Eliiptical calories?

janetteluparia
janetteluparia Posts: 318 Member
edited October 3 in Fitness and Exercise
I have many conflicting sources of calories burned on the elliptical. MFP calculates 375 for 30 minutes?There is no choice for speed or distance just flat time and my weight? Other machines say between 80-200? Its all suspect!

Livestrong has a formula based on heart rate, age and length of time, should I stick with that? Very frustrating!

Replies

  • lilybug13
    lilybug13 Posts: 154
    Get a HRM to know for sure.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    If you're measuring heart rate, yes, use that.
    If you're relying on online guesstimates, I'd say just be careful about how much of the burn you 'eat back'.
  • shickam062604
    shickam062604 Posts: 133 Member
    The machine you are using doesnt say? I just input what it says.
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
    I burn about 10 calories per minute for cardio... usually on the elliptical per my HRM that is accurate
  • Jean410
    Jean410 Posts: 104
    I think MFP overestimates. I adjust my time to meet the calories shown on the machine. I'd rather underestimate than overestimate.
  • Libby81
    Libby81 Posts: 734 Member
    I agree with the HRM. I burn totally different calories dependent on a lot of things like my mood for example.
  • KRhyan16
    KRhyan16 Posts: 9
    I'm a big fan of cardio (especially the elliptical) and I usually enter "manual" on the elliptical that asks for your weight, time, and level of resistance. During the workout, I ocassional use the heart rate bars. On MFP, instead of basing the workout on time that I was on there, I'd go by calories burned. For example, if I used the elliptical for 30 mins and burned 300 calories but the 30 minute amount on MFP is 350, I would decrease the time I report to match (or close to it) the amount of calories burned. I think MFP is measured by a constant speed but I speed up and slow down as I like. Hope that helps :)
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    The machine you are using doesnt say? I just input what it says.

    bad answer, they are wildly inaccurate (and usually not in your favor)
  • shallott
    shallott Posts: 14 Member
    I go like a maniac on the elliptical machine, and there is no option for different levels of energy listed for machine use, example. I burn 910 cal in 45 minutes on the elliptical at the rate I go, where as MFP would have me post 445 cal for 45 minutes of elliptical work. When you don't have a HRM at hand use the machine numbers.
  • SMarie10
    SMarie10 Posts: 956 Member
    I don't use MFP calculation for calories burned because it's way too generous and I'd be way way over in exercise calories. Based on my weight, the elliptical I use calculates I burn approx 50 cal every 10 minutes - going at a clip between 3.5 and 4.0. I use what the machine calculates, and it's accurate based on my HRM.

    My advice - don't use MFP calculations.
  • janetteluparia
    janetteluparia Posts: 318 Member
    Thanks to all for your thoughts. This is what I use and it seems to be accurate based on research.


    The Journal of Sports Sciences provides a calorie expenditure formula for each gender. Men use the following formula: Calories Burned = [(Age x 0.2017) -- (Weight x 0.09036) + (Heart Rate x 0.6309) -- 55.0969] x Time / 4.184. Women use the following formula: Calories Burned = [(Age x 0.074) -- (Weight x 0.05741) + (Heart Rate x 0.4472) -- 20.4022] x Time / 4.184

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/221621-formula-for-calories-burned-during-exercise/#ixzz1aUbyELT0
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