Confused about the calorie counters at the gym

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Randie2002
Randie2002 Posts: 7
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello Everyone,
Yesterday and today I went to the gym. I am super proud of myself for doing so, but when I got home and put in my numbers I had a problem. Both days my calorie counter on MFP and at the gym did not match up. Yesterday it was not that big of a difference so I didnt worry about it. But today I did the bike and the the calories burned on the bike read 50 when I was done. When I got home and put it into MFP it said it was 238. I put in the exact info off the machine 15 mins with an average of 20m/h is what the machine told me. So I am just a little confused. That is a big differance and could be a make or break calorie intake for the day thing. I was just wondering what you all thought of that. My husband said he thinks that MFP would be more accurate because it has all my info, but I did type my wieght into the bike so I just dont know.

Thanks for your help

Replies

  • jfer1977
    jfer1977 Posts: 139
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    Honestly the only way to get an accurate calorie burn number is to have a calorie counter like bodybugg. I have one and have found that some of the things on MFP are pretty accurate where as others are way off. I've also found that my Elliptical machine isn't right either. And for everyone it is different. Our Elliptical is farther off with my husband than with me. When I do our Elliptical machine MFP is always higher than what my machine says and my actual burn is less than what the machine says.
  • ssavage23
    ssavage23 Posts: 1
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    From my understanding, the machines at the gym are based on an average person, and depending on your weight, you actually might burn more calories. I think MFP calculates based on your weight. I know there are little calculations we could do in a health class I took, and part of it was putting in our weight. So while my friend who is smaller might only burn 130 calories walking for a mile, I might burn 250... hope this helps.
  • james3302
    james3302 Posts: 119
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    unless you actually input your age, weight and height(or at least your weight) into the machine you are using at the gym it cannot accurately tell you how many calories you have burned. MFP I believe uses these body metrics to determine how many calories you burned doing a particular exercise. I would go with what MFP says and not the machines.
  • ebkins7
    ebkins7 Posts: 427 Member
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    The BEST way to know for sure is to get a heart rate monitor. Most often the machines at the gym don't take all factors into account and can be inaccurate, they are only giving a best guess. I have found MFP to be more accurate for me all though; I know people on here who say the machines are more accurate. That's why I say the best bet is to get a heart rate monitor!

    Best of luck!
  • Caper88
    Caper88 Posts: 418 Member
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    The number of calories you burn is based off your weight. The perprogramed amount in MFP could have been entered in by a person who is heavier or lighter then you. At the same time you should make sure your weight in programed into the machine if you are going to use that number.I based my number off a calorie burner calculator then MFP numbers. I found there different numbers on here for walking so I added in my own number.
  • Amajoy
    Amajoy Posts: 140 Member
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    I would use the calories burned off the machines, MFP seems to be really high. Once you enter how long you did an exercise you can change the amount of calories burned, dont use the default MFP numbers, enter in what you actually burned.
  • Teazybabee
    Teazybabee Posts: 24
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    Just a couple of things you may want to consider. I have an ellipitical in my home and it measure my calories in fat calories burned and in the regular calories that we are use to seeing. You may want to check to see if the number you are seeing is fat calories. That's what it sounds like it may be. Because that IS a big differance. Also, when working out in the high tech machines in the gym, you are often able to put in height and weight and that gives a better calculation of calories burned with the effort used that the round about numbers that MFP is giving as a overall guide to help us.

    I hope this helps some. Good luck!
  • ebkins7
    ebkins7 Posts: 427 Member
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    unless you actually input your age, weight and height(or at least your weight) into the machine you are using at the gym it cannot accurately tell you how many calories you have burned. MFP I believe uses these body metrics to determine how many calories you burned doing a particular exercise. I would go with what MFP says and not the machines.

    Let's not forget gender... men and women burn differently!!!
  • FaeFae
    FaeFae Posts: 243 Member
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    I have a Heart Rate Monitor. The HRM read 100 calories less than the machine said. I dont use the MFP workouts, I just use the HRM for all my workouts and use that to record my exercise. Its the best way!!!
  • mtnbkr1
    mtnbkr1 Posts: 2
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    First off - nice job in getting to the gym, regardless of the calories burned! It's hard to tell exactly what went wrong. The numbers that MFP provides are just estimates. Reasonable estimates, but estimates nonetheless. As for the machine giving you a reading of 50? Sounds low to me, but then again I don't know how in shape you are or exactly what you weigh. Additionally, some machines have a warmup period and a cool down period too, so depending on how you did your exercise, that may play into it.

    I think the key here is being consistent. If you don't have an HR monitor, and are using MFP for estimations, then always use that. Bouncing between two different calculations is just going to frustrate you. Not really any different than weighing yourself on one scale, then getting a different reading on another. Calories burned is a notoriously difficult thing to measure, let alone estimate.

    My .02
  • Randie2002
    Randie2002 Posts: 7
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    Thanks everyone!
  • Crystals422
    Crystals422 Posts: 382 Member
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    The ellpitical at my gym is dead on with my hrm. Is is the kind where you enter your age and weight. Today I did the bike and the machine told me I burned 100 cal in 12 minutes but my hrm said I did 150. MFP is higher for me that what I burn.

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