Heart rate monitors

dietcoke29
dietcoke29 Posts: 38 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How accurate would you say they are? I have a polar ft4 (it has a chest strap)for an hour session of zumba I can burn up to 600 calories. I have it set up for my current rate as well. I definitely know I'm working out hard. Looking at the number it's just hard for me to believe. Any thoughts? I

Replies

  • kathystrauss1
    kathystrauss1 Posts: 142 Member
    I just got a Polar ft4 as well. I've only used it for one walk/run so far but I also had my Runtastic app on. When it synced with MFP they were almost the exact same calorie burn(2 calories difference). So either they're both accurate or both off.
  • somerisagirlsname
    somerisagirlsname Posts: 467 Member
    If you plugged in your weight and stuff, I'd say it's pretty accurate. I am around 245lbs and when I work out for an hour on the elliptical I burn about 600 if that helps any.
  • markiend
    markiend Posts: 461 Member
    Don't forget to subtract the calories you would have burned in that hour , doing nothing. That figure gets more believable then but I would guess it would have to do with your weight and fitness levels too

    So if you think it's too high, it probably is and that is why you see many say to eat back at least half your exercise calories but don't eat them all back unless you are certain you have definitely burned them

    I have recently got HRM and I am suprised at some of the calorie burns, but I am very out of shape. Hopefully as I trek the same route daily, I will notice a drop in burn and less out of breath on the hills etc
  • lucan07
    lucan07 Posts: 509
    I use a polar FT1 and calculate myself the FT4 may give gross not nett calories (i.e includes the calories you would burn anyway) I use these calculators so you could calculate your gross and nett burn here to check.

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/net-versus-gross-calorie-burn-conversion-calculator.aspx

    and then adjust as necessary
  • JewelsinBigD
    JewelsinBigD Posts: 661 Member
    I don't eat back all of my exercise calories because I am not 100% sure about my PT4 - though I think it is pretty accurate.
  • dietcoke29
    dietcoke29 Posts: 38 Member
    I check out the sites above.

    Thanks everyone. I'm out of shape too. I was on bed rest all of my pregnancy. Now I'm trying to lose the weight I gained. My husband bought it for me as a motivational tool. It does give me that boost and I feel prou dafterwards however after reading several replies on here about hrm it has me second guessing. I'm also 184lbs currently.
  • lucan07
    lucan07 Posts: 509
    I check out the sites above.

    Thanks everyone. I'm out of shape too. I was on bed rest all of my pregnancy. Now I'm trying to lose the weight I gained. My husband bought it for me as a motivational tool. It does give me that boost and I feel prou dafterwards however after reading several replies on here about hrm it has me second guessing. I'm also 184lbs currently.

    The accuracy is not really the main concern for me I know it is consistent and I can better judge my workouts keeping me from over exerting and bringing a workout to an end prematurely. I now work out for far longer at a reasonable level 85% of MHR for an hour or so instead of pushing to hard and having to stop after 15 mins.

    I know from the calculations I do that my deficit is currently 10,500 calories per week and my loss is constantly 3 lbs per week which is as expected 3500 calorie deficit = 1 lb loss.

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