HRM Management

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iAMaPhoenix
iAMaPhoenix Posts: 1,038 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I do every exercise using my HRM adn those are the calories burned that I log. If I leave it home, I will go back and get it before I start working out. The question is how do you guys try to keep accurate logs. I have heard of some people starting to log as soon as they put it on, while others turn it off as soon as they stop exercising. Others will pause during breaks while others keep them on for a few minutes after exercising. I know the total calories should not make that much of a difference, but for A-type personalities like me, just wondering what works for you guys who use HRMs.

Replies

  • Sugarchef
    Sugarchef Posts: 319 Member
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    I leave mine going until my heart rate comes down to under 100. That's just me. :wink:
  • reese66
    reese66 Posts: 2,920 Member
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    Bump for later
  • jrueckert
    jrueckert Posts: 355 Member
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    I've heard that HRMs are not good for counting calories while resting - they only work while exercising (I don't know why...) , so I turn mine on right before starting a workout and off when my heart rate slows down pretty good.
  • Moonbeamlissie
    Moonbeamlissie Posts: 504 Member
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    It depends on what I am doing. My car has died so I am walking everywhere so I wear my hrm while doing this but say I stop at a store I will turn it off. When I am waiting for a bus I turn it off. When I am doing a workout I typically let it run till I am done and my hr goes below 90 to turn it off.
  • kimi131
    kimi131 Posts: 1,058 Member
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    I've wondered the same. I start mine as soon as I start my warmup, pause if I need to tie my shoes or something, and stop as soon as my program finishes. I've often wondered if I should be keeping it going longer.
  • tam120
    tam120 Posts: 444 Member
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    I always start it when the activity begins but stop/pause depends on what I'm doing. If I'm in a straight cardio or cardio/strength interval class I don't pause or stop it until it's time to stretch. If I'm running/walking I only pause it if I have to stand still at a stoplight when I'm running, if I'm walking I don't pause it. If I'm riding a bike and I get stopped at a light for an extended period I pause it or if I have to get off the bike and walk for some reason, I pause. If I'm in a strength only class I also stop it when it's time to stretch. It doesn't make that much difference in calories so I don't think it's all that important but I normally log a bit less than it shows anyway.
  • Fochizzy
    Fochizzy Posts: 505 Member
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    Hell if I know. I heard it wasn't good for resting calories so I turn it on when I begin and off when I go to stretch. I rather underestimate than overestimate.
  • fsugirl26
    fsugirl26 Posts: 207
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    I start it as soon as the warm up starts, and I pause every time I take a break for more than 5 seconds. I also usually subtract at least 100 calories from what my HRM says I burned so I don't over estimate ...just in case :) I also have an excel spreadsheet where I log all my exercises and HRM stats so I know how I'm improving over time.

    You're making such amazing progress though E, I wouldn't stress your HRM...especially since your calorie burns are always way above 1000 calories!! :)
  • IsMollyReallyHungry
    IsMollyReallyHungry Posts: 15,358 Member
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    To be honest what I do varies from week to week or even month to month. Right now I have my HRM set up 50 pounds lighter than I weigh because I don't want to use all the calories burned. I set a limit of what I will use too. Example, today I burned a little over 800 calories per my HRM and that is if I weighed 298. I am only using 600 of those calories in my diary.

    It has been a while since I forgot to wear my HRM to the gym and when at home I always use it. The only workouts I may not use it is when I decide to do an impromtu walk. MFP is actually under for me on walks so I just use what they have and I put the slowest walk they have so my calories are not over estimated.

    As you can see I rather be under estimated than over estimated.:flowerforyou:
  • IsMollyReallyHungry
    IsMollyReallyHungry Posts: 15,358 Member
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    I start my HRM when I am leaving my car and click it off when I get back to the car from the gym. If at home I put one when I use it and sometimes I take this time to clean up and keep on until I am done cleaning. this helps me get more cleaning done and quickly too! :laugh:

    I shave 200 calories off if I do weights because I choose not to count weight training. So some days I will stop it when I am finished with my cardio. But most days I do some cardio before and after weights so I shave off some calories on those days, like today.
  • slim_photographer
    slim_photographer Posts: 310 Member
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    I also have an excel spreadsheet where I log all my exercises and HRM stats so I know

    I do this too. And the spreadsheet more than anything has helped me figure out that my body overall has become more efficient.
    It really helps me to understand why I haven't lost much. My calculations predicted my weight loss within a tenth of a pound in the beginning but recently my BMR+Exercise-Food formula has been off by up to 50% predicting actual weight loss.
    I also have the benefit to do the exact same workout almost every day, same distance, same time. My heart went from spending 450 calories to 341 just this morning.
    And to answer your question more directly I say start when I go and stop when I stop, but that's only good for runs or rides. When I'm fooling around in the house I start when it's about 100 and stop when it comes below the fat burning zone, which is 1-2 minutes after I stop moving.

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