You may be burning less calories than you think (calculator

registers
registers Posts: 782 Member
edited September 27 in Fitness and Exercise
WHen you enter your exercise, it uses a baseline weight to determine your caloric expeneture. We all weigh different, some weigh more, some weigh less. I ran a test, I put walking at 2.0 for 15mins, the result was 75 calories. I then changed my weight 180lbs less... It still said 75 calories for the same exercise.

Generally heavier people will burn more calories than a thinner person.

Replies

  • Crystal817
    Crystal817 Posts: 2,021 Member
    I take what the machine says and I knock off about 100-200 calories when I add exercise. That way I'm hopfully underestimating a bit.
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    yup. thats why i set my calories lower than what it says.
    yet another reason to not eat back
  • makena78
    makena78 Posts: 162 Member
    For my elliptical I take off 50-100 calories just in case. I have a Polar HRM coming in mail so I can't wait to use that and get some real results.
  • drasr
    drasr Posts: 181
    I reduce it by 20%.
  • DustinReiner
    DustinReiner Posts: 157 Member
    All of them are baseline. If I really put how long it takes me to do sit ups everyday, IT would be an outragous number. So I cut it by 65% or so. It's just a good guidline.

    Everyones body is different.
  • penny39
    penny39 Posts: 266 Member
    That's very interesting, thank you for the input! I may lower my calories for the day!
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    It massively over estimates my calorie burn, even as a bigger person, my HRM registers a lot less than MFP or the machines at the gym.
  • Purple_Orchid_87
    Purple_Orchid_87 Posts: 517 Member
    thats why i bought a HRM
    also, if i set my age, and weight into the machines at the gym, and dont put my hands in the HRM plates, it gives a very close heart rate to my HRM, and the kcals that the machine gives are a lot closer to my HRM than MFP - although my HRM is usually higher
  • Tomhusker
    Tomhusker Posts: 346 Member
    I don't have an HRM, so I rely on using four or five different calorie calculators. I will average the amount out and use that, though I never eat back my calories so I don't worry about going over at all.
  • kdet07
    kdet07 Posts: 117
    For my elliptical I take off 50-100 calories just in case. I have a Polar HRM coming in mail so I can't wait to use that and get some real results.
    They don't actually measure calories, it is just an estimate. Calories burned depends on the oxygen you consume. HRMs ARE a better estimate, though. Just make sure you're only using it for monitoring cals during exercise! If you have any queestions feel free to msg me! Gluck :):):)
  • webbed1
    webbed1 Posts: 86
    I am getting a Polaris FT80 since my exercise is weightlifting. But regardless, I will continue to not do what I don't do now: eat back calories. When I get down to 7-8% bodyfat and are still losing, THEN I will increase calories gradually until I reach maintenance. Then I will zig zag to compensate for occasionally eating out--because even though I am very careful about what I order and estimating, I cannot weigh my portions so I assume I over ate. Again once I get that low, ups or downs will be VERY easy to see.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Interesting, my ipod tells me I am burning a lot more than it says on here when I run.
  • GaveUp
    GaveUp Posts: 308
    I follow a Zig Zag for someone that exercises 5 days a week and don't add back my exercise calories, because it already calculates it in the Zig Zag.

    Monday 1746
    Tuesday 1376
    Wednesday 1652
    Thursday 1376
    Friday 1376
    Saturday 1514
    Sunday 1376
  • BethanyMasters
    BethanyMasters Posts: 519 Member
    Number one reason I invested in a HRM that shows calories burned. The website calculator definitely has a tendency to be WAY off.

    They can be expensive but they are definitely worth the investment.

    Also try keeping an eye on ebay. I got a brand new still in the box Polar F4 for 60$ including shipping.
  • stariera
    stariera Posts: 224
    I go by my machine as it has a heart rate monitor ask my weight age and such.... and tack that info in here...
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
    MFP does reduce calories burned as you lose weight though. I started at 242lbs and MFP said I burned quite a bit more than I do now at 181.

    It's still a huge estimation but there is a slope as you lose weight.
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
    MFP does reduce calories burned as you lose weight though. I started at 242lbs and MFP said I burned quite a bit more than I do now at 181.

    It's still a huge estimation but there is a slope as you lose weight.

    Like I said, i tested it. I am not sure what exercises you're putting in, but it might be possible, if you're doing somethinglike running, you're running faster,,, which in turn burns more calories. I don't know your situation.
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
    yup. thats why i set my calories lower than what it says.
    yet another reason to not eat back

    Yep
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
    I just tested it at numerous different weights and it gave me different numbers at each. But that is why I got a HRM (best investment ever, besides my running shoes).
  • eeeekie
    eeeekie Posts: 1,011 Member
    That is true...the larger you are the harder your heart is working therefore the more calories you're burning while you exercise. The more you lose weight the lower you burn doing the same exercise.

    I know someone who does the 30ds and burns like 250 calories where as I burn well over 600. My heart has to work harder from the weight I carry.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Well, I accept that the exercise calories are an estimate, as are the food calories (no one is ever going to know precisely how many calories are in the portion of that medium fuji apple I ate, there are too many variables like how much of it I left,.. etc)

    But, I'm using MFP to estimate food and exercise calories, eating the exercise cals and happily losing weight, so I'm not going to get stressed about it.
    According to a website I found that gives you the mathmatical formulas for calculating VO2 (i think that's it) based on weight, speed etc, MFP is actually underestimating for me, but I use these numbers anyway and will continue to do so as it makes it easy to track.
  • hayley_m
    hayley_m Posts: 61 Member
    MFP does reduce calories burned as you lose weight though. I started at 242lbs and MFP said I burned quite a bit more than I do now at 181.

    It's still a huge estimation but there is a slope as you lose weight.

    Like I said, i tested it. I am not sure what exercises you're putting in, but it might be possible, if you're doing somethinglike running, you're running faster,,, which in turn burns more calories. I don't know your situation.


    It does change it for some exercises.. Swimming for example.. My friend and I go together, she weighs more than me, we put exactly the same 60 minutes swimming moderate effort.. It gives me 586 cal burn and her 736 cal burn.
    I do completely agree with you then, it's well over estimated!! I bought a heart rate monitor and although disheartened at the drop in cal burn I feel better knowing themore acurate number than the way off one mfp gives!!
  • Black_Swan
    Black_Swan Posts: 770 Member
    It has kind of worked for me, so until Im financially more capable Ill just stick with mfp:)
  • cbs1974
    cbs1974 Posts: 98 Member
    all the estimates have worked for me !

    and think its a good thing ! i did find my hrm was higher than the estimates !

    if your worried its over estimating eat half your calories back it should work out near enough !!
    its not an exact science! even your brm is an estimate!!

    : )
  • makena78
    makena78 Posts: 162 Member
    I tried out my new Polar FT7 and i was way off on my calories while using my elliptical. It said I was at 500 but really I was only at 350. That's a huge difference. I highly recommend getting a HRM to get the correct data. How are you supposed to judge your calorie intake for the day if you to high or too low with your fitness calories? Best investment ever!
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