How accurate are mfp's exercise numbers?

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  • fat2fab4life
    fat2fab4life Posts: 253 Member
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    I would like to know if anyone uses the mfp database for calculating calories burned, eats those calories back and actually loses weight? I really don't want to hear anything about hrm's i just want to know the answer to the question above please and thanks in advance =)

    Yes. Simple answer.

    You have to be "real" and look for the occasional one that's out of whack, but for most exercises I've seen... it's right on.

    I've lost nearly 23 pounds so far.. .and it's working for me.

    very helpful, thank u!
  • fat2fab4life
    fat2fab4life Posts: 253 Member
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    I have been using a HRM (garmin forerunner) and the calories are pretty close for walking, jogging and cycling...most of the time they are within 20-30 calories for those exercises. For me, most days I try not to eat back my calories burned, but rather keep it at 1200 for the day. Since May I have lost 20 lbs. Good Luck!

    congrats on your loss and thank u for your help!
  • fat2fab4life
    fat2fab4life Posts: 253 Member
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    LOL why the opposition to response about HRM's? The reason most have turned to an HRM is because the calorie counts in the database here are not accurate at all and give misleading information that causes overeating.

    The calories they list are not correct. usually much higher than actual calories burned.

    b/c the hrm i did purchase is totally incorrect and I am currently a single mom unemployed looking for work so I cannot go out and buy a new hrm so if someone responds and tells me to just purchase one they have wasted my time b/c no money for that right now. thank u for ur input =) very helpful
  • LauraMarie37
    LauraMarie37 Posts: 283 Member
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    I don't agree that they are "usually much higher". I agree more on the sometimes too high, sometimes too low. Once you have a good sense of how hard you have to work to achieve a certain burn, you'll know if you agree with the MFP number of not. Like for example, I know an hour of "light" exercise for me is around 250-300, "moderate" is around 400-500, and "intense" is 580-700.

    The accuracy of the MFP number depends on how the person is built and how hard they are working.

    I have eaten back my exercise calories based on the MFP numbers and it's worked amazingly well for me.
  • cpfmrp
    cpfmrp Posts: 18 Member
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    Try this calorie calculator.

    http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc It's Awesome!!!
  • kburns0709
    kburns0709 Posts: 297 Member
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    i think theyre a little high, but i have been eating some or most of them back and ive lost weight consistently and healthily
  • ivansmomma
    ivansmomma Posts: 500
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    I use other sources, such as my Calorie King book and other calorie-counting websites. If they're close to MFP, I'll use them. If not, I'll figure them out myself. I do eat back some of them, but not all
  • klamont9
    klamont9 Posts: 59
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    People, it all depends on how "hard" you workout. So for some, MFP will be too high, for others, it will be right on. I purchased a Timex HRM and found MFP to be pretty close for me.
  • complejo
    complejo Posts: 36
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    For me they tend to be high. Even compared to the machines in the gym. The machines in the gym will tell me one number and MFP will give me more if I just enter time, so I always go with the lowest number. With walking I've tried different things, using adidas micoach and also a calculator online and I found both to be lower than what MFP gave me so I just put an average of 100 calories a mile when I walk.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    It depends. If it seems to good to be true, it probably is. :wink:

    The more specific it is, the closer to accurate it will be. "Elliptical?" Not going to be accurate, because there's no way to differentiate between going at 3mph or 7mph, at high resistance or low resistance. "Running 6mph" is probably pretty accurate, although it could vary depending on where you're running (on a flat track, or a hilly street?).

    I've used the calories burned on here, and had great success. Sometimes I use numbers from a gym machine, and sometimes from Runkeeper where I track my runs, since it will be based on my pace, distance and incline.
  • fat2fab4life
    fat2fab4life Posts: 253 Member
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    thank u all so much for your help and input!

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