MFP Calorie Burn Values

canadasaurus
canadasaurus Posts: 30 Member
edited October 1 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi Everyone!

So I have found for a lot of the exercises in MFP that I just can't believe the number of calories I'm supposedly burning. Soccer is like 700 an hour, but if I were to jog for an hour straight I would only burn 400-500. I usually end up adjusting my minutes so that it is a more realistic number to me. I'm just scared that I'm not actually burning what I think I am, and could then eat back more exercise calories than I should.

Does anybody else do this? Suggestions? Or do you think MFP numbers are fairly accurate for calories burned?

Replies

  • benzgirl1
    benzgirl1 Posts: 21
    I have this concern too.
  • Ifican
    Ifican Posts: 47 Member
    So using your soccer as an example you need to think about it as active participation. If you play soccer for an hour but are only actively playing for 10 minutes and lightly strolling around the field for 50 you will burn some but no where near 700. However if you are running around, chasing, passing, kicking for an hour straight you absolutely could burn 700+. You just need to add active minutes of what you are doing. Going to the gym for 3 hours and calling that strength training but only actively doing any exercise for 45 minutes is a huge difference in actually calorie expenditure.
  • surabhit
    surabhit Posts: 94 Member
    I wasn't sure about this either which is why I'm now considering getting a HRM.
  • joseph9
    joseph9 Posts: 328 Member
    I think MFP tends to run high. When I have another source for calorie information (like workouts on runkeeper), I use the lower value, and I generally try not to eat all of my exercise calories just to be safe.
  • veganjeanie
    veganjeanie Posts: 158 Member
    Best to get a hrm (and subtract your bmr if the hrm doesn't) to know for sure.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    MFP is very accurate, I've compared it to my HRM and cardio machines (only NEW machines will give you accurate readings, older machines will tell you you've burned 100 more than you have).

    Sometimes it's just hard to believe but there must be rational behind it. Spinning for example 1 hour is like 400 cals burned for me but 1 hour on the elliptical is about 580. Spinning is more exhausting and I'm more sweaty however since overall it is in fact a seated exercise, the cals are obviously not as high as you'd think. It's all about perception.

    I wouldn’t mess with the numbers to correspond with some number you have in your head unless you have a personal training and mathematics background.

    HRM is the best, MFP is 2nd best compared to all the other websites out there, trust me I've played with them all!
  • canadasaurus
    canadasaurus Posts: 30 Member
    Best to get a hrm (and subtract your bmr if the hrm doesn't) to know for sure.

    OK, so I'm a former college athlete and I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know how the HRM works in terms of calories. Does it automatically convert it for you, or do I need to know some kind of equation?

    I think that sounds like a great plan!
  • ItsMeLori
    ItsMeLori Posts: 346
    Invest in a Polar HRM w/chest strap. You will feel so much better about calories burned
  • me525
    me525 Posts: 155
    i've had this concern also....... to combat any discrepencies I try to stay as close to my daily allowed calories as possible(within 50) or under on days i don't work out, on the days I do work out regardless of how many calories i "earn back" I only allow myself to go over by 100 (but usually try to stay at or under on these day's too).

    hope this helps
  • fishgirlnola
    fishgirlnola Posts: 30 Member
    Hi Everyone!

    So I have found for a lot of the exercises in MFP that I just can't believe the number of calories I'm supposedly burning. Soccer is like 700 an hour, but if I were to jog for an hour straight I would only burn 400-500. I usually end up adjusting my minutes so that it is a more realistic number to me. I'm just scared that I'm not actually burning what I think I am, and could then eat back more exercise calories than I should.

    Does anybody else do this? Suggestions? Or do you think MFP numbers are fairly accurate for calories burned?

    I am certain that Abby Wambach burns 1400 calories and hour playing soccer, I would burn 400. People say Zumba is 800 calories an hour? No, my instructor is a dolt and I burn more on an elliptical. I try to resolve this by getting several different estimates. I also compare it to what I burn for the same amount of time on an elliptical at different levels of effort.
  • ItsMeLori
    ItsMeLori Posts: 346
    Best to get a hrm (and subtract your bmr if the hrm doesn't) to know for sure.

