How many calories are you really burning?

kendra11c
kendra11c Posts: 11
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been going to the gym a bunch and logging my exercise. Some of my logging's seems correct (elliptical trainer tells me I burned the same amount of calories as MFP) while others seem way off base, way over estimating the amount of calories that are burned at the gym doing circuit training or jogging or pilates. Anyone else think the same thing?

Replies

  • lfordryan
    lfordryan Posts: 4
    I purchased a heart rate monitor last summer and I was amazed at how different the calorie counts on the cardio machines and MFP are from my actual calorie burn. My actual burn is less than both. I would recommend investing in a heart rate monitor so you get an accurate number. My husband and I both have a monitor and we compete to see who burns the most...just a little game to make things fun and interesting...=)
  • _Refried_
    _Refried_ Posts: 194
    I purchased a heart rate monitor last summer and I was amazed at how different the calorie counts on the cardio machines and MFP are from my actual calorie burn. My actual burn is less than both. I would recommend investing in a heart rate monitor so you get an accurate number. My husband and I both have a monitor and we compete to see who burns the most...just a little game to make things fun and interesting...=)
    About the only way to tell your true calorie burn is a hrm.
  • SashThompson
    SashThompson Posts: 130 Member
    My HRM tells me I burn way more the MFP does when I log my workouts. I figure if I'm burning more than it says I am, that's got to be a good thing? Sometimes if I've done a supe intense workout and I want all the cals burned logged I just up the time on MFP until I get roughly the same amount of cals burnt as my HRM says.
  • Hickyvikki69
    Hickyvikki69 Posts: 371 Member
    i recently bought a hrm n realized that i burn 10-20 more calories then my treadmill tells me...n lil less that what mfp says for circuit training...
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    I'm a fan of the "pick a number a bit above or at your BMR (depending on how active and/or overweight you are) and eat that every day regardless of exercise" plan. I think it's easier and you don't have to worry about over logging workouts. If you are hungry and know you worked hard, eat a little more. If you sat on your *kitten* watching a house marathon all day, so you aren't really hungry, eat less
  • Tree72
    Tree72 Posts: 942 Member
    I gave in and got a bodybugg for that very reason. It was so hard to tell where I was, and now that I want a rather moderate deficit, it's easy to misjudge. I'd be very suspicious of anything that estimates more than 10 calories per minute unless it's a very vigorous exercise.
  • SparkleShine
    SparkleShine Posts: 2,001 Member
    I have a HRM and mine is always less than what the machine says.
  • djanes1
    djanes1 Posts: 2 Member
    I've only been doing this a week and already i'm alarmed by the calories MFP tells me i'm burning for fairly simple exercises - 130 calories for a 20 minute brisk walk? unlikely!

    going to get a HRM monitor and also keep an eye on my BMR as well.

    the other problem is that alot of the foods seem to underestimate calorie content - if you can choose between 5 entries for the same food type (eg a mandarin or a carrot or a piece of cake) - then it's easy to choose one that is half the calorie value of the others!
    i'm having to think more than i would like about which item to pick given the discrepancies...anyone got a strategy for that?
  • Dargealing
    Dargealing Posts: 58 Member
    ok I posted a question on seeing if anyone can help me set up my HrM BY bodyfit?? just got it.. I do not understand al of the teminology and how to you get the stupid calorie function set up to work??? I am techically challenged somewhat and the instructions are very cryptic and I have to read between the lines. I called and left message for the assist rep for the company. as I recieved the number and e-mail address when I bought my HRM and it was included. I have figured out some of the sequence functions and have been able to set them, including time and date. etc. but the calorie count function and how the level, 1,2,3,4 correlate to the exercise etc. and how to make it start counting for me is a mystery. I have gotten it to start counting but I don't know what it is counting and for what. Can someone help me? the company I contacted is on the E. Coast and well I am 3 hours earlier on the West coast. So I figure I have a better chance of finding someone on this site to help me before the person back east calls to help with set up.. thanks
  • SukiRob
    SukiRob Posts: 18 Member
    I've only been doing this a week and already i'm alarmed by the calories MFP tells me i'm burning for fairly simple exercises - 130 calories for a 20 minute brisk walk? unlikely!

