HRM accuracy

bexxgirl

Hi all!

I've just finished taking my new HRM for a test-run at the gym. I couldn't really use it for my swimming, but I did 20 mins on the stationary bike, to see how it went.

Now, I've set it up all properly and I put my weight, age and stuff in correctly. But I've had 3 conflicting calorie messages. The machine said 260 cals burned. MFP says about 360 and my HRM says 560.

Which one seems right to you? I went pretty hard out - was putting a lot of effort it. I was sweaty and bright red by the end and there is no way I could have held up a conversation. Should I select the middle option?

I'm hoping my HRM is correct (not because I want to have burned more, but because I want to use it to measure my 30DS cals!)

chickielou

I would say go the HRM but mine is way low so Im not convinced on mine,..........lol

p0stdramatic

Choose what you want, personally I would choose the middle or lower one simply because 560 calories in 20 minutes seems kind of high. But I don't know your height, weight, ect. I always use what my HRM says, but it's usually lower than other estimates. I would use one of the lower estimates if you are eating back all of your exercise calories, just to be on the safe side.

chiera88

i would think HRM. i just bought one for 30DS too!!! i thnk MFP is just an estimate. it doesn't figure in how hard you did the exercise just time and weight... i've heard machines are always wrong lol. i was dying on the elliptical the other day and it said i only burned 100 cals!!! no way.

rockeraxXx

I just had this problem today!!! I went jogging/walking fast and the HMR said 303 burned....MFP says 97!! Thats huge difference. I was also sweating and pushing a stroller the whole time so I just dont know....also confused. It has been pretty accurate when I do Jillian Michale's I dont know why I am doubting today :huh: -Rosalie

bexxgirl

I'm 173cms and 99kgs, if that helps? If I were to give an estimate of how hard I pushed myself, on a scale of 1-10, I'd say probably a 7.5.

I don't tend to eat back all of my exercise calories, anyway - I tend to just use them so I can tip a leeeeetle bit over my daily quota. :blushing:

firedragon064

Your HRM calculate too high. Use this website to calculate using your heart rate. Put in V02 as 35.
http://www.triathlontrainingblog.com/calculators/calories-burned-calculator-based-on-average-heart-rate/
HRM, machine or MFP: your machine is more accurate.

Carlton_Banks

I'm not an expert, but my guess is you should go with your HRM because it measured your heart rate directly and calculated the calories burned based on your specific body measurements. It is possible to get your heart rate up high enough to burn over 500 calories in 20 minutes. Check out your average heart rate or a graph of your heart rate over your workout session. If it is significantly higher than your resting heart rate, the calorie reading it gave you is probably accurate. From my experience, a HRM will give a false reading when the battery is weak or there is some electrical interference (static). You can apply some cream called Buh-bump to the area where the electrodes make contact with your skin to improve the reading. Don't feel like it is too high, if you are certain you were putting out max effort like that. I regularly burn at least 700 calories when I work out to a 45 min Spinervals DVD. When I go to spin class, I actually burn more because of the group I'm riding with and the music. Yesterday I burned 1300 calories in 50 minutes, and when I weighed myself after class, I had lost about 3 pounds before I re-hydrated.

nz_deevaa

What type of HRM is it?

bexxgirl

Some super-budget parallel importy thing I got off Trademe for $15. I figured one HRM must be very much like another?

nz_deevaa

Does it have a chest strap? The ones with the chest straps are much more accurate.

dad106

Some super-budget parallel importy thing I got off Trademe for $15. I figured one HRM must be very much like another?

Uh No. Not all HRM's are equal... and for 15 dollars, I'm not suprised thats what it told you.

A proper HRM(like Polar, Garmin, Sunnto) has a chest strap and takes into consideration Age, weight, height, gender, and some Vo2Max plus heart rate to determine calories burned. Cheap ones, may use some of that info, they may use all of it... but if their equations are not correct, then the calorie count is going to be way off.

Personally I'd scrap the 15 dollar HRM and buy a Polar off of Amazon.. Yea you'll pay more, but it will be worth it in the long run.