Actual calories burned on the elliptical?

2

Replies

  • riss526
    riss526 Posts: 36 Member
    5'4", 166 lbs here, my elliptical tells me i burn 225 calories in 10 minutes when it's actually about 60, depending on how hard I'm pushing it....lol. Pretty big disparity. I tend to log a couple minutes at most just so i know i was on it that day.

    From what I've been noticing, my elliptical is telling me I'm burning about 100 calories every 11-12 minutes. So in approx. 35 minutes it says I burn (roughly) 300 calories. I don't know all the statistics behind calorie burning or what factors my height and weight play into it. But every website I go to for info says something totally different so that's why I posted on here for other MFP members input.
  • Dgydad
    Dgydad Posts: 104 Member
    Best estimate would be to do your elliptical routine while using a HRM. That should incorporate your heart rate, age, and weight into the calculation. The machines will always have some degree of error, as they are "one size fits all"............................
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited June 2015
    riss526 wrote: »
    I feel like mine is low-balling. With how much I currently weigh and how hard I push myself and how much I sweat during my 40 minute work out, I feel like the 325-350 calories my elliptical displays at the end of my work out has to be wrong

    "Sweat" has zero correlation with calorie burn.

    At (for example) 200 pounds, burning 350 calories is the burn for running about 3 miles. If you can't run 3 miles, or at least reasonably close, it's quite likely the burn number you think is too low is actually too high.
  • angellll12
    angellll12 Posts: 296 Member
    Dgydad wrote: »
    Best estimate would be to do your elliptical routine while using a HRM. That should incorporate your heart rate, age, and weight into the calculation. The machines will always have some degree of error, as they are "one size fits all"............................

    What's is HRM?
  • Blueseraphchaos
    Blueseraphchaos Posts: 843 Member
    angellll12 wrote: »
    Dgydad wrote: »
    Best estimate would be to do your elliptical routine while using a HRM. That should incorporate your heart rate, age, and weight into the calculation. The machines will always have some degree of error, as they are "one size fits all"............................

    What's is HRM?

    Heart rate monitor, which is the best way to figure out calorie burn for steady-state cardio
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    angellll12 wrote: »
    Dgydad wrote: »
    Best estimate would be to do your elliptical routine while using a HRM. That should incorporate your heart rate, age, and weight into the calculation. The machines will always have some degree of error, as they are "one size fits all"............................

    What's is HRM?

    Heart rate monitor, which is the best way to figure out calorie burn for steady-state cardio

    Only under pretty specific conditions, which the OP doesn't meet.

    For the OP, a typical consumer-grade HRM will significantly over-estimate burn, even for steady-state.
  • riss526
    riss526 Posts: 36 Member
    I honestly just feel like I shouldn't have posted anything. I'm sorry that I'm not keen on the different factors of calorie burning and that I was unaware that elliptical machines are notorious for overestimating calories. I borderline feel attacked for asking a question and expressing my original opinion all because I was unware and obviously overzealous in what I thought in was burning. Thanks for all the feedback. I get it. Im probably only burning 100 calories per 40 minutes on the elliptical.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Dgydad wrote: »
    Best estimate would be to do your elliptical routine while using a HRM. That should incorporate your heart rate, age, and weight into the calculation. The machines will always have some degree of error, as they are "one size fits all"............................

    This worked for me.

    The elliptical renders 150 more than my heart rate monitor does. The treadmill says I burned 200 calories more than my heart rate monitor. While both the machines and heart rate monitor are estimates, I know my HRM gives a more accurate estimates because of my results of losing weight, and then maintaining for more than a year a half.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    angellll12 wrote: »
    Dgydad wrote: »
    Best estimate would be to do your elliptical routine while using a HRM. That should incorporate your heart rate, age, and weight into the calculation. The machines will always have some degree of error, as they are "one size fits all"............................

    What's is HRM?

    Heart rate monitor, which is the best way to figure out calorie burn for steady-state cardio

    Only under pretty specific conditions, which the OP doesn't meet.

    For the OP, a typical consumer-grade HRM will significantly over-estimate burn, even for steady-state.

    How do you know she doesn't meet certain conditions?

    What is your "assessment" based on?

    I use a heart rate monitor and, as I said in my prior post, it has proven to be accurate enough based on my result of losing weight, and now maintaining.


