Calorie Burn on Bike

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2013-04-30 5:12 PM

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Subject: Calorie Burn on Bike
As I ramped up my hours per week, I initially failed to increase calorie intake sufficiently.  As a result, I found myself more tired than I should have.  Increased the calories and got back on track and am now watching that a bit more closely.  Today, did a 2:30 ride at an average speed of about 18 mph with HRM on, a combination of flats and rolling hills.  Downloaded my 910 and it showed a calorie burn of only 1072 calories.  That seemed light so I consulted a number of on-line calorie calculators that showed an expected burn rate of 2000+ calories.  What has your experience been with the calorie function of the 910 on the bike?  I've found it much closer to expectation (and other calculators) on the run, so am a bit perplexed.

2013-04-30 5:29 PM
in reply to: #4721399

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Subject: RE: Calorie Burn on Bike

The ballpark formula is .35 cal / kg / km regardless of speed or terrain.

So, your ride was 45 miles?  How much do you weigh?

 



Edited by TriMyBest 2013-04-30 5:30 PM
2013-04-30 5:33 PM
in reply to: #4721399

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Subject: RE: Calorie Burn on Bike
I use the joule with hrm. I did an absolutely crushing 2.5 hours of intervals on the trainer yesterday and it calculated that I burned 1,700 calories which seems about right to me. I don't really pay much attention to that number, ever. I just happened to look at it yesterday and then saw your thread.

I will say that I ate like a pig all day yesterday because of how hungry I was. My body seems to be shockingly good at adjusting my caloric cravings in relation to energy burned. My wife always asks me if I am sick during taper weeks because my consumption decreases so much.
2013-04-30 6:07 PM
in reply to: #4721425

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Subject: RE: Calorie Burn on Bike
TriMyBest - 2013-04-30 3:29 PM

The ballpark formula is .35 cal / kg / km regardless of speed or terrain.

So, your ride was 45 miles?  How much do you weigh?

 

I weigh 147 lbs.  So if I do the conversions and the math (assuming the slashes denote multiply) I come up with 1683 calories - somewhere in between the Garmin and the on-line calculators - and seems to jive nicely with the calorie burn in the above post.  Wonder why the Garmin is off so much?

Is there a similar formula for calculating calories burned while running?  I must have used one a couple of years ago as I use a nominal 100 cal/mile regardless of pace or terrain, but at that point I was about 30 lbs heavier.  Seems like I need to recalculate . . .



Edited by TTom 2013-04-30 6:09 PM
2013-04-30 6:12 PM
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Subject: RE: Calorie Burn on Bike
TTom - 2013-04-30 7:07 PM
TriMyBest - 2013-04-30 3:29 PM

The ballpark formula is .35 cal / kg / km regardless of speed or terrain.

So, your ride was 45 miles?  How much do you weigh?

 

I weigh 147 lbs.  So if I do the conversions and the math (assuming the slashes denote multiply) I come up with 1683 calories - somewhere in between the Garmin and the on-line calculators - and seems to jive nicely with the calorie burn in the above post.  Wonder why the Garmin is off so much?

Is there a similar formula for calculating calories burned while running?  I must have used one a couple of years ago as I use a nominal 100 cal/mile regardless of pace or terrain, but at that point I was about 30 lbs heavier.  Seems like I need to recalculate . . .

They're all estimates.  None of the methods are precise.  They just get you in the ballpark.

For running, use 1 cal / kg / km.

Swimming, 100 cal / 400 m.

 

2013-04-30 6:14 PM
in reply to: #4721399

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Subject: RE: Calorie Burn on Bike

The online calculators WAY overestimate.

Garmin without the HR strap does the same

Garmin with the HR strap comes in way lower.  I usually find it's around 800 /per hour.



2013-04-30 6:33 PM
in reply to: #4721399

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Subject: RE: Calorie Burn on Bike
I'm no expert, but I recall reading that DCRainmaker did a pretty elaborate article about Garmin's various methods for caloric calculations when the 910XT came out.  The link to the 910 review is HERE (calorie discussion follows the Swim Features segment), with a more detailed article about Garmin's methods in general HERE from 2010.
2013-04-30 9:08 PM
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Subject: RE: Calorie Burn on Bike
TriMyBest - 2013-04-30 5:29 PM

The ballpark formula is .35 cal / kg / km regardless of speed or terrain.

So, your ride was 45 miles?  How much do you weigh?

 

Using that formula, I'd burn roughly 1635 calories for a 2.5 hour ride, give or take.

A rough estimate of calories burned for a run of the same length is about 1700.

It just doesn't seem right that I'd burn nearly equivalent amounts, I guess.

For my own purposes (i.e. how many glasses of wine did I earn today), I usually estimate run miles at 100 calories each, and then about 400 cal/hour on the bike. That's based on nothing, though. :D

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