Calories Burned.
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How many of you use the “Calories Burned” feature on cardio machines or online calculators and rely on them for calculating food intake?
I wouldn’t recommend it.
The built in calculators in many cases isn’t even a ballpark figure. On a majority of machines the only thing it has you enter in is your weight. No other factors like muscle mass, sex, age, etc. are even considered and on top of that EVERYONE is different.
I weigh around 220lbs right now. I am “fairly” lean and have what I would consider more than average amount of muscle on my body. If me and another 220lb man were on side by side cardio machines going at the same level, same intensity, same EVERYTHING other than he is an average build with a much higher BF%…who do you think will burn more calories exercising? Me. Yet at the end of our cardio sessions, our machine, or online calculators will tell us we burnt the same amount of calories.
I’ve heard from MANY clients who justified their “treat” or “snack” or extra food in meals because their cardio machine said they lost X amount of calories that day. Yet when asked a majority couldn’t tell me just how much they really added. Do you know how many carbs or calories were in those 3 viking fist fulls of Cheez-It’s you added to your last meal? Neither do I. But if you see your progress slowing, or your goals getting further away, it may be time to get an understanding of what you’re putting in your mouth.
I recommend weighing and measuring foods for accuracy but most importantly for knowledge long term of what appropriate portion sizes are so that eventually you won’t need to rely on them.
Peace!
-Jeremy
About The Author
Jeremy Reid
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