Calculating Calories

[Ian Watts]

OK - I have been using Endomondo to calculate calories burnt on a 20 mile bike ride. This links to My Fitness Pal which I also use.

Endomondo, and other calculators I have used, have a 20 mile, 1hr 45min ride burning between 1600 and 1800 calories. I am 42, 5 foot 11 inch, and weigh 18 stone 4 pounds.

People on My Fitness Pal swear blind the calculation is wrong, reckoning that a 20 mile bike ride of that duration should be more like 800-900 calories.

Is there a way to check what is right, or do any cyclists on here have any opinion. I don't know what to trust.

 

[buggi]

no that's correct. I was used to cycle 1 hour to work and my HR monitor quoted 900 or so. Sounds about right to me.

 

[Sittingduck]

You're going to get a whole bunch of stuff said on this thread and wildly different numbers quoted. Many variables to be taken into account...

 

[Ian Watts]

OK - does a HRM make the calculation more reliable

 

[vickster]

My rough rule of thumb is 30-40 cals per mile, higher end if you are heavier and/or riding over lumpier terrain. So 800-900 sounds about right to me

Not that it really matters how exact it is if you are seeing the desired effect

 

[colly]

Yep 40 calories per mile is what I reckon too. That equates to 1 jelly baby per mile.
Probably too many variables to be all that accurate no matter what system you use.....your weight, bikes weight, wind against you or with you, amount of uphill, rolling resistance, dunno what else but maybe even how efficient you actually push the pedals.

 

[Crankarm]

Don't count calories just reduce portion size and up your mileage. I have never ever counted calories and managed fine. If you are telling yourself you shouldn't really be eating something or you shouldn't be having seconds or to put half back on the serving plate .......... you are probably right. Less is more. I think Pro riders count calories but they need to as they can't get enough calories!

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

OK - does a HRM make the calculation more reliable

No

 

[VamP]

900 calories per hour is a lot. I probably don't quite burn that in an hour of racing.

Contrary to popular opinion, being unfit doesn't mean you magically burn more calories for a given amount of work. Simply put, the more power you are putting out, the more calories you burn.

So I'd say the people on My Fitness Pal were closer to reality than your Endomondo. In fact, they are probably over-estimating too.

 

[colly]

Just a thought:
You ride for an hour at 15mph. Then another time you ride for two hours at 7.5 mph. Do you use the same amount of calories?

One ride lasts an hour the other twice as long but you have still covered the same amount of distance.

Wind resistance would I suspect add a little but at 15mph it isn't going to be that much.

 

[uclown2002]

 

[VamP]

Is that supposed to be the troll feeding itself?

 

[michaelcycle]

OK - does a HRM make the calculation more reliable

In your scenario - no.

If a HRM is used in a steady state session and preferably in a controlled setting (like a gym) then it can give a reasonable calculation (but really it would need a chest strap and be working off your VO2 Max data for good results.) This is because there is a strong correlation between oxygen update and energy expenditure in this scenario.

Outside of that, given your high weight I think somewhere in the region of 1,200 calories is about right for your ride.

 

[Ian Watts]

OK - I shall stop worrying. The result of this seems to be there is no reliable way of calculating calories burnt, so I shall stop worrying.

 

[Herzog]

OK - I shall stop worrying. The result of this seems to be there is no reliable way of calculating calories burnt, so I shall stop worrying.

I would...it's easiest!