Those Who Use Chest Strap HRM...

Cina04

What zone do you use for calorie burn?

- Health Zone
- Fat Burn Zone
- Aerobic Zone

Today I did Insanity Max Interval Circuit - it's an hour long and in the second month you should at least be be burning 600 cals and up to 1,000 cals.

I have been using the chest strap for a week at Fat Burn zone and I was bummed because it was telling me I was burning less calories than I thought I was.

I own two Sportline HRM from Walmart - the 25.00 HRM (you have to press the button to update your HR) and the 50.00 HRM (because my husband had to have it but only used it twice so I claimed it as mine lol) I got the cheaper one at first because I just wanted something to clock in my calorie burn and when I can afford me get me a cute pink/girly HRM LOL.

Anyways.....in the Fat Burn zone it told me I burned 500 cals. My other HRM usually tells me I burn around 800cals. (I always update it when I feel my heart rate go up or down). Than I was was checking the Health Zone and realized it says I burned 634cals which does sound more realistic for me w/ doing Insanity.

Now I don't know which zone I should use to track my cal burn.

**I'm not looking for an excuse to log in a bigger cal burn so I can eat more. Based on the daily cal intake equation in the Insanity book it says I should intake 2130. My daily intake for MFP (without exercise) is 1330 and jumps up anywhere from 1600 - 1900 after exercise. So daily I eat about 1500 - 1700 cals a day**

FemininGuns

The only time I use my chest strap is when I use my Garmin to run or Bike. I always train based on what I want to do - if I want a high intensity workout, I know I have to run until I can't carry on a conversation, if I want moderate - i need to slow down my pace etc. Same for biking. I would say that having ONE calory zone for everyone isn't accurate. I burn 280 cals running for 30 minutes when someone else could burn 500 or 200... So I would say that if you get to know your body, you'll know you did a kick *kitten* job and any exercise is good - doesn't matter which zone you're in!

Cheers

ProTFitness

Here it is I use a hR monitor with a chest strap. That to me is the Best. I have also completed Intanity. I started the program pretty fit concidering I am Personal trainer. It Still Kicked my buttt. Insanity is more aerobic so set the watch there. I dont know about your watch I use a Polar and mywatch does not have those settings. Set it in the aerobic faze because that is what Insanity or any cardio is. On average with month one i would burn 400-500 calories and month 2 600-700 calories. It depends on your age height and weight and fitness level. I am more fit so it is harder for me to get my heart rate up and keep it up. My body recovers fast. THat is a good thing. Also It depends on the dvd your doing some you may burn more then the other. Hope this helps

Beth720

I don't know... But congrats on your Sportline hrm working beyond a day. I bought one Wednesday and it worked for a trial, then wouldn't do anything on Thursday, so back to the store it went. I'm going to my running store and getting a Polar once the money goes back into my bank.

rml_16

I don't worry about zones. I work out as hard as I can for as long as I can and burn as many calories as I can.

I've read several articles recently that the fat burning zone is a myth and it's best to just get your heart rate up as high as possible because losing weight is about burning more calories than you take in. Period.

carrieberrie

I just bought a sportsline HRM and I am having a hard time with it. I just dont get it and the instructions are so vague. Ok, so when I want to work out I have to set it at a certain heart rate zone??....LOL! I did not know that. I did use the chest strap which I find it better than taking my hear rate all the time. I just put the chest strap on before working out hit exercise and then start, I thought thats all I was suppose to do! Why cant it be easier!

Cina04

Hahaha I know...I just want a simple HRM like the basic 25.00 HRM but with a chest strap lol

Yeah took me a few times to get it.

In the book it says Fat Burn is cals burn from fat and the Aerobic Zone is cals burned from carbs

I'm guessing the health zone does both cause it has the highest cal burn?!?!?! lol

I would had return it but my husband threw the box away. So now within a month we spent 75.00 on HRMs when I could had just got myself a good simple HRM that is girly! LOL

MissingMinnesota

I try to keep mine either high in the fat burn or low in the cardio zone since I prefer to go for a longer time then short bursts. The longer I go the lower I let the heart rate go but never below the minimum fat burn and if I am going for a short time I try to keep it steadly higher in the cardio zone.

teetee1281

I also have 2 HRM, one polar and the other Timex. Right now I only have access to the timex one.
I normally do the same workouts and my calorie burn changes a lot depending on my effort and I can feel the difference in the effort that I put in the workout. I really don't follow the estimated calorie burns because eventually you might find some of the excercise less challenging so you are not pushing yourself as hard.
For example, when I first did Zumba, I was burn over 600 calories each time, but as I continued to go and learned the moves, it came easier so I was only burning 450 calories.