excersizes that aren't listed in mfp database?

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xxshelbyxx0818
xxshelbyxx0818 Posts: 91
in Fitness and Exercise
If an excersize doesn't show up when I try to add it to my diary, therefore I have to make my own, how do I know how many calories I burned? Everything I've found online says most 10 min cardio workouts burn 100 cals so that's what I've been putting, but I want to make sure it's accurate. Can't afford a fitbit right now.

Also I wish it used distance rather than time for walking because when I'm not walking for the exact purpose of excersize, I don't keep track of the time but my phone tracks the distance and cals burned so I always have to enter it on my own on mfp.

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    100 cals in 10 minutes would be pretty intense cardio for me, but of course the rate is different for each individual.

    What exercise are you trying to add, is there anything similar?
  • xxshelbyxx0818
    xxshelbyxx0818 Posts: 91
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    100 cals in 10 minutes would be pretty intense cardio for me, but of course the rate is different for each individual.

    What exercise are you trying to add, is there anything similar?

    Well I was trying to add the 10 minute trainer DVD which is cardio and then a mix of walking jogging, making it a cardio excersize cuz im switching off every minute.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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    Use a HRM for steady state cardio. Then, create your own exercises for whatever you do.
  • CarolinkaCjj
    CarolinkaCjj Posts: 622 Member
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    If you do not have a heart rate monitor, do your best estimate. If you are combining walking and jogging, I might go with "walking, 3.5 miles per hour, brisk pace". That will get you started anyway. I was quite bummed when I got my heart monitor - I was only burning half of what MFP said. Regardless, I lost weight so it was okay by me.
  • Sasssy69
    Sasssy69 Posts: 547 Member
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    I use this calculator. I find it doesn't over estimate the calorie burn like I believe MFP does. And it has a lot of activities. I figure it's better to under-estimate, than to over-estimate...especially if you are eating your exercise calories back.

    http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php
  • asciident
    asciident Posts: 166 Member
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    Calories burned from cardio depends on a number of factors including but not necessarily limited to sex, height, weight, length of time performed, intensity...

    If it's steady state cardio, the best bet is to wear a heart rate monitor with a chest strap. But you can find reasonable estimates by googling the exercise for a calculator and entering it into MFP manually.
  • ZBuffBod
    ZBuffBod Posts: 297 Member
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    MFP overestimates caloric burn so it's best to use an outside calculator to figure out calories burned.
  • aliakynes
    aliakynes Posts: 352 Member
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    100 cals in 10 minutes would be pretty intense cardio for me, but of course the rate is different for each individual.

    What exercise are you trying to add, is there anything similar?

    Well I was trying to add the 10 minute trainer DVD which is cardio and then a mix of walking jogging, making it a cardio excersize cuz im switching off every minute.

    That's circuit training which is in the database.
  • xxshelbyxx0818
    xxshelbyxx0818 Posts: 91
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    Calories burned from cardio depends on a number of factors including but not necessarily limited to sex, height, weight, length of time performed, intensity...

    If it's steady state cardio, the best bet is to wear a heart rate monitor with a chest strap. But you can find reasonable estimates by googling the exercise for a calculator and entering it into MFP manually.

    How do I enter it manually? By maKing my own excersize then entering in the calories? And the HRM I was gonna buy was a wrist strap. Does that work as well? Cux I can't afford anything more than the 30 dollar HRM bracelet. Until I get one I'll just use a calculator other than mfp like you all have suggested. Thanks so much
  • xxshelbyxx0818
    xxshelbyxx0818 Posts: 91
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    100 cals in 10 minutes would be pretty intense cardio for me, but of course the rate is different for each individual.

    What exercise are you trying to add, is there anything similar?

    Well I was trying to add the 10 minute trainer DVD which is cardio and then a mix of walking jogging, making it a cardio excersize cuz im switching off every minute.

    That's circuit training which is in the database.

    What's circuit training the DVD or walking and hogging combined?
  • xxshelbyxx0818
    xxshelbyxx0818 Posts: 91
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    I use this calculator. I find it doesn't over estimate the calorie burn like I believe MFP does. And it has a lot of activities. I figure it's better to under-estimate, than to over-estimate...especially if you are eating your exercise calories back.

    http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

    Wow thanks so much I'll definitely start using that one because you're right I don't want to be over estimating which I'm sure I've done a lot already using mfp calculator. And same goes for me about losing weight anyways, I haven't lost any yet but I know I'm going to doing what I've been doing up up until a few Days ago I was basically sedentary.

    Their food data is wrong a lot of the time too! I was actually going to make another post about it here soon letting people to know to be careful when they use mfp version of the calorie info for the foods they put in their diary. Last night I ate cooked split peas and one fresh, baked in the oven yam. The yam info seemed correct and I couldn't debate it because I didn't have a nutrient tag cuz i bought them fresh from a market, but when I entered split peas and clicked on the first option which was cooked raw split peas, it said 672 calories PER SERVING!! HAHA WTF? !? I knew that wasn't right so went to the next option in mfp' s database and it said 176, which I was about to agree to, but realized I can just scan the barcode on the peas! After doing so, mfp showed it was 155 calories per serving!! But the bag clearly said only 40 cals per serving!!! So I had to enter my own split pea info! How can mfp read a barcode wrong? ! It makes me wonder how many other foods I entered wrong....
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    The DVD sounds like circuit training. Walking should be in the database. If you know what calories you used, you can over-write the figure in the box.
  • CarolinkaCjj
    CarolinkaCjj Posts: 622 Member
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    For the food, try adding USDA on to your search term for whole foods - it tends to be the most accurate. For eating out, check the restaurant website if it is a chain and confirm that the calories are correct. The restaurant web data is not always accurate either but at least it is close. I will also sometime search the database first because then I can compare the calories listed (that is how I estimated the calories in a Korean dish - checked a dozen entries and picked one that was on the high end). After a while you start to recognized when something seems fishy (sounds like you already do)
  • xxshelbyxx0818
    xxshelbyxx0818 Posts: 91
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    For the food, try adding USDA on to your search term for whole foods - it tends to be the most accurate. For eating out, check the restaurant website if it is a chain and confirm that the calories are correct. The restaurant web data is not always accurate either but at least it is close. I will also sometime search the database first because then I can compare the calories listed (that is how I estimated the calories in a Korean dish - checked a dozen entries and picked one that was on the high end). After a while you start to recognized when something seems fishy (sounds like you already do)

    Ok I'll add usda to my whole food entries from now on. Also, I've been eating out rarely since making the decision to get healthy so I haven't had to do much searching yet except for dunkin donuts lattes cuz they don't have theirs listed on the drive through board like mcdonalds and starbucks foes. I haven't given up my lattes yet and so far I've done ok haVing only 1 a day instead of 2 or 3.
  • xxshelbyxx0818
    xxshelbyxx0818 Posts: 91
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    The DVD sounds like circuit training. Walking should be in the database. If you know what calories you used, you can over-write the figure in the box.

    Ok I'll use either aerobic or circuit training for my DVD. And yes walking is on there, I just never know what speed I'm going so I give a guesstimate of slow pace or leisurely. But when I combine the two to make one big cardio 3 min session, like 1 min jog then 2 min walk I'm unsure how to enter that in my diary.

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