Did I really burn that much?

Anna_Joys_Journey
Anna_Joys_Journey Posts: 253 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
With getting serious about losing weight, I decided to take the plunge and buy a HRM. It's not top of the line or anything, but it's what I have available. I really want a Polar, but there's issues getting it shipped to Japan so for now I can't.

There's a decent difference between what my HRM says I burned, and what the machine at the gym says I burned--even though the heart rates match within a digit or two. Then there's a difference between what my HRM says and what MFP says. Which one do I follow??? I'm so confused!

Thanks!

Replies

  • darkestdayz
    darkestdayz Posts: 117 Member
    I would take the reading of your HRM over the machines at the gym or MFP. Also, make sure your heart sensor band is placed correctly on your chest. Incorrect placement can result in inaccurate readings.
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,206
    HRM. Hands down.

    What brand is it? Does it come with chest strap? If it doesn't...go get your money back.
  • Rosannajo88
    Rosannajo88 Posts: 212 Member
    Go with your HRM, MFP has a tendency to over estimate x
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Usually if there are wide variations I'll pick whichever number is lowest.

    Some cardio machines exaggerate calories expended as do some HRMs (surprisingly some HRMs don't even use your heart rate to calculate calories burned) . If you want to sanity check your numbers there some other websites (such as http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc) where you can plug in your weight and the amount of time doing a particular exercise and it will give you an estimate.
  • Jen800
    Jen800 Posts: 548 Member
    I had a HRM for a while, but it told me I was burning 600 calories on a 20 minute run. At that point I believe I was 5'3 and 125 pounds. Seems pretty unlikely. It had a chest strap but wasn't a good one like Polar, it was an 80 dollar one from Walmart.

    I'd say take what it says with a grain of salt and don't strive to eat say 700 extra calories if that's what it told you for exercise that wasn't that intense.
  • Anna_Joys_Journey
    Anna_Joys_Journey Posts: 253 Member
    No chest strap, but I don't have that available to me. Like I said, I really want the Polar but finding a way around the military postal system to get it shipped here isn't working.

    It's a Sportline. Literally THE only one my BX had. As in, the only kind they carry and the only one left on the shelf.
  • Anna_Joys_Journey
    Anna_Joys_Journey Posts: 253 Member
    My exercise was definitely intense, and I weigh 218...if that makes a difference.

    There's no way I old eat back all the calories it tells me to anyway! Haha!
  • Jen800
    Jen800 Posts: 548 Member
    My exercise was definitely intense, and I weigh 218...if that makes a difference.

    There's no way I old eat back all the calories it tells me to anyway! Haha!

    I think I had a sportline.
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,206
    I bought a really crappy CVS brand HRM. With no chest strap and "one touch heart rate" technology, it was extremely inaccurate. Try an activity like lifting in which you are standing still. Most of the time, you'll get little to no burn per the HRM (I'm talking <10). Total crap. That's an accelerometer for you.
  • Anna_Joys_Journey
    Anna_Joys_Journey Posts: 253 Member
    I bought a really crappy CVS brand HRM. With no chest strap and "one touch heart rate" technology, it was extremely inaccurate. Try an activity like lifting in which you are standing still. Most of the time, you'll get little to no burn per the HRM (I'm talking <10). Total crap. That's an accelerometer for you.

    I did lifting today with it on, and in 22 minutes it says I burned 139...but that was right after 40 minutes of going hard on the elliptical...so idk if that made a difference. I also worked out hard this morning doing a HIIT workout, but that was only 20 minutes. I have no idea how to do this stuff...I'm really just figuring it all out. Sorry for all the questions!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I bought a really crappy CVS brand HRM. With no chest strap and "one touch heart rate" technology, it was extremely inaccurate. Try an activity like lifting in which you are standing still. Most of the time, you'll get little to no burn per the HRM (I'm talking <10). Total crap. That's an accelerometer for you.

    I did lifting today with it on, and in 22 minutes it says I burned 139...but that was right after 40 minutes of going hard on the elliptical...so idk if that made a difference. I also worked out hard this morning doing a HIIT workout, but that was only 20 minutes. I have no idea how to do this stuff...I'm really just figuring it all out. Sorry for all the questions!

    HRMs are intended for use while engaged in steady state cardio, for HIIT and weights they're not terribly useful.

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