Calories on machine compared to here?

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Proudmumofboys
Proudmumofboys Posts: 73
in Fitness and Exercise
Kind of a confusing title I know. So I do the Elliptical at the gym, I was on it for 10 mins, so the calorie counter on the machine there said 87 calories..

When I input on this site (like before I went to the gym) it's saying the elliptical for 10 mins is 100+ calories burned, which is right? ???

Replies

  • cohollywood
    cohollywood Posts: 90
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    I wish I knew! I have the opposite problem - the treadmill at the gym will tell me 200+ cals and on here it will be 150-180. One of these days, I'm just going to buy a handheld one and go by that!
  • strandedeyes
    strandedeyes Posts: 392 Member
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    Go with the machine at the gym. MFP takes an average of a certain speed and level (i don't know which exactly). So there is a chance you were just on a different level.
  • ChRiStA_1983
    ChRiStA_1983 Posts: 380 Member
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    I would suggest buying a heart rate monitor (WITH a chest strap)....It will give you a completely accurate count of your calories burned, and you'll no longer need to worry about whether you over- or under-estimated!
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
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    I have actually found that the calorie count for the treadmill and the elliptical compared to MFP have been basically the same - lately within 5-10 calories. But I've increased my intensity on them and maybe that works better with the basic formulas here on MFP.

    You'll probably get a of replies encouraging you to get a Heart Rate Monitor, which I guess the most accurate. But if you're watching your pennies like me, easier said than done. I don't look at the calorie burns as an exact science but gives me a guide.
  • aflane
    aflane Posts: 625 Member
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    The gym elliptical may not take into consideration your current body weight. Ironically, the more you weigh, the more you burn, since it takes more energy to move more mass. I'll be on the stationary bike for 30 minutes, averaging 85+ rpm on the random course, and the bike will say that i've burned only 100 calories. However, it doesn't take into consideration that I currently weigh 360 lbs, which greatly increases the calorie burn. MFP will come up with a calorie burn of approx 450. Regardless of the calorie burn, I keep my caloric consumption at (or slightly under) 1600 per day. Gym work-out days don't give me binge rights.
  • crystal_sapphire
    crystal_sapphire Posts: 1,205 Member
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    Both are wrong. I find gym machines over exaggerate - like honestly there is no possible way I burned 800 calories in an hour when I weighed 120 pounds and wasn't even exerting myself much (and yes it did ask for age and weight).

    MFP exaggerates too

    It can also depend on the person though because there are some people who wear their HRM which has determined it's fairly close to whatever value MFP gave out. But then there's been the opposite with MFP and giving out way too high amounts according to another with a HRM.
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,311 Member
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    Its going to vary by individual. But my results are actually quite close. A few days ago I did an outside run. 3.6 miles over 35 minutes. I was wearing my garmin HRM and when I uploaded the data it reported 601 calorie burn. The entry on MFP reported it as 586 or something. So I was happy that MFP was actually estimating lower than my actual. But it was still very close 15 calorie difference is nothing.
  • heather62803
    heather62803 Posts: 266 Member
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    My machine usually estimates a lot lower than MFP, I used to use a HRM and found that almost always MFP was really high for me. Since my HRM is no longer working I tend to take the lower number. I would rather be safe and have a cushion of a few extra calories burned that I didn't know about than not having burned enough!
  • Amethysta79
    Amethysta79 Posts: 37 Member
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    Playstation Active tells me I've only burnt about 130 - 180 calories, but when I try to add it on here, it says 200 & something so I have to adjust it down.

    I swear the PS is wrong though, I sweat like mad & my heart rate has hit over 200 before so sure I'm burning more than it says.
  • honeyrabbit
    honeyrabbit Posts: 118
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    I find there's quite a big difference between the reading I get from gym equipment and the MFP calcualation.

    If I enter my age, weight and height into the static cycle machine and cycle for 25 minutes at a constant speed of 12-15mph it says i've burned off around 200 calories. On MFP 25 minutes of cycling at 12-15mph apparently burns off nearer to 450 calories!!!! A MASSIVE difference so I normally go with the lower of the two calculations...that way I definitely won't consume more than I should with regards to my calorie allowance.

    It's definitely a tricky one!
  • Proudmumofboys
    Proudmumofboys Posts: 73
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    The elliptical at the gym takes in my weight when I enter the program I want to do, I have to figure out how to get the calorie count on the treadmill at the gym. For some reason it doesn't show it.
  • bluenote
    bluenote Posts: 2,930
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    I find a HRM is the most accurate. MFP's numbers are way off.

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