canavywife

I'm new to this site and hope it helps me track my nutrition and exercise better. I tried to input my run this morning. I ran 12 min miles and did that for 46 min. The activities log only calculates that as 204 calories? who are they kidding? Running 12 min/mile burns 696 calories per hour. Am I Missing something here? How can I get that amount shown?

thanks

cjohnson728

Hey there...

I would first go back and check that all your stats were loaded in right when you put them into FitDay. It may be calculating for you based on erroneous information.

Also, while I agree that 204 seems extremely low, I think that 696 seems extremely high, but I guess it depends on how big you are and your fitness level. Yesterday I did the exact same thing as you...45 minutes at 5 mph (a 12 min mile) and according to my heart rate monitor, my calorie burn was 309 (though as a small 5'2" person at 42 years old, I don't burn as much as some others would to begin with).

Other than that, my suggestion is to just monkey around with what you put into the activity log...if you are sure about your burn, put in a faster pace or another activity that gives it to you in about the same amount of time.

It's definitely one of the shortcomings of FitDay, and the moderators have been HUGELY nonresponsive to adding a custom exercise option as we have with food. As a matter of fact, they've been hugely nonresponsive with respect to just about everything.

Good Luck!

canavywife

Thanks so much. Yeah the 696 was for a full hour. Is there a way to input calories/activity by hand similar to writing in a 'custom' food? I also did the elliptical and did an interval workout on that so I wonder how to calculate that. The machine said 400 cals for that alone. The running probably more towards 375 for the 46 min. I generally say about 100 cals per mile but again I did some intervals where I ran 7 and then slowed down to 5mph for part of that and then slowed down to an uphill climb at 4mph. It is difficult to calculate unless you just go off what the machine says.

cjohnson728

I hear you! That's part of the reason I broke down and bought a heart rate monitor in January; I input my age, weight, etc. and it calculates the calories burned, and it's probably more accurate than using the machines.

There was a lot of discussion months ago about creating a way to input calories in a custom exercise format (just put in your own, like you can do a custom food). However, the moderators then fell off the face of the earth and this never got done. For now you probably just have to fudge it by using one of the activities that is on there that gives you an equivalent calorie burn, even if that activity isn't what you actually did. A lot of folks who use the ellipticals do that, I think, since elliptical isn't an option.

At any rate, congrats on what sounds like a good workout. Intervals are awesome for you!