HRM ~ When do you stop yours after a workout?

_CowgirlUp_

That's my question...

My Max Heart Rate is 174, 75-85% of that is between 131-148. When I'm working out, I try to stay as close to 148 as I can and sometimes even go over. When I'm finished with my workout, my heart rate stays up there for a while and gradually comes down to normal. At what point do I want to stop the timing & calorie burn on my HRM? When my HR goes below 131 or as soon as I stop my workout?

MZNIKKIBOO

BUMP I WONDER TOO GOOD ?

bigalfantasy2004

I stop it as soon as my workout is done. But my heart rate stays elevated for a little while afterward too. I guess technically it's still burning more calories than at rest, but I don't feel right about keeping the meter running so to speak.

SabrinaJL

I don't know what you're SUPPOSED to do, but I turn it off as soon as my workout is done.

SarahofTwins

Bump

I'd like to know as well...sometimes I stop it right when Im done working out or give it a minute because its still up there

nokittyno

Mines off the second my workout finishes, I even pause if i'm running to the washroom, or taking in alot of water. Lol.

l3ugjuice

I dont stop it at all. I just take it off for an hour or two a day to charge & sync.

TourThePast

If you're not working out, you need to stop counting the calories on your HRM straight away. Yes, your HRM does use your heart rate to estimate how much work your body is doing, but simply having a high heart rate because your heart rate has not yet recovered does not mean you're burning exercise calories*.

*1. Except that if you've been doing weight training you'll be buning calories for the next day or so (but you can't measure that and certainly not with an HRM)

*2. Yes your heart does burn calories by pumping, everything you do burns calories, but again not to a measurable rate with a HRM.

EDITED TO ADD: Look at it this way, your heart is a TINY muscle compared to the major muscles in (eg) your legs. It is not your heart that burns the calories, it's your (eg) legs. Legs stop = calorie burn stops.

EDITED AGAIN TO ADD: If it was a raised heart rate that burned calories, I'd make a fortune selling a gizmo that went "BOO!!!" at irregular intervals during the day, the idea that the surprise makes the heart beat faster, and burning calories... Damn, why did I post this, there goes my millionaire lifestyle! :bigsmile:

Solat37_Neil

I wondered about this too, I turn mine off as soon as I finish exercising, it'd be good to know what's best

kentlass

i leave mine on until my hr drops below 100,

SueInAz

The thing is, you're using the BMR in MFP to calculate the amount of calories you normally burn in a day already. What your HRM shows while you're working out INCLUDES the calories you'd already be burning if you were sitting on your butt doing nothing. By continuing to add the HRM calories on top of what you'd already be burning anyway, you're over-calculating your calorie burn. You're doing yourself a disservice by double dipping.

kentlass

for me personally, i allow for that and generally have a high calorie deficit to allow for BMR etc

TourThePast

By continuing to add the HRM calories on top of what you'd already be burning anyway, you're over-calculating your calorie burn.

True, and while that it's not strictly on topic, it's probably going to have more of an effect than wearing your HRM for a few minutes after you've finished exercising.

Some people don't allow for their BMR, mine is extremely low but I still allow for it. Not that it matters, because I don't eat a lot of my exercise calories, but there are already enough errors in the whole thing, without making deliberate ones.

_CowgirlUp_

Thank you all for the input. Looks like the consensus is to turn it off and don't eat all of my exercise calories either or I'll be over-calculating or "double dipping." Thanks again!

myukniewicz

Love this question- I have been wondering it about myself, thank you for posting it!
I turn mine off as soon as i'm done exercising.
I am glad to see that is what everyone (the majority) does too.