Actual calories burned on the elliptical?
riss526
Posts: 36 Member
Does anyone have any suggestions on getting an relatively accurate number of how many calories you burn on an elliptical trainer? 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. I've looked at several online calculators and most of them are coming up with an average of approximately 500 calories (give or take) for my age, height, weight, etc. mixed with the amount of time I'm on the elliptical.
Just wondering if anyone else had any issues like this and may have found a way to track close to what they're actually burning.
It would be nice to know if I was actually burning almost 200 more calories per work out than my elliptical is giving me credit for. While I know my body will show the results of extra calories burned over time... I just wonder what I'm actually burning.
Just wondering if anyone else had any issues like this and may have found a way to track close to what they're actually burning.
It would be nice to know if I was actually burning almost 200 more calories per work out than my elliptical is giving me credit for. While I know my body will show the results of extra calories burned over time... I just wonder what I'm actually burning.
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325 - 350 calories is likely high as machines tend to overestimate quite a lot. I don't know how fast you go, but doing a pretty intense HIIT session for half of that time will get me about half of that number at 6'1" 260lbs.0
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actually, your elliptical is probably closer to right than 500...but probably generous depending on your weight...I'm a 190 Lb guy and probably burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 350 calories for 45 minutes on the elliptical. 500 calories for 40 minutes would be 12.5 calories per minute beyond your basal burn and that would be a pretty tall order.
keep in mind that you burn calories 24/7...you don't have to go do a *kitten* ton of exercise to try to burn a whole bunch of calories...in fact, you should try to look at fitness for the sake of fitness. for most people, calorie burn from exercise is relatively insignificant as compared to calories burn merely by the act of existing plus calories burn throughout the day with general activity. unless you are an athlete or training as such, exercise burns are going to make up the least of your calorie requisites.0 -
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I put in my weight and age and the elliptical says I burn 300 in 30 minutes. MFP says 250. I actually count it as 150 and only eat back 75 to be super conservative.0
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I'm really new to using an elliptical. I wasn't aware that they were infamous for overestimating calorie burns. Like I said, I guess I just felt like with how hard I've been pushing myself that maybe I was burning more with the extra weight that I have right now. I guess I was wrong. I'll just make sure that I input about 1/2 or so of what the elliptical says I burn into MFP to make sure I'm not essentially getting credit for calories I didn't burn.0
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The one I use (LifeFitness) overestimates mine by almost exactly a factor of 2. For 40 minutes I think the correct answer is about 350 calories when I take out 80 kcal/minute for my BMR+NEAT.
OP, yours may be lower or higher depending on your intensity, weight and age. For reference I'm 48/M/67".0 -
And, if it turns out that you're burning more calories than that, bonus.I'm really new to using an elliptical. I wasn't aware that they were infamous for overestimating calorie burns. Like I said, I guess I just felt like with how hard I've been pushing myself that maybe I was burning more with the extra weight that I have right now. I guess I was wrong. I'll just make sure that I input about 1/2 or so of what the elliptical says I burn into MFP to make sure I'm not essentially getting credit for calories I didn't burn.
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I usually input my weight into the elliptical and it's pretty close to what MFP tell me so I usually use that!0
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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. I've looked at several online calculators and most of them are coming up with an average of approximately 500 calories (give or take) for my age, height, weight, etc. mixed with the amount of time I'm on the elliptical.
I burn around 280-300 cals on the Elliptical (50 mins) and i'm 5,4 and 128 lbs.
So you could actually be burning more than 350, if you're heavier and/or taller than me.
What's your weight and height OP?
Maybe it'd be best to use a heart rate monitor, for accuracy.0 -
I'm really new to using an elliptical. I wasn't aware that they were infamous for overestimating calorie burns. Like I said, I guess I just felt like with how hard I've been pushing myself that maybe I was burning more with the extra weight that I have right now. I guess I was wrong. I'll just make sure that I input about 1/2 or so of what the elliptical says I burn into MFP to make sure I'm not essentially getting credit for calories I didn't burn.
All machines, including fitness bands, are infamous at overestimating calorie burns simply because calorie burns are simply an estimation already. The general rule is to only apply half of what the machine/fitness band gives you, and then either eat that, or don't eat it back at all.0 -
Does anyone have any suggestions on getting an relatively accurate number of how many calories you burn on an elliptical trainer? 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. I've looked at several online calculators and most of them are coming up with an average of approximately 500 calories (give or take) for my age, height, weight, etc. mixed with the amount of time I'm on the elliptical.
Just wondering if anyone else had any issues like this and may have found a way to track close to what they're actually burning.
It would be nice to know if I was actually burning almost 200 more calories per work out than my elliptical is giving me credit for. While I know my body will show the results of extra calories burned over time... I just wonder what I'm actually burning.
I don't know what your stats are, but I'm 53, 5 ft 5 and weigh 139 lbs, and my HRM renders about 300 calories burned for 40 minutes of elliptical, or any other cardio where I sweet like a piggie and keep my heart rate up.
Don't realy on elliptical machines, or any other machines, for your burns, because they are overestimated because they want people to buy and/or continue using thier machines.0 -
Go with the low number and eat back only a portion.0
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ExRelaySprinter wrote: »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. I've looked at several online calculators and most of them are coming up with an average of approximately 500 calories (give or take) for my age, height, weight, etc. mixed with the amount of time I'm on the elliptical.
I burn around 280-300 cals on the Elliptical (50 mins) and i'm 5,4 and 128 lbs.
So you could actually be burning more than 350, if you're heavier and/or taller than me.
What's your weight and height OP?
Maybe it'd be best to use a heart rate monitor, for accuracy.
I'm 5'8" roughly 260lbs.0 -
I was only on for about 30 minutes today and it said I burned 99 cals. I feel ya.
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So..... Now the elliptical aren't accurate...? So damn annoying.0
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Go with the lower amount and only eat back half. It's better to under estimate the calories you burn than to over estimate.0
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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.0
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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.
Well, then you should be all good!
It would be nice if we actually did burn what the machines told us... then I could burn 500 calories in one short hour on my exercise bike...
Anyways, I've found the information on this site pretty enlightening.
http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/articles/net-versus-gross-calorie-burn.aspx0 -
I use the Fitbit charge hr and its estimates are slightly less than the machine- but it did give me 426 calories for 1 hour (average 5.5mph; average heart rate 140). I go by my Fitbit and it does seem to be accurate- I base that on that I am losing what I would expect to or more given my net calories over the course of the last 2 months (received the Fitbit in April).0
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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.0
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angellll12 wrote: »So..... Now the elliptical aren't accurate...? So damn annoying.
This is not new. All those machines tend to have bloated stats. MFP exercise estimates are bloated too.
I was on the elliptical for an hour the other day and the machine and MFP both said I burned 750+ calories. Yeah, no I didn't. If I ate all those calories back that they tell me I am burning, I'd never lose an ounce.
Then how much did you really burn??This makes me so angry. I bust my *kitten* on the elliptical thinking I burnt all these calories and I'm really not ?
Scale lies. Every one I step on tells me something different.
Now the elliptical ? This crap is not reliable so over it. I'm just going to workout make sure I sweat like crazy and that's it.
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Blueseraphchaos wrote: »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.0 -
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"............................0
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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.
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angellll12 wrote: »
Heart rate monitor, which is the best way to figure out calorie burn for steady-state cardio0 -
Blueseraphchaos wrote: »angellll12 wrote: »
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.
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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.0
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