Calories burned exaggerations

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  • tempestrising
    tempestrising Posts: 41
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    This is so true.When I imputed my cardio & it can back w/ such
    a high number for calories burned, I admit I was a bit skeptical.
    Most of the calories burned it gives I believe is over what it should be.
  • holley75
    holley75 Posts: 44 Member
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    I don't have a HRM and use the database for my workout calories. I typically walk fast( used a video to determin it was 4 mph) for 35-45 minutes. It calculates around 300-350. I also live in fl and it is hot as all get out. Do you think I should be using a different number?
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    HRMs are a different story, I agree...its the people that say they burned 600 calories walking for 30 minutes and Im like...WHAAAATTT?!! Lol

    If someone is overweight, out of shape, and just starting a workout program, they could be burning 600 in 30.

    How does it hurt you?

    Highly unlikely, in my opinion. 10 calories/minute is what most people MAX at. That's fit people, so obese people will burn more. But double? 20 calories/minute? I'd say maybe 15, and that's being generous.

    It doesn't hurt us the readers, it hurts the dieter. The MFP plan of 'adding back' exercise doesn't leave you much room for deficit, especially if you're smallish and use BMR as your floor instead of 1200. Then you get people who don't understand why they have to do so much math and why they're not losing. And it sucks for them.
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
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    The important question is why are YOU so concerned? If you know whats working for you..then you should keep doing what works for you. But to put a whole post up because you "see" people on MFP putting what you deem "exaggerated" calorie burnt amounts is a bit sad. How do you know they aren't using HRMs?, How do you know that they don't way more than you? Everyone is different, learn to use constructive criticism or hold your tongue.

    EYE (needed to spell it that way for mrs sassytude over here) am NOT concerned, I am merely making a statement about people who are sad when they are not making progress, so maybe they can look at this possible reason why.

    I do not know why some of you are slamming on the defense when I am not attacking anyone. I'm not obsessed with what you guys are doing, what I'm doing IS working for me, and good for me, but I was merely pointing something out. Some of you act like I am in angst over what others are doing...take a chill pill. WOOSAH
  • Lauren8239
    Lauren8239 Posts: 1,039 Member
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    All depends on the particular person. I use an HRM, and I have a very high calorie burn because I have a high heart rate. Just sitting down my heart rate is between 90-100. Just a genetic thing. So to each his own, because we all burn differently.
  • Jewels_Ka
    Jewels_Ka Posts: 67 Member
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    I must say, that my eliptical does not even go to level 17/20 so i work out on 10/10 doing interval trainig. I also wear my HR monitor watch and band with personal settings updated all the time. I must say what ever my eliptical shows so does my watch give ot take 10-20 cals. So i am prettu sure you can totally lose 1200 cals in an hr, all based on level of intensity, # of strides per hr. incline and heart rate.
    Just think if an average person burns 300 cals per hr just slow walking 2-2.5 mph then if you work 4 times the pase and intensity its pretty accurate. Again give or take 50-100 cals.
  • mary70
    mary70 Posts: 47 Member
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    If you notice the posts on the news feed, it gives you a TOTAL calories burned from any exercises you enter that day, and only puts the one you entered first on the feed.

    For example, if I burn 131 calories walking my dog, 300 calories doing the elliptical, and 800 calories doing my boot camp session, it will say I burned 1231 walking my dog.

    I questioned this several times when I first joined because I was like "HUH??, that's not what I entered for walking my dog!".
  • LisaMom2Lucas
    LisaMom2Lucas Posts: 26
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    I've seen people say they burned 1,000 calories for an hour of Zumba. That's impossible. Plus, an hour long zumba class includes warm up and warm downs. You need to RUN 10/mph for an hour to burn that.

    I haven't seen 1000 cals for zumba but I had been using what MFP gave me (595 calories in one hour) and I always thought that was a little excessive.. today used a heart rate monitor w/ chest strap and showed I burned almost 700.

    I do think the #s it gives me for my elliptical are out of this world.. can't wait to use the HRM for that to find out.
  • sailorsiren13
    sailorsiren13 Posts: 460
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    I've seen people say they burned 1,000 calories for an hour of Zumba. That's impossible. Plus, an hour long zumba class includes warm up and warm downs. You need to RUN 10/mph for an hour to burn that.

    I agree with this but some people actually do burn that much. I used to get very frustrated with a girl i knew because she would say she burned 1,000 cal and she never would break a sweat while i would be busting my butt and burn 600. we both had hrm's and she would actually burn that grrrr for me !!! Mfp is way off what i do with my hrm!
  • str8bowbabe
    str8bowbabe Posts: 712 Member
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    HRMs are a different story, I agree...its the people that say they burned 600 calories walking for 30 minutes and Im like...WHAAAATTT?!! Lol

    If someone is overweight, out of shape, and just starting a workout program, they could be burning 600 in 30.

