HRM eye opener

swebb1103

I bought a heart rate monitor and realize now why my weight hasn't changed! What an eye opener - according to the machine, I burned 250 calories doing 30 minutes of elliptical. According to my HRM, it was only 148 calories! Then I did my strength training and according to MFP, I should have burned around 68 calories - my HRM says it was only 40-some calories. My calories have been way over-estimated, and so when I eat them back, I am going over my calories! :sad: Which is why my scale hasn't moved....:grumble:

lisastrom

And that's why HRMs are so important to this endeavor. It's virtually impossible to tell personally how many calories you are really burning without one!

Kanzaki3

I am glad you invested in a HRM. It is a powerful tool. I'm also glad you found out why the scale hasn't been moving. Now you can really move forward.

cthomps

Yes a HRM is a must!!

Melissajojo3

swebb its a good thing you got one now, and don't get discouraged just keep doing what you've been doing, but know you know what your calorie burn really is.. Does any one know of a good HRM? I went to Wal-Mart they have sooo many of them, didn't know which to get

pannacottayum

mines the exact opposite. My hrm always gives me more calories burned than MFP. I did a 50 minute run the other day, mfp gave me around 860, my hrm said like 1500something! I would think the hrm is more accurate but 1500+ for a 50 minute run? That's a bit crazy.

Airbear3

need one of those! are they expensive? which ones are good?

FierceFox81

Personal HRM are much much MUCH more accurate then the ones on the machines. But we must also remember that those to are just an estimate. As are the calories we log. But it's great that you got your own HRM! Don't let it let you down that you didn't know you were over eating when going off the machine and MFP calories...at least you know a more accurate number now Best to you!

sophjakesmom

I have been thinking about getting an HRM, and I think you have convinced me. I haven't had trouble losing weight, but I am afraid as I get closer to my goal, that I will have a problem. I think I am getting one next week (pay day!). What brand do you have? I am looking at a Polar FT4.

Codefox

There's so many good reasons to have an HRM while you work out and this is definitely a big one 8)

FierceFox81

You can get pretty cheap ones (40-100 bucks) at Target. Lot's cheaper then the ones they try and sell you at the gym.

joaniegray

Very interesting. I am glad that as a rule, I do not eat back too many of my calories burned. I found when I did, I felt overstuffed.

Foxerlina

I forgot mine in the gym the other day and I was devastated....I logged it as what i'd normally get but in the back of my head I kept thinking "what if I didn't push myself as hard this week and burned less calories" lol.

Now I've got one, it has become my best friend! I log my cycling to work, gym classes, running, walking...you name it, it's LOGGED! x

jojopel

I bought a HRM two weeks ago and noticed the same thing. I was eating back too many calories. Had a great week last week.

Codefox

BTW, I highly recommend Polar. They have a wide range of models depending on your needs.

JPod279

I bought the Polar FT4 Saturday ($90) and used it Sunday and yesterday. Both times I found that I was burning less calories than I thought I had been burning. Probably explains why I have leveled off in losing weight in the last coupld of weeks. Now it's time to tweek my routine so I can get back to losing.

hyde1977

need one of those! are they expensive? which ones are good?

Polar is a great product!

Just make sure you get one with a chest strap

ronda_gettinghealthy

need one of those! are they expensive? which ones are good?

As with most things you get what you pay for. there are some inexpensive ones and then there are some CHEAP ones. Most of my friends have the Polar FT4 or FT6 or FT 7 i bought the 4 paid about 65$ for it---it has a chest strap for continuous monitoring can use it in the pool and I really like it. Good Luck

RunHardBeStrong

I have been thinking about getting an HRM, and I think you have convinced me. I haven't had trouble losing weight, but I am afraid as I get closer to my goal, that I will have a problem. I think I am getting one next week (pay day!). What brand do you have? I am looking at a Polar FT4.

I love my FT4. Highly reccommend it! It's very easy to use and gives me what I need.

jlanab

i had the opposite issue as well. I was burning way more calories that MFP suggested and I wasnt eating back all my calories to begin with. On the computer I was roughly 100-150 calories under but I was actually more like 500 calories under which probably put me either in maintenance or starvation mode. No wonder why the scale hasnt moved in two weeks and I been working my butt off!

I purchased a New Balance HRM (with chest strap) from Target for $70. I love it so far. Maybe in some months I'll reward myself with a really nice Polar HRM. Not sure which model but the one i looked at was around $129. They can be costly but after 3 days of using mine I think they are totally worth the investment

swebb1103

I picked up a New Balance HRM at Target for about $65, I think? It says it has a smaller/slimmer band for women, not sure how important that is but it is very comfy, I put it on and don't even notice it on. The wrist part fits me too, which is important because it's very hard to find a watch or bracelet that isn't too large, so that was a nice surprise - I expected the wrist band to not adjust down small enough.

It says it's water resistant up to 50 meters but I am afraid to try it, but now I know how over-estimated my land calories are, I'm sure my water calories are as well....

SNorris01

Most machines if not all are about 12% to 20% more than you actually burn. Each person has their own BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), and they are all different. So they are calibrated as best they can since they are not calibrated to a specific person, but as whole. I would do a search on the HRM's there are so many out there different people have different opinions. I have had several, the best ones are the ones that actually fit around your chest or the Bodybugg types, they tend to be more expensive and some of them have a monthly, yearly fee to allow you to access their online programs. The ones you were on your wrists and use your fingers to get your pulse are good, but they are not as accurate as the others.

Codefox

I picked up a New Balance HRM at Target for about $65, I think? It says it has a smaller/slimmer band for women, not sure how important that is but it is very comfy, I put it on and don't even notice it on. The wrist part fits me too, which is important because it's very hard to find a watch or bracelet that isn't too large, so that was a nice surprise - I expected the wrist band to not adjust down small enough.

It says it's water resistant up to 50 meters but I am afraid to try it, but now I know how over-estimated my land calories are, I'm sure my water calories are as well....

The watch should be safe in the water but I think you'll find that the HRM won't work in the pool. There's not many HRMs that transmit at the frequency needed to get through the water and they're fairly expensive

swebb1103

I wondered about that.... maybe I will just automatically cut the calories in half when logging them! I can feel my heart pumping harder when I am swimming so I know I am burning, but probably not as much as I would like, LOL!

Codefox

Well, swimming is a pretty good workout! If you're pushing yourself, I wouldn't cut them in half. I'd go off what a similar workout feels like on land and you're at least burning the same if not more. 8)

Cletc

need one of those! are they expensive? which ones are good?

They are worth in to me
http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Forerunner-Receiver-Monitor-Bilingual/dp/B000E3XPYQ