Which one is correct?

faithbelievejoy
faithbelievejoy Posts: 25 Member
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
Whenever I walk/job on my treadmill I get a totally different amount of calories burned than I do on MFP when I log it.
Granted, I like the MFP amount better, which one is correct?
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Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    neither. You will need a HRM to get the best estimate of calories burned. having said that, if you don't have one use the lowest estimate, so you ensure you don't over estimate.
  • amberlee2011
    amberlee2011 Posts: 129
    I really think calories are overestimated on here. I want to get one of those HRMs but I'm not sure which is a good brand and what the price range is. I'll have to research.
  • faithbelievejoy
    faithbelievejoy Posts: 25 Member
    Thank you!
    I will look into buying one.
    :)
  • kalliewelter
    kalliewelter Posts: 8
    But what if you have the tredmill set to an incline or the elliptical set to a higher level? MFP doesn't take that into account. On the elliptical at the gym I burn 365 cals for 30 minutes, but MFP says 280. I have the elliptical set at level 5. What should you go by in this case?
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    both are wrong (too high), MFP is often more wrong
  • faithbelievejoy
    faithbelievejoy Posts: 25 Member
    That's what I'm doing right now.
    Looks like in the price range of 30-40 dollars.
  • BotsMomJ
    BotsMomJ Posts: 24 Member
    Take an average of the 2. :-)
  • haolegurl07
    haolegurl07 Posts: 43 Member
    Yeah, I always take the lower one, and also, I usually under estimate the time that I actually worked out. Like I'll ride my bike for at least 1/2 hour but I'll put in here that I only rode for 15 minutes. That way I don't over estimate and also don't over eat, I usually try not to eat too many of my work out calories back, but you never know how you're going to feel.

    I really want to get a HRM as well, just haven't gotten to that point yet...

    Hope this all helps!
  • faithbelievejoy
    faithbelievejoy Posts: 25 Member
    Take an average of the 2. :-)

    Good idea :)
    I might invest in a HRM just to get more accurate readings though.
  • cranmuffin
    cranmuffin Posts: 25 Member
    I use a MIO watch to calculate how many calories I burn when I'm on the treadmill and I've found that the watch and the machine are pretty well matched to each other, but MFP seems to be way off. It all has to do with heart rate, age, and gender.
  • helenoftroy1
    helenoftroy1 Posts: 638 Member
    training machines don't know whether you are male or female and what weight you are. If me and a skinny friend go for a walk, same distance same time, I'll burn more calories because I'm carrying extra weight around.
    MFP knows what weight, height and sex you are.
    I'm not going to put a bet on it, but MFP caters it more to each individual right?
  • Jenscan
    Jenscan Posts: 694 Member
    I would get a HRM. MFP has been underestimating for me. I knew something was going on when I felt horrible, no energy. That's because I was way under net every day and didn't know it!
  • faithbelievejoy
    faithbelievejoy Posts: 25 Member
    Yeah, I always take the lower one, and also, I usually under estimate the time that I actually worked out. Like I'll ride my bike for at least 1/2 hour but I'll put in here that I only rode for 15 minutes. That way I don't over estimate and also don't over eat, I usually try not to eat too many of my work out calories back, but you never know how you're going to feel.

    I really want to get a HRM as well, just haven't gotten to that point yet...

    Hope this all helps!

    I'm going to start doing this until I get a HRM :)
    Thank you!!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    That's what I'm doing right now.
    Looks like in the price range of 30-40 dollars.

    get one with a chest strap i.e. polar FT7. They will cost $80+ dollars for a good one.
  • blueliss26
    blueliss26 Posts: 79 Member
    All the machines at my gym take age and weight into account as well. not gender though, and not fitness level... so even if 2 150 pound females are doing the elliptical, one could be much more "in shape" than the other and would burn less cals. I really want a HRM... just need to bite the bullet. In the meantime.. my goal is to eat back only half my work out cals. That way i'm not eating too much, but i am eating some of them back so theres no way i'm going way too low.
  • Minnie_Moo
    Minnie_Moo Posts: 239 Member
    Don't know if this will help you any but...........Here is a link that was posted in another thread with a lot of information on HRM's. Also, I would suggest getting one with a chest strap as they are better to calculate an accurate HR.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472
  • faithbelievejoy
    faithbelievejoy Posts: 25 Member
    That's what I'm doing right now.
    Looks like in the price range of 30-40 dollars.

    get one with a chest strap i.e. polar FT7. They will cost $80+ dollars for a good one.

    Thank you for the recommendation :)
  • chrisuy
    chrisuy Posts: 39 Member
    I'm not so sure I buy the correlation of heart rate to calories burned. It just seems to me that there are ways that heart rate can be elevated that have nothing to do with working out (playing poker, general stress, holding breath, etc).

    When I swim, for example, I know that my HR is high mostly due to controlled breathing than it is exertion. A HRM might tell me that I burn more calories for an hour of swimming than I do for an hour of running, but I know otherwise...
  • faithbelievejoy
    faithbelievejoy Posts: 25 Member
    Don't know if this will help you any but...........Here is a link that was posted in another thread with a lot of information on HRM's. Also, I would suggest getting one with a chest strap as they are better to calculate an accurate HR.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472

    Thank you!!
    I'm going to read this because I really don't know much about HRM's.
    I'm sure this will be helpful :)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I'm not so sure I buy the correlation of heart rate to calories burned. It just seems to me that there are ways that heart rate can be elevated that have nothing to do with working out (playing poker, general stress, holding breath, etc).

    When I swim, for example, I know that my HR is high mostly due to controlled breathing than it is exertion. A HRM might tell me that I burn more calories for an hour of swimming than I do for an hour of running, but I know otherwise...

    That is true but the HRM are only accurate for, and meant for calculating, calories burned during cardio exercises only. HR is only one of the inputs into its calculation of calories burned. It takes into account age, weight, gender, etc. Using these inputs accounts for 70 some odd % of total calories burned and the remainder are estimated using a linear equation. If you know your V02 Max and have it entered, it will account for 80 some odd % of calories burned, with the remainder being estimated using a linear equation to HR.

    Your swimming example may be correct that it is over estimated but probably not by more than 10%, as HR isn't the only factor taken into account.
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