    How does it hurt you?

    So if you feel this way and they are asking you...tell them. You are not helping them by not telling them if they are exaggerating their calories burned.



    The people I refer to are around my body weight and it does not hurt me, its when they ask why they are not getting anywhere.
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
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    The ellipticals I use are almost exactly spot-on compared to my HRM. That's around 80% resistance nearly as fast as I can go for an hour. If you've got pools of sweat under the machine when you're done, it's probably accurate.

    I try so hard to sweat...but all I get is a few drops....no matter my hydration level, or how hot it is....lol

    Freaked my drill instructors out bad when i was in boot camp....they kept screaming HYDRATE.....I did....no change LOL
  • Misslisat
    Misslisat Posts: 203 Member
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    The important question is why are YOU so concerned? If you know whats working for you..then you should keep doing what works for you. But to put a whole post up because you "see" people on MFP putting what you deem "exaggerated" calorie burnt amounts is a bit sad. How do you know they aren't using HRMs?, How do you know that they don't weigh more than you? Everyone is different, learn to use constructive criticism or hold your tongue.

    Amen! I think the original post was quite useless. Everyone burns calories on a different scale due to age, height, weight, etc. Not everyone does the same exercise exactly the same way. So keep your comments to yourself because a thread like this is doing more harm than good to those who really need this site as a constructive tool and aid.
  • kgprice11
    kgprice11 Posts: 750 Member
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    yeah haha
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    Well like today for example I was on an elliptical machine and it said I burned 250, so I just rounded it down to 200. I would really love to get a HRM to know forsure......

    Even a HRM is just an estimate based on the average person of your size, age, etc., at that particular HR. It's better than a database in that at least it considers heart rate and not your perceived intensity.
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
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    If you notice the posts on the news feed, it gives you a TOTAL calories burned from any exercises you enter that day, and only puts the one you entered first on the feed.

    For example, if I burn 131 calories walking my dog, 300 calories doing the elliptical, and 800 calories doing my boot camp session, it will say I burned 1231 walking my dog.

    I questioned this several times when I first joined because I was like "HUH??, that's not what I entered for walking my dog!".

    you can click on it to see all of the things they did to burn it all
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
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    HRMs are a different story, I agree...its the people that say they burned 600 calories walking for 30 minutes and Im like...WHAAAATTT?!! Lol

    If someone is overweight, out of shape, and just starting a workout program, they could be burning 600 in 30.

    How does it hurt you?

    So if you feel this way and they are asking you...tell them. You are not helping them by not telling them if they are exaggerating their calories burned.



    The people I refer to are around my body weight and it does not hurt me, its when they ask why they are not getting anywhere.

    I do help them, but i cant make the point to a thousand people...I just wanted to put it out there
  • skinyZ
    skinyZ Posts: 89 Member
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    well i dont have a HRM and i wont be getting one anytime soon so for now i just have to rely on MFP :ohwell:
  • JBG1987
    JBG1987 Posts: 71
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    You guys can't keep going off the numbers in MFP, nor what your elliptical/spin/treadmills say. If you went on the elliptical for an hour, as I do (level 17/20), and it says you burned 1200 calories...chances are you most likely did half. In the end isn't it better to underestimate it and NOT eat back those hard earned calories. Just sayin'....


    I find this constructive. A lot of people I see on here burn extreme amounts of calories doing very light activity, eat all of their calories back and wonder why they are gaining weight. I think this helps those who are having problems.

    I see several members every once in a while post they burned 400 calories for 1 minute of breastfeeding. I don't know much about breastfeeding, but if their next post is that they gained 2lbs that week I would direct them here.
  • sjschewlakow
    sjschewlakow Posts: 120 Member
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    I have been using MFP calorie counts for nearly everything. Works fine for me. Down 20lbs from when I joined MFP. (28 lost before)
  • thepanttherlady
    thepanttherlady Posts: 258 Member
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    HRMs are a different story, I agree...its the people that say they burned 600 calories walking for 30 minutes and Im like...WHAAAATTT?!! Lol

    If someone is overweight, out of shape, and just starting a workout program, they could be burning 600 in 30.

    How does it hurt you?

    The people I refer to are around my body weight and it does not hurt me, its when they ask why they are not getting anywhere.

    How was anyone to know you were targeting a specific group of people when you generalized your original post?

    Additionally, if those people are asking why they're not getting anywhere I would think it more helpful and supportive to respond to them directly instead of creating a generic post.

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