Exercise! - Are The Calorie Counters On Cardio Machines Accurate?

I've always heard (and believed) that the calorie counters on cardio machines read way too high - I mean, no way do I burn 800 calories an hour on the elliptical! :rolleyes: I just came across an article at cnn.com that confirms my suspicions - Burning calories is not an exact science (http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/heart/9909/07/cardiomachine.accuracy/index.html):

More often than not, the machines will overestimate by as much as 30 percent, though an overestimation of 10 percent to 15 percent is more likely.


Yikes! :fr:

The article suggests taking the following steps to correct the inaccuracies:

To correct for the inaccuracies, try the following tips:

Enter a body weight that is lower than your actual weight.

Try switching machines so your muscles avoid becoming conditioned to one. When you switch between different machines, the change in motion and the muscles you use will force you to work harder, helping you burn more calories.

Add an extra five minutes to your exercise session, but without the assumption that you'll burn more calories.

When using weight-bearing equipment, don't let the handles support your body weight for you -- they are intended to assist with balance only.

Try to concentrate on how hard you're working and sweating rather than on how many calories the machine shows you're burning. When you focus on being consistent and increasing your intensity, you'll be more successful at maintaining a regular exercise routine. This will maximize any cardiovascular and weight-loss benefits you'll achieve.


Personally, I just use the calorie counters as a way to judge progress day to day, but I know a lot of members here like to pin down their calories burned per day -- perhaps these tips will help make the machine read-outs a little more accurate. :)

Although I keep track of the machine readouts, I don't depend on them to judge my workouts. With each type of cardio, I have a set goal; examples:

- brisk: work at my aerobic capacity, just short of being out of breath, and increase my endurance at these speeds

- high intensity: work above my aerobic capacity into my lactic acid threshold or VO2 maximum; I do get out of breath and feel like I will burst. The goals are to force my cardio vascular system to deal with the stress, thereby becoming stronger, deal more efficiently with lactic acid, and increase my jogging/running intervals.

I increase the time/intensity and do it until it becomes more comfortable, before increasing again. The machine readouts just reinforce my progress, because they go up as I do.

another thing to consider is that as you do aerobic exercise, your body becomes more efficient at burning calories over time.

Example, you start a workout regiment that is just a 30 minute walk on a treadmill a day. let's say you burn 100 calories during that time period at first. as your body starts to adapt to the new stimulus (walking), the adaptation results in your body configuring itself to burn less calories during (and after) the activity, so after few weeks, at the same intensity and duration, you may only be burning 75 calories.

From what Ive read. The treadmill is the only cardio machine that accurately measures calories burned.

I'm glad I found this thread! I was just wondering about this... luckily I've been going by what FitDay says, which is 500 something calories per hour instead of the 800 that the elliptical reads. I'm a little disappointed that the "extra deficit" I wasn't counting actually doesn't exist though.

How many calories do you burn from using the weights? Say you are an experienced weight lifter lifting quite heavy (e.g. chest presses with 25 pounds in each hand), doing 2 sets of 12 to 15, and you weigh the 150s. Thanks!

It's my understanding that a heart monitor accurately measures calories burned. They aren't very expensive and well worth the money. When I first started working out regularly, I wore it religiously to make sure my heart rate stayed in the most efficient calorie burning range. Loved it as a motivator!!

I don't believe the machines at the gym so i use the Body By glamour program that takes your height and weight and programs how much you really burned. It opened my eyes when 320 calories on the elliptical really turned out to be 278!

I bought a heart rate monitor and have been wearing it to do outdoor runs, treadmill runs, elliptical workouts, weighlifting, and step aerobics. IT'S TRUE... the machines are WAY off. For the run I do on the treadmill, the machine says I am burning 600 calories. My heart rate monitor says just over 400. And that is what is says when I do the same distance in the same time outside. On the elliptical the machine says approximately 700 calories burned in 60 minutes; the heart rate monitor says approximately 450. I've done these workouts several times on each machine, and the machines are just as off every time. Interesting (and slightly annoying) to note that the machines are ALWAYS TOO HIGH! I guess the manufacturers of exercise equipment are trying to appeal to the same instinct that the clothing manufacturers who do "vanity sizing" are trying to appeal to. It doesn't upset me though... I'm just glad to have the real numbers. I never relied on the machines numbers anyway!

