How accurate is myfitnespal?

mielikkibz
mielikkibz Posts: 552 Member
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
is the calories on here for exercising?

Friends have questioned the posts on facebook that myfitnesspal posts when I add exercises. . .like this morning, I did 30 mins of stationary biking, moderate effort, 393 calories. . .unfortunately, I don't have the manual for this bike to see if I can figure out the 'dashboard' to compare. .

thanks!

Replies

  • evandmegsmom
    evandmegsmom Posts: 88 Member
    Unfortunately, I don't think it's too accurate. That's why I never eat back all of my exercise calories. I try to eat back 100 at the most to leave some leeway for the excess calories mfp "gives" me.
  • scottc
    scottc Posts: 72
    I was thinking it's pretty accurate because the calories burned not only have to do with the total minutes, but also your weight. So a person weighing 125 would not burn as many calories as a person weighing 200. I hope this helps (and is accurate HA)!
  • Ambrogio1
    Ambrogio1 Posts: 518 Member
    http://www.healthdiscovery.net/links/calculators/calorie_calculator.htm
    Good for all exercises


    Its really bout how accuare are you? I mean if you just input raw data from the foods you eat its really about how on point you are with your data. I use alot of the databaase that has already been configured by other members so it doesn't take too much of my time. I need to concentrate on my wegith loss/training/diet. I say to friends that I want to join that it can be anywhere from 85% to 95% accurate. And then just use caution with all your calucaltions and aim to be under what htey suggest everyday. I am alotted 1800 cals a day. With exervice I will say 2200. I try to go to bed with a couple hundred to spare so this way I know I am safe. Then after a couple weeks really you have learned what works for you and what has not. I been doing this system since Jan 6th and really I probably could walk away from MFP today and still lose and do well but its nice to see the charts. My exercises tells me I burn about 300-350 a day. I know for a fact I am burning more like 500 a day with my workouts. But thats gravy for me

    Check the link above
  • tlynnweb
    tlynnweb Posts: 201 Member
    I haven't found it to be that accurate with a lot of things. I got a Polar F6 watch to calculate my calories and when I compare it, sometimes it's like 100 calories different or more!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Depends, sometimes it can be dead on other times way off, depends a lot on your current fitness level. The more fit you are the more MFP will over estimate the calories burned. The best way to estimate is to use a HRM, If you don't have one I would only eat back about 75% of your exercise calories, that way you will leave room for error.
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    I personally think they are high. I started using the counts from the cardio machines @ the gym or the running app on my iPhone since they are lower. That seems to be working much better. And FYI, cardio machines are notoriously inaccurate, so I usually shave 100 cals or so off of those readouts too.

    That's one of the reasons I have an issue with "eating" exercise calories and just prefer to stick to a range. The low end of my range is what MFP gives me, and the higher end accounts for eating some, but not all of my exercise calories. I have too much to do day in, day out, to worry about how many calories I can or can't have.
  • luv2ash
    luv2ash Posts: 1,903 Member
    I wear a HRM (polar FT4) and when I compare its pretty off---more than 100 calories.
  • Nataliethin81
    Nataliethin81 Posts: 315
    I spin regularly. If you're doing 30 minutes of vigorous effort then those calories are pretty accurate. I burn about 390 every 30 mins on the stationary bike.
  • Corinne_Bruce
    Corinne_Bruce Posts: 206
    MFP over estimates by about 100 calories. I purchased a heart rate monitor and found that I was over estimating my calories by 100 to 150 calories by using what MFP database calculated. It's not a problem unless you eat all your exercise calories back. Hope this helps!
  • Nlongenecker
    Nlongenecker Posts: 765
    I have wondered the same thing. I think the only true way to know is to buy a heart rate monitor (mine is currently broken). I think calorie burn is a little different for everybody depending on height, weight, etc. Like I just recently started jogging, slowly, but jogging still and I am sweating like crazy, can't talk or carry a conversation because of my breathing. I'd say for me, I am working pretty hard, when someone in shape probably wouldn't break much sweat at 4.5 mph on the treadmill. When I punch it into MFP (for 20 min) it says I burned 164 calories. I think it should be more around 180-200. But until my HRM is fixed, I won't know for sure.
  • modernfemme
    modernfemme Posts: 454 Member
    I've used MFP exercise defaults most of the time and I've lost 23 pounds. But, if I do things like bike for 20 minutes but it wasn't that strenuous, I might say I only biked for 15 to play it safe.

