MFP calories burned IS ACCURATE! PLEASE stop saying MFP give

Superdupermom
Superdupermom Posts: 149
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
http://www.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/calc/calculator.cgi
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

I did 30 minutes of cleaning/housework and these websites give you over 160 for it but MFP gives you only 130 something so HELLO!
People Please stop telling people you should get less because MFP gives you too many calories burned!!!
Now there are about 3 or 4 other websites i checked and they are almost the same number as MFP has for whatever activity I did.
So people just realize that you dont have to put 20 for 30 mins of exercise! give yourself some credit! you deserve it! MFP is accurate and besides not having a pie chart its the BEST!!!
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Replies

  • crystaltrejo
    crystaltrejo Posts: 263 Member
    I agree it's pretty close but if you want to know if it's right for your personally the best way would be to purchase a HRM.
  • crystal_sapphire
    crystal_sapphire Posts: 1,205 Member
    it still really depends on the person. MFP says I burn 600+ cals when i do an hour of foor hockey but in reality, I burn 400ish.

    for some MFP is accurate and for others not. simple as that
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
    Actually, it's different for everyone. I use an HRM now, and usually, I burn MORE calories than MFP calculates, but on some activities, such as walking or jogging, the amount of calories that MFP calculates is FAR BELOW what I actually burned. It's not completely accurate, it's a best guess. For some people it will be close to accurate and for others it will be way off. If you don't have an HRM you should just go by what MFP calculates though.
  • AdamATGATT
    AdamATGATT Posts: 573 Member
    It might be for you, but it's not for me. It's not a one-size fits all thing.
  • jalara
    jalara Posts: 2,599 Member
    It's not accurate for everyone. Someone who weighs 230 won't have the same burn as someone who weighs 180 or 130. The only way to know for sure is to use a heart rate monitor.
  • IsaiahSilva
    IsaiahSilva Posts: 3
    I always thought housework was counted in the normal starting calories...boy have I been missing out.
  • Jayni40
    Jayni40 Posts: 123 Member
    It may be for some but it certainly is not for me. I have a HR monitor. And I know everybody dose not have one. but when I did a comparison for me MFP was a good 100 calories off from what my HR monitor said.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    Actually, it's different for everyone. I use an HRM now, and usually, I burn MORE calories than MFP calculates, but on some activities, such as walking or jogging, the amount of calories that MFP calculates is FAR BELOW what I actually burned. It's not completely accurate, it's a best guess. For some people it will be close to accurate and for others it will be way off. If you don't have an HRM you should just go by what MFP calculates though.

    Hear hear! It is a great best guess estimate and worked well for me for over 10 months until I finally broke down and got an HRM. Low and behold, some things were pretty darn close and others were off - I think intensity, HR, age and all other factors make it impossible for a one size fits all.
  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
    http://www.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/calc/calculator.cgi
    http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

    I did 30 minutes of cleaning/housework and these websites give you over 160 for it but MFP gives you only 130 something so HELLO!
    People Please stop telling people you should get less because MFP gives you too many calories burned!!!
    Now there are about 3 or 4 other websites i checked and they are almost the same number as MFP has for whatever activity I did.
    So people just realize that you dont have to put 20 for 30 mins of exercise! give yourself some credit! you deserve it! MFP is accurate and besides not having a pie chart its the BEST!!!

    Everyone is different, and the best way to tell is to get a HRM.
  • JulsDiane
    JulsDiane Posts: 349 Member
    Actually, to be frank, it's not an exact science and an HRM actually does not give you a perfect calculation either. That being said my HRM is pretty close with what MFP calculates so when I don't have it on me to use I feel perfectly comfortable using the site.

    And once I finish my complete research and make a million on my new calculation method that is 100% I'll be sure to keep in touch....buahahahaha
  • hkystar
    hkystar Posts: 1,290 Member
    I actually found it totally depend on the level of energy I put in.

    when I would go for runs MFP always underestimated my burn (I use an hrm). But when I was doing other less strenuous activities MFP overestimated.
  • kms1981
    kms1981 Posts: 207 Member
    I have to use my HRM too. The MFP database and machines both over estimate my calories burnt.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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  • fanceegirl75
    fanceegirl75 Posts: 620 Member
    Good answers everyone. You definitely can not depend on MFP to know exactly how many calories you burned because it's going to tell EVERYONE on here the same amount of cals for a selected exercise and than in itself proves it to be incorrect!!
  • outersoul
    outersoul Posts: 711
    Websites can give you a ballpark at best. I trust my HRM more.
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
    I still think it depends on the person. MFP gives me like 900 for elliptical the machine gives me like 475 and my HRM gives me 413. I will stick with my HRM, thank you very much.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    Any estimate of calories burned for a particular activity without taking into account at least height and weight is only going to be anything like correct for a very average person, whatever site they are posted on!

