X minutes of Y exercize = Z calories burned

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OrangeCamera
OrangeCamera Posts: 12
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm at the VERY beginning of exercising, and very confused about how the calorie count is determined. How is it determined the calories burned for a particular exercise? I've been using the numbers on the MFP site, and that's fine with me. But I would love to where those numbers come from. Are they based at all on how much you weigh while you're doing the exercise? It seems to me that someone who is 100 lbs overweight is burning more calories than someone who is at their goal weight, just because they have to move 100 lbs extra with every step they take. Am I correct here?

I'm a total novice and really looking to understand, so please help me out!

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  • livingaloha
    livingaloha Posts: 52
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    I just started using a polar heart rate monitor and I think its really the only way to accurately tell how many calories you are burning. You program it with your weight, height, age etc. I found the exercises listed here on MFP where either way over or way under what I actually burn according to my heart rate monitor. Plus Im finding it gives me extra motivation, every little bit helps!
  • OrangeCamera
    OrangeCamera Posts: 12
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    Thanks for your reply. I guess I'll have to look into that!
  • opher
    opher Posts: 19
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    There are many things that determine how many calories you burn including:

    - Gender
    - Weight
    - Fitness level
    - Age
    - Type and level of activity
    - Length of activity

    You can get a decent estimate from your weight, activity type, level and length e.g. from MFP or from such online calculators as http://www.healthcalculators.org/calculators/calories_burned.asp.

    A heart rate monitor is a good way to measure your personal burn, as are the FitBitt and Bodybugg (though at least BB requires paying a subscription).
  • northwjj
    northwjj Posts: 43 Member
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    Yep you are correct. Someone who weighs more will generally burn more. I was using what MFP said I burned for calories too and then I switched to my heart rate monitor and is gave me a significantly lower number of calories burned than MFP. It was a bit discouraging at first but at least now I know it's accurate and I won't go over my calorie allotment for the day.

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