I have a great group of Facebook fans.? If you haven't joined us yet, you should do it now.? My Facebook readers ask questions and share ideas that help all of us learn more about living a healthy life and maintaining a healthy weight.? Last week, one reader ask about the calorie count numbers on exercise machines.? She wanted to know if they are accurate.
Exercise Machine Calorie Counts
Unfortunately, the calorie counts on most cardio machines don't have a great reputation for accuracy.? Does that mean that they are always wrong?? No.? But I wouldn't necessarily rely on them all the time.? Believe it or not, however, this is? a mixed blessing.
You don't want to rely too heavily on the number of calories you burn during exercise, because chances are good that you are also getting an inaccurate calorie count for the food you eat each day.? If you are trying to manage your energy balance (calories in versus calories out) by adding and subtracting specific numbers, you could easily get it wrong.? Calorie counts in general are not terribly accurate.? You can certainly use the numbers as a general guideline, but don't get hung up on 50 calories here or 75 calories there.
A Better Method for Measuring
Don't get too hung up on the numbers.? Use both your caloric intake and your caloric expenditure as general guides.? If you see changes in your size, to your body composition and to the number on the scale, then your plan is working.? If not, make adjustments.? Create a more balanced workout schedule, eat more lean protein, adjust your caloric intake, and make sure you are working hard enough during exercise sessions.
Weight loss isn't an exact science, but its worth the effort to get a fit physique.
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