Kcals burnt accurate on here?
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sobriquethemingway
Posts: 19 Member
If it's not accurate, how much do you think I should underestimate?
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Replies
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Most people eat back 50-75% of exercise calories. Some forms of exercise are easier to estimate than others, so 75% may work for you, or 50% may work for you.
Start with one figure, use that for awhile. Then adjust as weight loss progresses (slower or faster than expected).
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Are you using a HR monitor and/or are you using a 3rd party program to calculate those calories?
I find MFP to be off quite a bit.0 -
Are you using a HR monitor and/or are you using a 3rd party program to calculate those calories?
I find MFP to be off quite a bit.
I have an HR monitor, but I haven't been using it for reasons. I don't need it to be accurate down the the last kcal, I was just hoping to guesstimate at least somewhere in the ballpark. What's a quite a bit off? Is that like 100-200 kcals overestimated?0 -
sobriquethemingway wrote: »Are you using a HR monitor and/or are you using a 3rd party program to calculate those calories?
I find MFP to be off quite a bit.
I have an HR monitor, but I haven't been using it for reasons. I don't need it to be accurate down the the last kcal, I was just hoping to guesstimate at least somewhere in the ballpark. What's a quite a bit off? Is that like 100-200 kcals overestimated?
A heart rate monitor is still a guesstimate. It's a better guesstimate for steady state cardio than for anything else.
I can't tell you what % anything is off. Calorie burn is determined by height, weight, age, gender, exertion level and more. Way too many variables.....just use 1 figure for awhile. Then see what your weekly weight loss is after a few weeks. The activity level you gave MFP is actually a range....it's not just one number. You measure & log food. That's an estimate too (granted weighing food on a digital scale is as accurate as you are going to get).0 -
I've read many people saying that they eat back half their exercise calories and continue to lose weight. I've read several people saying that they eat back all their exercise calories and continue to lose weight.
I've read people say they exercise a lot and don't eat back calories and don't lose weight.
The point of losing weight is that you have to get into and maintain a calorie deficit. Exercise is good for you, but if you use exercise as an excuse to overeat you undermine the weight loss goal.0 -
I would say MFP is within 10% accuracy.
To be the most accurate, you'd want an HR monitor like a Garmin. You'd want to update your weight and HR threshold so you get the most accurate calorie burn possible.
For me, MFP doesn't calculate my calories, it's uploaded from my Garmin or TomTom0 -
You surely don't think the whole database is out by some random percentage?
If it was that easy it could be fixed!
What specific exercise you are doing would lead to some advice on best/better ways to estimate.1 -
You surely don't think the whole database is out by some random percentage?
If it was that easy it could be fixed!
What specific exercise you are doing would lead to some advice on best/better ways to estimate.
Actually, the way things are calculated things do tend to even out to a percentage range that it's off by. Of course, none of this is accurate just like an HR monitor isn't accurate, but if you're just looking to keep "in the ballpark" it's not out of the question to figure out a pattern that it tends to be off by usually. I was just hoping to save time on trial and error because I thought other people might have done that already.0 -
sobriquethemingway wrote: »You surely don't think the whole database is out by some random percentage?
If it was that easy it could be fixed!
What specific exercise you are doing would lead to some advice on best/better ways to estimate.
Actually, the way things are calculated things do tend to even out to a percentage range that it's off by. Of course, none of this is accurate just like an HR monitor isn't accurate, but if you're just looking to keep "in the ballpark" it's not out of the question to figure out a pattern that it tends to be off by usually. I was just hoping to save time on trial and error because I thought other people might have done that already.
I have put quite a bit of effort into working out my calorie estimates and can confirm that the database is high/low/reasonable for different exercises!
There isn't a pattern apart from exercises without a defined metric (speed, distance for example) do seem to be very much on the high side.
If your exercise routine falls under all low, all reasonable, all high then your results will differ greatly. It will only average out if you do a very wide selection.
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sobriquethemingway wrote: »You surely don't think the whole database is out by some random percentage?
If it was that easy it could be fixed!
What specific exercise you are doing would lead to some advice on best/better ways to estimate.
Actually, the way things are calculated things do tend to even out to a percentage range that it's off by. Of course, none of this is accurate just like an HR monitor isn't accurate, but if you're just looking to keep "in the ballpark" it's not out of the question to figure out a pattern that it tends to be off by usually. I was just hoping to save time on trial and error because I thought other people might have done that already.
The "pattern" is, there is no pattern. Not one number across the board. Too many forms of exercise, too many variables.
You have to take YOUR exercise, your exertion level, your % of body fat vs. lean muscle mass, etc & work on numbers that fit you.
Google lots of sites for your exercise, look for ones that require input of your height, weight, age & gender (if possible).....then compare your exercise against MFP. That still leaves out many factors. Find different forms of exercise & it's not going to be off by "% xx" for every possible one.0 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »I've read many people saying that they eat back half their exercise calories and continue to lose weight. I've read several people saying that they eat back all their exercise calories and continue to lose weight.
I've read people say they exercise a lot and don't eat back calories and don't lose weight.
The point of losing weight is that you have to get into and maintain a calorie deficit. Exercise is good for you, but if you use exercise as an excuse to overeat you undermine the weight loss goal.
