Calorie loss wrong?

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Auna37
Auna37 Posts: 708 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So....I have been on this site for almost a week. I'm not really counting the days I didn't record anything. But as I was putting in all the exercises and stuff, I noticed that all the calories burned were rather high. I thought nothing of it but I told my brother about it and said I shouldn't be losing 500 calories from a half hour of kickboxing because on average a person running a marathon burns 2,500 calories.

So that makes me wonder if the calorie counts on this site are off? or what?

Replies

  • xDawnsgrace
    xDawnsgrace Posts: 436
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    the burns are high, yes, but that's because they're only estimates. Nothing can give you a 100% accurate calorie burn.
  • JassiBear
    JassiBear Posts: 268 Member
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    the burns are high, yes, but that's because they're only estimates. Nothing can give you a 100% accurate calorie burn.
    I second that. The calorie burns on here are ridiculously high...... main reason why you see most people only eating back half their workout calories... and some just raise their general activity level and eat no workout calories back at all. Try different settings out and see what helps you best meet your goals.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Yes and no.

    This gives a good explanation
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/estimating-calories-activity-databases-198041

    Basically, for very preditable things like walking and running, the estimates are pretty close. The calorie requirements are well researched so as long as you have your pace, weight and time, it will be reasonable. When you start looking at things that have a number of variables, like your kickboxing entry, it will be less accurate.
    I don't know your weight but I would agree that 500 calories per half hour is on the extreme end and would be hesitant to go with that number.
  • emmanap91
    emmanap91 Posts: 300 Member
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    It depends on your weight and height and body composition.

    For example, I'm a 5'3" woman at 129 pounds. I probably have about 24% BF.

    I estimate that I burn no more than 8 calories per minute on an elliptical going quite fast and/or on very high resistance. I might still be over-estimating (based on what online calorie-calculators tell me, which varies from 6 to 10+ cals per minute), but my estimate is still less than the elliptical machine's estimate and less than the estimate given by MFP.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    the calorie burns are usually high, but they tend to have people eating too little so i guess it all evens out when you put them together
  • inthezone77
    inthezone77 Posts: 23 Member
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    I have worked out my figures on iifym.com. I enter this as my goal and don't worry about adding in exercise to mfp. If I was to eat back my exercise I would put on weight
  • fawndanielle
    fawndanielle Posts: 4 Member
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    i found that i was not eating enough plus a lot of people mess up by putting every day daily movement in. if you work that's your regular routine and dose not count towards exercise. i found a calories calculator that is about right it uses your weight plus how long and miles. everyone's body is different. i mean i am six foot 300 pounds i burn calories different then you. so there is no way to really know what you are burning. i don't even try to eat all those calories. sense i started my weight loss i learned i was only eating about 800-950 calories a day. i increased my intake and the weight started coming off. find what works for you if still worried ask a doctor or a nutritionist

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