All interesting! I wore my HR monitor to the gym this morning to double-check the machines. I did 30 minutes of high intensity intervals on the elliptical (Precor), set to my age and weight. The machine said I burned 409 calories. My HR monitor said 215. That's a HUGE difference! :faint:

bs about the treadmill counting correct calories...i put all my data in and had a heart rate monitor so the tread krew my bpm at all times...at the end of my workout my heart rate monitor (watch) showed me half the calories the treadmill did...i say invest in a watch...mines from nike, i love it!

My elliptical has a heart rate monitor strap which you wear. Doing a similar routine (or even harder!) than using a gym elliptical, my elliptical reports about half the calories that those in the gym would normally report.

An example would be heart pounding elliptical workout with intervals for 25-30 at home usually nets me around 200-250 calories. If I did that same workout at the gym, the gym machines would normally say around 500 calories.

This is an interesting topic, I've always wondered the same thing, regarding the accuracy of the readings on these machines. I have both a treadmill and elliptical at home, and I tend to use the "calories burned" indicator as a motivator, not as guaranteed accuracy.

I have been putting my activities in Fitday.com and cannot find the elliptical machine as an option. I looked under general exercises, and then tried to search, and still couldn't find it. Does anyone know where it is? It helps me to keep track of everything to ensure continued progress!

:goodscale:

Gingercakes

Where can I get one of these heart rate monitors, and how much does a decent one go for? (And what ones do you all own and find work well?)

I am so glad to know I am not the only one thinking the equipment is not OK as far as the counting calories or monitoring heart rate.
I am looking for my personal heart rate monitor, I need suggestions please!!! What is better, the writst watch or a body band? any particular brand?
Prices??? Thanks so much!
happy2be

I'm no heart rate monitor expert but I can talk about the one I have. :) I decided to buy a Polar one because it syncs with the cardio machines in my gym. If I wear the chest strap, the machine will read out my HR, even if it doesn't have sensors. If the equipment in your gym says 'Polar heart rate ready', then Polar monitors will work with them.

The model I picked is an F6. I wanted one that's 'coded' - that means it won't pick up the HR of the person next to you if they're wearing a monitor. In a big spin class, that's an issue. The F series is designed for calorie counters - other models (the A's?) are more for ruuners and have all sorts of cool features that a runner would love.

Like I said, I'm not an expert at all so if you're interested in Polar, check out their web site and for info on other brands, you might be able to find some comparisons using Google. :)

I have a plain jane, inexpensive Omnron. $35 or so. All I wanted it to do was measure my heart rate. I was amazed how much difference it made to my attitude regarding intensity.

I understand that it's interesting to know how many calories are burned, but we need to not get too hung up on it. The fact that you are standing/sitting at a machine and actually doing some sort of exercise is good enough! It means you made it past the hardest part of exercise...getting there! Now don't worry about 50 or even 100 calories, push yourself a little further each time and give yourself a pat on the back...that'll burn calories too!
:ebike:
Yay to everyone for "getting there"!

From what Ive read. The treadmill is the only cardio machine that accurately measures calories burned.

I don't know about that - maybe only the high-end treadmills that allow you to enter personal data? My treadmill displays the number of calories that I burned but I don't know if the calculation considers my weight and my height (I cannot enter any personal data), or if it uses the concept of an "average woman" (who I believe, is 5'4" tall and weighs 140 lbs [which a bunch of hoey IMHO]).

I don't go by the calories, but I am hoping that my height will actually make the reading accurate (I am 5'9"). I can keep dreaming, right? ;)

When I do 45 minutes on a elliptical it says I burned 250 calories. No matter if I'm sluggish and go 30 mph or if I haul it and keep it at 50-60 mph. When I go home and check a few online calculators it comes closer to 400-500. I've decided to split the difference and tell myself I burn 325.

