Calories lost on elliptical VS. myfitness pals calorie counter ?

pinkste78
pinkste78 Posts: 55 Member
edited 12:20AM in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, so I workout on the elliptical at least 30 mins a day. My elliptical says I loose like around 200 calories each time I work out on it :/ . I think it's wrong cuz when I get off of that thing I'm like pouring sweat. So I've been going by the myfitness pal's calorie counter which is 424 calories per 30 mins. I know neither are going to be a 100 percent accurate, but which one would be more accurate. I need to know cuz it adds more calories I can consume, I don't want to overeat . thanks !
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Replies

  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    edited September 2016
    Machines, though, are also notorious for over-estimating. The safest play is to eat back 50-75% of your added calories from exercise, and as mitch said, to choose the smaller # when you're adding the exercise to begin with.
  • safully1
    safully1 Posts: 13 Member
    I would recommend a HR monitor (not a fitbit or watch) to get a better idea of what you're burning. Good luck.
  • Habiteer
    Habiteer Posts: 190 Member
    does your elliptical account for your bodyweight? because a light person on the elliptical typically burns less calories at the same speed as a heavier person on the elliptical, but some people don't input bodyweight into the elliptical
  • pinkste78
    pinkste78 Posts: 55 Member
    edited September 2016
    darn, I was hoping you guys wouldn't say that lol. I love food :( oh well...
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
    I automatically subtract 25% off what the elliptical (and most any other machine) tells me because it is always way off. As someone who is 5'5", 125 pounds and 44 years of age, I have calculated that I burn about 250-300 calories in a half hour session on the elliptical - and this is with HIIT doing higher resistance and incline. I used a heart rate monitor and did calculations and determined overall that when I subtract approximately 25% off what the machine tells me, it is close to the actual calories burned. Keep in mind that this only applies to my situation but it is how I determined the approximate calories burn.
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    Drawoc wrote: »
    does your elliptical account for your bodyweight? because a light person on the elliptical typically burns less calories at the same speed as a heavier person on the elliptical, but some people don't input bodyweight into the elliptical

    Not to mention short people. I'm 5'2" and have learned the hard way ($150 fitbit way) to NEVER trust the machine. The machine lies.
  • jeffbeckinc
    jeffbeckinc Posts: 7 Member
    I usually dial down the calorie burn machines or mfp tells me by at least 25% or more depending on the exercise, intensity.
  • mikevfr
    mikevfr Posts: 47 Member
    Machine calories are normally reasonably accurate for me against HRM. I always input my weight and age if it let's me though.

    5'10. 188 lbs, Male. 37 y/o
  • mikevfr
    mikevfr Posts: 47 Member
    Also I can burn 150 calories in 30 Mins or 500 calories depending very much on resistance and cadence
  • Kristi26
    Kristi26 Posts: 184 Member
    I always go with the smaller number and eat less than 50% of the calories it claims I burned.
  • wanzik
    wanzik Posts: 326 Member
    Both exaggerate. However, I'd lean more towards what the elliptical says because it knows your weight and the resistance you are using. So much depends on your form while using an elliptical machine. Keep form in mind so that you are in command of the machine and not hanging on it. Your body is relatively stationary while your arms and legs are moving. Most people I see (and I am just as guilty) tend to use body weight to push the steps/pedals down. That is cheating. If you maintain form then I think the reading on the elliptical would be fairly accurate.
  • fbref9
    fbref9 Posts: 74 Member
    When I first bought a fitbit, I compared the calorie burn calculated by the elliptical and treadmill to that calorie burn calculated by my fitbit hrm and a polar cheststrap hrm. I found the fitbit hrm to be within 5% of the polar cheststrap hrm. Since the cheststrap is a pain, I just use my Fitbit Blaze for my calorie burn which I link to MFP.
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    I'm on the elliptical for 65 minutes. I input my weight and the machine says approximately 500 calories burned (depending on my speed).
    MFP says I burn 562. I use the machine's burn but I only eat back 1/2 the calories unless I'm really hungry that day, then I'll eat back more.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited September 2016
    200 calories for 30 minutes on an elliptical doesn't sound unreasonable to me, sounds about right honestly. Of course its going to depend on your weight and your intensity.

    400 for 30 minutes sounds pretty high to me.
  • BarbaraJatmfp
    BarbaraJatmfp Posts: 463 Member
    I don't eat the calories burned in exercise. I want to lose weight so exercise is part of the diet and exercise I'm doing to lose weight. I have found I can't out-exercise overeating.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    If the machine knows and displays watts expended to push past it's resistance - that is most accurate assessment because watts can be converted to calories - only question is where are you in the range of muscle efficiency to make those watts from 20 to 25%.

    If it has accurate weight to know what the resistance is being put to by the motors, then it should know the watts needed to overcome it.

    The MFP database entry has no idea your intensity level.

    Oh, and level of sweat is meaningless gauge of workout effort.
    HR and breathing rate is better.

    Ditto's to above - 400/hr isn't that unrealistic depending on weight being moved.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    faerietearsndreams wrote: »
    I go buy what the machine says but I don't eat back my calories. I make sure that I get between 1000 and 1200 calories a day but i don't eat back what i burn off. my weight loss is slow (3 lbs a week) but I'm relearning how to eat etc.. the machine at the gym takes into account my current weight.. I also do an hour 3 times a week on it.. i burn an average of 600 calories every time I go. it's working for me right now..

