Elliptical

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Larry7995
Larry7995 Posts: 55
in Fitness and Exercise
The elliptical in the exercise database can be quite misleading for people. It automatically fills in the calories if you put in the time. However that may be really off. if I am taking it easy (not sweating or breathing heavy, it doesn't burn near the calories that the exercise database calculates. I use a SportsArt E82 which calculates my calories and I am going to start noting that at the end of a workout and manually fill in both time and calories when I enter the exercise in the diary.

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  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
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    Yeah I don't go by the MFP calculation, I go by the one on the machine I'm using which takes into account my weight, heartrate, duration, intensity, etc. The MFP one is consistently DOUBLE the calories burned than the machine.
  • JoniBologna
    JoniBologna Posts: 653 Member
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    Generally, I think it's safe to assume that MFP is overestimating calories burned during exercise. Even with my hike today there are so many variables that would affect this, ie. wind, ice, temperature, incline. It definitely gives me a false sense of security. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised when I lose 1 pound in two weeks. However, I try to look at it as at least I'm thinking about it more (calories in/out). It may take awhile to reach my goal, but I am living a healthier happier life now.
  • jedday
    jedday Posts: 119
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    Thanks i will start useing the machine i had not paid attention to that .. I will do that thanks good info
  • Shawnalee0703
    Shawnalee0703 Posts: 1,093
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    Agreed, MFP has NO CLUE how hard you were pushing yourself, which is the HUGEST factor. I love my HRM. Absolutely can't live without it! :-D

    I do a agree that this "moving more" change for many is a big enough deal and exercise in general is a wonderful thing. It gets more and more important as the journey continues for you to be able manipulate your calories in/out factor.... But yes, MOVING is MOVING! Stick to it people! When it gets slower and foggier, a HRM is a wonderful addition.
  • leslielove
    leslielove Posts: 251 Member
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    This always interests me because according to the Precor I use, MFP is only off by 10 calories or so, ~300 calories burned per 30 minutes. I only enter 75-80% of whatever it tells me anyway to be on the safe side. Is the machine overestimating that grossly as well? I give it my weight and age at the beginning of the workout and generally do an interval program type thing.

    Thoughts?
  • Shawnalee0703
    Shawnalee0703 Posts: 1,093
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    This always interests me because according to the Precor I use, MFP is only off by 10 calories or so, ~300 calories burned per 30 minutes. I only enter 75-80% of whatever it tells me anyway to be on the safe side. Is the machine overestimating that grossly as well? I give it my weight and age at the beginning of the workout and generally do an interval program type thing.

    Thoughts?
    If you entered your weight and regularly check your heart rate on the machine... it is fairly close, although not as accurate as a HRM would be. But if you have entered the necessary info it shouldn't be tooooo far off. ;)
  • leslielove
    leslielove Posts: 251 Member
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    Oh hell.. I never use the heart rate sensors. The machine I use has the moving arm piece things and the sensors aren't there so I almost never take my hands off the arm pieces because it interrupts my rhythm :(

    How often should I be checking my heart rate in a 30-45 minute workout?
  • Shawnalee0703
    Shawnalee0703 Posts: 1,093
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    if you are doing intervals you should check it at the very end of each interval... then it calculates the HR for the entire interval. But if your heart rate is staying constant (which it shouldn't during intervals) you can check it every 5 minutes or so... But if your HR is changing... check it when it changes, each time. :-D INtervals are a wonderful calorie burn. 10 cal/min is pretty close for an estimate if you just want to stick with that. But you may be burning more if you are in 80-85% of your maximum! during intervals on the spin bike or running, I average 11-13 calories/min.

    But there are a lot of different things that effect the calorie burn.
  • Larry7995
    Larry7995 Posts: 55
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    So what sort of pace does everyone try to set when then are doing elliptical? Last night I had it set on level 9 and it was somewhat of a struggle to keep it in the 50s. I suppose some of you may try to keep it over 60 strides per minute?
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
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    When I'm working at a decent intensity (85 RPM - breathing hard, sweating, wanting to quit), I burn about 8-9 calories a minute according to my bodybugg. This is the pace I keep for most of an hour. When I'm pushing myself really hard (93 RPM - a rate that I couldn't maintain for the whole hour but instead do 3-5 minute bursts of), I burn about 10-12 calories a minute. MFP always says I burn about 600 calories a minute. I don't worry about it too much though because I use my bodybugg tool to tell me my deficit, but I know that the number MFP gives me (and the machine for that matter), are high.

    At the gym, I usually set my resistance at 5 and I use the random setting. Some days I go a little higher on resistance, but I like to move fast, so I don't set it too high. My strides per minute (RPM) are 78 - 93. 78 is my slow speed, when I need to catch my breath and 93/95 even is where I go for my high intensity bursts - depends on the song that comes on my player. My usual pace is right around 85.
  • Shawnalee0703
    Shawnalee0703 Posts: 1,093
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    When I used to use it...intervals been 3 and 10. Resting on 3 killing it on 10. I don't use it much anymore. I do more running, spinning, hill climb and circuit training now. Push it, is the best you can do, no matter what you are doing. :)
  • leslielove
    leslielove Posts: 251 Member
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    if you are doing intervals you should check it at the very end of each interval... then it calculates the HR for the entire interval. But if your heart rate is staying constant (which it shouldn't during intervals) you can check it every 5 minutes or so... But if your HR is changing... check it when it changes, each time. :-D INtervals are a wonderful calorie burn. 10 cal/min is pretty close for an estimate if you just want to stick with that. But you may be burning more if you are in 80-85% of your maximum! during intervals on the spin bike or running, I average 11-13 calories/min.

    But there are a lot of different things that effect the calorie burn.

    I basically use the 10 calories a minute figure.. thanks for the confirmation :)
  • uncie
    uncie Posts: 2
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    I like you use a hear rate monitor on all cardio equipment. The machines are much higher than what you burn most of the time and then of course the bike is always less. I cannot live without my Hear Rate Monitor. I know exactly what I burn and record that down. All I do it just enter the exercises and do not pay attention to the calories information
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    I do interval settings (though I'm not always doing straight intervals HR wise) between 4 and 10 and maintain 120-150 strides/min. I use a HRM and regularly burn more than MFP estimates, but i think I work at too high a heart rate the whole time, like 80-90% of my MHR

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