MFP off on calories burned during certain exercises?

kds0682
kds0682 Posts: 8 Member
edited October 29 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone! I am newer to MPF and just wanted to say thanks to all of you for your posts, before and afters, and answering questions so quickly! It has really helped keep me positive and motivated!

When I first joined I remember reading something about MFP being a little off on calories burned during certain exercises. I was just wondering if any of you have noticed this and if so what exercises? I use a Gazelle and treadmill for right now until I get an elliptical. Online the Gazelle is considered a type of elliptical but I can not get over the difference in calories burn between an elliptical and treadmill...What do you all prefer??

Thanks again,
Katie
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Replies

  • CashierCantin
    CashierCantin Posts: 206 Member
    The calories ARE off when I plug them in vs what was displayed on the treadmill. I just change the calories to whatever the treadmill says. Probably why they allow us to change it.
  • ranewell
    ranewell Posts: 621 Member
    Since getting a heart rate monitor, I have noticed that they are off about 100 calories (sometimes more) for a lot of my cardio workouts. It is probably different from person to person and workout to workout....that's just what I've noticed
  • XaviersMommy07
    XaviersMommy07 Posts: 22
    I LIKE THE ELLIPTICAL BETTER THAN THE TREADMILL BECAUSE YOU BURN MORE CALORIES.... BUT I ALSO BURN A TON OF CALORIES DOING THE HIGHEST INCLINE ON THE TREADMILL, SO I THINK IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PERSON :):) IF YOU WANT TO SEND ME A FRIEND REQUEST YOU CAN!!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    MFP, from what I have noticed can be under by as much as 10% to over by 50%. If you don't have a HRM, I would only eat back 75% of the cals burned according to MFP to account for any over estimation.
  • _SusieQ_
    _SusieQ_ Posts: 2,964 Member
    I think the MFP count for kickboxing and Turbo Jam are high, but for other things (Walking) they seem to be close.

    Do yourself a favor and get a heart rate monitor. These are not 100% either, but will be closer than using estimations.
  • krissypea79
    krissypea79 Posts: 362 Member
    From my experience, the MFP calculations are always a bit higher, especially for the elliptical. You don't HAVE to use the number MFP gives, you can always change it. I used to change the calories burned to whatever my machine said, until I got a heart rate monitor - now I use the number that gives me. Honestly, it has been one of the best investments EVER, and you get the most accurate calorie count that way!!! I usually burn a bit more on the elliptical than I do the treadmill, but it all depends on the resistance/level you have it on! :smile:

    BahamaBeauties-1.jpg

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    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    The calories ARE off when I plug them in vs what was displayed on the treadmill. I just change the calories to whatever the treadmill says. Probably why they allow us to change it.

    be careful with this as machines typically over estimate as well.
  • anulle2009
    anulle2009 Posts: 580 Member
    MFP is always off with no matter what I put in there.It either is to high or too low. If your looking for a more accurate reading, I suggest a Heart Rate Monitor. I love mine!!! i use to too for things like raking leaves mowing the law or shoveling snow!!
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
    I use a HRM because the calorie burn is very different depending on weight, effort, fitness, etc. MFP I suspect is somewhere in the middle sometimes high. The machines for me are always low compared to my HRM, so who really knows. I actually log somewhere between the machine and my HRM.
  • b0mbxchelle
    b0mbxchelle Posts: 40
    I LIKE THE ELLIPTICAL BETTER THAN THE TREADMILL BECAUSE YOU BURN MORE CALORIES.... BUT I ALSO BURN A TON OF CALORIES DOING THE HIGHEST INCLINE ON THE TREADMILL, SO I THINK IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PERSON :):) IF YOU WANT TO SEND ME A FRIEND REQUEST YOU CAN!!

    I used to love the elliptical but now I just walk at 2.8 speed at ATLEAST a 10 incline and you burn a ton more! Don't you love it? Lol.
  • haldeman5
    haldeman5 Posts: 121 Member
    The calories ARE off when I plug them in vs what was displayed on the treadmill. I just change the calories to whatever the treadmill says. Probably why they allow us to change it.

    be careful with this as machines typically over estimate as well.

    I agree! I did the elliptical at my parents the other day wore my Heart rate monitor and the machine said I burned over 100 calories more than my HRM said:-(
  • NayaP
    NayaP Posts: 46
    They ARE off...I use the numbers directly from the machine whenever I can.
  • toasterlisa
    toasterlisa Posts: 100 Member
    The calorie counts for exercise are just estimates and you shouldn't take too much stock in them.

    My doctor, who MADE me sign up for MFP, even told me not to take exercise calories into account for my day and ONLY stick with my daily alotted calories. He said that way I will get an even bigger jump on my weight loss by burning more calories by not eating extra food just because I exercised that day.

    MFP does have the option to type in your calorie burn, I think I says something like "if you know the calorie count from a gym machine, enter it here."

