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supermatt
May 4, 2004, 7:02 PM
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Registered: Apr 16, 2004
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How inacurate are the cardio machines, if i go on the elliptical for 1 hour and it says i burned off 1000 calories; how much do ya think i really burned?? :?
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doones
May 4, 2004, 7:09 PM
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Registered: Dec 16, 2003
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It all depends on the machine settings and time spent. You can do a hard workout or an easy one. Body composition is also a factor. The computations of calories burned are based on the average person. What ever that is :?:
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headchop
May 4, 2004, 7:44 PM
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Registered: Sep 7, 2003
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It can depend on the machine itself; I've noticed that older Precor machines tend to indicate many more calories burned than the newer Precor ellipticals.
If you're trying to figure out the exact number of calories burned, it can be problematic as they can disagree by a fair amount (up to a few hundred calories, possibly, in your case). I expect the newer, more conservative estimates are probably more accurate.
I just go for a good workout and ignore the calories.
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gds
May 4, 2004, 7:51 PM
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Registered: Mar 8, 2004
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What's the difference? I think the "measurement" of calories burned while doing x minutes of exersize is a waste of time. First, it's inaccurate. Second, what are going to do with the information?
Seems like getting on a scale every once in a while will give you all the data you need.
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wannabelaybabe
May 4, 2004, 7:54 PM
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Registered: Apr 6, 2004
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The rule of thumb that i go by (after reading many, many fitness mags and websites) is that cardio machines can be off between 20 to 25%.
as mentioned before, body composition plays a major part in the number of cals burned, and the machines don't ask "what percentage of body fat are you?" or "are you an active person or a lazy ass?" :)
if you feel the burn after a workout, great. just dont reward yourself with a double scoop of ice cream afterwards. you totally negated your hard work. :wink:
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chadnsc
May 4, 2004, 9:17 PM
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Registered: Nov 24, 2003
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I think that it is correct that certain cardio machines can be off my as much as 25% when estimating the amount of calories burned during a workout. This can be due to machine error and incorrect use. However, there are several things that you can do to get a more accurate estimate of the calories you have burned during a workout.
First, if you are on a stair stepper, elliptical machine, or treadmill don't rest on the handrails, this will reduce the amount of calories you burn.
Second, don't allow yourself to coast or stop on machines like a stationary bike, or elliptical machine. Many machines will continue to count calories after you have stopped working because wheels of the machine are still turning (like when you coast on a bike).
Lastly, use a machine that has you input you age and weight in order to estimate how many calories you are burning during a workout. Cardio machines that use both age and weight are more accurate at estimating calories burned.
By following all the previously stated guidelines the cardio machine will still have a 8-15% margin for error (over and underestimating). I hope this was helpful.
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