    OK, so I'm a former college athlete and I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know how the HRM works in terms of calories. Does it automatically convert it for you, or do I need to know some kind of equation?

    I think that sounds like a great plan!

    It does it all for you, when you set it up you have to enter your weight.... thats it.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    I searched online for various workouts that I do that are not in the MFP database. I typed in my info and I use that in my dairy to record what I'm actually burning. For example, two of the classes I take in the gym are not in the DB. By logging them myself they are always in my list to grab from each week.

    The only way to REALLY tell what you are burning during a workout is to wear a HRM with a chest strap. You would be surprised! I burn more according to the HRM than the elliptical machine says.
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
    MFP uses an algorithm based on height/weight/age to guestimate the amount of calories burned during a particular exercise.

    I also googled to find the calories used in walking up and down stairs and I suppose you could cross check with these and other sites: http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php http://stairway.hc-sc.gc.ca/calcalc.aro

    If you have a Heart Rate Monitor that will also give you a better indication of your calories burned during exercise as long as your HRM can eb calibrated to your details.
  • aj_rock
    aj_rock Posts: 390 Member
    Playing sports is fairly inaccurate compared to jogging or whatnot. Unless you give 100% the entire time you play soccer, chances are you didn't burn 700 an hour.

    Just try to gauge how hard you played and adjust accordingly. On the flip side, if you actually jog at so-and-so a pace for a hour, your caloric burn will be a lot more accurate.

    End of the day, low-ball your calories during mixed sports. Being under an extra 100-200 calories for one day of activity won't hurt.
  • joseph9
    joseph9 Posts: 328 Member
    OK, so I'm a former college athlete and I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know how the HRM works in terms of calories. Does it automatically convert it for you, or do I need to know some kind of equation?

    I think that sounds like a great plan!

    It does it all for you, when you set it up you have to enter your weight.... thats it.

    If you can, look for an HRM that also uses age, gender, and max HR in the formula -- IIRC, they're a smidgen more accurate.
  • zohars
    zohars Posts: 29
    Calorie counting is not really an exact science, so much varies from person to person. You can check cardio activities by comparing to your heart rate (or by having a heart rate monitor). I've been guessing and hoping it works out reasonably correctly. Once you've tried something for 3-4 weeks you can revise depending on what your weight has done. The other good thing to keep in mind, if you do happen to eat a bit more and are doing strength training, you can hope that any extra food you eat actually goes into muscle :)

    Surprisingly, with all my guessing, not including cleaning, cheat days, etc. I've ended up losing almost exactly one pound a week, so it can work.
  • ItsMeLori
    ItsMeLori Posts: 346
    OK, so I'm a former college athlete and I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know how the HRM works in terms of calories. Does it automatically convert it for you, or do I need to know some kind of equation?

    I think that sounds like a great plan!

    It does it all for you, when you set it up you have to enter your weight.... thats it.

    Yes with the polar ft4 you have to enter all of that. Polar is the best!! Priced around 80 bucks for the Polar ft4. At Best Buy or on Amazon.

    If you can, look for an HRM that also uses age, gender, and max HR in the formula -- IIRC, they're a smidgen more accurate.
  • Sonchie
    Sonchie Posts: 259 Member
    I can relate. I see people with HRMs posting 1000+ calories for 1-2 hrs of cardio but for me MFP never gives me many calories for anything I do. I suppose its because im at my ideal weight. Anyway, when Im in a class and Im literally wiping up a puddle of sweat so i dont slip in it during the next round of pushups, Id really like to know how many calories ive burned! 6 miles on the treadmill, whether i do it at one pace or sprint in intervals, I still get the same amount for the same distance. Then if i use the eliptical, I get the same calorie burn for the same amount of time I use, no matter if the resistance is 2 or 10! Ive got to invest in that HRM so at least I know.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    I got my HRM recently and its been nice to see how much I burn -- and its typically way lower than what MFP says or what other people say they burn. I have no idea what it is people do that burns 800 calories a hour but an hour of reasonably intense exercise for me tops out around 500 -- and a normal hour with some jogging, walking, various cardio, maybe some pushups, etc is almost always right around 375.

    MFP might be very accurate for some but its way out of hte park for me
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