How to Count Exercise Calories

mclahey
mclahey Posts: 81 Member
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
Should I let MFP calculate my exercise calories or should I use the count on my machine (treadmill)?

Please advise...

Replies

  • amycrims
    amycrims Posts: 94
    That's a hard one. I use the count on my machine. But I'm interested to see what other say.

    How do I do that bump thing?
  • melissa1977
    melissa1977 Posts: 129 Member
    I let the machine tell me because the machine knows my weight, how fast I was going, what incline, what resistance level, etc.
  • kaymd
    kaymd Posts: 470 Member
    That's a hard one. I use the count on my machine. But I'm interested to see what other say.

    How do I do that bump thing?
    You just bumped...lol. I use my machine for my treadmill. Everything else i let the site calculate it until I get my HRM:-)
  • Edestiny7
    Edestiny7 Posts: 730 Member
    I highly recommend getting a heart rate monitor. Machines overestimate my calorie burn, and MFP in some instances overestimates, and in some, under estimates. Typically under estimating is for strength training.
  • deborahkidd
    deborahkidd Posts: 35 Member
    I wear a heart rate monitor that is set for me. I think the machines give you more calories than you actually burn.
  • FoxyPence
    FoxyPence Posts: 3
    I was thinking the same thing today! I figured, since I started off warming up on a Treadmill slowly at 2.5mph.. and fluctuated between 4mph and 3.2mph throughout the rest of the workout.. AND I was changing the incline the whole time... It was easier to just plug in what the treadmill told me my calorie burn at the end was... Good luck!!!
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
    Neither, they're both highly inaccurate. I know this because I brought myself a HRM and it showed me the real truth. I was sooooo disappointed :sad: :sad: :sad: to find that mfp (no offence mfp as I love the site) and the machines at the gym really over estimate.

    The only way to really know is to get yourself a HRM even a basic one - as long as it has a chest strap and tell you calories burned that s all you need.:tongue:
  • acknan
    acknan Posts: 261 Member
    I choose whichever one is lower. I figure that I would much prefer to make a mistake in that direction rather than assume I had burned more that I actually did. :)
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    I choose whichever one is lower. I figure that I would much prefer to make a mistake in that direction rather than assume I had burned more that I actually did. :)

    I agree!! For the most part MFP has been way over my machine tally and the iPhone app that I use to track my runs. And for the record, I don't trust those either!! I really need an HRM!

    That's also why I just eat a "range" of calories (1400-1600) vs. eating my exercise calories.
  • taletreader
    taletreader Posts: 377 Member
    I find that the MFP suggestions sound way too high for me. I usually compare the machine reading and my HRM, subtract a little bit for the calories I would burnt during the time resting, and then about half the result if I still think it might be high.

    Also, good over-the-thumb values to keep in mind for an exercise newbie is about 7 cals/min walking (briskly, flat) and 10 cals/min for a really hard cardio workout. If your result is above that, reassess! (I've seen someone post here that they logged a long walk along the beach (sandy trail) as cross-country hiking at 700+ calories for 70 min -- that was almost certainly way too high. I'd have logged maybe 250-300.)
  • cupcakelover103
    cupcakelover103 Posts: 197 Member
    Because i change up incline and speed loads of times during my workout, and because i don't have an HRM i use the tredmill's number. However, machines normally overestimate calorie burn so i minus 15% afterwards. I figured it's best to underestimate by a bit than overestimate.
    My tredmill however doesn't ask for my weight and height. BUT i've heard that even when you put this info in the machine still overestimates. Your best bet would be to buy a heart rate monitor, i just can't afford a good one at the moment.
  • DJChutfield
    DJChutfield Posts: 6
    This is actually something I was just thinking about. I've been spinning for about a year and yeah, it's tiring and all that... but today I entered it into MFP and it came back with 609 calories burned! That sounds overstated, at best! 609 calories, 3 times a week that's 1827, a full day's worth of calories. I don't think I'll be using MFP to track my exercises. I'd hate to undercut progress by overestimating how much I burn. No offence or discredit meant against MFP, I love your site! xxxx
  • heatherw7
    heatherw7 Posts: 34
    I got sooo confused today. Everyday I use 30 day shred in morning and cardio at night. My HRM said i only burned 86 during shred, but mfp said like 200 some. Then again, my HRM said i burned 471 during cardio and mfp had me at about maybe 300ish and the machines said 345. soooooo, i took the average and put it in. I'm kinda at a loss at what i should use. lol.
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