Calories burned exaggerations

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  • fatchiick
    fatchiick Posts: 105
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    I do a workout video that on here says about 1100 cals burned.. but I do the advanced version and a lot of the time I do it like insanity as fast as I can... Another website list the advance version at over 1300 cals an hour I usually just cut that in half... if I logged everything the way the sites say id burn over 2000 cals a day...which is nice if its accurate but doubt it...
  • kazzsjourney
    kazzsjourney Posts: 674 Member
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    I use a HRM and often find my cal burn is higher then that on cardio equipment and MFP and other times its lower...just depends on my intensity
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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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'....

    Edit: I am talking about people who are of a lower weight body type who cannot possibly burn a bazillion calories doing 20 squats...sorry for the confusion.

    I usually post what the machine says... but don't eat back the calories either... I am of course still class 1 obese and that is why the machine gives me more calorie burn. I also recognize there are variables that are not plugged into the machine such as... individual metabolism, height, how I complete the task (holding on to the machine or walking with my hands free)... etc. For me, I do sweat a lot during the routine and if it says I am burning 1100 calories in an hour, I try not to eat back more than maybe 550 calories of it.

    Other variations are found on the intake side... You go to one place and buy a grilled chicken sandwich and they put minimum mayonnaise on it. Go to another place and get the same sandwich and they mayo both sides of the bread AND meat heavily ... These sandwiches are not the same. You go to a restaurant and order a 6oz steak and it could be up to an oz different +/- .5 oz... Significant difference in calories. I always try to allow for some variation... Good point you make here.
  • xafricanqueen07x
    xafricanqueen07x Posts: 98 Member
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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'....

    Edit: I am talking about people who are of a lower weight body type who cannot possibly burn a bazillion calories doing 20 squats...sorry for the confusion.

    Let me elaborate on my frustration with these type of posts. Whenever any individual starts a post with "YOU GUYS CAN'T"...you've already set yourself up for back lash from people. It seems as though you were addressing the ENTIRE MFP community..Thast's STrike 1. Strike 2 is the fact that you've now amended your quote to say you're talking about people of a lower body weight...which is still a bit of a problem. If you see it on your friends list (And I'm assuming thats where you see their progress from), why not approach them directly when they ask advice about their plateaus or weight gains?. Question 2, why couldn't this have been rephrased better, offer your opinion and then ask what other thing...don't accuse, state, or affirm anything.

    YOu're not a doctor and scientists and EVEN IN SCIENCE NOTHING IS REALLY FACT. THat was my frustration. I burn 1000 calories a day, but thats because i'm running 90 minutes hardcore outside, sweating my but off, and then I bike to work every day, and then some days i go blitz boxing. I also almost never eat back my exercise calories and if I do it will be 200 calories that I eat back at most. Thats how i've BEATEN TYPE 2 DIABETES and lost 110 pounds. I SEE THE SAME THING YOU DO, BUT UNLESS MY OPINION IS ASKED, I HAVE NEVER POSTED A POST WITH THE FIRST SENTENCE "YOU GUYS CAN'T". It makes you come off as a busy body and a nosy neighbor.

    I'm sure that wasn't your intent, but thats how it comes off. And it tends to discourage some people instead of showing them a constructive solution to their problem. I don't mean to be negative, but this is a forum for support. Few of us here are experts, so a lot of it is trial and error. Just be more cognizant of how your post may come off next time :)

    Now IM OUT FOR MY 1000 CALORIES CARDIO BURN...HAPPY SATURDAY :)
  • cgray
    cgray Posts: 132 Member
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    Oh yeah, those things are set for a 150 pound man. I'm a 95 pound woman. I choose to log my workouts just so I remember what I did, but I don't eat back the calories. If MFP's estimates were right for my body I think I'd weigh about 80 pounds by now.
  • xafricanqueen07x
    xafricanqueen07x Posts: 98 Member
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    This is exactly why I never post on these....even on these "supportive" website we have bandwaggoners and people feeling powerful because a few people support your rant. PLEASE..I still stand by what I said, I'm an EPIDEMIOLOGIST...and even I..WILL NEVER TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY CANT AND CANT DO IN REGARDS TO WEIGHT LOSS. How cute..the OP went from apologizing to now reposting other people's comments and posting her own passive agressive snarky ones...LETS BE DIRECT ABOUT IT...YOUR ORIGINAL POST "YOU GUYS CAN'T" yielded nothing but a plethora of different opinions and different ways in which people have achieved weight loss...SO CALL US THE LITTLE MFPERS THAT COULD :)

    WHAT NONSENSE!
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
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    Could someone recommend a HRM that takes BMR into account? Or is there an easy way to do it without having to buy a new HRM?

