Heart Rate Monitor

beachbum3076

I have just recently started using a Polar F4 heart rate monitor to track my calories burned. I am frustrated, however, because the difference between what my HRM is telling me and what MFP and my elliptical are telling me for my calories burned is half! Before getting my HRM I would just track what my elliptical said for calories burned. Why is there such a huge difference in numbers and which number should I follow? The scale is not budging and I want to make sure I am tracking accurately. Thanks for any insight you can give!

RichardAshley39

Might be me but which one is more? Oh and I'd go purely of the HRM

Eric_DeCastro

Oh and I'd go purely of the HRM

same, I wouldn't trust what the elliptical says and MFP is just estimating, at least your HRM will take account of your heart rate and give a better estimation.

Whyareyoumad

Agree with above, if you have a HRM use the numbers it gives you as it will be more accurate. If you use the HRM and eat a deficit, the scale will start moving. I dont do anything without my HRM and it is always lower than the machines tell me.

Deb_622

Agreed - I just got my HRM (I have the same one as you) and I go purely by the HRM. It takes into account your height, weight and sex, as well as tracking your heart rate through the entire workout, to figure out how many calories you will burn. I did a run the other day on my treadmill with my HRM and the difference was substantial - treadmill said 613, HRM said 466...I went with the HRM.

Ellipticals, treadmills and MFP can only estimate using averages and calculations - this doesn't take into account individual fitness levels or other factors that affect calorie burn

qtgonewild

yep. my hrm is always lower. which to me is always more accurate.