Exercise calories- MFP vs. bike calories burned

Greenari
Greenari Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,
Just got a stationary bike (yay!). Did 30 minutes this morning. According to MFP that is 264 calories burned but the machine says 113. My husband says the machine is more accurate so that's what I logged. BUT...264 is obviously better ;-) Would appreciate any thoughts/feedback. Thank you!!

Replies

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    always go with the lower number and at that, only eat back half or so
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    The entry on MFP is very general and doesn't account for resistance. The bike should. 260 for 30 minutes would be a very hard intensity.

    Personally, I always go with the lower estimate.
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    I always change (lower) the calorie number that MFP gives.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited February 2016
    No-one, including MFP's database, knows what itensity you exercised at. The resistence and cadence used makes all the difference in the world.

    Bike trainers vary from cheap and cheerful to high tech big bucks machines.
    If your bike gives you a power output in watts it could be reasonably accurate.

    I would find 264 cals in half an hour very easy - but I'm not you!
    113 seems very, very low. That's about the same as a two mile walk for me.
  • Greenari
    Greenari Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you for the information. And for the support. This is a new journey for me. Appreciate those of you who took the time to reply and were nice about it.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Always take the lower number.

    I don't know your weight, intensity, etc, but when I use the bike for half an hour sometimes my heart rate monitor estimates I burn as few as 90 calories.
  • CourtLHM
    CourtLHM Posts: 181 Member
    If the machine has your height, weight, age and took your heart rate the whole time then that is going to be more accurate. My treadmill came with a strap on heart rate monitor and keeps track is what I mean. But like someone else said, only eat back half of what you've burned. :smile:
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Just an observation - you don't make an estimate more accurate by randomly halving it!!

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