How to best accurately log exercise.

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So I walk for my exercise each day but I also have my phone logging my steps. Is there a way to log my walking sessions to figure calories right since I'm going at a faster pace without double counting those steps with my phone?

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  • JennBailey08
    JennBailey08 Posts: 3 Member
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    I was wanting to log my cardio when I run - I use my Nike Fuel Band and my Nike Running app to track my distance, time and calories burned and neither are compatible with My Fitness Pal app. My Fitness Pal app automatically tracks how many steps I take during my run and adjusts my calories to that but I don't want to put in my cardio and double count. Does that make sense? When I go to log my cardio I know everything needed to put in but it is already counting my steps during it. I have tried to turn the step counter off on My Fitness Pal app but as soon as I put it back on when I'm finished with my run it automatically loads but didn't track while it was off. Please help me =)
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    You need to invest in a tracker that syncs with mfp.
    Fitbit zip is only $60
  • superrjo
    superrjo Posts: 112 Member
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    Invest in a HRM. It's the only way to accurately know what you're burning.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    I was wanting to log my cardio when I run - I use my Nike Fuel Band and my Nike Running app to track my distance, time and calories burned and neither are compatible with My Fitness Pal app.

    Runkeeper, Endomondo, Strava are all compatible with MFP so would do the trick.

    There is no need to buy a Fitbit or an HRM as calorie expenditure in running is largely about mass and distance.

  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    You need to invest in a tracker that syncs with mfp.

    Nope. Unless you were answering the zombie post from seven months ago...

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    eleno5485 wrote: »
    So I walk for my exercise each day but I also have my phone logging my steps. Is there a way to log my walking sessions to figure calories right since I'm going at a faster pace without double counting those steps with my phone?

    If you have your phone tracking your steps, then you're already getting credit for walking. Do not log it!

    Click the adjustment in your diary to see the math MFP used to calculate it. If you're not getting extra calories for your walking, it means you're burning fewer calories than your MFP activity level.
  • huntersvonnegut
    huntersvonnegut Posts: 1,177 Member
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  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    eleno5485 wrote: »
    So I walk for my exercise each day but I also have my phone logging my steps. Is there a way to log my walking sessions to figure calories right since I'm going at a faster pace without double counting those steps with my phone?

    I use Map My Walk on my phone to calculate distance, pace, and calories burned. It syncs with MFP (as does my Fitbit) so I do not get double credit.

  • s2mikey
    s2mikey Posts: 146 Member
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    I just use some general guidelines/websites using my weight, speed and distance covered & then go with the LOWEST calorie burn amount listed. Or, Ill take whatever fitness pal says I burned and deduct 15% to 20% OFF from it. This ensures Im likely UNDER what I actually burned which IMO is the right way to log exercise.
  • funchords
    funchords Posts: 413 Member
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    eleno5485 wrote: »
    Is there a way to log my walking sessions to figure calories right since I'm going at a faster pace without double counting

    A 200 lb. person walking 3 miles in an hour burns 300 calories. The same person running 3 miles in 30 minutes burns 450.

    Ah the vagaries of exercise calories! This is an interesting question!
  • huntersvonnegut
    huntersvonnegut Posts: 1,177 Member
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    The thing to keep in mind is whether the calories burned you find on line are gross or net. The gross includes the calories your body would use if you were doing the exercise or not. The net is what you're burning doing the exercise. For example, per funchord's post, the net calorie expenditure of a 200 lb person walking 60 min at 3 mph is about 219.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    You need to invest in a tracker that syncs with mfp.

    Nope. Unless you were answering the zombie post from seven months ago...

    Dammit! I never check dates lol And yes I was answering the original poster.

  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    Accuracy depends more on honesty and averages. Personally, I ALWAYS overlog food and underlog exercise.