How Do You Burn So Many Calories?

ArroganceInStep · November 2011

It seems that all my friends on here burn SO many more calories than I do. I will bust my *kitten* pushing myself for 30mins on my stationary bike for example, and only burn 200cals. Whereas other people will burn double or more than that.

I am getting this number from the bike itself so that may be the problem, but I really can't afford a HRM right now. Just wondering why I might be burning so much less or is it just a dodgy number off the bike?

Weight plays into it a lot. I weigh almost twice what you do. Throw 60 kilos in a backpack and schlep it on the treadmill, you'll burn what I do.

elbandito · November 2011

I'm lucky (I guess) in that I cycle to and from work each day. I track the rides with Runkeeper - but I felt that the calorie burn in that was waaay too high (for example: 19 minutes = 559 cals. WHAT?). So I entered the average speed into MFP and got an estimate that /felt/ better (264 calories) because I know how I cycle (like a bat out of hell... AND I have to climb a 150m hill). So I figured that's close enough for me.

Because I'm also cycling on gym days, my daily burns can add up;
Cycle to work: 264
Cycle from work: 320 (slightly different route, up a bigger hill too)
Cycle to gym: 145
Stationary bike at gym: 400-ish
An hour of weightlifting: 320
Cycle home from gym: 145 (hardest trip ever after working your legs!!)
~ 1500 calories burnt.

So I think take EVERY opportunity to exercise if you can. Burn those calories down.

foremant86 · November 2011

MFP definitely over-estimates Cals burned, by cycling. I ride 45 mins at around 14-15mph (rolling avg) and weigh a LOT. Even so, MFP tells me that I burn something like 800+ Cals for each trip. I would think the correct amount is more like half of that! I log my cycling here at a lower speed bracket (10-12mph) to help compensate but I know that my Cals burned by exercise are still over inflated. So I just aim to come in a few hundred under my target each day. Seems to be working OK so far

I also have a cheap HRM that I generally don't wear on the my regular rides but I have been wearing it down the gym and in the spinning class on Friday it tried to suggest I had burned something like 1300. I mean this can't be right, even though I was at high intensity for most of the session (avg 163, max 181). I am 35 and weigh 283 (down from 289, this time last week ;-) )

see i've never understood this logic. People think "i can't possibly be burning that many calories" but why not? What exactly is the logic behind that?

Cycling at 14-15mph for 45 minutes is a lot of work and burning 800 calories in that time frame isn't absurd at all especially if you are quite a bit overweight.

I mean my BMR is around 1700. so if i was in a coma all day my body burns that much just to stay alive, why is it suddenly so crazy to think your body wouldn't burn 800 calories riding a bike for 45 minutes at a fairly decent speed??

Am I saying MFP is 100% accurate? No, but it's not necessarily so off track like some people believe.

sofaking6 · November 2011

I was thinking the same thing @ the gym tday !!! I checked what mfp says I burn and compared it to what the machines say I burn. Sometimes mfp gives me double what the machines say !!! So I go with the machines. I think the crazy numbers u see come from mfp and aren't very accurate. Also remember the heavier u are the more cals u burn

You just can't go by how many calories someone else burned doing the same activity. You don't know their weight, height, fitness level or level of effort so there's no way to compare to yourself.

Joj43 · November 2011

A HRM with a chest strap is a must-have. It not only gives you an accurate calorie burn but it is really motivating...keeps you on track. I do interval training on the stationary bike. So I warm-up for 3 minutes then go as fast as I can for 30 seconds, then slow it down for a minute before amping it up for another 30 seconds and so on. It is a great way to get your heart rate up and keep it in a fat burning zone for the duration of work-out. So 3 minute work-out, 20 mins of interval training and then a 2 minute cool-down. Hope this helps

Shelby814 · November 2011

I work out 1-2x/day & do various activities, usually a combination of 2, including strength training with weights, the elyptical machine, walk 3-4 miles at 4mph &/or the treadmill at 3.8/3.2mph (alternating every other minute) at 6% incline. You've got to get your heart rate up. Interval training (taking your HR up & odwn) will burn more calories. Also, doing exercises that involve mutiple muscle groups will burn more. I typically burn 600-1100 calories/day exercising. I don't count the calories I burn during normal activities of daily living. Mix it up. Good luck!

Ant_M76 · November 2011

I wore my HRM on the cycle commute this morning, as an experiment - to see how many cals it estimated Vs MFP. I was quite surprised by the results, in that it told me I burned something like 1300 cals! The ride was 10.47 miles in 42:14 mins at 14.87 mph (rolling avg). Avg HR was 132, max was 169.

agentscully514 · November 2011

Folks - the calorie counts on the machines at the gym are NOT accurate. In fact studies have shown that they are inflated.

Rachiepie6 · November 2011

I take back all previous statements, I'm sure my old HRM gave me lower numbers than my new polar ft60

How Do You Burn So Many Calories?

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