How are calories calculated by Iphone steps without heart rate?

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doug0915
doug0915 Posts: 13
edited November 2014 in Fitness and Exercise
Does anybody know what the formula is that myfitnesspal uses to decide how many calories you've burned by step?

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  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I didn't know MFP used steps in it's calculations. I thought it was your weight, activity being done, duration of workout.
  • doug0915
    doug0915 Posts: 13
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    jacksonpt wrote: »
    I didn't know MFP used steps in it's calculations. I thought it was your weight, activity being done, duration of workout.

    It does in mine. The Iphone 5s (and I'm assuming 6 and 6+) have accelerometer in them. It tracks my steps as long as my phone is in my pocket.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    What does that have to do with MFP's calorie estimates?
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
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    It's based on how quickly you're moving and how long. It then uses some assumptions about the user.

    I find for walking it's not bad. Everything else though it's useless.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    huh... well, ya learn something new every day.
  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
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    doug0915 wrote: »
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    I didn't know MFP used steps in it's calculations. I thought it was your weight, activity being done, duration of workout.

    It does in mine. The Iphone 5s (and I'm assuming 6 and 6+) have accelerometer in them. It tracks my steps as long as my phone is in my pocket.

    Do you know if this is also on the 5c (basically color version of the 5s) ? Thanks in advance.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    doug0915 wrote: »
    Does anybody know what the formula is that myfitnesspal uses to decide how many calories you've burned by step?

    Calorie burns depend upon height, weight, age, gender, exertion level and more. MFP & your ap can't know how intense the steps were for you.

    Some calories for daily steps are included in your activity level for MFP. Even sedentary people take steps. More active people take more steps.

    Be careful if you are trying to add "daily steps" as exercise. Fast paced (deliberate) walking can be exercise.....you would burn more calories (than regular daily steps) because you increased your exertion level (and your heart rate).

    Here are some activity level ranges........

    <5000 steps/day may be used as a sedentary lifestyle
    5000-7499 steps/day is typical of daily activity might be considered low active
    7500-9999 likely includes some volitional activities considered somewhat active
    10,000 steps/day indicates the point that should be used to classify individuals as active
    >12500 steps/day are likely to be classified as highly active
  • doug0915
    doug0915 Posts: 13
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    TeaBea wrote: »
    doug0915 wrote: »
    Does anybody know what the formula is that myfitnesspal uses to decide how many calories you've burned by step?

    Calorie burns depend upon height, weight, age, gender, exertion level and more. MFP & your ap can't know how intense the steps were for you.

    Some calories for daily steps are included in your activity level for MFP. Even sedentary people take steps. More active people take more steps.

    Be careful if you are trying to add "daily steps" as exercise. Fast paced (deliberate) walking can be exercise.....you would burn more calories (than regular daily steps) because you increased your exertion level (and your heart rate).

    Here are some activity level ranges........

    <5000 steps/day may be used as a sedentary lifestyle
    5000-7499 steps/day is typical of daily activity might be considered low active
    7500-9999 likely includes some volitional activities considered somewhat active
    10,000 steps/day indicates the point that should be used to classify individuals as active
    >12500 steps/day are likely to be classified as highly active

    So does MFP take your profile data into account when doing the calculating then?

    I'm not using the steps calculation as a daily exercise, but wonder about the accuracy in regards to using it to measure caloric food intake.

    For instance, one day it said I did 13,000 steps and burned something like 450 calories for the day. (Which I was skeptical of)

    That increases the amount of food I can intake for the day, but I DON'T want to do that (I'm trying to lose weight) if that is not accurate.


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