    going to get a HRM monitor and also keep an eye on my BMR as well.

    the other problem is that alot of the foods seem to underestimate calorie content - if you can choose between 5 entries for the same food type (eg a mandarin or a carrot or a piece of cake) - then it's easy to choose one that is half the calorie value of the others!
    i'm having to think more than i would like about which item to pick given the discrepancies...anyone got a strategy for that?

    I have a HRM and I do clock up 130 for a v brisk 20 min walk if im walking uphil for some of the way.
  • bkingsbury1
    bkingsbury1 Posts: 5
    Heart rate monitor is the only way to go.

    I've been using one for 5 years and I find I can't exercise without it.

    An estimate is next to useless as heart rate dictates calorie expenditure.

    When I go on an elliptical trainer I have my heart rate from 160 upwards for an hour so end up burning around 1,100 calories.

    MFP way underestimates my actual as I go a lot harder.

    Don't guess. You can get Heart rate monitors for as little as $40 these days.
  • christinekojack
    christinekojack Posts: 96 Member
    I purchased a heart rate monitor last summer and I was amazed at how different the calorie counts on the cardio machines and MFP are from my actual calorie burn. My actual burn is less than both. I would recommend investing in a heart rate monitor so you get an accurate number. My husband and I both have a monitor and we compete to see who burns the most...just a little game to make things fun and interesting...=)
    I would also recommend a HRM,,, it gives you an accurate reading of the calories you are burning, not just a general estimate!!
  • PrinnyBomb
    PrinnyBomb Posts: 196 Member
    I've only been doing this a week and already i'm alarmed by the calories MFP tells me i'm burning for fairly simple exercises - 130 calories for a 20 minute brisk walk? unlikely!

    going to get a HRM monitor and also keep an eye on my BMR as well.

    the other problem is that alot of the foods seem to underestimate calorie content - if you can choose between 5 entries for the same food type (eg a mandarin or a carrot or a piece of cake) - then it's easy to choose one that is half the calorie value of the others!
    i'm having to think more than i would like about which item to pick given the discrepancies...anyone got a strategy for that?

    I weigh everything I eat or drink. Seriously. I enter the exact foods I buy instead of relying on the database. I don't use generic entries. If it's not in, I add it. Yes it's a lot of extra work but at least it's always correct.

    My saying is, 'if it doesn't go on the scale, it doesn't go in the whale'! LOL
  • madmickie
    madmickie Posts: 221 Member
    Bad news is that calorie used calculations are wildly inaccurate when using cheap, or even not so cheap, HRMs - maybe up to 60% against a proper lab test.

    So it doesnt really matter what measure you use - just be consistent - even if you put down 100 for every 10 mins hard effort it will probably be close enough.
  • CurveAppeal86
    CurveAppeal86 Posts: 272 Member
    It depends on the exercise, but for the most part I think MFP estimates pretty high.
    When I use the elliptical it's only 10-20 off, but when I do turbo jam, it's off by about 400 calories.

    I typically burn 400-500 calories doing turbojam (According to HRM) and MFP says 900+.

    I have the Polar ft4 and I go by that :)
  • Fit4lifestlouisbethpennington
    Fit4lifestlouisbethpennington Posts: 51
    Whether you are using MFP or a heart rate monitor, it uses a formula-base calculation to tell you how many calories you are burning. The more information you have to put into it, the more accurate it will be to you. However, if you really want to know how many calories YOU specifically burn and at different heart rates, I would suggest getting a Metabolic Assessment done. You can go to www.mewleaffitness.com to find a testing location near you.

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