    PS: I do mostly yoga & aerobics.
  • TheNewJessieMae
    TheNewJessieMae Posts: 767
    Everytime I wear my HRM with an exercise. It's pretty dang close.
  • necki696
    necki696 Posts: 30
    My fitness pal usually says I burn more calories than the machines say I do at the gym. However MFP bases it on your weight and the machines at the gym do not put that into account most of the time. And remember I person weighing 200 lbs will burn more calories than a person weighing 150.
  • DanOhh
    DanOhh Posts: 1,806 Member
    I found it to be fairly accurate. It's not perfect but close enough.
  • bgagn085
    bgagn085 Posts: 14 Member
    I have asked this question SO many times. I typically find that the machines at the gym are 100-200 more than what MFP tells me. For example yesterday my 35 minutes on the elliptical at a high intensity was 530 calories on the machine but only 317 calories on MFP! Thats a huge difference!!

    I think this is beacuse im short (5"2) and there is no input for height or gender on the machines. I usually just go with what MFP says so that I dont end up eating calories that I have'nt burned, but I think im just going to break down and buy a Polar HRM.
  • erzille
    erzille Posts: 524 Member
    I just use the numbers as a close estimate. Exercise calories and food calories. I do not eat all my "earned" calories from exercise.
  • sblowes
    sblowes Posts: 66 Member
    It's pretty accurate for someone of your height, age, weight and gender in moderately fit condition. It can only estimate off of those numbers, unless you use a heart rate monitor. When I first started working out, MFP was SUPER low on my calorie burn estimate. Now, after 3 months of running, it always estimates high, because my body's gotten more efficient.

    GOOD RULE OF THUMB: Shoot to burn 10 calories per minute, for a minimum of 20-30 minutes. So 330 calories for a half hour of exercise is great.

    Buy a polar heart rate monitor. It's totally worth the investment, especially if this is a lifestyle choice you're wanting to make.
  • Texsox
    Texsox Posts: 146 Member
    Sometimes it will be high, sometimes low, and sometimes exactly right. By tracking input, output, and results, you can make adjustments that work for you. I always assume these are estimates.
  • mielikkibz
    mielikkibz Posts: 552 Member
    I spin regularly. If you're doing 30 minutes of vigorous effort then those calories are pretty accurate. I burn about 390 every 30 mins on the stationary bike.

    thanks to everyone! :) natalie, how fast do you go? I try to keep it between 14-20, but today I did 10mins at a resistance of 3, 10 mins warm up at one, 10 mins resistance (which was slower, babying a damaged knee), 10 mins at regular. . .

    OTOH, the knee is NOT hurting me anywhere near as much as I worried about, and in fact, doing much better since I started the bike about 2 wks ago :)
  • Nataliethin81
    Nataliethin81 Posts: 315
    I spin regularly. If you're doing 30 minutes of vigorous effort then those calories are pretty accurate. I burn about 390 every 30 mins on the stationary bike.

    thanks to everyone! :) natalie, how fast do you go? I try to keep it between 14-20, but today I did 10mins at a resistance of 3, 10 mins warm up at one, 10 mins resistance (which was slower, babying a damaged knee), 10 mins at regular. . .

    OTOH, the knee is NOT hurting me anywhere near as much as I worried about, and in fact, doing much better since I started the bike about 2 wks ago :)


    Since I take a class we do different intervals. Usually I keep my resistance no lower then 7 when I'm doing hills. When I'm working on my pace or speed I try to keep the resistance at a 6. I try to push myself as hard as possible when I do just 30 min classes. I love the stationary bike!
  • Nellybliss
    Nellybliss Posts: 1
    Completely different experience here - The calorie goals were too low for me, and I experienced a few negative effects with too much weight loss.
  • keepitoff99
    keepitoff99 Posts: 117
    I usually underestimate on ellilptical as it says it's way more on the machine and on MFP than I estimate using my heart rate monitor. Everything depends on how much energy you exert as well. You can work out hard or lolly through it and the machine will say the same calories......I agree with most that underestimating or eating only up to 100 of the exercise points would be beneficial. As long as you are losing weight each week, it's working for you so carry on with what works.
  • dp1228
    dp1228 Posts: 439 Member
    i agree with pretty much what everyone else said. if you're not going to get an HRM which i highly highly recommend then whatever MFP says you burned just shoot for about 100 calories or so lower so that your not eating back too many calories
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