  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    riss526 wrote: »
    I honestly just feel like I shouldn't have posted anything. I'm sorry that I'm not keen on the different factors of calorie burning and that I was unaware that elliptical machines are notorious for overestimating calories. I borderline feel attacked for asking a question and expressing my original opinion all because I was unware and obviously overzealous in what I thought in was burning. Thanks for all the feedback. I get it. Im probably only burning 100 calories per 40 minutes on the elliptical.

    No. Based on your height and weight as previously posted, you are burning a fair amount of calories. The smaller we get, the less calories we burn.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited June 2015
    riss526 wrote: »
    I honestly just feel like I shouldn't have posted anything. I'm sorry that I'm not keen on the different factors of calorie burning and that I was unaware that elliptical machines are notorious for overestimating calories. I borderline feel attacked for asking a question and expressing my original opinion all because I was unware and obviously overzealous in what I thought in was burning. Thanks for all the feedback. I get it. Im probably only burning 100 calories per 40 minutes on the elliptical.

    What? No, it's probably in the 300 range (or more, actually). Don't worry too much about the precise number as long as you keep pushing yourself the way you're doing. Add a little resistance every time, and try to get a good pace going (eg 80 rpm minimum).

    When I lost my weight, I just worked my *kitten* off every time, and used the online calculator of the site I was on at the time. Between that and watching my intake, it worked. You'll get there.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited June 2015
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    angellll12 wrote: »
    Dgydad wrote: »
    Best estimate would be to do your elliptical routine while using a HRM. That should incorporate your heart rate, age, and weight into the calculation. The machines will always have some degree of error, as they are "one size fits all"............................

    What's is HRM?

    Heart rate monitor, which is the best way to figure out calorie burn for steady-state cardio

    Only under pretty specific conditions, which the OP doesn't meet.

    For the OP, a typical consumer-grade HRM will significantly over-estimate burn, even for steady-state.

    How do you know she doesn't meet certain conditions?

    What is your "assessment" based on? [/quyote]

    This has been covered in literally hundreds of threads, I'm not going to rehash.

    I use a heart rate monitor and, as I said in my prior post, it has proven to be accurate enough based on my result of losing weight, and now maintaining.

    Cool. Now all you have to do is demonstrate she's just like you, and you're done!

    :drinker:

  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    angellll12 wrote: »
    Dgydad wrote: »
    Best estimate would be to do your elliptical routine while using a HRM. That should incorporate your heart rate, age, and weight into the calculation. The machines will always have some degree of error, as they are "one size fits all"............................

    What's is HRM?

    Heart rate monitor, which is the best way to figure out calorie burn for steady-state cardio

    Only under pretty specific conditions, which the OP doesn't meet.

    For the OP, a typical consumer-grade HRM will significantly over-estimate burn, even for steady-state.

    How do you know she doesn't meet certain conditions?

    What is your "assessment" based on? [/quyote]

    This has been covered in literally hundreds of threads, I'm not going to rehash.

    I use a heart rate monitor and, as I said in my prior post, it has proven to be accurate enough based on my result of losing weight, and now maintaining.

    Cool. Now all you have to do is demonstrate she's just like you, and you're done!

    :drinker:

    [/quote]

    Nice try, Mr. Knight. :)

    You didn't answer my question. Upon what do you base your assessment?
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited June 2015
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    angellll12 wrote: »
    Dgydad wrote: »
    Best estimate would be to do your elliptical routine while using a HRM. That should incorporate your heart rate, age, and weight into the calculation. The machines will always have some degree of error, as they are "one size fits all"............................

    What's is HRM?

    Heart rate monitor, which is the best way to figure out calorie burn for steady-state cardio

    Only under pretty specific conditions, which the OP doesn't meet.

    For the OP, a typical consumer-grade HRM will significantly over-estimate burn, even for steady-state.

    How do you know she doesn't meet certain conditions?

    What is your "assessment" based on? [/quyote]

    This has been covered in literally hundreds of threads, I'm not going to rehash.

    I use a heart rate monitor and, as I said in my prior post, it has proven to be accurate enough based on my result of losing weight, and now maintaining.

    Cool. Now all you have to do is demonstrate she's just like you, and you're done!

