![]() ![]() "This will bear out in their heart rate data - the more conditioned one gets, the lower the heart rate during the same activity, and the fewer calories burned."īy the way, the same limitations apply to machines at the gym. "A highly trained runner who is 120 pounds likely burns less calories than a newbie who is 120 pounds and running the same distance and pace," explains Sherry Pagoto, co-founder of the UMass Center for mHealth and Social Media. Usually, picking up on these variations requires more detailed heart-rate data, for starters. That's a major limitation, since two people will expend energy differently doing the exact same exercise based on their existing levels of fitness. More fundamentally, online trackers can't measure what's actually going on inside your body during exercise, like your heart rate or breathing. And because online trackers don't measure movement, they can't make subtle distinctions between, say, a 30-minute walk on a flat street and a 30-minute walk up a hill. They tend to make all kinds of assumptions about things like your resting metabolic rate and muscle mass based on broader averages. That's because these aren't very individualized. The free online trackers - the ones that let you put in a few details like age or weight, then estimate that you'll sweat off 700 calories in a hot yoga class - are probably the least trustworthy. Free online trackers are the least trustworthy So - assuming you don't want to spend $30,000 on a wearable calorimeter, or millions on a metabolic chamber - here are some ideas about how to navigate the more accessible tools out there. One scientist even laughed at the notion that people would take their calorie burn estimates seriously. I reached out to a few experts they all said measuring energy expenditure during exercise with precision is extremely difficult, and requires the tools of a physiology lab. These numbers are best viewed as rough guesses, not precise scientific calculations. Two different fitness trackers can show very different results for the exact same exercise. Estimates of how many calories you burn for a given activity can vary widely. Dear Julia: Is there any way to reliably know how many calories you burn during exercise? I'm skeptical of what my fitness tracker says.ĭear reader: You should be skeptical. Have a question? Use our submission form or ask on Twitter. Which over-the-counter painkillers work best? Is it better to run or walk for exercise? How much harm does frequent flying do to your body? Julia Belluz will sift through the research and consult with experts in the field to figure out how science can help us live happier and healthier lives. Welcome to Dear Julia, a weekly column where readers can submit everyday health questions.
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