While I was getting ready for work (aka puttering around not getting ready for work), there was an interesting piece of serious hard-hitting journalism on Good Morning America.They did an investigative piece on the accuracy of the treadmills, stationary bikes, stair climbers, and elliptical thing-a-majigs at health clubs to see if their calorie counters were telling you the truth.
The outcome? Those machines are total lying bastards. They over-estimate your calories burned by an AVERAGE of 19%. So if you are trying to measure and balance your calories in and calories out, ie how long do I have to climb those hell stairs to nowhere in order to burn off that supersized barrel of deep-fried Oreo cookies in chocolate sauce, you will be wrong. They estimate this costs your average machine-user ten pounds a year.
This is a war crime, people. What are we gonna do about it? I say let's never use them again. That'll teach 'em! Sure, we will get fatter and crankier, and they will remain new and pristine, still there is a message there somewhere!
Or we could just work out more....
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16 comments:
or we could stop eating Oreos....wait no you were right at first lets stop and ban together and show them.
I vote for fatter and crankier (wait, I don't think it's possible for me to be any crankier).
You had me at "deep-fried Oreo cookies in chocolate sauce." ;)
And it's ok to still like Little River Band.
Right?!
Oh its on now. Me vs the machine! This is the take down. Call me Sarah Conner.
They over-estimate?!? I was always convinced it was under-estimated. Not good news for a Monday morning.
I think the treadmill is more accurate than the ellipticals. We have one of each, and with the resistance setting, you can theoretically burn much more on the elliptical. Getting ready to head out to the garage, today is the recumbant bike and a book.
Yeah, the formulas they use to estimate calories are a little out-dated, but that would be the reason to go to a trainer so they can figure out what your calorie burn is. Good trainers have the basic math skills needed :-)
Oh, HELL no. I'm all for a little embellishment, but a ten-pound lie? Time to put those electronic sons of bitches out to pasture.
I say be fatter and happier! Enjoy all of the (dark) chocolate, pizza, and hamburgers you want.
I actually find mine pretty useful...as coat racks (-:
Yet another reason not to exercise, not that I need another excuse really. I also find the trainer on Wii Fit to be a judgemental bitch. Bring on the chocolate cake.
Great article. Well exercise is really good for our health. :)
Mary - yes the Little River Band is all good, and has been my soundtrack all day, thanks, I think...
Dean - you are my trainer, so yes I depend on your expertise more than a dumb machine. However, you too require a ton of work at the gym...
Like the coat rack idea, at least is a useful funtion!
FINALLY. An explanation as to why my ass is ever-expanding. And here I just thought I sucked at math.
:) Funny, though the article and you make alot of sense! The weight scale at my job always makes me feel like I'm losing weight, but the scale at the drs office always shows me as having gained, instead. I'm like WTF
Found this link while searching Google, thanks
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