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MyFitnessPal Community

heart rate monitor

ddiestler

I have a polar FT4 HRM. How accurate are they? I did an elliptical workout today for 35 minutes and it says I burned 450 calories..that doesn't seem right to me..

any suggestions?

Replies

dkhuff1

How much do you weigh? How vigorously did you exercise? Its kind of hard to answer your question with no specifics. Have you set your HRM with your weight? If you have not put in your user settings then it probably is not accurate.

That said, HRMs are most accurate way to measure calories. Mine is very similar to what MFP shows unless I go really hard, then MFP underestimates.

howardheilweil

I have the same one and that seems a little high. What was your average heart rate? What does the MFP default say for calories burned?

laineybz

Obviously everyone's different depending on weight, height etc. I have the same HRM and in 35 mins on the cross trainer i can probably burn around 200 calories.

3dogsrunning

Here are a couple of links that can help you out.

Here is a way to test how accurate your HRM is

https://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/774337-how-to-test-hrm-for-how-accurate-calorie-burn-is

(You'll have to copy paste that one. Can't figure out why it won't work)

Here is a link to Heybales spreadsheet that walks you through setting up for a more accurate burn
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/750920-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

Factors that can affect accuracy
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/773451-is-my-hrm-giving-me-incorrect-calorie-burn

massage_gal

As long as you have the Polar, it should give you the correct amount with your data entered correctly. Have you adjusted your weight since you started using it (if you have lost some)? That's the only thing that can throw it off. HRMs by Polar are the bomb, they will give you the right information. I use mine all the time.

scrapjen

As Dkhuff said, more specifics (weight, how high did your heart rate get up, what speed/resistance ... did the machine have a readout to compare it to?)

I have the same HRM, and mine comes in low ... my elliptical machine (which does account for weight) comes in at 200 for a 20 min session (level 6 resistance, 2 miles). My Fitbit says about 180 calories burned, the Polar comes in about 140. I am "in the zone" the whole time, but at the lower end (not really getting my heart pumping). I'm not sure if some of MY issue is that I've been doing the elliptical, this same basic routine for years now and my body has adjusted? It's hard to know which estimate is correct, I guess I'll err on the side of caution and go with the lowest one ...

massage_gal

As Dkhuff said, more specifics (weight, how high did your heart rate get up, what speed/resistance ... did the machine have a readout to compare it to?)

I have the same HRM, and mine comes in low ... my elliptical machine (which does account for weight) comes in at 200 for a 20 min session (level 6 resistance, 2 miles). My Fitbit says about 180 calories burned, the Polar comes in about 140. I am "in the zone" the whole time, but at the lower end (not really getting my heart pumping). I'm not sure if some of MY issue is that I've been doing the elliptical, this same basic routine for years now and my body has adjusted? It's hard to know which estimate is correct, I guess I'll err on the side of caution and go with the lowest one ...

Yeah, you are probably not getting your heart rate up enough to get you burning the calories the other things said you did. Your body gets more and more efficient the more times you do an activity.

kennethlcrow

The MFP calculations are missing too many variables to be accurate for everyone. I love my BT HRM but am slowly moving away from it. The reason...

I'm trying the Bodymedia FIT right now to see how well it works. It seems like a device like this one makes more sense if you want to see how many calories you're burning throughout the day since it is all inclusive (takes into account exercise as well as resting) as long as you wear it. For now, as long as the BMF is accurate, I see the HRM being more useful if I want to interval train in different HR zones and need to make sure I reach my targets.

Anyone have any thoughts?

3dogsrunning

As long as you have the Polar, it should give you the correct amount with your data entered correctly. Have you adjusted your weight since you started using it (if you have lost some)? That's the only thing that can throw it off. HRMs by Polar are the bomb, they will give you the right information. I use mine all the time.

I'm sorry but HRMs can be quite off. A number of factors affec accuracy and even under ideal circumstances they can be 20% off. I've seen too many people run into trouble blindly following their HRM.
https://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/459580-polar-hrm-calorie-burn-estimate-accuracy-study

OP - forget staying in the "zone". While you may burn a higher percent of fat in the fat burning zone (assuming you are in the correct zone, these are often pretty far off), you burn fewer calories overall. If you workout in the higher zones, you burn way more calories. So even though the percent of fat might be lower, the overall total is higher.

ddiestler

I am 5 feet and weigh 180. My heart rate average was 158. I'm not sure what zone I should be in either..LOL

3dogsrunning

I am 5 feet and weigh 180. My heart rate average was 158. I'm not sure what zone I should be in either..LOL

Don't worry about zones for fat burning. I thought that's what you were aiming for because earlier you said you were in the zone.

ddiestler

I think someone else was talking about being in the zone..I don't know if I was in the zone or not..lol All I know is I was sweating!!

3dogsrunning

I think someone else was talking about being in the zone..I don't know if I was in the zone or not..lol All I know is I was sweating!!

My bad. :flowerforyou: