Calculating Exercise

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Differjean
Differjean Posts: 6 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm new to MFP (trying to decide if should drop ww and use this) and there's an option to enter in the calories burned from the machine, but the machine's calculations are much lower than MFP's calculation. I thought the machine would be most accurate, but after searching some calculators online I'm thinking MFP maybe more accurate...which is good for me. :P I stationary biked for 35 minutes (went 6 miles) and the machine says 180 calories burned. MFP says 433.

This website http://www.i-goals.com says 401 calories.

What do you use? Do you ever go by the machine numbers or are they innacurate?

Replies

  • emily14046
    emily14046 Posts: 14
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    I'm relatively new as well, but I've seen a LOT of posts by other people saying that the calories burned on MFP are way too high. I'd go by the machine because it takes the speed and your heart rate into account. I've also seen on the activity log page on MFP that there was a disclaimer stating that the calories burned may be "fairly inaccurate" yeah....just what you want to see, right? By the way, I did ww for 3 months and hit a plateau. Apparently the 2012 points plus system doesn't work for a lot of people. Since I've been on here, I've started losing weight again :)
  • emily14046
    emily14046 Posts: 14
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    Plus....this is FREE! :)
  • Differjean
    Differjean Posts: 6 Member
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    I lost 30 on ww (I still have a lot to go)and we just joined the Y. If I switch $ will go back to the Y.

    The heart monitor wasn't working on the machine at the Y, so maybe that's a big part if the difference.
  • beandawgy
    beandawgy Posts: 92
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    Nothing can beat a personal Heart Rate Monitor (one with a chest strap). That will always give you the best calculation of calories burned. Even machines (at the gym or at home) don't always measure accurately.

    If you really want an accurate picture I'd say invest in one....entry level ones with good features run around 60-70 dollars on Amazon.

    I'm doing my 2nd round of Insanity and using an HRM and MFP to track my calories and it's made a world of difference as far as results this time around.
  • littlecaponey2
    littlecaponey2 Posts: 143 Member
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    Nothing can beat a personal Heart Rate Monitor (one with a chest strap). That will always give you the best calculation of calories burned. Even machines (at the gym or at home) don't always measure accurately.

    If you really want an accurate picture I'd say invest in one....entry level ones with good features run around 60-70 dollars on Amazon.

    I'm doing my 2nd round of Insanity and using an HRM and MFP to track my calories and it's made a world of difference as far as results this time around.

    I couldn't agree more with this!!!

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