How accurate?

alyssa83202

The ellipticals at my gym have you enter your weight and height and they also have heart monitors on the handlebars so is it safe to assume that the estimated calorie burn is pretty accurate?

Also, I've been thinking about getting a heart monitor with a chest strap. I want one that is pretty accurate but also not very expensive or bulky. I do the majority of my exercising on the ellipticals, but I would like it for when I'm doing other workouts (like jogging, weight machines, or dvds) that don't tell you how many calories you burn.

Thanks!

SMarie10

I work out a Gold's Gym, using Elyptical, treadmill and bicycles. I've checked the heart rate on the machine against my HRM / watch and they are always accurate; however. my personal opinion is the amount of calories burned that show on the machines are too generous. I always cut by 1/2 the amount they show. It does depend on what you weigh currenty - you will burn more calories the more you weigh. So my suggestion is use the machines as a guide, but go to the low end and not record everything they show. You may want to consider a HRM instead of depending on the machines.

alyssa83202

I work out a Gold's Gym, using Elyptical, treadmill and bicycles. I've checked the heart rate on the machine against my HRM / watch and they are always accurate; however. my personal opinion is the amount of calories burned that show on the machines are too generous. I always cut by 1/2 the amount they show. It does depend on what you weigh currenty - you will burn more calories the more you weigh. So my suggestion is use the machines as a guide, but go to the low end and not record everything they show. You may want to consider a HRM instead of depending on the machines.

Okay thanks. If they are accurate, why do you still cut them? (just curious). Also, I'm not really that big, but since I enter in my weight that should already take it into account, right?