How Reliable is the MFP Exercise Log?

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megaiken92
megaiken92 Posts: 42 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I guess the question is pretty self-explanatory haha. Generally I try to keep my calories eaten at my goal and don't eat back what I may burn off with exercise, but I'm still curious.
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Replies

  • HikeCyclist
    HikeCyclist Posts: 153 Member
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    I don't trust it at all. I've compared it to my Polar HRM and my Fitbit Surge and MFP tends to overestimate.

    Many people on the boards, as you'll soon see, count only a certain percentage of MFP cals burned (or only eat back a certain percentage, if you want to look at it that way).... Like 50-75%.
  • megaiken92
    megaiken92 Posts: 42 Member
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    Yeah, makes sense. Some of the one's I've logged are just crazy out of whack (I'm looking at you, elliptical).
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
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    If I don't have another source to go by and I use the mfp estimate I only log half just to be prudent.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,890 Member
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    Almost always, I make adjustments so that I log fewer calories burned than what MFP suggests. And I usually only eat about half those exercise calories back.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    I always understate my exercise. If I do 3.4 mph on the treadmill, I log it as 3.0 mph. When a spin class takes up 45 minutes, I log it as 30 minutes because I'm not yet advanced enough to go nearly as energetically as others do. And I still rarely eat back my exercise calories. But that's just me.
  • LenGray
    LenGray Posts: 842 Member
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    I tend to double-check the exercise counts on here. They seem to be in the high range of what you can burn. Some of them are fairly spot on though.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    I switched to TDEE-20% because it was too much of a pain to have to factor in exercise calories. I used a HRM for a while and some things were overestimated, some things were underestimated (I actually burned more on the treadmill, according to my HRM, than what MFP told me)..
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    megaiken92 wrote: »
    I guess the question is pretty self-explanatory haha. Generally I try to keep my calories eaten at my goal and don't eat back what I may burn off with exercise, but I'm still curious.

    there are so many variables involved with calorie burn, I don't know how or why anyone would think any data base would be accurate.

    some things are going to be more accurate than others...but everything is an estimate. most data bases are highly inaccurate...too many variables.
  • TriciaSmith2015
    TriciaSmith2015 Posts: 66 Member
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    I consider several sources when it comes to calories burned. I have an easier time with running because I can gauge my speed. I use my treadmill's settings, steps counted from mfp.
  • Mezzie1024
    Mezzie1024 Posts: 380 Member
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    I'm one of those weird people for whom it seems to be pretty accurate. I recognize I am probably in the minority, but I eat every exercise calorie I can, and I lose consistently with what my recorded deficit predicts. My main exercises include swimming, biking, strength training, and yoga.
  • Kexessa
    Kexessa Posts: 346 Member
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    I question how accurate it is. I see some logs with "walking 2.0 mph 40 minutes 1100 calories burned"

    There is no way. That is incredibly slow walking and over 1k calories in 40 minutes? Is that possible? Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think so.

    In the database an hour walking using crutches burns more calories than walking at 3.5 mph for an hour.

    Some entries are suspect.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    Kexessa wrote: »
    I question how accurate it is. I see some logs with "walking 2.0 mph 40 minutes 1100 calories burned"

    I suppose that a very heavy person might burn that much.



  • NoxDineen
    NoxDineen Posts: 497 Member
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    MFP consistently overestimates by 30% or more above my heart rate monitor.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    I type in "1" calorie for all my exercise, no matter how intense or how long it was, so I can track how much time I spend exercising. I set my calorie goal at a reasonable number for my overall activity level, and do not eat back calories burned. Since I've lost weight slightly faster than my modest goal of 0.5 pounds a week, I would say it's working.
  • megaiken92
    megaiken92 Posts: 42 Member
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    Thanks for your input, everyone! :)
  • misterdale67
    misterdale67 Posts: 171 Member
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    lauracups wrote: »
    If I don't have another source to go by and I use the mfp estimate I only log half just to be prudent.

    I do exactly the same.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    I find it funny in the feed when people log "cardio, one hour 900 calories". Makes me wonder if they assigned the calories instead of MFP.
  • Blueseraphchaos
    Blueseraphchaos Posts: 843 Member
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    megaiken92 wrote: »
    Yeah, makes sense. Some of the one's I've logged are just crazy out of whack (I'm looking at you, elliptical).

    I believe the elliptical is the worst offender, actually. I found a good web site that looks much more accurate and just use that instead and change whatever number mfp gives me to that number. Or i log a minute or two at whatever calories just so i know i did it that day and don't bother eating them back, but i also have my activity level not set to sedentary and have a reasonable amount of calories to eat that I'd only need to raise if i were running again....(torn acl and lcl, sigh...)
  • Blueseraphchaos
    Blueseraphchaos Posts: 843 Member
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    Kexessa wrote: »
    I question how accurate it is. I see some logs with "walking 2.0 mph 40 minutes 1100 calories burned"

    There is no way. That is incredibly slow walking and over 1k calories in 40 minutes? Is that possible? Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think so.

    In the database an hour walking using crutches burns more calories than walking at 3.5 mph for an hour.

    Some entries are suspect.

    I was on crutches for months last year, i searched for an entry, found it. Didn't bother logging it, but for me, using those crutches was more of a workout than running a mile, lol! It was terrible.
  • Pinnacle_IAO
    Pinnacle_IAO Posts: 608 Member
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    I had to find my own zone for calorie burn from exercise.
    Metabolism is a function of activity, weight, genes, hormones, sleep and who knows?
    There is no boiler plated universal that fit my needs, so, through trial and error, I just made up my own numbers for exercise calorie burn rates.

    I lost 100 pounds and have maintained going on 3 years.
    I suggest you just experiment and let your results guide you.

    Good Luck!
    :)

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