Burned Calories

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biggiwig
biggiwig Posts: 76
in Fitness and Exercise
How to you guys track your calories? I noticed, that I can not trust the machines (like treadmill or treadclimber) in the gym at all. They tell me, that I burned so many calories but according to my heart rate monitor it is a lot less. I think some people here really take that number, what the cardio equipment tells them, and track it in their exercise list, because it seem too much.

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  • hotpickles
    hotpickles Posts: 639 Member
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    I estimate mine by calculating my heart rate at various intervals through my workout. I'm too cheap to buy a HR monitor :)
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    I just use MFP estimates. I dont have an HRM tho. You have one- you know where to calculate your burn from!
  • bgeer34
    bgeer34 Posts: 135 Member
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    I have the opposite problem. My heart rate monitor shows a lot more than the gym equipment shows. I talked to one of the gym staff and they said to go with the monitor as it's most accurate.
  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
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    HRM...it works the best for me. I always go a little low, though. If it says I burned 843, I call it 800. 902, I call it 850...just to leave room for a margin of error.
  • foxxybrown
    foxxybrown Posts: 838 Member
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    I use my HRM which is higher than MFP but I still don't trust it 100%. I leave room for error.
  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
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    I have the opposite problem. My heart rate monitor shows a lot more than the gym equipment shows. I talked to one of the gym staff and they said to go with the monitor as it's most accurate.

    Mine shows higher than the gym machines, too. So far, though, using what my HRM shows has worked well for me.
  • kms1981
    kms1981 Posts: 207 Member
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    Use my HRM...yesterdays cardio session showed 570 calories burnt on the treadmill machine count while the HRM showed 408!
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
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    I estimate mine by calculating my heart rate at various intervals through my workout. I'm too cheap to buy a HR monitor :)

    I did this for a while and realized that MFP was only off by less than ten calories or so (both over and under) so I don't even bother questioning it anymore. The more in-shape I am, the less effective the workout. On the same note the more in-shape I am, the less I weigh and the fewer calories burned.

    I do realize it's very inaccurate for some people though, so I consider myself lucky. :-D
  • epj78
    epj78 Posts: 643 Member
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    If you have a monitor - always go with the monitor - it's going to be the most accurate!

    If you don't - your best bet is to use common sense. Does your Perceived Exertion Level (PEL) match the calories the machine/MFP/Other source says you've burned? I'd always falter on the state of being too low than being too high.
  • EllyK09
    EllyK09 Posts: 75
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    I have the opposite problem. My heart rate monitor shows a lot more than the gym equipment shows. I talked to one of the gym staff and they said to go with the monitor as it's most accurate.

    The same thing happens with my hrm. Does anyone know of a good website where we can plug in average heart rate and perhaps peak heart rate along with our personal info and time to get the number of calories burned?
  • hroehl
    hroehl Posts: 4
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    I bought a heart rate monitor (HRM) from Walmart for $40 and I love it, it tells me what percentage I am at, hom many calories I have burned, I can time my workout even when I switch machines, and its super easy to use. I was burning alot more than the machine was calculating and my heart rate was higher than the machine calculated as well. I think it is definately worth the money!
  • nokittyno
    nokittyno Posts: 292 Member
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    I use my HRM over my Treadmill, even though it accounts for my weight, age, etc. It just helps me with any margin of error. However; during Strength training I go on MFP as opposed to my HRM, as it's such a wide controversy on the amount burnt during Strength. So, today for example, my HRM stated for 71 mins - 478 cals, and even though I know I lift till failure and it could be close, I went with MFPs generic 268 or something, just incase and for a balancing average.

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