212 Posts: 145 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know this comes up a lot but I am trying to get to the bottom of it.
Everyone says that a HR monitor is needed to figure out your calorie burn as MFP is inaccurate.
Do you think MFP is more or less accurate than http://calorielab.com/burned/?

Currently I log 1/2 the time I exercise into MFP, but I'm not convinced this is even a good idea. What strategy do you use (other than HR monitor)? I could get 2 very different values if I log 50% on MFP or 100% on calorielab or MFP.

I'd like to be confident in what I am logging because if 50% logging is really low balling what I am burning I could be seriously undereating...

Replies

  • stephe1987
    stephe1987 Posts: 406 Member
    I think MFP is fine. I would not eat back more than half of my exercise calories, just to be safe, but some people have said that MFP is pretty close. It's just not perfect like a heart rate monitor is close to perfect.
  • pugsleyjean
    pugsleyjean Posts: 135 Member
    I think MFP is fine. I would not eat back more than half of my exercise calories, just to be safe, but some people have said that MFP is pretty close. It's just not perfect like a heart rate monitor is close to perfect.

    Agreed! I chose this site for a reason and go off what it says. Seems to have worked so far since I have lost around 42lbs overall. Keep doin what feels best for you. You will get to where you want to be!
  • amybg1
    amybg1 Posts: 631 Member
    Let's not forget that MFP and an HRM don't take into account your body composition, the more muscle you have the higher your burn generally so you might be burning the number MFP gives or sometimes more and sometimes less
  • ovi212
    ovi212 Posts: 145 Member
    Thanks!
    Guess I'll stick with the using the 50% to be safe
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
    The MFP estimates are almost double what my HRM tells me, so using a 50% is probably a safe strategy :)
  • sarainiowa
    sarainiowa Posts: 287 Member
    On the self magazine site, there is a fitness calculator. It takes in account your weight, time and exercise. There's apps that will log your information too.

    MFP is set at a "one size fits all" which isn't good for many, except those it's based off. If your serious, please use other methods....

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