    I'm thinking of this equation:

    My BMR (according to Klatch-Macardle formula) is 1300. That's 54 calories per hour. So if my HRM says I burned 600 calories in an hour, I actually burned 546? Do I have that right?

    I don't eat my calories back, by the way. That never works for me. I have consistent losses when I don't eat them back.
  • jimgatewood
    jimgatewood Posts: 86 Member
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    I agree with ladimang, after you get to or close to your desired weight, then you may want to be fairly accurate with adding calories to compensate exercise (outgoing calories). Usually when you begin to lose weight the idea is to take in less calories. Adding calories for exercise seems to defeat your purpose. Why not discover how many calories you are consuming now and how many your body requires (BMR). Then start with a daily calorie intake slightly higher than needed. You will lose weight and as you do you can tighten up your system, adjusting for calories used for exercise. I'm 65, reached my desired weight, work out two times a day and am just now adjusting calories for exercising. I feel that any excuse for adding calories (eating more) usually is just that, an excuse. At this point I'm interested in Calories, Exercise, and a Balanced Meal Plan. Get a plan, work hard and have fun with it.
    21604338.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
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    I think more than a few people agreed with me. But I've been done arguing with you for a hot minute now. Its exhausting. All i was saying is that my HRM says i burned 400 calories today, and MFP says I did well over 1200. Idk. End of story. The people who I was trying to reach understood what I was saying, those in denial left, and those offended freaked out. Kewl beanz, no worries. Doctors are not the only people deemed a likely source for sound thought....my 900 hour Bikram yoga training tells me what i need to know for myself. Good night loves <3
  • Wifeofdaniel
    Wifeofdaniel Posts: 4 Member
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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'....

    Edit: I am talking about people who are of a lower weight body type who cannot possibly burn a bazillion calories doing 20 squats...sorry for the confusion.

    Let me elaborate on my frustration with these type of posts. Whenever any individual starts a post with "YOU GUYS CAN'T"...you've already set yourself up for back lash from people. It seems as though you were addressing the ENTIRE MFP community..Thast's STrike 1. Strike 2 is the fact that you've now amended your quote to say you're talking about people of a lower body weight...which is still a bit of a problem. If you see it on your friends list (And I'm assuming thats where you see their progress from), why not approach them directly when they ask advice about their plateaus or weight gains?. Question 2, why couldn't this have been rephrased better, offer your opinion and then ask what other thing...don't accuse, state, or affirm anything.

    YOu're not a doctor and scientists and EVEN IN SCIENCE NOTHING IS REALLY FACT. THat was my frustration. I burn 1000 calories a day, but thats because i'm running 90 minutes hardcore outside, sweating my but off, and then I bike to work every day, and then some days i go blitz boxing. I also almost never eat back my exercise calories and if I do it will be 200 calories that I eat back at most. Thats how i've BEATEN TYPE 2 DIABETES and lost 110 pounds. I SEE THE SAME THING YOU DO, BUT UNLESS MY OPINION IS ASKED, I HAVE NEVER POSTED A POST WITH THE FIRST SENTENCE "YOU GUYS CAN'T". It makes you come off as a busy body and a nosy neighbor.

    I'm sure that wasn't your intent, but thats how it comes off. And it tends to discourage some people instead of showing them a constructive solution to their problem. I don't mean to be negative, but this is a forum for support. Few of us here are experts, so a lot of it is trial and error. Just be more cognizant of how your post may come off next time :)

    Now IM OUT FOR MY 1000 CALORIES CARDIO BURN...HAPPY SATURDAY :) this woman is awesome, love her replies!
  • fatmom51
    fatmom51 Posts: 173 Member
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    QUOTING MYSELF HERE BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T LET ME EDIT:
    <<It is interesting to note that when I went on the www.healthstatus.com and for kicks entered 12 hours of sleeping and 12 hours of sitting, it came up with an overall calorie burn of about 2,600 for the day. Sleeping burns about 10 calories a minute; sitting awake burns roughly 1.7 calories a minute, according to this website.>>

    It actually should have said that sleeping burns roughly 1 calorie a minute and sitting awake burns roughly 1.7 calories a minute.
    I just wanted to fix that so I didn't have people thinking I thought I could burn 600 calories an hour sleeping. (Sleeping worked out to 100 per hour, and sitting is about 116 calories an hour for my weight.)
  • katysmelly
    katysmelly Posts: 380 Member
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    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.