    :drinker:

    Nice try, Mr. Knight. :)

    You didn't answer my question. Upon what do you base your assessment?

    Yes, I did, numerous times.

    Every time this comes up, you post the same unsubstantiated N=1 comments. Your "question" has been asked and answered MANY times - if you haven't figured it out by now, it's beyond my powers of explanation.

    And I can live with that. :smiley:

    :drinker:
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,844 Member
    riss526 wrote: »
    I always work out at the end of the day when I know I'm not going to eat anymore food so I never eat back any calories. So, whatever I burn whether it's more, less, or roughly the same as what the elliptical says, I don't eat any calories back. It would just be nice to have a fairly accurate idea of what I'm actually burning. But, I know I'm sweating, I know I'm pushing myself further each time, so I know I'm doing my body good.. at least better than what I used to do which was eat a huge meals and sit around on the couch.

    Sorry, but sweating is not an indication of burning more calories. I'm running a few times per week. At the moment it's above 102F after sunset and it's tough to get to 5km. Still I'm sure I'm not burning more calories than when running at 80F.
  • vixtris
    vixtris Posts: 688 Member
    If its any help, i use the elliptical and track my calories burn with a hrm. I usually workout for 40 mins and burn 350 cals according to that. My machine tells me in the 400-500 range. I believe that you would burn at least 300, but the estimate seems pretty accurate to me.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,844 Member
    edited June 2015
    vixtris wrote: »
    If its any help, i use the elliptical and track my calories burn with a hrm. I usually workout for 40 mins and burn 350 cals according to that. My machine tells me in the 400-500 range. I believe that you would burn at least 300, but the estimate seems pretty accurate to me.

    But did you set your HRM to your specific HR ranges? What is your maximum and resting heart rate? If you don't know those your HR monitor will be far from exact. Just to give you an idea, the usual equation for women would give me a HRmax of 179 or so. In fact it's around 205. Thus with standard zones this little thingy would guess I'm working out out much harder than I actually am and calculate much higher calories.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    angellll12 wrote: »
    Dgydad wrote: »
    Best estimate would be to do your elliptical routine while using a HRM. That should incorporate your heart rate, age, and weight into the calculation. The machines will always have some degree of error, as they are "one size fits all"............................

    What's is HRM?

    Heart rate monitor, which is the best way to figure out calorie burn for steady-state cardio

    Only under pretty specific conditions, which the OP doesn't meet.

    For the OP, a typical consumer-grade HRM will significantly over-estimate burn, even for steady-state.

    How do you know she doesn't meet certain conditions?

    What is your "assessment" based on? [/quyote]

    This has been covered in literally hundreds of threads, I'm not going to rehash.

    I use a heart rate monitor and, as I said in my prior post, it has proven to be accurate enough based on my result of losing weight, and now maintaining.

    Cool. Now all you have to do is demonstrate she's just like you, and you're done!

    :drinker:

    Nice try, Mr. Knight. :)

    You didn't answer my question. Upon what do you base your assessment?

    Yes, I did, numerous times.

    Every time this comes up, you post the same unsubstantiated N=1 comments. Your "question" has been asked and answered MANY times - if you haven't figured it out by now, it's beyond my powers of explanation.

    And I can live with that. :smiley:

    :drinker:

    Nope. Because you don't actually know this person's situation, therefore you are (again) generalizing. ;)

    Back at ya. :drinker: :drinker:
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    riss526 wrote: »
    I always work out at the end of the day when I know I'm not going to eat anymore food so I never eat back any calories. So, whatever I burn whether it's more, less, or roughly the same as what the elliptical says, I don't eat any calories back. It would just be nice to have a fairly accurate idea of what I'm actually burning. But, I know I'm sweating, I know I'm pushing myself further each time, so I know I'm doing my body good.. at least better than what I used to do which was eat a huge meals and sit around on the couch.

    Sorry, but sweating is not an indication of burning more calories. I'm running a few times per week. At the moment it's above 102F after sunset and it's tough to get to 5km. Still I'm sure I'm not burning more calories than when running at 80F.

    This is true.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited June 2015
    Sweating by itself doesn't matter, no. But I've got (lost) 50 lbs that says you're not doing nothing if you challenge yourself every single time you go to the gym.