I guess my 110 pounds dropped is an undermined weight loos goal. I would eat back 75%-80% of my calories and lost that kind of weight in a years time.0 -
Okay, I understand what you're all saying and I understand that there are many variables and many highs/lows. You guys are wayyy overthinking what I'm asking. I am not new to this (I get the idea that you're simply used to dealing with a lot of people who have no clue what they're doing) and science/math is my life so calm yourselves. I am simply looking for a ballpark estimate (which is, in case anyone isn't sure, a realllllly wide range). As I said, even with the variables and highs and lows it does even out to a percentage range. I've done it before a long time ago and I'll just have to do it again. Thanks anyway.0
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sobriquethemingway wrote: »If it's not accurate, how much do you think I should underestimate?
As you didn't get the answer you wanted (!!).
My answer to your original question is eat back 100% of exercise calorie estimates.
See how you get on and after at least a month and adjust your overall calorie goal if required.1 -
sobriquethemingway wrote: »You surely don't think the whole database is out by some random percentage?
If it was that easy it could be fixed!
What specific exercise you are doing would lead to some advice on best/better ways to estimate.
Actually, the way things are calculated things do tend to even out to a percentage range that it's off by. Of course, none of this is accurate just like an HR monitor isn't accurate, but if you're just looking to keep "in the ballpark" it's not out of the question to figure out a pattern that it tends to be off by usually. I was just hoping to save time on trial and error because I thought other people might have done that already.
1 big thing that makes the estimate possibly worse than others - low calorie burn and long time doing it.
Even for exercise that is a good estimate because specific on intensity, like walking perhaps.
Why?
Because MFP already has your non-exercise daily burn estimated, which means so many calories per hour/min figured out. Then eating level is based on that.
Exercise calories eaten back should only be those above and beyond what was already accounted for.
So if your accounted to burn say 100 cal/hr already, and eating is based on that to lose weight - and you walk for 2 hrs burning say 240 cal/hr daily with the dogs and baby - you only burned 140 over what was accounted for.
But you log that 240 and eat it back - well no wonder people say you need to enter in 1/2 the calories.
That 240 cal/hr could have been dead on accurate - the problem is with the math.
Lifting would fall in this if done for 45-60 min probably.
Now - sync an activity tracker and this is all handled correctly with the adjustments.
It's only manually added, or auto-synced workouts from other sites.
MFP could easily correct this - they have all the needed figures to do the math.
Of course this isn't as big an issue for workouts with big calorie burns anyway, that are shorter.0 -
sobriquethemingway wrote: »If it's not accurate, how much do you think I should underestimate?
As you didn't get the answer you wanted (!!).
My answer to your original question is eat back 100% of exercise calorie estimates.
See how you get on and after at least a month and adjust your overall calorie goal if required.
No, I was just making sure they hadn't changed it since I've last used it. I was pretty sure it was still pretty off, but there's no harm in asking and making sure.
I saw your answer and although that's a good way to do it for your average person who doesn't like calculating and numbers, I was just curious about a different way. No need to get rude.0 -
sobriquethemingway wrote: »sobriquethemingway wrote: »If it's not accurate, how much do you think I should underestimate?
As you didn't get the answer you wanted (!!).
My answer to your original question is eat back 100% of exercise calorie estimates.
See how you get on and after at least a month and adjust your overall calorie goal if required.
No, I was just making sure they hadn't changed it since I've last used it. I was pretty sure it was still pretty off, but there's no harm in asking and making sure.
I saw your answer and although that's a good way to do it for your average person who doesn't like calculating and numbers, I was just curious about a different way. No need to get rude.
There was nothing at all rude in my post, just pointing out that you are asking an impossible to answer question and my suggestion of eating 100% is exactly what I did successfully - but I also tried a bit harder than just sticking to the MFP database.
I also offered to help if you revealed your exercise routine. But that must be a secret!
If you actually do like "calculating and numbers" then start from your exercise routine and not a huge database.
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sobriquethemingway wrote: »sobriquethemingway wrote: »If it's not accurate, how much do you think I should underestimate?
As you didn't get the answer you wanted (!!).
My answer to your original question is eat back 100% of exercise calorie estimates.
See how you get on and after at least a month and adjust your overall calorie goal if required.
No, I was just making sure they hadn't changed it since I've last used it. I was pretty sure it was still pretty off, but there's no harm in asking and making sure.
I saw your answer and although that's a good way to do it for your average person who doesn't like calculating and numbers, I was just curious about a different way. No need to get rude.
There was nothing at all rude in my post, just pointing out that you are asking an impossible to answer question and my suggestion of eating 100% is exactly what I did successfully - but I also tried a bit harder than just sticking to the MFP database.
I also offered to help if you revealed your exercise routine. But that must be a secret!
If you actually do like "calculating and numbers" then start from your exercise routine and not a huge database.
I'm glad you think your answer is so super great, but that doesn't mean I have to thank you profusely and immediately do as you say especially when there are multiple ways of doing something. "As you didn't get the answer you wanted (!!)." <-- That's an assumption and it's an accusation because you were miffed I didn't think your answer was as great as you did. It is kinda rude and passive aggressive. Also, just because you don't know the answer doesn't mean it's impossible. Bye now ~ヾ(＾∇＾)
Oh, and I appreciate your offer at attempting to help me further by "revealing my exercise routine" but that's not something I need help with. Maybe you should stop assuming everyone knows so much less than you. That would be a good place to start.0 -
Are you sure you are an adult? Because you sure as hell aren't coming across as one.
Best of luck with your guestimate, I'm outa here.1 -
Are you sure you are an adult? Because you sure as hell aren't coming across as one.
Best of luck with your guestimate, I'm outa here.
Seems like you're used to getting your way and not used to people standing up for themselves when you act aggressively towards them, lol. Whatever. Good luck yourself.0
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