Accurate calorie logging question

nitrovarick
nitrovarick Posts: 6
edited November 14 in Fitness and Exercise
I just started using MFP and noticed that MFP sometimes overestimates my exercise calories. I use a Wahoo Fitness heart rate monitor and Strava to log my activities, but notice that MFP will sometimes incorrectly double my activities, put took many calories burned, or incorrectly classify the activity. For example the other day I burned like 400 calories running and MFP logged it as 1200 calories burned running in place...even though I ran outside. Anyone else getting issues like this?

Replies

  • MomTo3Lovez
    MomTo3Lovez Posts: 800 Member
    With logging exercise MFP is not going to be accurate, that's why a good amount of people use HRM and what not to get a more accurate calorie burn. There is a way to log the calories burned when you log it that way you can log what your HRM says and not what MFP estimates. Hope that helps a little!
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    I am assuming your device is synced and the information sent over is not correct? I would just unsync them and log it by hand.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Sounds like a syncing issue. I use a HRM and then type my activity into MFP and average them. MFP account for activity specific caloires, while the HRM adds the bonus of calculating my intesnity.

    To figure out if your estimates are too high you will have to log for a few weeks and note the scale. Assuming your food logging is accurate - if you aren't losing then you are overestimating your burns.
  • claywalton
    claywalton Posts: 13 Member
    How do you get MFP to log the calories for strength training, it does it for cardio...
  • starfish235
    starfish235 Posts: 129 Member
    Clay I understand that strength training is so fine amount, aka not enough to make a difference that they don't count it.
  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
    claywalton wrote: »
    How do you get MFP to log the calories for strength training, it does it for cardio...
    You can log the amount of time for "strength training" under the Cardiovascular section to get an estimate for Calories burned. You can use the Strength Training section to log sets, reps, and weights, but that section does not account for the amount of time or Calories burned.

    Add "Strength training (weight lifting, weight training)" to Cardiovascular to get estimated Calories Burned added to your Diary. Please note that the Calories burned for Cardiovascular exercises are estimates for a general population and may differ for you as an individual. If desired, add individual strength training exercises, such as "Biceps Curl," to Strength Training to have a log of sets, reps, and weights as individual exercises.

    Please see these articles in the list of articles on this topic in the MFP Help pages...
    myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/11170-why-don-t-you-calculate-calories-burned-for-strength-training-
    myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/topics/455842-exercise-diary-and-exercise-database/articles

    btl8652brnow.jpg
  • nitrovarick
    nitrovarick Posts: 6
    Thanks for all the info. Very helpful.
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