Ask An Expert: Tommy, Are The Calorie Counters On Fitness Machines Accurate?
Q: Hi Tommy, I often use fitness machines like the elliptical and arc trainer to complete the cardio portion of my workout. I have always paid close attention to the calorie counters on these machines, and placed a great deal of faith in the fact that they are counting the calories I burn correctly. However, lately I have begun to wonder just how exactly these machines calculate these figures. Are these calorie counters actually accurate? ~ Afra PS: Love both your shows!
A: Hi Afra, thanks for a great question. Modern technology has given us many advances, but as with many new advances, there seems be conflicting data. Personally speaking, I don’t think that exercise equipment can monitor accurate data consistently on its own. I believe that they will always be off (either way) the majority of the time.
Now, with that said, I have put clients on one of these cardio machines, along with a heart monitor, and in those cases, the machine has been correct. Counting calories is a little trickier, so I wouldn’t place to much faith in getting the correct numbers from your particular machine. It’s hard to simply put your hands on a scanner & be told the number of calories that you have just burned, or what your heart rate is, etc.
The timing of your question is great because I am just about to test out a portable calorie counting device in the coming weeks. I’ll let you know how it goes. Tech is constantly improving, so some day, I’m sure that we will have everything at our finger tips. Now we just have to work hard, and burn as many calories as possible.
Thanks for checking in, I’ll be back next week to answer another one of your questions.
Play safe and have fun.
Written by: Tommy Europe, host of The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp and Bulging Brides
For more information, check out http://www.tommyeurope.tv/
Check out previous health related Ask An Expert blogs written by Tommy Europe!
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