HRM & Logging Exercise Question

LessMe2B

I ordered a heart rate monitor with the chest strap, though it hasn't arrived yet. I didn't order one that tracks calories burned because through my research of reviews here and other places on the net, they calories burned trackers are not very accurate. So, here is my question: I know all about my target heart rate, but do I still just log my exercises the same way I have been on mfp, and the hrm just allows me to be sure I'm actually at a heart rate where I'm burning the number of calories mfp says I am?:huh:

cjjones007

For that - then yes...
Honestly I use the Polar FT4 - it is FAR more accurate (with the chest strap) then the calorie reports on the cheaper HRMs and on the machines themselves...

There are some calculations out there than you can use based on the target heart rate you maintained to get calories burned so you can use that to get an "idea" of calories burned but remember that a lot of people find they either burn far more or far less than what MFP lists by default...

Be curious to know what reviews you read about the calories from HRMs - that would be an interesting read because I have found my HRM is so much more accurate and I'm losing again

LessMe2B

Be curious to know what reviews you read about the calories from HRMs - that would be an interesting read because I have found my HRM is so much more accurate and I'm losing again

I don't doubt you have, and some of the reviews said theirs were more accurate. However, the majority said it wasn't accurate, or that it was the same or very close to mfp. Other than mfp, I surfed fitness websites, reviews on Overstock, Amazon, and 1 or 2 others I can't remember off the top of my head.

congrats on your amazing success and determination; it is fantastic!!! :bigsmile:

tim_jennings

I am curious how you know that it is so much more accurate? The numbers I get from the machines at the gym are usually less than what I see on MFP, and the numbers I get from my HRM (Garmin Forerunner 305 with chest strap) are usually less still. For example, tonight I ran on a treadmill at 5mph for 30 minutes. The Treadmill says I burned 480 calories, my HRM says 435 and MFP says 600.

The numbers on the Elliptical are even further off.

In case it matters, I am 42 and weigh 287lbs (which are the same numbers I put into the treadmill, the HRM and MFP).

KarenLouise1981

In my experience I found it the opposite - MFP and HRM are pretty close as low impact stuff like weights and yoga but when it comes to cardio or calisthenics it is WAY off for me! Machines and MFP are UNDER what my HRM tells me because I have an incredibly high heart rate at exertion (I normally run 5km at around 190bpm but resting rate of 57bpm). Of course nothing is going to be totally accurate - food and exercise is an appoximation to work off so you may just have to log and hope for the best calorie wise. That method still works of course and I only bought my HRM origially because I was getting so buggered when I started running so used it to train my cardio strength with HR interval training.

Good luck and great loss already!