How does it know...? (Stupid Q)

R

RobDude

0
I'm running on the treadmill yesterday - it seems like a nice one; it tells me how fast I'm going, how long I've been going, how many Calories I've burned, and if I grip the sensors - even my heart rate.

But, Calories is a measure of energy. And in things involving the energy, and movement (running) isn't mass a huge factor? If I had two identical treadmills at the same incline and at the same speed; but had a 90 pound 8th grader running on one and a 225 pound college guy running on the other - wouldn't the 2nd guy burn more Calories than the first?

So do these treadmills actually weigh us - if so - why don't they display that too? If not how accurate can they be?

(And, lol, I know - it really doesn't matter. I just spent my 30 min. run thinking about it and it stuck in my head)
 
Unless its some new state-of-the-art treadmill, then it doesn't way you and it must just be guessing. At my gym the treadmills will ask you for your weight and with that they can estimate how many calories you burn more accurately than one that's guessing without the weight (which I would not consider to be accurate at all). But unless you've got a mask attached to your face even the treadmills that guess your weight are only an estimate.
 
You're exactly right, the treadmill doesn't know. Treadmills that ask your weight can give a better guess, but those that don't ask - they are probably basing it on an "average" (maybe 150 lb) person. The numbers it gives you are best used for comparing one workout to another, but not so much for absolute calories burned.
---Trainiac!
 
Speaking of guessing -

The gym I go to has a pretty nice digital scale thingy. It looks impressive.

Anyway I've realised that depending on where I place my feet I can change my weight by a pound.

(Old wrestling habbit of weighing myself several times in a row).

Anyway - feet together = 156 3/4 feet apart = 155 1/2 .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top