# My fitness pal



## Becs (27 May 2011)

Does anyone have any experience using a site/app called "my fitness pal"? I've just started using it, it seems pretty great except the amount of calories it estimates you burn cycling. I know these things are never completely accurate but it told me I burnt over 1000 calories for 90 mins at 12-14 mph which sounds ridiculous! Anyone have any idea how far out mfp's estimates are? Are the estimates from heart rate monitors any better?

In general I don't eat for any ride under 25 miles anyway but it would be nice to have a better idea of what I'm burning off (even if it is so I know how much cider/chocolate/cheese I'm allowed! :-)


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## cyberknight (27 May 2011)

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

I am not sure about your specific calorie burn but i just did a sportive and i used about 3500 in 4.5 hours, sounded about right to me at 780 calories an hour at an average of 17 mph.

When i used to do gym work i used to hammer the static bikes that had a calorie counter based on your weight and wattage produced, in hlf an hour i used to do 500 +, in an hour it was just under a thousand, but i was hammering along at 95 % of calculated max heart rate.


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## vickster (28 May 2011)

I read that on average, you burn around 40 calories per mile covered, at an average sort of pace on average terrain. Works for me as a decent rule of thumb. Son assuming you did 20 or so miles, 800 calories. 1000 does sound high to me. Your own bodyweight plays part too - if you are heavy, you will burn more than someone who is skinny


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## AndyF (28 May 2011)

I like the app especially for keeping count of what I've eaten during the day it has a lot of English food and portion sizes against many US based apps. As to it's accuracy on bike riding it has me @ 316 calories for my 6 mile little circuit (12-14mph moderate cycling). The Suunto T6 HRM has me @ 210 iirc.


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## Andrew_P (28 May 2011)

Yeah my Garmin over estimates also at the same level 900-1000 calories for 15-16mph 14.8 miles. Where as my old Sunnnto had it at 400-500 depending on how it was estimating my current fitness. The latter I feel is closer to reality, if the Garmin was right on a commutting day I would be in calorie deficit which is not likely.


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## Becs (28 May 2011)

vickster said:


> I read that on average, you burn around 40 calories per mile covered, at an average sort of pace on average terrain. Works for me as a decent rule of thumb. Son assuming you did 20 or so miles, 800 calories. 1000 does sound high to me. Your own bodyweight plays part too - if you are heavy, you will burn more than someone who is skinny



Thanks! That sounds like a good rough guide. I tend to average about 16mph, it's pretty flat round here but I am tall with stone or 2 to lose so hopefully 40/mile is about right! I just want to make sure I'm eating enough for longer rides (60-80 miles) but still lose a pound or 2 a week!


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## Surlyguy (29 May 2011)

Hi. When i do my normal training route which is around 25 miles i usually burn around 18-1900 calories depending on how hard i go. I normally ave 14 - 15 mph on bumpy terrain with a few hills. I use a HRM all the time, i weigh 84kg so i'm probably burning more cals than most other cyclists.


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## Garz (29 May 2011)

I would say 600 calories per hour as I try to factor in the free-wheel and non-exertive parts of the ride. On a static or gym bike if you constantly pedal with resistance this would show a more accurate figure as cyberknight mentioned. If you take it easy or are able to sustain a conversation then your probably not working hard enough to warrant 600/hour so adjust to suit your tempo.


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## Garz (29 May 2011)

Surlyguy said:


> Hi. When i do my normal training route which is around 25 miles i usually burn around 18-1900 calories depending on how hard i go. I normally ave 14 - 15 mph on bumpy terrain with a few hills. I use a HRM all the time, i weigh 84kg so i'm probably burning more cals than most other cyclists.



Really?






My 23 mile loop which is the most regular I tend to ride the garmin says I burn ~750 calories. This is normally at around 17mph average (75% or zone 3). I'm fairly heavy build for a cyclist (more of a rugby players build) so would think 1800 for a 25 mile route is quite high.


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## Surlyguy (30 May 2011)

Hi Garz. When I use my hybrid bike which is quite light (Giant Crs 0) I'd normally burn around 1300 cals for my 25 mile commute. My touring bike on the other hand weighs around 25kg with the panniers and that's the bike I'd use more. Heart rate varies too, it would ave 140 on the hybrid and 160 on the other bike. I'd estimate I burn between 800 and 1000 cals an hour.


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## cloggsy (30 May 2011)

I use MFP in conjunction with my CycleMeter app when cycling.

I don't rely on MFP for calories burned during exercising!


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## amaferanga (30 May 2011)

Surlyguy said:


> Hi Garz. When I use my hybrid bike which is quite light (Giant Crs 0) I'd normally burn around 1300 cals for my 25 mile commute. My touring bike on the other hand weighs around 25kg with the panniers and that's the bike I'd use more. Heart rate varies too, it would ave 140 on the hybrid and 160 on the other bike. I'd estimate I burn between 800 and 1000 cals an hour.




