Adjust heart rate monitor calories for gender

limex

I have a heart rate monitor that calculates calories, but it only asks for weight and not gender. Since I am female, I assume the calories it estimates are probably not accurate.

Is there an adjustment factor I can apply to the calories burned estimate to get a number more appropriate for a female?

RoxieDawn

Taking a shot here, but did the device as for:

Resting heart rate (HR rest)
Maximum heart rate (HR max)
VO2 max
Weight and.. perhaps the age and gender are set up under your user profile on the device settings???

limex

RoxieDawn wrote: »

Taking a shot here, but did the device as for:

Resting heart rate (HR rest)
Maximum heart rate (HR max)
VO2 max
Weight and.. perhaps the age and gender are set up under your user profile on the device settings???

Hmm, maybe? I assumed they would all be in the same place, but I'll check the manual tonight.

dewd2

HR is not a good way to calculate calories. Trackers that include HRMs are mostly marketing gimmicks (assuming it is not a training type device - then HR can be used - just not for calories).

sijomial

Basic HRMs only give a very rough estimate (for a limited set of exercise) anyway - they aren't calorie counters or calculators, just heartbeat counters.

Your personal range of min, max and exercise heartbeat is going to be a variance bigger factor than missing a gender setting. You can attempt to calibrate it yourself by comparing against a power meter equipped device or standard formula.

What exercise are you actually doing? What make/model of HRM?

TimothyFish

Given that HRMs are only making rough estimates anyway, there's really no reason to think that gender would make a difference.

BrianSharpe

Typically gender doesn't make a difference in respect to calorie expenditure, a 150lb woman and a a 150lb man would both burn more-or-less the same number of calories running or walking the same distance all other things being equal.

limex

Thanks for all your responses so far.

sijomial wrote: »

Basic HRMs only give a very rough estimate (for a limited set of exercise) anyway - they aren't calorie counters or calculators, just heartbeat counters.

Your personal range of min, max and exercise heartbeat is going to be a variance bigger factor than missing a gender setting. You can attempt to calibrate it yourself by comparing against a power meter equipped device or standard formula.

What exercise are you actually doing? What make/model of HRM?

I'm doing Zumba. It's a Timex with a chest strap...not sure the model number (I actually didn't buy it, I won it at work). I don't know my min or max heart rate...or where I would access a power meter equipped device? (I don't go to a gym or anything) I'll Google for some standard formulas.

dewd2 wrote: »

HR is not a good way to calculate calories. Trackers that include HRMs are mostly marketing gimmicks (assuming it is not a training type device - then HR can be used - just not for calories).

What would a better way? I also have a fitbit (the One, so it uses steps only), but I don't think steps are a good estimate of calories for zumba either.

By trackers, do you mean things like a fitbit? Yeah, I read they are very inaccurate. I use one with a chest strap though.

BrianSharpe wrote: »

Typically gender doesn't make a difference in respect to calorie expenditure, a 150lb woman and a a 150lb man would both burn more-or-less the same number of calories running or walking the same distance all other things being equal.

I was wondering if that was true when I made this post, but I had a hard time finding answers. I did find a calculator that takes average heart rate together with weight, age and gender to estimate calories and it came up with very different numbers for male vs female, so I thought they were probably different.

NorthCascades

I went for a run last night. My HR was severely depressed, I'm not sure why, and it's unusual for me. After a block I was dong 66 bpm. It took a mile to reach 120 bpm. I don't think I ever crossed my threshold. But I burned as many calories as I ever do running, because I did the same amount of work.

I don't know what the best way to estimate calories for Zumba is, but HR tends to be a red herring.

AnvilHead

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