Accurately measuring carolies burned

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danapouncey
danapouncey Posts: 31
in Fitness and Exercise
Probably been done before but please help!
I did an hour work out at my gym today,it's a Technogym so you use a key in each machine, it records what you've done (distance, calories etc) and gives you a fitness regime to follow

At the end of each session you have to 'log out' using this key. At the end I was disappointed to see I'd only burned 45 calories.
But on inputting the exercises (with specifics like time and speed) into MyFitnessPal, it said I'd burned 289.

As much as I'd love the fitnesspal one to be the true case, I don't want to lie to myself. Which do you think would be more correct? And how come there's such a big difference?
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Replies

  • 1DayMarathonRnner
    1DayMarathonRnner Posts: 120 Member
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    I don't know which one, but I am in a similar situation. MFP says I have burn 700ish calories but my gym's system says 400... I tend to log my gym's system, because it was individualized to me. But in the back of my head I wonder if MFP is right.
  • danapouncey
    danapouncey Posts: 31
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    It's really annoying because I want to be able to track my eating correctly.

    Can't believe I've spelt calories as carolies haha
  • vivalawvegas
    vivalawvegas Posts: 13 Member
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    I'm pretty sure you didn't burn 45 calories, unless you only did cardio for about 5 mins. I'd probably go with the MFP calculation and then invest in a HRM.
  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
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    MFP usually overestimates.

    However :

    Did you get your heart rate up?
    Did you get sweaty?
  • danapouncey
    danapouncey Posts: 31
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    I got my heart rate up indeed! Also a worry as my heart rate peaked (and I was told to slow down) way too early. Must be because im so unfit now. Did 45 mins of cardio. and got very sweaty haha.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    MFP is not at all accurate. However, neither are the workout machines at the gyms. The machiens at the gyms usually underestimate by alot and I've seen MFP to overestimate or underestimate by upto 1/3.

    The best way to know how much you really burned would be to buy a HRM. Polar series have some of the best HRM (You can buy it for about $60+)and would do the trick for ya. Good luck
  • kmoore02
    kmoore02 Posts: 167 Member
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    I agree. If you want to get a consistent, more accurate reading of everything you do, get a heart rate monitor. Heart rate monitors will better help with calories burned than the guestimates you get from other calculations. There are to many variables to consider, so the hrm can tell you when you reach your optimum calorie burning level.
  • ball858
    ball858 Posts: 395 Member
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    did you wear a HRM? or hold the handles on the equipment?

    I did the same workout I did 2 days ago but forgot my HRM and apparently burned 50-100 cal less at the same time / intensity

    So always wear HRM for accurate reading - and manually put that into MFP
  • DaBigChief
    DaBigChief Posts: 146
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    I have found MFP fairly accurate, as compared to my HRM. I guarantee you did not burned 45 calories in 60 minutes so your gym calculation is off. My advise....Invest into an HRM fr best results.
  • danapouncey
    danapouncey Posts: 31
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    Thanks guys! Much appreciated. So what are the best HRM? Preferably not TOO expensive?
  • DrJackson6
    DrJackson6 Posts: 156 Member
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    I have the same issue. I think that the gym underestimates while MFP overestimates. So I just use the average until I get myself a HRM.
  • kschmi24
    kschmi24 Posts: 59 Member
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    MFP isn't SO far off, I've found. I have an HRM and always compare what my monitor says vs what MFP says. Sometimes MFP underestimates too! But I've always found it to be within 40 calories over or under. When I just use MFP when eating back my workout calories, I only eat back about 50%, just to be safe. When I use the HRM, I eat back 75% usually.
  • jenniejengin
    jenniejengin Posts: 785 Member
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    bump
  • kschmi24
    kschmi24 Posts: 59 Member
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    I use a Polar FT4. It was about 50 on Amazon I think. I also bought some electrode gel, as I find that it is more consistent and works better when I use that. The huge tube of gel was about 5 dollars or so.
  • KBrenOH
    KBrenOH Posts: 704 Member
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    Thanks guys! Much appreciated. So what are the best HRM? Preferably not TOO expensive?

    Polar has some good ones. I've found the cheaper ones to be not at all reliable. I think I paid around $60 for my FT4 but it's worth every penny. You're investing in yourself and that's a worthwhile investment.
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
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    Thanks guys! Much appreciated. So what are the best HRM? Preferably not TOO expensive?
    I'd get a Polar FT4 or better. Personally, I use an FT7 and love it. I didn't track my exercise until I got one about a year later because I'd rather not be wrong about it. Now I eat back most or all of my burn and I'm losing more consistently than before.
  • crmcmanus
    crmcmanus Posts: 7 Member
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    Last week I tried doing something different with my workout calories and so far it's going great. I workout, add it to MFP, then I cut that number of calories burned in half. That way you still get extra calories to eat, but you're not eating too many extra calories. I don't starve myself, I eat when I'm hungry, I drink lots of water, and I've lost 40 pounds since January. I stalled out this month around 178 pounds, but once I increased my workout and cut my workout calories in half, I started to lose weight again.
  • theladyy
    theladyy Posts: 176
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    First calories, and now we have to worry about carolies too?!?!

    :tongue:
  • ratherbeskiing
    ratherbeskiing Posts: 847 Member
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    I will be honest- I saw all these comments about just going out to get a HRM and I was like they are expensive and I don't need one (every excuse in the book) I WILL TELL YOU- BIG MISTAKE. Stop wasting time with guessing and go and get one! BEST THING I EVER GOT!


    BTW I got the polar ft60
  • SuburbanChick
    SuburbanChick Posts: 1 Member
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    I find it helps to Google the appropriate activity - and find a more accurate website dedicated to that activity for the calories burned. i.e. a walking for fitness website, runners world, circuit training - like Jillian Michaels calories burned information. It really helps to perhaps take an average of that activity. I don't just accept MFP numbers. Good searching - it doesn't take very long to find out which ones seem more accurate over time.

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