Calories Burned on Exercise Bike????

mnj2001
mnj2001 Posts: 6
edited September 19 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok I have been trying to work out about 4 times a week. I sometimes ride my Stamina Air Bike 950 that has a screen on it that shows the time,distance and calories. I also wear a watch for my heart rate and it also tells me how many calories I burned. My problem is that they both show me diff #s for calories burned. For instance, I will ride for 16 mins which is 8 miles and 400 calories burned (bike amount), but my watch will tell me I only burned 250 in the same amount of time. Which one do I go by?? The bike has a wheel on it for more weight and I figured that one would be right because I am about to die when Im done!!! I think its a good workout but I also don't want to put down the wrong calories, I fell like im Cheating if I don't log the right amount. Please Help :ohwell:

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Replies

  • mnj2001
    mnj2001 Posts: 6
    Ok I have been trying to work out about 4 times a week. I sometimes ride my Stamina Air Bike 950 that has a screen on it that shows the time,distance and calories. I also wear a watch for my heart rate and it also tells me how many calories I burned. My problem is that they both show me diff #s for calories burned. For instance, I will ride for 16 mins which is 8 miles and 400 calories burned (bike amount), but my watch will tell me I only burned 250 in the same amount of time. Which one do I go by?? The bike has a wheel on it for more weight and I figured that one would be right because I am about to die when Im done!!! I think its a good workout but I also don't want to put down the wrong calories, I fell like im Cheating if I don't log the right amount. Please Help :ohwell:

    169144.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Online Calorie Counter
  • Jackie_W
    Jackie_W Posts: 1,676 Member
    If your HRM has a strap then I would go with that.
    My HRM is sooo much more accurate than my exercise equipment
    Jackie :flowerforyou:
  • kpnuts23
    kpnuts23 Posts: 960 Member
    HRM Everytime!!!!! It is going by your body.. the machine doesnt know you... if you get my jist!! I love using my HRM because it is soo accurate!!!

    good luck :flowerforyou:
  • adopt4
    adopt4 Posts: 970 Member
    Normally you would trust the HRM over the bike. Has the HRM been correct on other activities?
  • kpnuts23
    kpnuts23 Posts: 960 Member
    If your HRM has a strap then I would go with that.
    My HRM is sooo much more accurate than my exercise equipment
    Jackie :flowerforyou:

    Hi Jackie :heart:
  • Amy_B
    Amy_B Posts: 2,317 Member
    Definitely the HRM!
  • mnj2001
    mnj2001 Posts: 6
    Thank you everyone, all have been a wonderful help :) I will just go by my hrm from now on :):flowerforyou:
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
    just to add my 2Cents....

    According to what you wrote you are riding the bike at 30 mph.... unless you are some kind of phenomenal biker I doubt very much that your bike is correct!!!!

    By all means go by the HRM.
  • staceyw37
    staceyw37 Posts: 2,094 Member
    go by hrm. songbyrdsweet explained to me that it's less cals on stationary bike than walking (even treadmill) b/c you're not supporting your entire body weight. thus, you burn less on stationary bike--so your hrm is correct.
    kind of a bummer, huh? i felt the same way.
  • MisoSoup79
    MisoSoup79 Posts: 517
    I would also say the HRM... Even with full out sprinting, I can't seem to burn more than 10 calories per minute most of the time... so for you to burn 400 in 16 minutes just doesn't seem plausible - that's 25 calories per minute!

    Like everyone else says, the HRM knows you. You have programmed it with all kinds of important information. It has been carefully calibrated to take all your data into account.
  • CasperO
    CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
    I don't use HRM, though my wife does. Maybe I should get one of those,,,

    My elliptical trainer says 16 minutes is 250 calories, which trax with your HRM. Sounds logical to me.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    in this case, I would say neither.

    It is virtually impossible unless you weigh about 500 pounds to burn calories or 400 calories in 16 min on an exercise bike and highly unlikely that you are burning 250.

    Lance Armstrong going all out in a time trial on a road bike or up Alpe d'Huez? Maybe.

    I would check the settings on your HRM. I suspect your true HRmax is higher than your estimated HRmax which is programmed into the HRM. That means that the HRM is assuming you are working at a higher % of maximum than you are. In any case I am pretty sure both devices are overestimating your calorie burn, which is probably more like 160-180 for 16 minutes.
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