Calories on FP vs. calories on the treadmill

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witkinb
witkinb Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
Has anyone noticed a difference between getting a calories burned count when you enter it into the fitness pal site as opposed to what the treadmill tells you when you're done? Today I ran a little under 3 miles in 24 minutes and the treadmill says I burned 280 or so calories... fitness pal rewards my efforts quite a bit more.
Do I assume that fitness pal is taking into account my weight, size, age etc... the treadmill does not? This happen to anyone else?

Brian in Houston

Replies

  • vulcangrrl
    vulcangrrl Posts: 31
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    Hi Brian,

    Do you enter in your weight on the treadmill?
    I notice that MFP says that if you know the exact calories burned, to enter them when you enter exercise.

    Personally, I always err on the side of caution, and use the lower number (no matter how frustrating that is!)

    Cathi
  • ArchyJill
    ArchyJill Posts: 548 Member
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    I wouldn't trust either one. Get a heart rate monitor, that way you know you are getting data based on YOU, not some height-weight chart.
  • Jourdan_Rystrom
    Jourdan_Rystrom Posts: 176 Member
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    Honestly, I think MFP over-indulges on calories concerning everything. I usually add in less time because of it...

    Most cardio workouts (even if you're going hardcore) won't burn more than 300 calories. It's insane for all these statuses saying "so and so on the elliptical for 40 minutes burned 1179 calories!" Um...no. That's not right.

    Strength training is a different approach because you keep on burning calories after you worked out...so its hard to estimate. I do know that cardio calories are often way over-estimated. Keep track...if you're continuing to lose weight then keep adding in what you do. If you are at a plateau or gaining, then maybe put in less time for what you actually did and eat accordingly.

    Good luck
  • kcziggy
    kcziggy Posts: 3
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    I use the treadmill becuase you put in your age and weight. I just change what the MFP say's and add in what the treadmill gave me. Good luck
  • kcziggy
    kcziggy Posts: 3
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    Hello I saw your weight lose and I'm the same weight a little shorter., but I can't drop this weight I go to the gym four times a week and stay at 1200 calories I'm so disapointed I have lost weight in the past I just don't know what is going on.... aaahhhh I need more self control I guess.
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
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    Neither the treadmill or mfp are accurate as they both over estimate in my experience. I found this out when I invested in my own HRM. The only way to know for sure is to invest in a HRM, even a basic one (as long as it has a chest strap and can tell you calories burned)
    :wink:
  • ArchyJill
    ArchyJill Posts: 548 Member
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    Most cardio workouts (even if you're going hardcore) won't burn more than 300 calories. It's insane for all these statuses saying "so and so on the elliptical for 40 minutes burned 1179 calories!" Um...no. That's not right.

    I think we've been over this before, but it bears repeating: What you burn depends on what you weigh and how fit you are. The more you weigh, the less you are fit, the bigger the burn.
  • revphillips
    revphillips Posts: 19 Member
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    I've noticed this too so I always enter the lowest calories burned number, whether its the MFP # or the gym/elliptical #. I have also noticed that my own HR (just from measuring on the elliptical) has not sky rocketed as much during my workouts now that I've been working out more - honestly this is frustrating! If I work out more, I get in better shape, but that means I burn fewer calories doing the same exercises I was doing last week!
  • xp0sed
    xp0sed Posts: 173 Member
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    My treadmill always says MORE calories than MFP. They're usually off by 100 or so. I always figured this was due to the incline I use on the treadmill, which is why it says more.

    I've been looking into a HRM though.

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