    :s

    That just hurts my soul.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Eat to fuel your body, exercise to improve your fitness. You want to lose weight, set a calorie deficit and hit that with your net regardless of exercise. If you exercise eat more to fuel that exercise.

    The idea is to become healthy, not to try to force yourself into habits that you cannot maintain for the remainder of your life that just wreck you.

    Not talking to the OP on this really, just in general to some of the other posts on here.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    BarbaraJatmfp wrote: »
    I don't eat the calories burned in exercise. I want to lose weight so exercise is part of the diet and exercise I'm doing to lose weight. I have found I can't out-exercise overeating.

    If using MFP as designed then exercise isn't accounted for until actually done, you are doing it wrong and usually long term (sometimes short term) you'll have issues with this method.

    If using some other method that includes exercise in daily burn and eating level - then fine method.
    But you have to exercise to level you planned on.
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    BarbaraJatmfp wrote: »
    I don't eat the calories burned in exercise. I want to lose weight so exercise is part of the diet and exercise I'm doing to lose weight. I have found I can't out-exercise overeating.
    MFP already has the deficit built into your calorie goal so you are meant to eat back some or even all of your exercise calories and still lose weight.
    If you ate 1200 calories and then burned off 500 and didn't eat them back, you'd only be eating 700! Not a healthy thing!
  • squarewheels66
    squarewheels66 Posts: 25 Member
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    Eat to fuel your body, exercise to improve your fitness. You want to lose weight, set a calorie deficit and hit that with your net regardless of exercise. If you exercise eat more to fuel that exercise.

    Couldn't agree more. If you don't fuel your muscles you'll burn out or exercise less effectively. I eat back my exercise cals as carbs and would struggle to reach fitness goals if I didn't.

    200 cal for half an hour on a elliptical sounds about right to me

    Try knocking out 400 cal in half an hour on a rowing ergometer (concept 2) if you want to know what 800cal/hour would feel like. I suspect you'll find it more challenging than the elliptical

  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    faerietearsndreams wrote: »
    I go buy what the machine says but I don't eat back my calories. I make sure that I get between 1000 and 1200 calories a day but i don't eat back what i burn off. my weight loss is slow (3 lbs a week) but I'm relearning how to eat etc.. the machine at the gym takes into account my current weight.. I also do an hour 3 times a week on it.. i burn an average of 600 calories every time I go. it's working for me right now..

    So much no.
  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    pinkste78 wrote: »
    Ok, so I workout on the elliptical at least 30 mins a day. My elliptical says I loose like around 200 calories each time I work out on it :/ . I think it's wrong cuz when I get off of that thing I'm like pouring sweat. So I've been going by the myfitness pal's calorie counter which is 424 calories per 30 mins. I know neither are going to be a 100 percent accurate, but which one would be more accurate. I need to know cuz it adds more calories I can consume, I don't want to overeat . thanks !

    What are your stats? I'm 5'4 and around 135lbs give or take, and I use an online calculator based on my average heart rate that gives me around 200 calories for 30 mins.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited September 2016
    This content has been removed.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited September 2016
    Little_Miss_Kriss wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    faerietearsndreams wrote: »
    I go buy what the machine says but I don't eat back my calories. I make sure that I get between 1000 and 1200 calories a day but i don't eat back what i burn off. my weight loss is slow (3 lbs a week) but I'm relearning how to eat etc.. the machine at the gym takes into account my current weight.. I also do an hour 3 times a week on it.. i burn an average of 600 calories every time I go. it's working for me right now..

    off topic,how is 3 lbs a week slow? it should be no more than 2lbs a week and thats if you are 100+ lbs overweight.you are only netting 5-600 calories a day,not good at all

    LOL sweet jesus, if 3 pounds per week is slow then my losing 2 pounds a month must be molasses rolling up hill with a flashing strobe light slow... haha.. omg i wish i could lose the 2 pounds per week like i used too.. LOL

    I was going to write the same thing! I'm lucky if i lose 1lb a month, let alone 3lbs a week!!

  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Little_Miss_Kriss wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    faerietearsndreams wrote: »
    I go buy what the machine says but I don't eat back my calories. I make sure that I get between 1000 and 1200 calories a day but i don't eat back what i burn off. my weight loss is slow (3 lbs a week) but I'm relearning how to eat etc.. the machine at the gym takes into account my current weight.. I also do an hour 3 times a week on it.. i burn an average of 600 calories every time I go. it's working for me right now..

    off topic,how is 3 lbs a week slow? it should be no more than 2lbs a week and thats if you are 100+ lbs overweight.you are only netting 5-600 calories a day,not good at all

    LOL sweet jesus, if 3 pounds per week is slow then my losing 2 pounds a month must be molasses rolling up hill with a flashing strobe light slow... haha.. omg i wish i could lose the 2 pounds per week like i used too.. LOL

    Ive never lost 2 lbs a week, it took me 3-4 months just to lose 17lbs and that was before I came to mfp and starting counting calories. now that I found out I have a metabolic issue im lucky to lose a half pound in 3-6 months.
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