over-inflated calories from exercise?

Options
jenc555
jenc555 Posts: 39 Member
in Success Stories
It seems as if the calorie counts for exercise are really high. I'm actually logging less time than I actually do b/c I think it gives me too much wiggle room. What do you think about it?
«1

Replies

  • gargoyle999
    gargoyle999 Posts: 117 Member
    Options
    The auto calories are always a lot higher than what my HRM shows. So your observation seems correct!
  • keynesian
    keynesian Posts: 44 Member
    Options
    For me they are pretty similar to the readouts from the gym machines - so I'm happy enough to trust them for most acivities.
  • rodneyderrick
    rodneyderrick Posts: 483 Member
    Options
    Nothing wrong with that. I log about 75 percent of what I do.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Options
    I've always gone with what the machines at the gym say, or in the case of my circuit training, what MFP says. I always try to eat all of my exercise calories and haven't had a problem. But, my body needs more calories than others do. If I get fewer than 1400 net calories I stop burning fat immediately.
  • DrAlbin
    DrAlbin Posts: 25
    Options
    Im finding when i put the time for elliptical, i have to adjust it from what MFP puts in automatically. For 30 min the difference is 200+ calories. As much as i like the larger number, i feel it will be cheating myself. It's not an exact science, but ill take the machines numbers.
  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
    Options
    i always thought the ones on mfp were high but then i bought and tested my hrm.... turns out i burn MORE than what mfp was giving me
  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
    Options
    i always thought the ones on mfp were high but then i bought and tested my hrm.... turns out i burn MORE than what mfp was giving me
  • dmanakho
    dmanakho Posts: 143 Member
    Options
    my time/calories burned on elliptical matches MFP pretty much up to a single calories...

    I guess different manufacturers and equipment have different scales. Looks like the one in my gym matches with MFP .
  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
    Options
    I agree completely! My HRM shows way different than MFP...but why wouldn't it? The HRM takes your heart rate constantly and calculates on that info along with other data specific to you! MFP can only use a general population sample.

    And, if you really want to be super accurate, you gotta back out your maintanance calories. Really important once you are down to your last 10-20 pounds.

    :smile:
  • chubbachub
    chubbachub Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    I agree, it is over inflated. I can't believe I have burnt off all those calories. I use the machine readings and they are significantly lower. The readings it is giving me for just walking my dog also seem to high. If I need to use their estimates - I'm using it at 60% but yeah most of the time just goin on readouts.
  • PantalaNagaPampa
    PantalaNagaPampa Posts: 1,031 Member
    Options
    Agree... the exercise calories seem to be a little high for me. I use a HRM and track the calories on various machines with my weight and age added in with heart rate. I usally am 20-30 percent lower than what the Database has listed.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    Options
    Unless you're inputting your sex, age and weight into gym machines or online calorie calculators they'll be giving the calories burned for an average person.

    As a short fat middle ages woman, when I started using my heart rate monitor, I found that the gym machines had been overestimating by 25% (treadmill) and 40% (rowing machine). If you're tall and heavy you may find that gym machines / this site underestimate.

    Remember that while this site does know your weight etc, it does not tailor calories burned for any particular exercise on that information. At least I'm pretty sure it doesn't - if it does it's WAY out for a normal person LOL.
  • WolffEarl
    WolffEarl Posts: 379 Member
    Options
    It is probably easier to be more accurate for some activities, especially those that are steady state, like jogging at a fixed pace for example. I compared the estimated calories burned for a given speed while running for my weight from three different sites and mfp and they are all within about 20 cal of each other, so not do bad I think.
  • Kolohe71
    Kolohe71 Posts: 613 Member
    Options
    Get yourself a HRM... It will take a lot of the guess work out of calculating workout calories burned.
  • writtenINthestars
    writtenINthestars Posts: 1,933 Member
    Options
    I agree...I've tested the calories here vs my HRM and my HRM is always lower...I always go with what my HRM reads.
  • edenman34
    edenman34 Posts: 4
    Options
    I agree! I log my full time so I can keep track of everything on here so I can see how long and hard I've worked out, but I never eat back all the calories they give me. There are other calorie counters that seem to be more accurate so I rely on those if I am not sure how much I've burned.
  • denisec26
    denisec26 Posts: 199 Member
    Options
    hmm my hrm is always higher then mfp
  • StaceyL76
    StaceyL76 Posts: 711 Member
    Options
    In the past, I have always used what the actual machines say versus what MFP says. I just bought a HRM and used it today, My HRM said I burned almost 200+ calories than the machines. My HRM was very close to MFP within 20 calories.

    I always thought MFP was too high, but today I was very happy to know that my calorie burn has been higher than I thought! : )
  • Hannah_Banana
    Hannah_Banana Posts: 1,242 Member
    Options
    Be thankful, those that only have one, or even two numbers to read!

    I have: My bodybugg, which gives me one number. My heart rate monitor, which gives me another. MFP, which gives me yet another. And last but not least those wonderfully encouraging, but very tricky readers on gym equipment.

    Needless to say, I go with my bodybugg. :love:

    And yes, I do resemble a sweaty icu patient when working out. :bigsmile:
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    Options
    It seems as if the calorie counts for exercise are really high. I'm actually logging less time than I actually do b/c I think it gives me too much wiggle room. What do you think about it?

    I really think that one should set their eating plan to incorporate all of their activity and let that be that. So if if you say you are an active or very active or sedentary person take the calories that it takes to maintain that THEN reduce those calories depending on how much you want to lose per week. That's how it appears to be here BUT say, if you input that you are Vary active, that is supposed to take into account an exercise routine of X minutes 4+ days per week. Why they give that back when you do exercise or day to day activities, I don't know.

    To be safe, I just in-put that I am Sedentary, then you can add back activity and exercise calories, depending how much you want to lose per week. Something is definitely wrong with giving back calories.

Categories

Do you Love MyFitnessPal? Have you crushed a goal or improved your life through better nutrition using MyFitnessPal?
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!