Adding exercise to my diary?

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Banshee265
Banshee265 Posts: 13
in Fitness and Exercise
One thing that puzzles me, when I enter an cardiovascular exercise on here it obviously tells me how many calories I've burnt.

My question is, does it take into account your age and weight when doing the exercise?

Similarly down my gym there are some treadmills that tell you how many calories you've burnt without even knowing your age, weight or heart rate. Surely a heavier, older person running the same speed and distance will burn more that some one younger and fitter won't they?

Gaz

Replies

  • SarahWrittenThin
    SarahWrittenThin Posts: 595 Member
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    yes it takes your stats into consideration
  • teanabean
    teanabean Posts: 168 Member
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    It knows your stats so yes it does take those into consideration, from what I understand.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    If you use an exercise machine that doesn't ask for your age, weight...from what I've read/heard, that machine will assume you're an "average" 150 pound person. Can't remember for sure what the assumed age is but I want to say 30 or 35. So, yes, you're probably burning more calories than it tells you.

    I wear a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) and in my experience, some of what MFP calculates isn't right - in fact it's usually way too high of a calorie count.

    But what you go with also depends on whether or not you're planning on eating your exercise calories. If you're not going to eat them, I wouldn't worry too much about accuracy. If you are going to eat them back, I'd maybe take an average of what the machine says and what MFP says. Or just eat back half of what MFP tells you to be safe.
  • Cleezer
    Cleezer Posts: 6
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    Yes, it does take your age and weight into account. I have noticed that as I have lost a few pounds, the number of calories I have burned for the same previous workout has decreased. I have to say, it is frustrating, but I am glad to have lost a few pounds.
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
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    mmm I wouldn't trust it... Its usally high and not correct or so I have found...

    The machines at the gym are ususally pre set at 150lbs... you have to set them yourselves. If they don't have the option, well, then you sorta got to guess, I wouldn't trust MFP's cal counts tho... It says I burn almost 1000 calories in one out door game of soccer.. but every website I look at online says 400-600 calories...


    and I find that that is the case for a lot of the exercises I enter.
  • kml07071
    kml07071 Posts: 29
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    I learned from a friend that you can enter your weight and age on the machines and the heavier you are, you are right, you do burn more calories. The machine says I burn more if I enter my weight and age. It does not take into account height but i think this site does but my numbers are usually within 10 calories on this site compared to the machines.
  • Banshee265
    Banshee265 Posts: 13
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    Thanks for all the replies.

    I think it best I just don't log them, after all my remaining calories go back up and then the temptation to eat them is there.
  • gtm124
    gtm124 Posts: 179
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    Thanks for all the replies.

    I think it best I just don't log them, after all my remaining calories go back up and then the temptation to eat them is there.

    Eat all or most of your exercise calories you log. MFP has already calculated your weekly weight loss into your goal. Wearing a HRM will help.
  • gnalani
    gnalani Posts: 126
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    Definitely log them - just don't trust them. Unless you're only doing light work outs, you really need to be eating at least some of your exercise cals back.

    I use a heart rate monitor and general I burn about 2/3 the calories that MFP says.

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