Calories burned during exercise question ....

Options
amethyst_1504
amethyst_1504 Posts: 16 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm a bit confused ~ it doesn't take much!!

When I am at the gym on the bike or the treadmill it gives me a total of calories i've burned. When I put the same information into MFP it gives me a higher calorie amount.

Which one would be the correct one? Don't get me wrong i'm happy burning any amount of calories, but the difference is quite a lot.

Anyone got any suggestions please?

:smile:

Replies

  • pdm3547
    pdm3547 Posts: 1,057 Member
    Options
    It's all pretty inaccurate anyway, especially so if you don't use a HRM.

    I'd just take the lower of the calculations and work it from there.
  • rickc74
    rickc74 Posts: 416 Member
    Options
    Agreed. I use the lower number, then I typically eat back 50-75% of my exercise calories to leave a buffer for innaccurate counts.
  • amethyst_1504
    amethyst_1504 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    Okey dokey, thanks for the replies. :)
  • jpvliet86
    jpvliet86 Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    The machine in the gym does not know you're personal information like height, weight etcetera I assume. And indeed it depends very much on your HR. So it's inaccurate, do you want accuracy, use a watch with HR.

    Even then I wonder if it's accurate, but it's very close. I wear my watch all day long with HR.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    What do the machines ask you to input as regards your stats?

    Does the bike record your power (watts typically?).

    Depending on the make/model the machines in the gym have a good chance of being more accurate than MFP's generic entries and could well be more accurate than a HRM despite some people's belief that HRMs are calorie counters!
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    Options
    Running burns 0.63 KCal per pound per mile
    Biking is about watts x hours x 3.6
  • jessearreola1
    jessearreola1 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    Kind of related
    So when you guys enter the cals burned into MFP it takes away from your food calories. Are you supposed to eat more to reach your calorie goal for the day??
    i.e. (food B,L,and dinner)1500- (cardio)400= 1110. Do I eat those other 400 cals for the day to reach my goal?
    **those aren't my actual numbers just an example**
    Thanks guys
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Options
    jessearreola1 wrote: »
    Kind of related
    So when you guys enter the cals burned into MFP it takes away from your food calories. Are you supposed to eat more to reach your calorie goal for the day??
    i.e. (food B,L,and dinner)1500- (cardio)400= 1110. Do I eat those other 400 cals for the day to reach my goal?
    **those aren't my actual numbers just an example**
    Thanks guys

    Short answer - yes

    Longer answer - some people, due to inaccuracies in logging and exercise, eat back only 200 or so of those 400 calories.
  • JaxxieKat
    JaxxieKat Posts: 427 Member
    Options
    The machines where I go ask you to input your weight and height and then you can also track your heart rate as you are working out. Since MFP's calories burned are just an estimate, and because the machines give a lower calories burned count, I go with the lower number just to err on the side of not overeating.

Categories