Orange Theory Heart Monitor.

mph323

AnnPT77 wrote: »

If I used age-estimated ranges, I'd never get a decent workout: Age-estimated max is 20-some bpm below actual max. (It's just genetics, so this is not a self-congratulatory thing. ).

Same here. It used to freak me out when I started tracking my heartrate during cardio (moderate steady state was in the "max effort" zone) and I worried I would have a heart attack. The more I read up on it the more I realized that's "normal" for plenty of people, especially as we get older and stay fitter.

MeanderingMammal

AnnPT77 wrote: »

If I used age-estimated ranges, I'd never get a decent workout: Age-estimated max is 20-some bpm below actual max. (It's just genetics, so this is not a self-congratulatory thing. ).

I'm the same, my age based MHR is lower than my lactate threshold HR. If I used the OTF ranges I'd barely be getting any training effect.

divcara

I use the chest strap at OTF. My Fitbit Blaze and OTF heart rate is almost identical. But OTF always says I burned like 200 more calories than my Fitbit, which I tend to think is overestimated. Good luck with OTF! I've been taking over three years and lost 30 pounds and so much body fat. (As well as fueling my workouts with eating well, etc.)

The biggest thing was the more conditioned I got, the harder it was (is) to get my heart rate up and get orange. So it's really about working your zones. Lift heavy and challenge yourself. I'm not sure about the whole after burn thing, but it definitely increased my level of fitness and helped motivate me to eat well to really fuel my workouts.

I would also go by how your body feels - play around with different treadmill speeds and see how you feel, regardless of what either heart rate monitor says. You'll get to know your body and how much pushing you can do.

fstrickl

Thanks for all your tips. Here’s my stats from my workout today (btw I’m 30 female, 5‘5 and 169 lbs).





Clearly the Fitbit just picked up the treadmill portion of the workout. What I think I’ve gleaned from all your comments is to take the calories with a grain of salt. I never quite believed the afterburn was as good as they say (if it’s too good to be true...). But also that I know my body best, and that whether or not my HR was actually in the red zone (and at one point I thought I was going to fall off the treadmill so I’m pretty sure I was working hard) push myself the whole time and lift heavy. Same as everything really, think twice, have fun, and give it your all! (*insert motivational high five and cheeses grin here*)

divcara

Graph looks really good @fstrickl! Looks like your average heart rate was almost the same on both HR monitors, And that's a great average heart rate for the majority of the workout! I think mine hits "orange" when my heart rate is 161 - but you only want to be in orange/red for 12-20 minutes of the workout, so that all looks perfect!

Can you set your Fitbit for "Workout" instead of "Run" ? Then it should capture the entire workout, not just the treadmill portion. (Unless that is what you wanted to see of course!)

fstrickl

Thanks @divcara ! I was tired but felt good after!

I didn’t even think to track my workout, I just let it auto track. When I go on Thursday I’ll have to actually track it.

amyepdx

fstrickl wrote: »

Thanks @divcara ! I was tired but felt good after!

I didn’t even think to track my workout, I just let it auto track. When I go on Thursday I’ll have to actually track it.

I let mine auto-track too. I assume the Fitbit calorie amount is the adjustment over my NEAT rather than the entire burn from OT.

Here’s my chart from tonight.

Interesting how even though I had more time in the orange, i burnt fewer cals (even though I weigh more) because my “max” heart rate is so much lower since I’m 59.

My total adjustment for the day was 543 cals though because I had 6000 steps before my workout I guess.

Edited - just looked at yours again and saw all the red zone time! I definitely can’t get there so that’s why your cals were higher - duh!

heybales

Yes the Fitbit cal adjustment is merely the daily total according to Fitbit less the NEAT MFP estimated you'd burn anyway.

And yes - that calc of HRmax has a big effect on calorie burn estimate.

If @fstrickl has a calculated HRmax that is actually lower than estimated, then she really spent more time in the red, and burned more calories than estimated.

If your HRmax is actually higher genetically than calculated, then you would have burned less than estimated.

So while the zone time does give a clue as to why it calculated more calorie burn - doesn't mean in reality more was burned.

mph323

heybales wrote: »

Yes the Fitbit cal adjustment is merely the daily total according to Fitbit less the NEAT MFP estimated you'd burn anyway.

And yes - that calc of HRmax has a big effect on calorie burn estimate.

If @fstrickl has a calculated HRmax that is actually lower than estimated, then she really spent more time in the red, and burned more calories than estimated.

If your HRmax is actually higher genetically than calculated, then you would have burned less than estimated.

So while the zone time does give a clue as to why it calculated more calorie burn - doesn't mean in reality more was burned.

Thanks, this answers a question for me.

divcara

@fstrickl, Oh yes, try setting the workout feature when you start the class and hit finish when it's over. Then you'll have a nice summary (and heart rate summary) of your entire workout, and can compare to your OTF stats. It's all the same amount of work and calories burned in the end, but it's kind of interesting to see and get a feel for how your body feels during different parts of the workout.