MFP Exercise Calorie Numbers way low?? Or Treadmill Rates th

Deev79
Deev79 Posts: 74 Member
edited September 29 in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, so I've been using MFP daily for about 2 weeks now. I've really upped my exercise level and have been using my treadmill a lot. I like to do a variable rate run, where I'll walk at a 4 for a 1/4 mile, run at a 7 for about a 1/2 mile, then back down to a 6, whatever suits my fancy at the moment. The other day I ran/walked for 42 minutes and the treadmill said I burned 600+ calories!!! I was so stoked!!! But then I tried to enter the exercise in MFP (which is hard, considering I did not stay at a consistent pace) and what MFP came up with was 310 calories!!! BIG difference!!

Has any one else come across this problem? Have you found MFP to rate your exercise low? Or machines to over-estimate? And what about the run/walk/variable rate thing? I've heard this really helps to burn more calories rather than staying at one consistent pace....any feedback on that one?? Any advice would help!! I need motivation (and that 600+ number was VERY liberating!! I'd love to believe it!!)

Replies

  • aeryn69
    aeryn69 Posts: 35 Member
    I've actually found most of the MFP estimates way too high! The best thing I ever did was get a heart rate monitor - I just have a watch-style one, and then I enter the heartrate info from it into
    http://www.triathlontrainingblog.com/calculators/calories-burned-calculator-based-on-average-heart-rate/
    and use that number as my calorie estimate.
  • jen0125
    jen0125 Posts: 53
    by a 7 you mean 7 mph? how many miles did you total? i read time and time again a good ball park is you burn around 100 calores per mile. obviously it isn't that simple, but i'd use that as the best estimate.
  • sweetiebelle
    sweetiebelle Posts: 332 Member
    Anytime I use the treadmill, I go by what the treadmill says. I use my pedometer every day I go buy what it says. I hardly ever use mf! because I dont think its right. It says crazy numbers on mf. I don't no where they get there numbers.
  • GaveUp
    GaveUp Posts: 308
    My treadmill is pretty good but I wear my HRM to be sure of accuracy. You should invest in a HRM. PolarF4T is what I have and I love it. I feel better using one especially if I eat to much lol
  • GaveUp
    GaveUp Posts: 308
    by a 7 you mean 7 mph? how many miles did you total? i read time and time again a good ball park is you burn around 100 calores per mile. obviously it isn't that simple, but i'd use that as the best estimate.

    but if she is doing intervals of running and walking that will burn more calories.
  • misscfe
    misscfe Posts: 295 Member
    I think it is a combination. My trainer told me the machines are usually over by at least 15%. Typically MFP is a little lower then what my HRM says. I would probably go with something in between the two. I use to minus 15% from what the machines said. Getting an HRM is really the best bet. Anything else is going to be average, HRM will be pretty close to accuracy.
  • dawniee
    dawniee Posts: 143 Member
    :wink: I'd go by your treamill more than MFP ....when you can buy a HRM with a chest strap...they are easy to wear and you dont notice it but it keeps perfect track for you the whole time instead of you having to stop and check it the regular watch, I bought a New Balance one for 40 bucks at Costco....the one before i bought was about 100 bucks with no chest strap...i'm very happy with the purchase!! Until then though, I do a lot of random running too and my HRM is always prettty close to my treadmill. :O)
  • wstidolph
    wstidolph Posts: 20
    I've seen the same thing - the MFP suggested calories are usually a lot lower than what I get based on my average-for-the-session monitored heart rate; often the difference is 2x. Some of that might be MFP subtracting out non-exercise cals (BMR) but (a) I can't find out how the MFP cals are calculated so I don't know if that's an effect, and (b) even if it were, my BMR is like a calorie/minute, so it isn't anywhere enough of an effect anyway.

    Which to believe? I go with the HRM and a calculator with a verifiable formula (I use http://www.braydenwm.com/calburn.htm and it comes up tolerably close to what my HRM-using app estimates, too). But, take this with a grain of salt ... though I've lost a good bit of weight over the last few months, it hasn't been at the full rate suggested by my food/exercise reporting: it's been faster than MFP calories estimates would predict, but slower than HRM calorie estimates would predict (assuming my food-reporting is accurate, and the BMR guess is accurate, etc!)
  • cbirdso
    cbirdso Posts: 465 Member
    Sorry to say this, but I have read posts from a lot of MFP people in the forums commenting that MFP is too HIGH in their exercise estimates. For me, I have found MFP to be very accurate. I record my exercise here and always eat back those calories. I have met all my weight loss goals while on MFP, so that is why I think their estimates have been accurate for me.

    I have only read one other poster that said MFP was accurate for them because MFP matched their HRM.

    At first, I thought about using a HRM but I have had great results the past year without it. Also, I read many posts where people have not had good results with their HRM and so I decided to wait see what results I had without one.

    If it were me, I would go with the lower estimate and eat back those calories and see if you succeed in your weight loss goals.
  • Deev79
    Deev79 Posts: 74 Member
    Thanks to everyone for your comments... I appreciate all the help!! I have not even considered using a HRM but it seems SO many people on here do, and swear by their results.... any suggestions on brand? Thank you to GaveUp -- I checked out your brand.... it seems like there are so many out there...you can spend anywhere from 10-100 bucks!! Any suggestions on what features are a must???
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