How accurate are the calories burned displays on exercise equpiment?

Question

I just started going to the gym in my neighborhood, and I've noticed that after you input your age and weight, the exercise machines will, among other things, keep a count of how many calories you've burned, and at the end of the workout give you a total. How accurate are these readings?

Answer 1

It depends. If the machine counts calories without asking you to input information, then it's inaccurate. If, however, you have to enter in your height and current weight, then the machines are reasonably accurate. When you're not asked to input your personal numbers, the machine uses a formula that calculates burn for a 150 lbs person.

So if you're lighter, you burn fewer calories (as many as 100 fewer!) If you're heavier, you burn more. Another caveat: if you have a ton of muscle, you might burn more no matter what, simply because muscle is more metabolically active.

Answer 2

Not accurate at all- thats why you should only count time doing cardio not calories burned machine shows. They would be more accurate if muscle mass and body fat percentage would be considerate.

Answer 3

pretty accurate. there are equations that figure this stuff out