MapMyFitness or MFP???

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Muzica1959
Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Which is more accurate MapMyFitness or MyFitnessPal? I have been using MFP to clock my dance aerobic workout and it calculates calories burned at 408. I just did the same exact workout using MapMyFitness and it counted the calories burned at 897. That is a HUGE difference. I know that since I am 5'2" and currently weigh 270 that I burn more than a smaller person but sheesh. So which would you go by? I'm tempted to stick with the lower number.

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  • alioopwontonsoup
    alioopwontonsoup Posts: 17 Member
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    I don't know too much and am currently looking into this myself, but would it not be best to get a heart rate monitor and calculate yourself how many calories you've burned?
  • Muzica1959
    Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
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    Hmmm, obviously I don't know anything about this and I did not know a heart rate monitor would calculate calories burned. Thanks, I will check into the cost of one since I am on an extremely tight budget right now.
  • pope66682
    pope66682 Posts: 249 Member
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    RunKeeper
  • Muzica1959
    Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
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    Thanks. I switched to Runkeeper. I'll see how that works out tomorrow. I'll use it for walking/running tonight as well and compare with last nights..
  • Muzica1959
    Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
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    I logged my dance aerobics on Runkeeper and it was in between MFP and MMF lol. I think I'll just use Runkeeper until I can get a heart monitor. It gave me 637 calories burned.
  • Muzica1959
    Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
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    Thank you so much for the Runkeeper suggestion. I LOVE this app for walking/jogging. I won't know about dance aerobics until tomorrow but this is fantastic for a walker/runner. I can listen to my music and it tells me how far I have gone in what length of time. It is fabulous.
  • Muzica1959
    Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
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    Thank you so much for the Runkeeper suggestion. I LOVE this app for walking/jogging. I won't know about dance aerobics until tomorrow but this is fantastic for a walker/runner. I can listen to my music and it tells me how far I have gone in what length of time. It is fabulous.
  • TexasGal1
    TexasGal1 Posts: 65 Member
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    I agree. A heart rate monitor is the best way to calculate your calorie burn. Be sure to get on that has a strap that goes around your chest, like Polar. My Polar logs my workout time, highest heart rate, average heart rate, and calories burned. So far, this is the best investment I've made.

    Good luck in your journey! You got this! :happy:

    ETA: Apps will log distances fairly accurately, but, as you have seen, they don't calculate calorie burn worth a flip. :noway:
  • CarolinkaCjj
    CarolinkaCjj Posts: 622 Member
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    Go for the heart rate monitor but it might make you sad - it did for me. According to MFP, I was burning over 600 calories for an hour of Jazzercise but with the heart rate monitor, it is really around 300. Would be still be sad but the truth is better than fooling myself.
  • Muzica1959
    Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
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    I still plan on getting a heart rate monitor as soon as the budget allows. I like accuracy even if it does make me sad.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I still plan on getting a heart rate monitor as soon as the budget allows. I like accuracy even if it does make me sad.

    Before you commit to spending money that is not in the budget, make sure you know what you are getting. HRM calorie estiation formulas are based on steady state cardio activity. Outside of that, they become less accurate.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1044313-this-is-why-hrms-have-limited-use-for-tracking-calories

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472
  • Muzica1959
    Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
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    I still plan on getting a heart rate monitor as soon as the budget allows. I like accuracy even if it does make me sad.

    Before you commit to spending money that is not in the budget, make sure you know what you are getting. HRM calorie estiation formulas are based on steady state cardio activity. Outside of that, they become less accurate.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1044313-this-is-why-hrms-have-limited-use-for-tracking-calories

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472

    Himmm, On that note I will just stick with Runkeeper since I do walk/jog intervals right now which would not be considered steady state cardio. . Thanks for the links and saving me some money that can be better spent on compression capri pants and running shoes.

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