How Reliable is the MFP Exercise Log?

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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...)

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!

It's physically impossible for the calorie burns found in the exercise diary to be correct for everybody.
The results are member submitted and although they should usually be accurate within a certain percentage, they will almost certainly be different than your accurate total.
The reason being that everybody burns different amounts of calories doing different exercises, depending on how hard the exercise is working you compared to other people, for instance.. I can run at 14kmph and burn 1000 calories within an hour becuae my heart rate during that time is around 170, that heart rate gives me a certain burn rate. Calculated against my accurate body statistics giving me the 'correct' burn.

The only way to be as close to accurate as possible is by using a HRM, even then.. the results will only be an estimate (perhaps the closest estimate you can get but non-the-less an estimate that is likely correct to within 5% if your stats are kept accurate).

My point being, the log should be used more as a guide.. it is likely close but hardly ever 100% accurate for each person!

I tend to do aerobic dancing or just plain aerobics (with squats and such thrown in) as my exercise of choice. I log it as walking at 2.0 mph and 3.0 mph depending on how intense I felt it was. I don't eat any of my exercise calories.