Exercise database accuracy?
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juliebccs
Posts: 233
Does anybody else wonder if the calories burned are accurate on some of the exercise options on the database? We know it will vary with individuals of course but I have to shake my head sometimes.
If I walk at 9 min per km (walking 7 km/h) for 60 min, I seem to burn the same calories as other options at 3mph for 60 min (walking about 5 km per hour for 60 m). It is just so confusing. I have to wonder what they are based on sometimes.
Sometimes I see folk have burned several hundred calories doing a particular exercise and then another does a similar exercise and burns half of that.
I just don't want to trick myself into eating fake burned calories.
If I walk at 9 min per km (walking 7 km/h) for 60 min, I seem to burn the same calories as other options at 3mph for 60 min (walking about 5 km per hour for 60 m). It is just so confusing. I have to wonder what they are based on sometimes.
Sometimes I see folk have burned several hundred calories doing a particular exercise and then another does a similar exercise and burns half of that.
I just don't want to trick myself into eating fake burned calories.
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I am unclear on how accurate it is--- people burn more/less depending on their degree of lean mass and their weight-- just estimates. The reason some people may burn more cals is if they weigh more than you. For example, when I weighed 300 pounds, I burned a lot more cals doing the same yoga routine I do now.0
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On the elliptical machine, MFP started well higher than the elliptical's number when I started using it. As I lost weight and increased intensity, the two numbers got pretty close. My assumption is that MFP uses a high weight factor and assumes a pretty high intensity.
When I reach goal or start to eat back exercise calories, I will be very leery of eating more than 40 to 50 percent of them.
Rob0 -
Yes that makes perfect sense. Hence why I burn more than the average person walking or running or lake. I work harder than they do. But I guess I am just worried that I am using the database as a rule to add my exercises and I am scared I am being too generous,,,ie an exercise states I burn 400 but what if it really was only 200 and I increased my calories to work with it? Just worried. I don't want to think i am doing it right but really fake burning.0
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I don't wonder, I assume they are not accurate. I use the exercises but put in my own numbers for calories burned.
For running/walking/jogging I have read about it lots and lots and lots of places and the consistent information on it is that one burns about 100 calories per mile, regardless of speed and/or intensity. (so your per minute is higher when jogging/running, so you get to the 100 calories burned faster because you are going faster, but it's still the same distance wise).
Therefore I track each mile at 80 calories burned.
You will find most comments on the issue suggest eating anywhere from 25% to 75% of exercise calories back to account for potential over-estimation. I don't think I have ever seen anyone suggest eating 100% of exercise calories back all the time.0 -
This is why I don't try to routinely eat back my calories. When I do I only eat back half . Otherwise disaster ensues0
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On the elliptical machine, MFP started well higher than the elliptical's number when I started using it. As I lost weight and increased intensity, the two numbers got pretty close.
This happened to me too, as my weight decreased, the difference between MFP and the machines at the gym was less. I will still use the lower number when I am logging to be safe. I am not at a point where I am eating back exercise calories, but I think when I get to that point, I won't eat all of those calories back.0 -
I overestimate my calories eaten- so I mostly go with the theory that it all comes out in the wash. I really mostly use my fitbit to measure activity. It's also not really great at giving calories for lifting, but we know that you burn more longer after a lift session. I have to remind myself -often- that it's not a bank acount to balance - because I treat it that way sometimes. It's a guide to better habits. I ate a half an advocado for breakfast this morning- was that a bad choice? No. But it also takes a huge chunk out of my calorie goal for the day, but gives me some fats that I need. So- I'll either walk a bit more today if I'm hungry later, or maybe go over my calorie go by about 30-50 cal today, either one is OK.0
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In my experience the calories listed are high. Sometimes way high. The best way to get an accurate picture of what YOU burn is to wear a heart rate monitor during your workout that calculates burn based on your height and weight.0
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I too think they are very high. I always give myself credit for half of what MFP says I am entitled to -- and even then, only up to a maxium of 200 calories per day, no matter how much I exercise. That said, I'm not training for a triathlon or anything. If I were doing hours of super-strenuous exercise I would probably revisit this policy.0
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I think that they are completely unreliable. When it comes to "calories burned", some entries seem ridiculously high, and others ridiculously low. No idea where they get the numbers from - maybe they come from other users' prior entries, like food entries do?
Even if these numbers came from reputable sources (which is unknown), they are, at best, estimates. How an exercise effects you depends on you and how your body reacts to the exercise. Age, weight, health, level of fitness, etc. are relevant factors.
I was actually so frustrated with this issue that I bought a bluetooth heart rate monitor to wear while exercising. It was illumating. Mine cost about 30 bucks, syncs with my phone and uploads directly onto MFP. It still provides you with an estmate of calories burned, but that is based upon your actual exertion, measured in cardiac response to exercise. So, it is a more accurate reflection of how hard you are working.
That being said, I have been told by my nutritionist and MD to NOT to consider "calories burned" as a deduction when counting my calories for the day on MFP. You have to fiddle with the setting of your diary to change it.0 -
Thanks guys. I think I need to obtain a fitbitz or the like to monitor things a bit better. I don't usually eat exercise calories back but as my appetite is increasing I fear this happening and I guess I hate to think my head will get used to a buffer that is not really there. Yes time for a better option. I like the idea that 1 mile is about 100 calories and reducing that amount a bit to be safe. I mainly walk or semi-jog our 6km lake which is great because once you go 3km, you have no choice but to continue the other 3 km to get around back to your car.0