Um I think you need to take the figures from your heart rate monitor with a massive pinch of salt.

I have perhaps the most accurate calorie counter on my bike - a power meter. The energy I expend is actually calculated and making only one assumption (the efficiency of the human body) I can determine calories.

And I can tell you that I don't even burn 1000 kcal/hour when I'm racing at an average speed of 26mph.

How much do you weigh? Unless you're very heavy and riding up some proper hills then you won't be burning 800-1000 kcal/hour to ride at 14-15mph.

Sorry to shatter your illusions.


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## Garz (30 May 2011)

amaferanga said:


> I have perhaps the most accurate calorie counter on my bike - a power meter. . .
> 
> ...And I can tell you that I don't even burn 1000 kcal/hour when I'm racing at an average speed of 26mph.
> 
> How much do you weigh? Unless you're very heavy and riding up some proper hills then you won't be burning 800-1000 kcal/hour to ride at 14-15mph.




My sentiments on the matter which I highlighted previously. The power meter is a more accurate tool which is why 700 seems reasonable but 1700 is the kind I burn on a 70 mile outing not a 25.

Surlyguy I think you should re-evaluate the calorie counting methods and multiply by 60%.


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## Surlyguy (30 May 2011)

amaferanga said:


> Um I think you need to take the figures from your heart rate monitor with a massive pinch of salt.
> 
> I have perhaps the most accurate calorie counter on my bike - a power meter. The energy I expend is actually calculated and making only one assumption (the efficiency of the human body) I can determine calories.
> 
> ...




Point taken thank you. I don't worry too much about calories anyway, I bought a HRM to assist my training as I'm looking to increase my endurance (Not worried about speed) I'm using a training manual which came from a well known magazine and i'm certainly feeling the difference after a few weeks! I intend to do touring with a few friends soon which is the reason I took up cycling in the first place. Oh and i've lost over a stone in the last 6 months too.


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## Garz (30 May 2011)

Surlyguy said:


> Point taken thank you. I don't worry too much about calories anyway, I bought a HRM to assist my training as I'm looking to increase my endurance (Not worried about speed) I'm using a training manual which came from a well known magazine and i'm certainly feeling the difference after a few weeks! I intend to do touring with a few friends soon which is the reason I took up cycling in the first place. Oh and i've lost over a stone in the last 6 months too.



Well that's great news pal, as long as your enjoying it, keep at it!


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## HLaB (4 Jun 2011)

I don't really pay attention to calories but if asked I usually take 500 calories for 10 miles as a rule of thumb.


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## r0bbti (11 Jun 2011)

HLaB said:


> I don't really pay attention to calories but if asked I usually take 500 calories for 10 miles as a rule of thumb.




I thought it was about 20 calories per mile, which is only about 500 calories for 25miles. Or am I way underestimating?


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## vickster (11 Jun 2011)

40 per mile is actually more likely, seen mentioned in several places. More if hard uphill riding or you are heavy...if you are a skinny wee thing, it may be less


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## cyclegal (11 Jun 2011)

It does sound over estimated. I went for a cycle today wearing my heart rate monitor, which also tells how many calories based on age and heart rate. I did 60 k in just over 2 hours, average about 28k/ 18miles per hour. I burned just under 1200 which seems about right.


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## monnet (12 Jun 2011)

I think 40 per mile is bit on the high side. 

I ragree with amaferanga's post. In a chaingang training ride my HRM usually come sout with about 1300 burnt in about 1h45 over a 60km circuit. That's with me doing my share of the tack. Road races are probably a bit more intensive because they're jumpier (but still the calorie burn will be about the same). 

Alot can affect the amount of calories you burn and that info can't always be put into a machine. I had a medical at work which indicated that I had very low fat and high muscle mass (significantly outside the normal ranges). This means I burn calories faster even at a standstill than most people, something the HRM can't tell just from the height/weight measurement. 

Anyway, keep riding, enjoy it. That's the key - for all the numbers we follow, we ride bikes because it's great and good news on the weight loss, I'm sure there's more to come.


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## lulubel (12 Jun 2011)

My Garmin usually gives me about 600 an hour for what feels like a moderate effort, which I think is probably a bit on the high side. My old heart rate monitor gave me about 400 an hour, which was a bit on the low side.

I generally assume 500 an hour unless I'm riding harder than usual or taking it really easy. I find that works better for me than trying to estimate calories per mile because the terrain of my rides varies so much.


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## Melonfish (13 Jun 2011)

i'm a big chap so from all the calculators i've worked out around 40-50 per mile. which i reckon is right.
remember calories burned is down to many factors, what rate your heart is, what weight you are etc.


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