How adequate are MFP burned calories?

xveer22
xveer22 Posts: 93 Member
edited November 29 in Fitness and Exercise
You know.. I don't believe the burned calories during exercise of MFP at all... Last week I've done spinning class, Zumba and strenght training class.
What these classes felt like:
-Spinning: really going to my limits and all my energy afterwards is gone, a walking zombie
-Zumba: feel totally fit and up for another workout immedeately afterwards
-Strenght training: nearly can't walk afterwards so tired that my legs are

What MFP says:
Spinning indeeds burns most calories, Zumba only 200 calories less and Strenght training only 100 calories in total... This SO does not indicate what it feels like. Confused about which ones I should believe and which I shouldn't...

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    It really depends on the activity. For me things like spinning, walking, aerobics all seem about right. For whatever reason, Zumba calories always seem crazy inflated.

    A lot of people try to eat about 50-75% of their exercise calories just to be on the safe side. The important thing is to adjust based on your real world results.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited February 2016
    Zumba tends to be hilarious.

    Spinning depends on the intensity and effort you put in. But the interval nature makes it feel harder than the equivalent steady state calorie burn. Also makes any number given by a HRM unreliable.

    Strength training is actually a very low calorie burner - about the same as a brisk walk, despite feeling hard. The estimate on here is based on METS and is probably as good as you are going to get as can't really be measured.

    Calories are energy units and don't care about feel.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    When I was doing NEAT, I would cut my workout time in half and input it. That seemed pretty accurate for me.
  • srecupid
    srecupid Posts: 660 Member
    I have a heart rate monitor but, it often takes longer than i would like to hook up and i just don't log the exercise. If i'm feeling famished at the end of the day i'll eat an extra 100-150 calories which is about half of what myfitnesspal usually rewards me. Heck according to my garmin i burned 225 calories just walking around town today and i'm much more active on work days so i figure if i need the calories i'll take them otherwise i'll just take the loss a little faster.
  • xveer22
    xveer22 Posts: 93 Member
    Thanks for the advices!
  • erianswilliams
    erianswilliams Posts: 33 Member
    It all depends on the exercise. Sometimes they would be spot on & other times they would say WAY off. I invested in a heart rate monitor & use it when working out to get accurate calories.
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