    You don't actually "burn" calories breast-feeding. But, breast milk is high in calories so if you're making milk, you're burning calories.
  • jmcdaniel0
    jmcdaniel0 Posts: 130 Member
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    Hmm, the whole breast feeding thing has be confused. You don't burn calories while the actual feeding process is going on, but you do burn calories creating the milk? If that is correct, shouldn't that be part of you daily burn, and not be logged? its kinda like breathing or your heart beating, you cant just quit making milk... So I would think that would be built into you BMR? Or am I on the wrong track here?
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    I'm no expert but I think milk production actually is dependent on how much is extracted. (That might be the wrong verb.)
  • spinqueen72
    spinqueen72 Posts: 406 Member
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    Some people are heavier...which means they actually DO burn more calories exercising than you do.
    For example: I KNOW I weigh more than you, and I use a HRM (Polar FT4). So if you and I did the SAME exercise routine...I GUARANTEE I will burn DOUBLE what you did.
    Not everyone exaggerates their exercise calories!
    There have been times when I went for an hour walk, and I actually DID burn over 400 calories! I power-walk, though!
    Anyways....don't knock down other people logging calories burned...I think it's awesome they a just getting off the couch, out of the house, and trying to become healthier!
    What YOU burn, isn't necessarily what other people are going to burn! Every BODY is different...including yours.
    Be here to motivate..not rant about other people's choices.
  • jmcdaniel0
    jmcdaniel0 Posts: 130 Member
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    I'm no expert but I think milk production actually is dependent on how much is extracted. (That might be the wrong verb.)

    This I have no idea... I am still hung up on this one? Any moms out there? My wife bottle fed our daughter, so I have 0 experience...
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    I'm no expert but I think milk production actually is dependent on how much is extracted. (That might be the wrong verb.)

    This I have no idea... I am still hung up on this one? Any moms out there? My wife bottle fed our daughter, so I have 0 experience...

    I'm pretty sure that's how it works. Think about it. Your wife's milk stopped producing because it wasn't going anywhere. If someone has twins, the demand is double so the body steps it up. There used to be 'wet nurses', which were nannies that kept producing to nurse other women's babies. What triggers production is the repeated process of fill/empty.
  • katysmelly
    katysmelly Posts: 380 Member
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    I'm no expert but I think milk production actually is dependent on how much is extracted. (That might be the wrong verb.)

    I think so, too. Well, extracted or leaked.

    The only way to be sure what's been extracted is to weigh it. One of the nerve-wracking things about nursing is you don't know how much milk your baby is getting. So, what you have to do is weigh the baby before and after feeding.

    I suppose someone could do that with every feed and then look up calories in human milk and subtract the calories. LOL
  • AaronG91
    AaronG91 Posts: 20
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    Although heart rate monitors are usually quite accurate, the only true way to calculate calories burnt is to measure the amount of oxygen you use, from what I recall it equates to roughly 5 calories per litre of oxygen.

    Having said that, whilst maintaining I was able to use MFP to log exercise and food leading to a NET of roughly 0 and stay the same weight.

    BUT, you do need to be sensible, all of the equations out there have to be generalised so that they can be applied to everybody, at the end of the day you are only fooling yourself so if you think the amount is too high or too low, change it.

    (i.e. I know I burn more than 260 calories for an hour of weight training, which is the equivalent of roughly a 12 minute quick run for me, at the same time I don't burn 500 calories for an hour of ping pong with friends, as the skill level isn't there to make it intense enough... I imagine the values should probably be reversed).
  • xSCiNTILLATEx79
    xSCiNTILLATEx79 Posts: 245 Member
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    I do Zumba a couple times a week and am always skeptical even based on my weight. I did an hour on Saturday whcih according to 2 different sources based on my weight and age should be 743. I rounded that down to 600 which according to this was where I should be at almost under 200lbs. I was drenched, but it still seemed like alot, however it seems to be true, from everything Ive read, but to each there own. I love my Zumba.

    HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU BURN DOING ZUMBA IF YOU WEIGH 150 POUNDS
    The average 150 pound person doing Zumba at a high intensity level should burn between 500 and 600 calories per hour.

    HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU BURN DOING ZUMBA IF YOU WEIGH 200 POUNDS
    The average 200 pound person doing Zumba at a high intensity level should burn 650 to 700 calories per hour.

    HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU BURN DOING ZUMBA IF YOU WEIGH 250 POUNDS
    The average 250 pound person doing Zumba at a high intensity level should burn 800 to 850 calories per hour.

    HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU BURN DOING ZUMBA IF YOU WEIGH 300 POUNDS
    Ok here it is. If you weigh 300 pounds or over and you are able to perform a full hour of Zumba at a high intensity level then YES you can burn 1000 calories an hour. Let us remember that if you weigh over 300 pounds there's a good chance that by the time you are in good enough shape to do a full hour of Zumba you will be in another weight bracket.

    The exact number of calories that you burn doing Zumba, or any exercise for that matter, depends entirely on you and your personal stats. Most of us fall in between one of the categories I mentioned, and these numbers should be used to give you a general idea of where you stand.

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