accuracy of a treadmill reading for calories burned

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kinderj
kinderj Posts: 14
in Fitness and Exercise
I just bought an ProForm XT 70 treadmill. I walk very briskly at 4 mph for 30 minutes at a 10% incline. The machine says I burned 434 calories. On this website if I enter walking-brisk walk 3.8 it says i burned 250 calories. How do I tell which is accurate?

Replies

  • wannabahotmama
    wannabahotmama Posts: 14
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    I'm curious about this too. I have an elliptical and it always shows I burn less then what the website shows.
  • kac7700
    kac7700 Posts: 125 Member
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    Get a heart rate monitor to be sure. I would trust the website. The machines don't take your age/weight combo into effect. They calculate based on the "average" person.
  • piccolarj
    piccolarj Posts: 488 Member
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    I'm no expert but I would say your tredmill if you put in your stats because the website is not taking in account the fact that you walked on an incline. If you walk on no incline you burn less calories. Maybe try walking on no incline next time and see if it's closer to what the site says. I use a HRM when doing cardio and the HRM and tredmill are usually pretty close.
  • loverunning11
    loverunning11 Posts: 94 Member
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    I find that I actually burn more calories than the treadmills at the gym say. That is why I wear a heart rate monitor with a chest strap because that way it is constantly reading your heart rate!
  • TerraGirl17
    TerraGirl17 Posts: 275 Member
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    Hi guys, I think the readings are pretty accurate...I have checked between my treadmill at home and the one at the gym, and if I do the exact same amount of time, mph, and incline I always get the same reading on both machines for calories burned. The machines are two different brands but they always give me the same cals burned, so I would use what your machine tells you. What I did was add a new exercise (walking 4.0mph at 10% incline), it will ask you the time used and then you can input the cals burned, after that when you use that exercise again it usually inputs the right amount of cals burned, if not you can change your calories burned to what your machine says. Hope this helps!! :-)
  • krystie99
    krystie99 Posts: 42 Member
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    I have a heart rate monitor and the machines normally give me waaaay too much of a calorie burn... about 100-200 more calories then my HRM.
  • melbhall
    melbhall Posts: 519
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    Invest in a HRM then you will know for sure! And it is great motivation!. After getting mine I discovered that MFP underestimated my calories burned and machines often overestimated.
  • AmandaHammill
    AmandaHammill Posts: 125 Member
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    I agree that your treadmill is probably more accurate - but if it doesn't take weight into account it may be giving you numbers based on an average person. Ours is fabulous because you can program your weight into it so it adjusts to take that into account. Either way though, if you're really concerned, maybe take an average between the two numbers from the treadmill and this site just to keep yourself closer to what's accurate.
  • AmandaHammill
    AmandaHammill Posts: 125 Member
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    (forgot to mention the heart rate monitor)...definitely a good investment/motivator
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
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    I didn't think about the average weight thing, but if that is the case and I am overweight do I burn more or less calories than an average weighted person?

    I also think with the heart rate monitor it measures the other movements you do with your arms as opposed to holding the handles.
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
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    I think the big difference comes from the machine registered the resistance (incline) and MFP doesnt
  • AmandaHammill
    AmandaHammill Posts: 125 Member
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    If you're overweight you should burn more than the average person. (takes more energy to move ourselves :-)
  • helloiloveukitty
    helloiloveukitty Posts: 448 Member
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    I just did 70 mins on the pro form in my apt buildings gym and was curious about the same thing. i burned 442 calories in 70 mins going from 1 to 10 in incline....not sure how accurate this would be
  • kinderj
    kinderj Posts: 14
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    so perhaps this is a dumb question but I have never used a heart rate monitor before. When you use one does it tell you how many calories burned or do you have to calculate it somehow?
  • loverunning11
    loverunning11 Posts: 94 Member
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    so perhaps this is a dumb question but I have never used a heart rate monitor before. When you use one does it tell you how many calories burned or do you have to calculate it somehow?

    It tells you. You set it with your weight and age information.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    I just bought an ProForm XT 70 treadmill. I walk very briskly at 4 mph for 30 minutes at a 10% incline. The machine says I burned 434 calories. On this website if I enter walking-brisk walk 3.8 it says i burned 250 calories. How do I tell which is accurate?

    If the MFP table did not ask for the incline, then the TM is more accurate--but only if you did not hold on to the handrails while doing the workout.

    If you hold on to the handrails during treadmill walking you may be burning up to 40%-50-% less than the display indicates.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    I just bought an ProForm XT 70 treadmill. I walk very briskly at 4 mph for 30 minutes at a 10% incline. The machine says I burned 434 calories. On this website if I enter walking-brisk walk 3.8 it says i burned 250 calories. How do I tell which is accurate?

    The equations used to estimate calories burned during treadmill walking (flat and incline) are pretty simple, and reasonably accurate--assuming, of course, that you do not hold on to the handrails while walking. If the machine is set up with your weight, the treadmill calorie numbers are as accurate as you can get--more accurate than an HRM.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    so perhaps this is a dumb question but I have never used a heart rate monitor before. When you use one does it tell you how many calories burned or do you have to calculate it somehow?

    It tells you. You set it with your weight and age information.
    WARNING: not all heart rate monitors show calories burned. Make sure you read the specs before purchasing one.
  • neebelung
    neebelung Posts: 115
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    I just bought an ProForm XT 70 treadmill. I walk very briskly at 4 mph for 30 minutes at a 10% incline. The machine says I burned 434 calories. On this website if I enter walking-brisk walk 3.8 it says i burned 250 calories. How do I tell which is accurate?

    That 'brisk walk' didn't factor in the 10% incline. That incline burns a LOT more calories than walking on flat ground (check your heart rate - you'll see!)

    That said, as suggested above, invest in a HRM to get more accurate counts (I wear mine, and compare it to the reading on the treadmill; the HRM is typically a bit lower).

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