'Calories burnt' according to my treadmill...

Hi all! I recently actually started checking out calories...calories in and calories out.  So I thought it was really nice to see that all the cardio equipment in the gym has a calorie counter. I was just wondering if these counters are relatively accurate. Obviously they won't be completely exact, because there are variables.  But can I use them as an indication, at least?

Just started doing interval training....AND FREAKIN LOVING IT!!! And I was impressed at how much more calories are burnt compared to one speed running. Great!

Thanks so much!

get a heart rate monitor.....

treadmils vary.  when i was 140 pounds i would burn about 600 calories running 6mph.  now i'm 105 pounds and i run 8miles an hour and i still burn 600 calories!!! i think generally they set the treadmill for a person who is 150-170 pounds unless you can manually set it yourself.  a heart rate monitor will give you the most accurate burn rate though.

factors that effect your calorie burn - heart rate/weight (you burn more calories the more you weigh and the harder it is for your heart to work)

Today, the treadmill told me I was hot and had beautiful natural, blonde hair.

It also promised to call me....

In other words, although I am ..smokin hot...;)..my hair color costs a shiz load of money and damn if that treadmill still hasn't called me...that liar!

Don't rely on cardio equipment for caloric burn unless you want a VERY general idea. Get a heartrate monitor/watch.

What about the newer ones that get your weight and age and have the heart rate sensors?  any more accurate? 

i think they are more accurate...i'm not sure how the heart rate monitors on those treadmills work though..... i think that if they have height weight and all that other stuff they can't be wrong by more than 50-100 calories...and that seems pretty negligible to me anyway.