Accuracy of Calories burned

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anjoweena
anjoweena Posts: 28
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I am new to MFP and while talking to someone about the amount of calories that I burn daily with my routines I do I was told that MFP is often wrong with its calculations. They were comparing what MFP told them to what the machines told them at the gym.

I am new at all this but was just wondering what all your MFP pro's have gathered? :)
I am also considering investing in a HRM. Those are accurate, correct?

Thank you so much!!!
:)

Replies

  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    A HRM will be the most accurate. I personally think machines are second best since they know how fast, how much resistance, etc and MFP is last.

    I will say that I've lost 60lbs and I don't have a HRM. I've gone by what the machine at the gym says, watched what I ate and done okay. :)
  • RosieGB33nz
    RosieGB33nz Posts: 142
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    They are an estimate. I have an HRM which is a lot more accurate and I found MFP over estimate. For example, I use to run on the treadmill, the machine said i did 100, my HRM said i did 150 and MFP said i did 280ish.... If you are going to go by MFP's estimates, be on the safe side and only eat back half your exercise calories
  • kimberly702
    kimberly702 Posts: 369 Member
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    I'm not sure about the accuracy of MFP burned calories... but for starting out, seeing the numbers is great motivation! And yes if you do want accurate numbers a HRM would be the best way to go!
  • malachor
    malachor Posts: 8
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    My wife and I happen to like the fitbit to keep an eye on our activity. I did some Googling the other day and it sounded like many machines use generic formulas to calculate the calories burned, some machines (like the ones at nice gyms) can use your heart rate data for more accuracy but it also requires you to keep constant track of your rate (like holding on).

    Ellipticals particular, some manufactures might call it walking, some call it running and the numbers can vary.

    You can always manually enter your own data too.
  • reduce_ski
    reduce_ski Posts: 1 Member
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    I read somewhere that the more you weigh, the more calories you burn. So, for example, a 250 pound man would burn more running for 30 minutes than a 150 pound man. I'm new to MFP too, but I think that your weight determines calories burned when you put in the other data. Does this make sense?
  • AlannaPie
    AlannaPie Posts: 349 Member
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    I bought myself a used Polar HRM and it was the best investment for weight loss. It takes your heights, weight, age, and gender info & mathematically works that with your pulse to give you calories burned. It's great
  • emereyda
    emereyda Posts: 22
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    what about if two people have the same weight, but one of them is fat and another muscular, so when they running, does the fat one burn more calories since it requires much more efforts for him to run?
  • Millie77
    Millie77 Posts: 39
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