Meg,
I'm new to the site. I just wanted to congratulate you on your weight loss. Looking at your photo then seeing how much you lost has totally inspired me.
Thank you. YOu look great.

Kelly

Thanx this thread was really helpful i always doubted the counters on these machines .

I just use the calorie count as a guide, I try to burn a little bit more every time i go to the gym.

I'm no heart rate monitor expert but I can talk about the one I have. :) I decided to buy a Polar one because it syncs with the cardio machines in my gym. If I wear the chest strap, the machine will read out my HR, even if it doesn't have sensors. If the equipment in your gym says 'Polar heart rate ready', then Polar monitors will work with them.

The model I picked is an F6. I wanted one that's 'coded' - that means it won't pick up the HR of the person next to you if they're wearing a monitor. In a big spin class, that's an issue. The F series is designed for calorie counters - other models (the A's?) are more for ruuners and have all sorts of cool features that a runner would love.

Like I said, I'm not an expert at all so if you're interested in Polar, check out their web site and for info on other brands, you might be able to find some comparisons using Google. :)

i just bought this and used it for the first time yesterday. it told me i burned about 50 more calories than the treadmill told me. i couldn't believe it.:carrot:

So I was at the polar website looking at ALL of the different monitors they have and I'm confused. They aren't very descriptive...I just want something simple that does the beep thing if my heart rate drops below targed and it counts calories burned. I'm totally new to heart rate monitors and I have no idea how they work. I've read that some monitors have chest straps? how does that work? I've been looking into things like body bugg and go wear fit, and I love the idea of wearing it on your upper arm instead of sticking something to your chest, I just don't like the monthly fee crap. Does polar offer anything like that? Does anyone? lol any help is really appreciated. :^:

In my experience with this. The TM and Arc trainers tend to be pretty accurate. I wear a HR monitor and it counts my calories and they are pretty close in number. Sometimes my monitor is higher. I imagine because machines are based off of 150 lb person but I am 171 lb person. I use a Garmin Forerunner 205.

What!?! You mean I didn't burn 1000 calories in 37 minutes on the elliptical machine yesterday. :D BUT it said I DID!!!

LOL :dizzy:

Like many in this thread I only use the calorie readout like a "score" and I'm forever trying to beat my high score.

I love the machines they have at the gym i go to. The gym is part of the local Hospital, Southern Ohio Medical Center, Its called the Life Center, the machines they use are absolutely amazing, every cardio machine has a heart rate monitor, calorie counter and personal fitness exercises. You enter your rate, it tests your begininng heart rate, you set the time you are going to be on it, and during the workout the calories appear on the machines, its actually very accurate. Ive added the figures multiple times and its almost 99% accurate.

The readout tells me I've burned 1100-1200 calories in 1 hour on the elliptical. There's no way it can be that much.

Those things lie, and are not factual as far as I see it. I think it's more of a reference point, because every movement in your stride will defer from the next, the count can only be used as a basis. I'd say 1/2 of what it claims is more accurate than the full amount it says.

I just don't worry about the calories. My goal is to get my heart rate into the target zone and hold it there for 30 minutes. The calories are an extra bonus.

This is definitely good to know. The elliptical I use asks for my age and weight and monitors my HR, so I think it's at least in the ballpark of how many calories I'm burning.

But this thread has peaked my interest and now I'm interested in getting a heart monitor to show me how many calories I am actually burning. Because, for me, the number of calories is important in keeping my calculations accurate.

I enter my weight 15lbs lower than it is, and then I subtract about 10% of those calories off- I figure that's a fairly accurate reading.

When I began using the machines, I would always look at the calorie counter. A little over a month ago, I started putting my towel over the monitor so I can't see it anymore.

I base my exercise off how I feel and the intensity of the workout. That gives me a more accurate feeling and point of where my body is physically pushing itself.