Update on article.

iAMaPhoenix

On Friday of last week I posted the following article:

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/exercise-and-weight-loss-five-truths?page=2

This was one of the bullet points under #3:
Exercise may not buy you as much calorie wiggle room as you think.
"The average person overestimates the amount of activity they're doing by about 30% and underestimates their food intake by about 30%," says Kathianne Sellers Williams, MEd, RD, LD, a registered dietitian, personal trainer, and wellness coach in Atlanta.

This weekend I bought me a HRM to use in my boot camp classes and to compare this theory about overestimating calories loss by 30%. This morning on the treadmill, it says I lost a total of 1450 calories. My HRM said 957. I don't have exact numbers but it appears to be close to the 30%mark. I know that some people says they have had the opposite effect with HRM being higher than the calorie counter on the cardiovascular machine, and to that I say go with the lower number because it will ensure that you are in the safe zone when it comes to eating your excess calories.

I don't have an opinion either way as I advise everyone to continue to do what works for them as long as they are meeting their goals, but this is just my findings. Happy Monday everyone.

HotSouthernMess

thanks for the update!! i am one that usually gets a higher reading from my hrm than the machine and a lower reading from my hrm than the website. my hrm is a watch one and doesnt have a chest strap so im not sure how accurate it really is, but i use the reading from my hrm. i dont eat back my excercise calories because im so far from my weight loss goal that when i was eating them, i wasnt losing and because im never sure how many i have actually burned. but, i plan on getting a new, nicer hrm sometime this month and as i get closer to my goal weight, i will eat back some of the calories as i was told it is much more important to do so the closer you are to goal!

chellekoren

good info, Thanks.

I'm always skeptical on how much I burn and round down the time. I don't have an HRM, but if my heart rate is steadily high for such and such time, I try to put that time in. The time that I'm active but not huffin and puffin, I round down by half and am hoping I am doing the right thing. The whole balancing feeding myself enough to function well AND lose weight is complicated, at least according to all the things I have read here.

graysmom2005

thanks for the update!! i am one that usually gets a higher reading from my hrm than the machine and a lower reading from my hrm than the website. my hrm is a watch one and doesnt have a chest strap so im not sure how accurate it really is, but i use the reading from my hrm. i dont eat back my excercise calories because im so far from my weight loss goal that when i was eating them, i wasnt losing and because im never sure how many i have actually burned. but, i plan on getting a new, nicer hrm sometime this month and as i get closer to my goal weight, i will eat back some of the calories as i was told it is much more important to do so the closer you are to goal!

I have found that the only way you can get a truly accurate reading is with a chest strap. I have the one from polar and I adore it. It helps a LOT!

fsugirl26

I love my Polar HRM - I'd be lost without it!!

iAMaPhoenix

I bought the New Balance N5 which also have a chest strap. First time using it was today and I walked for 101 minutes and barely noticed it at all. But then again, i am now a B cup as compared to 3 months ago...lol.