Wrong Calorie Count with Polar FT7 HRM

simply_healthy

Hey All,

I have noticed that my HRM (Polar FT7) shows incorrect calorie count. For eg; it shows a burn of around 750 calories within 45-50 mins which is incorrect. When I tried to monitor it, I realised that calories are increased to the count of 2 at times (for eg; 1->2->4->5->7->8->10) and hence it ends up showing much more calories than actually burnt. I got the hrm replaced with a new one but I have been facing the same problems on the new one too.

Has anyone else faced similar problems with Polar FT7 ?

Luv,
SKB

Beehiveof8

I have one but never saw that problem. Maybe you could call their customer service? My count seems to be reasonably accurate. <shrug>

ChRiStA_1983

First of all, are you wearing a chest strap with it?

And secondly, what are you using as your basis to know that it's inaccurate?

thkelly

what was your avg heart rate during the workout?

do you have your proper weight and age loaded into the HRM?

simply_healthy

First of all, are you wearing a chest strap with it?

And secondly, what are you using as your basis to know that it's inaccurate?

Yes, I wear the chest strap. I have been using it for few months now. Usually a workout of around 45-50 minutes would only burn 500-550 calories but these days it shows around 750ish calories for the same kind of workout. Secondly, when I monitored the calorie count on it, the calories were increased by the count of 2 instead of 1.... Ideally the calorie count should increase by the count of 1....

sethwdyer

I've got a really nice Timex HRM and 750 seems like a pretty accurate number for 45-50 assuming that you averaging around 150 BPM.

simply_healthy

what was your avg heart rate during the workout?

do you have your proper weight and age loaded into the HRM?

Yes, all the information is up to date. Wondering , if any of the polar ft7 users have noticed calorie count going up by 2 at a time instead of 1.. something like 1-2-4-5-7-8-10

ChRiStA_1983

I haven't had a single bit of issue with mine....Mine is the F4 version, though....(with a chest strap).

I'm just wondering what you're basing your estimation of a "usual" burn, on....You say that "usually a workout of around 45-50 minutes would only burn 500-550 calories", but it all really depends on your heart rate during the workout....

Someone can work out for 50 minutes, and not elevate the heart rate, and only burn 200 calories! OR, a person can workout for 45 minutes, with a heart rate that is elevated to 80% of their max, and burn FAR more....How high is your heart rate getting? If it's above 60-70% of your max, I wouldn't say that the 750 burn is an unreasonable...

However, if you feel like there is a problem with it, then definitely return it for a different model (especially since this isn't the first time you've had an issue...Although, since BOTH monitors tended to register the same thing, I would venture to guess that it may be more accurate than you think?)...

ladybug1620

Maybe you are just working harder and you actually are burning more calories? for a 45-50 minute workout I burn between 400-500 calories. I am a smaller person than you, so it would make sense to me that your burn would be right about where you're saying it is.

CarlitaK

someone posted yesterday I think that if you don't wash the chest strap properly, it messes up the readings. Maybe try washing it again and then try it out?

AnnaPixie

someone posted yesterday I think that if you don't wash the chest strap properly, it messes up the readings. Maybe try washing it again and then try it out?

good point! I washed mine today

Also, have you tried changing the battery in the chest strap? Mine was all over the place before I changed it.

I dont really look at the count, but if my heart rate is really high it can just increase rapidly.

Perhaps you're just going faster now than you used to before you lost weight?

hope you resolve it soon :flowerforyou:

dushyant79

I just purchased a new FT7 last week..I have been monitoring it for almost a week now and I am also getting inaccurate readings. I am comparing my results with the machine that I am working on. For instance, when I did a interval training on LifeFitness Treadmill for 20 mins it the machine showed me 175 calories whereas the watch showed me 228...Again I did a 30 minute interval on Precor elliptical machine and the reading on the watch was 379 calories while the Precor machine showed me 277 calories which is almost 100 cal less..

Other thing I would like to mention here is that this watch gets synced with both of these machines as well so the heart rate shows same on both (watch and the machines) and I do not need to hold the sensors on the machine for heart rate to show up. This is just confusing me as to I am not able to understand which one should I believe.

Thanks,

brentbarrie

I wouldnt trust the count on ANY machine that doesnt measure your heart rate.

brentbarrie

Hey All,

I have noticed that my HRM (Polar FT7) shows incorrect calorie count. For eg; it shows a burn of around 750 calories within 45-50 mins which is incorrect. When I tried to monitor it, I realised that calories are increased to the count of 2 at times (for eg; 1->2->4->5->7->8->10) and hence it ends up showing much more calories than actually burnt. I got the hrm replaced with a new one but I have been facing the same problems on the new one too.

Has anyone else faced similar problems with Polar FT7 ?

Luv,
SKB

What do you mean the calories increase by 2? You mean as you are watching the watch while working out? Like someone else said, it always depends on how fast your heart rate is. No two days will be alike.

Myxalplyx

This is an old thread but I came across it because I am having problems with my Polar FT7 now. It is showing heart rates in the 200+, even before exercising. It used to be in synch with the elliptical machine I be on but is all over the place now.

I wash not washing the strap after every use so this is something I need to do.

Another this is that you are supposed to take your transmitter and/or watch to an authorized Polar center to change the battery out. I never knew this previously and changed my battery twice thinking that was the problem. Apparently, the sealing ring/battery kit that you are supposed to use when changing the battery out. See this link on page #14 -->
http://www.polar.com/e_manuals/FT7/Polar_FT7_user_manual_English/manual.pdf

ksuh999

I changed my H7 battery this week, it was bonkers for the first few minutes, then it worked properly. I think there's some sort of initialization that it goes through after the battery change.