Is my HRM (Polar FT4) wrong?

domitom
domitom Posts: 10 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've just started using the gym at my college and I mostly use the treadmill. I always hear that the machines overestimate calories burned but my HRM is giving me double what the machines say. Yesterday I mostly walked at 3.5-4.0 mph for 50 minutes with some incline (2-5%) and the treadmill said I burned 340 calories. But my HRM said I burned over 600. I'm 5'1 and 135lbs. I've tried washing it, I updated my settings, and it stays the same. So is the machine the one that's underestimating or could I have a defective monitor?

Replies

  • Eric_DeCastro
    Eric_DeCastro Posts: 767 Member
    I ran 50 min and i burned 613 cals. so that seems right. I was running extra slow because my running partner was lagging behind.
  • cajunbandmom
    cajunbandmom Posts: 38 Member
    I am 5'4 178 pounds I burn about 100 calories per mile on treadmill. Outside is different story I burn a lot more running track or streets. One hour 25 mins 6.5 miles I burn 715 calories.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    Definitely not anywhere close to what you would burn but there are also a lot of factors that can change that... I used to have the FT4 and I took it back because 1) I found my old FT40 and 2) the overburn is SO awful on that FT4 model. Whenever people mention they use it on here, I cringe. I would get a new one that isn't the FT4 or FT7
  • stakoc94
    stakoc94 Posts: 70 Member
    I use my Polar FT4 HRM is my source of truth. If you look up exercises on MFP you'll get one number, the machine at the gym will state another number, and my HRM different as well.

    I just always use my HRM and log those calories burned on MFP.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    At 135 lbs, there is no way you burned 600 calories walking for 50 minutes. On average, a 150 lb person will burn somewhere around 100 calories per mile. In this case, the treadmill is probably more accurate.
  • Kathrynrbg
    Kathrynrbg Posts: 176 Member
    Life Fitness Treadmill is about right. I heard HR Monitors overestimate calorie burn. My body media fit gives me more calories burned than the treadmill. 200 calories vs 270 calories the hour at 3 miles per hour.with 120 lbs. weight.
  • spickard34
    spickard34 Posts: 303 Member
    I always go by my Polar ft4 rather than the treadmill or MFP I love it. I trust it since it goes by your heart rate. It tells me less than the treadmill but that's okay helps with the calorie deficit.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Sounds like there's something messed up on your hrm. That seems way overstated. Can you set the max hr? I can on my model. I just had to replace the batteries on my watch and I forgot to reset the max HR. It was overstating my burns until I reset max hr.

    What was your average hr for that 50 minutes? What did your max get to?
  • bellevie86
    bellevie86 Posts: 301 Member
    I have the same model. I tend to burn about 100 cals every ten mins, So I wouldn't say that it's GROSSLY overestimating. I've always trusted mine and I lost 38 pounds going by those numbers. If you wanna be super safe and just feel better just subtract a bit and go with one in between the machine and the HRM, like 500 cals and then log accordingly :)
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    I am 5'1" and weigh 104 pounds. According to my Polar TF4, I'm burning about 85 calories per mile on my treadmill. It takes me about 45 minutes to get to 200 calories. . . at 3.5 mph with a 2% incline.
  • Parthus02
    Parthus02 Posts: 50 Member
    The HRM should be more accurate than the treadmill because it is constantly monitoring your heart rate, which actually determines what you will burn. Also keep in mind that individuals are on a spectrum when it comes to a normal heart rate--it's a range. So though someone in your height/weight category may have a lower heart rate within the "normal range", you may have a higher one (or vice versa). The treadmill will treat someone your height/weight the same for equal amounts of effort. I have a naturally higher heart rate (per my doctors) than others in my age/height/weight category. My heart rate also increases fairly quickly during exercise. Therefore, compared to someone else that is my age/height/weight with a lower natural heart rate whose heart rate doesn't increase as much as mine during exercise, I will burn more calories doing the same exercise. To satisfy your uncertainty, you should probably have a doctor test and find your base. That way, you have something to compare and determine whether or not your HRM is really off (because it shouldn't be). Per my base, my FT4 is accurate.

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