Calories burned

pjammer10
pjammer10 Posts: 38 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I have a heart rate monitor that I usually wear when I workout and today I noticed that the heart rate monitor calories burned and the treadmill calories burned were vastly different. The monitor said I'd burned almost double what the treadmill said. So which one is more accurate? Which one should I go by? Should I split the difference between the 2?

Replies

  • StephBreezy
    StephBreezy Posts: 1 Member
    The monitor would be more accurate. The treadmill is estimating and providing an average and the monitor is tracking your actual heart rate and knows your weight, etc.
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    Both are suspect. Here is the fine print on heart rate monitor - it measures your heart rate, period. Under specific conditions, calories can be derived from HR but you have to have everything dial in (see http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472). Same goes with your treadmill. Calories burned is likely calibrated based on the profile of a 180 pound, 35 year old man (see http://www.examiner.com/article/what-your-treadmill-isn-t-telling-you) or there about. Until you can dial in based on accurate account of your food intake and weight loss, don't eat back all your exercise calories.

    I found MFP to be on the high side for lower intensity workouts. I'm a cyclist and uses IpBike. On my weekly walks I used to use Endomondo but recently switched to IpBike. It also works for running and calories are estimated based on power (virtual for walking/running and can be for cycling if one does not have a power meter). IpBike and Endomondo does not work very well for indoor applications; it needs to know you pace.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    a good way to sanity check the numbers for walking or running on the TM (or outdoors) is:

    walking: .30 x weight in lbs x distance in miles

    running: .63 x weight in lbs x distance in miles

    source runnersworld.com/weight-loss/how-many-calories-are-you-really-burning?page=single

    keep in mind that these numbers are "net" calories burned (ie those attributable directly to exercise) and will be conservative for higher inclines
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