    Best wishes on your health and wellness journey,
  • Dkittery
    Dkittery Posts: 82
    It has to do with VO2 Max, this is one of the deciding factors on how many calories you actually burn, each person is different. It's best to use a Heart Rate Monitor to get a true calorie burn. I have a Polaris F4 and I love, it's extremely accurate and very easy to use.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I find it a little high for running and aerobics, and very very low for rowing.
  • A_little_less_Dawn
    A_little_less_Dawn Posts: 8
    I log the gazelle as a ski machine. It does not have the same range of movement as an eliptical.

    I always estimate at half if I am eating back the calories burned (just by what others have said ;-)). I definately think I need to invest in an heart rate monitor though. Does anyone recommend a specific one?
  • Funshinerika
    Funshinerika Posts: 37
    Hey Katie,

    I just started using my gazelle again and was having a hard time with inputting calories. Check out this link: http://www.fatburn.com/free_tool_activity_burn.asp

    For me, it seems pretty accurate. I don't think that I work as hard on it as I do on an elliptical... so I think it works ok. Eventually I want to get a HRM so I can be more accurate. Good luck and hope this helps! :)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    It has to do with VO2 Max, this is one of the deciding factors on how many calories you actually burn, each person is different. It's best to use a Heart Rate Monitor to get a true calorie burn. I have a Polaris F4 and I love, it's extremely accurate and very easy to use.

    even the Polar HRMs don't know your V02 Max, they make an assumption and use that along with age, weight, gender, duration, and HR, to determine an estimate of calories burned.
  • Diary_Queen
    Diary_Queen Posts: 1,314 Member
    I find the estimations are off on all the exercises I've entered and I stick strictly to what my HRM says. Please, if my word of advice isn't too forward, get a high quality HRM..... I had been on here plateauing like crazy and discovered that my cheap HRM was also overestimating the amount of calories burned. My better HRM (not super high dollar, but better quality and seemingly more accurate) is working much better.
  • SarahSwimmer
    SarahSwimmer Posts: 125 Member
    Unless you type in your height, weight, age, and fat pertcentage on your machine (which you probably cannot) the machine will most likely calculate your calorie burn eficiency for someone who is 150 lb, 35 yrs old, and has a muscle to fat ratio between a male and female. These are averages that date from the 1950's, so chances are your not burning calories like this hypothetical person. In general, if you weigh more, your toting around more weight and are probably burning slightly more calories than the machine is reading out. If lighter, you are not carrying around as much weight and burning less. My suggestion is try to find machines where you can enter in as much info as possible (for most gyms it will only be age and weight, but this is still a big help for accuracy).
  • christinajohnson
    christinajohnson Posts: 102 Member
    There are several questionable calories burned exercises, but I think having a ballpark of what you've burned is a good start. The ellipticals can burn a lot, but it depends on incline and resistance, as well as effort exerted by the user. I also have a gazelle. There is no resistance and I have been unable to find a calories counter or ball park of what one burns/minute using it. I have guessed at just 5 calories per minute with vigorous pace. The running, again, depends on personal condition and effort speed, incline and whether you are indoors or outdoors. I use a Nike + GPS app and my treadmill and the MFP and log the calories somewhere in the middle.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    Yes, and you must tweak these numbers to fit you.
    It's an educated guess.
  • kds0682
    kds0682 Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you so much for all the quick advice! I will def get a HRM asap! My treadmill obviously had a counter on it and the gazelle does not so I just used MFP calories burned for an elliptical. I will now knock off some of the estimate and maybe that will make it a little more accurate until I get the elliptical and HRM.
  • chauser1022
    chauser1022 Posts: 33
    I am new to MFP also. I do a lot of weight training on top of the cardio as well as group fitness classes. Is there a way to put in the calories burned for strength training? Am I just missing it? I know when I work with my trainer....I have to be burning some calories...lol.
  • kds0682
    kds0682 Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you so much! I will def check out this site =)
  • kds0682
    kds0682 Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you! That makes sense. I will begin to log mine this way also.
  • sarahnicolexoxo
    sarahnicolexoxo Posts: 230
    The calories were always way off for me when entering my exercises into MFP. So, I got a HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) just to have more accuracy.
  • kds0682
    kds0682 Posts: 8 Member
    Hey Katie,

    I just started using my gazelle again and was having a hard time with inputting calories. Check out this link: http://www.fatburn.com/free_tool_activity_burn.asp

    For me, it seems pretty accurate. I don't think that I work as hard on it as I do on an elliptical... so I think it works ok. Eventually I want to get a HRM so I can be more accurate. Good luck and hope this helps! :)



    Thank you so much! I will def check out this site =)
  • Tomhusker
    Tomhusker Posts: 346 Member
    I always think they are way over, so I look up my exercise on several website, then take the average of all of them. It seems to work well enough.
  • kds0682
    kds0682 Posts: 8 Member
    I log the gazelle as a ski machine. It does not have the same range of movement as an eliptical.

    I always estimate at half if I am eating back the calories burned (just by what others have said ;-)). I definately think I need to invest in an heart rate monitor though. Does anyone recommend a specific one?



    Thank you! That makes sense. I will begin to log mine this way also.
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