How accurate are the workout machines in the gym?

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samanthasky
samanthasky Posts: 114 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
At my gym they use LifeFitness machines, where it asks for my weight. According to the machine I did 45 minutes on the elliptical and burned 498 calories, and when I put it in MFP it says I burned 646. Obviously that's a huge gap, which should I put in?

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  • Sailatsorf
    Sailatsorf Posts: 161 Member
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    I would either average it or put in the lower amount. You don't want to overeat because you overestimated your calorie burn!
  • ddixon503
    ddixon503 Posts: 119 Member
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    I would either average it or put in the lower amount. You don't want to overeat because you overestimated your calorie burn!

    MFP doesn't take into account resistance so it's a bit of a WAG. As the poster above said, go with the lowest of the two.
  • sofitheteacup
    sofitheteacup Posts: 397 Member
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    I go for the lower amount, MFP is kind of known for overestimating burn. A HRM will give you the best idea of actual burn.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
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    MFP grossly overestimates calorie burns. I usually subtract about 30% if I have no HRM or any other way to track it. I have found that MFP' s walking calories are fairly on point though.
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
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    A HRM would be more accurate, It only matters if you're going to eat back what you burn (just off your diary for the last few days I don't think you do?) :flowerforyou:
  • lolalament
    lolalament Posts: 73 Member
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    MFP says I burn about 750 from zumba, but my HRM says 500. I did a toning class as well on Weds, and MFP guessed over 1500, but my actual burn was half that
  • vorgas
    vorgas Posts: 741 Member
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    Most accurate -> Least accurate
    HRM with VO2 Max known -> HRM -> Machine -> MFP

    * For aerobic exercise only
  • ZenInTexas
    ZenInTexas Posts: 781 Member
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    The machines in the gym are not very accurate. I can usually take what they say I burn and cut it in half or down to a third and it will line up with what my HRM says. MFP database burn numbers are even further off.
  • mitchiejo
    mitchiejo Posts: 179 Member
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    The machines in the gym overestimate calorie burn.
  • ikesgirl80
    ikesgirl80 Posts: 2
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    I find I get a "close-enough" estimate on the calories if I put my weight into the machine as 10 pounds lighter than I actually am. When I have put in my actual weight, I find that the numbers and my results don't match up very well. I used this method for 2 1/2 years, and went from 350+ pounds to 180 pounds. Then I stopped doing it and just tried to eat "normally" and exercise on occasion, and gained about 45 pounds in 6 1/2 months. I just got back on the bandwagon 7 days ago, and the numbers are working out perfectly.
  • willdob3
    willdob3 Posts: 640 Member
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    They are known to be extremely inaccurate.

    I don't worry about the calories burned in my workouts. Instead of letting MFP or Fitbit determine my calories and give me extra calories for working out I calculate my calories according to my activity level & that includes my workouts. No worries about the calories being correct and/or eating back added calories when the apps add them.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    At my gym they use LifeFitness machines, where it asks for my weight. According to the machine I did 45 minutes on the elliptical and burned 498 calories, and when I put it in MFP it says I burned 646. Obviously that's a huge gap, which should I put in?

    Neither. They're both likely significant over-estimates.

    Take the lower number and subtract a third.
  • TheMannon
    TheMannon Posts: 36 Member
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    It really varies, by machine, and by person. I think they're especially inaccurate for smaller guys and females.

    As a [cough] stocky guy, i've found the high quality machines to be pretty spot on (as verified with a HRM). For my 140lb ex, on the other hand, the machines were WAY off - like 30-40% off. For some reason she got mad at me for this, but I digress.

    A trainer told me that they a lot of the machines are tested using big athletic men - that makes no sense unless they're trying to purposely inflate calories...oh wait
  • GothJuice
    GothJuice Posts: 66 Member
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    Lower amount, the gym machines will show you how much you have burned for whatever intensity you have set it too and log consistently if you change up the resistance and stuff, MFP doesn't take this into account when logging!

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