Which calorie burned calculator is more accurate?

Hi all,

I posted this on lapband forum but someone suggested I ask here as well.

For calories burned, what is going to be more accurate - the exercise machine or a site such as dailyplate.com.

For example, today I used the eliptical for 50 minutes. I input my weight and age and the eliptical said I burned 520 calories. When I input the information into dailyplate, they say I burned 860 calories! So which is more accurate?

Thanks!

Ann

I don't know how much you weigh, but I can't see that you'd burn 860 cals on an elliptical.  I figure I burn about 100 cal/mile when I run, so that's about 500 cals for that time frame at 6 mph. I don't think any of the machines or calories burned calculators are very accurate.  Honestly, if you really want to know how many calories you burn, your best bet is going to be a heart rate monitor since the calories burned is a factor of heart rate. Linn

I am not sure how the eliptical factors in but with running/walking, I have heard that you can assume that it's about 70% of your body weight per mile.  For a 200 lb person, it's about 140 calories per mile.  I like this theory because if you go slower, you are out there for longer and if you go fast you aren't but the intensity is higher.

Ann, I must have been crabby when I replied to your post, I apologize.   I have read some articles that address this issue, and most all the calorie counters actually overestimate the calories burned on these machines.  If it's that important, I still think you should use a heart rate monitor.  All the trainers at my gym strongly encourage their use (I go to a women only gym). Another good option would be to get basal metabolic rate tested and see a nutritionist regarding food requirements according to activity level since I'm assuming you're still on the weight loss end of things. Linn

Hi Linn and everyone,

Yes I am still presurgery and working to lose my 13 lbs before surgery. I started walking the beginning of May and now use the eliptical to burn more calories - I've gone up to 50 minutes from barely being able to do 20 minutes on the eliptical when I started. Now I'm making sure I get a 'hill' in there - usually increasing the incline every 2-3 minutes and then decrease every 2-3 minutes after I've reached the top level.

The eliptical machine does have a heart rate monitor on it and I find I'm around 130bpm the entire workout. When I first started I would be in the high 140's!

I'm 240lbs right now and 38 years old.

Ann

Ann, If you can, it would be helpful to increase the intensity of your workouts.  You've already increased your cardiovascular fitness (which is fantastic!) so in order to burn more calories, it's important that you get your heart rate up again.   Along with increasing the incline, I would suggest increasing your speed.  All the incline does is change the major muscle groups you use, so increasing your speed and/or resistance you'll get your heart rate up again.  If it were me, I'd work more on speed than resistance since you're trying to lose weight. High intensity workouts at least once a week are also really good for you.  So on one day a week, really try to push your heart rate into the 150's and see how long you can go, but be sure to cool down also.  I do high intensity speed workouts once a week, and my heart rate gets there and stays for a good 30-45 minutes (I'm 42 years old). Another thing that's truly helpful is mixing up your exercises.  I run, take studio cycling classes (which are a blast, I might add), and do some swimming.  This way your body doesn't get too used to one thing and you're apt to burn more calores.  Greater efficiency actually results in fewer calories burned. Our bodies are very efficient machines and we have to constantly keep pushing to get the same effect.  There are so many truly wonderful benefits we get from exercise and it is really cool to see the progression in what we can do! I realize that calories in vs calories burned is what losing is all about, but try to remember that the main point of exercise is health. Linn