    Obviously, for me, most of the estimates given on this site are far higher than the amount of calories I actually burn as measured with my HRM. For an average person however, it's probably better than guessing a number yourself.
  • darrenham
    darrenham Posts: 110 Member
    A HRM is not a calorie counter, it's unlikely to be any more accurate than MFP's figures.

    There's really no need to buy a HRM unless you're either medically advised to, or a serious athlete.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    MFP is totally accurate, except for the many cases in which it is not...
  • smithke79
    smithke79 Posts: 9
    Just wanted to add, MFP does take into account your height, weight, etc for calories burned. My financee is 30 pounds lighter and 8 inches shorter than me, we both run 3 miles and MFP says I burn about 200 more than she did. No its perfect but works pretty good I think.
  • Laceylala
    Laceylala Posts: 3,094 Member
    MFP is totally accurate, except for the many cases in which it is not...

    Ha!
  • Bridgetc140
    Bridgetc140 Posts: 405 Member
    Websites can give you a ballpark at best. I trust my HRM more.

    ^^^^^^THIS!!
  • Bridgetc140
    Bridgetc140 Posts: 405 Member
    A HRM is not a calorie counter, it's unlikely to be any more accurate than MFP's figures.

    There's really no need to buy a HRM unless you're either medically advised to, or a serious athlete.

    Actually the heart rate monitor does just that..........it monitors your heart rate to give the most accurate reading of how many calories you were burning DUE TO your heart rate. Of course it's more accurate than MFP.
  • michelletyler38
    michelletyler38 Posts: 469 Member
    It's not accurate for everyone. Someone who weighs 230 won't have the same burn as someone who weighs 180 or 130. The only way to know for sure is to use a heart rate monitor.

    MFP lowers your calories as your weight decreases... When I first started I'd burn 400 c. doing 30 mins on the elliptical. Now I only burn 370.
  • loseit4ever
    loseit4ever Posts: 187 Member
    I wear BodyMedia and my actual cals burned are always lower than what MFP says. I think it really depends on the person, how hard you are actually working during any given workout, etc. It's a great resource when you don't have another one, and I think it gives a great ballpark, but I think the HRMs and BodyMedia are more personalized and accurate.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    A HRM is not a calorie counter, it's unlikely to be any more accurate than MFP's figures.
    Despite the fact that it takes into account effort expended, height, weight, age and gender?

    Certainly I get far more realistic sounding measurements out of my HRM. Generally they are at least 20% lower than the ones quoted on here, and on the machines at the gym, neither of which take even gender into account, yet alone weight, which has a massive impact on the amount of calories a certain amount of exercise uses.
  • Superdupermom
    Superdupermom Posts: 149
    It's not accurate for everyone. Someone who weighs 230 won't have the same burn as someone who weighs 180 or 130. The only way to know for sure is to use a heart rate monitor.
    On MFP it does calculate in your weight..you put your weigh ins right? just like any other site it uses your weight and activity to calculate! MFP might not be PERFECT but its pretty accurate for me! just some people tell others in the forum that its not accurate or that MFP gives you too many calories! in some cases maybe..but its a well rounded site and its pretty accurate for me :)
  • Superdupermom
    Superdupermom Posts: 149
    A HRM is not a calorie counter, it's unlikely to be any more accurate than MFP's figures.
    Despite the fact that it takes into account effort expended, height, weight, age and gender?

    Certainly I get far more realistic sounding measurements out of my HRM. Generally they are at least 20% lower than the ones quoted on here, and on the machines at the gym, neither of which take even gender into account, yet alone weight, which has a massive impact on the amount of calories a certain amount of exercise uses.
    HRM's are probably the most accurate...but for most people its easier to just get near it ya know? I mean look at how many people have lost weight using this website its amazing! My husband wants to get a HRM but im good with just using the website...i dont care about a couple calories burned here or there because I am gonna just keep losing weight either way :) everyone is different in their way to diet!
  • Superdupermom
    Superdupermom Posts: 149
    I wear BodyMedia and my actual cals burned are always lower than what MFP says. I think it really depends on the person, how hard you are actually working during any given workout, etc. It's a great resource when you don't have another one, and I think it gives a great ballpark, but I think the HRMs and BodyMedia are more personalized and accurate.
    yes exactly well said :)
  • Superdupermom
    Superdupermom Posts: 149
    Actually, to be frank, it's not an exact science and an HRM actually does not give you a perfect calculation either. That being said my HRM is pretty close with what MFP calculates so when I don't have it on me to use I feel perfectly comfortable using the site.

    And once I finish my complete research and make a million on my new calculation method that is 100% I'll be sure to keep in touch....buahahahaha
    LOLz cool!
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