Dilemma with HRM......

CyberEd312

I joined MFP a few months back to continue on my weightloss journey, the farther in this journey the harder the weight is getting to get off so I started a closer watch of calories in and calories out and a closer monitoring of my exercise. So I bought a Polar FT60 HRM and I have a dilemma. I set it up with all my info and ran the VO2max and established the Oxygen max and headed to the gym... I have been reading in the forum peoples horror stories that the gym equipment calorie burns are way high and that when they used their HRM for the first time alot of peoples calorie burns weren't even half what the machines said. So I went expecting this, thinking my 1200 calorie x 80 min elliptical sessions was going to be like 500 calories burned. Well I kept a close eye on the HR on the elliptical and HR on my fT60 and they were pretty much Spot on the entire time, so when I finished, I shut the HRM off at the same time as I finished on the elliptical and to my surprise this is what I got.... Precor 576i Elliptical read 81 minutes @ 1216 calories burned and my Polar FT60 read 81 minutes @ 1513 calories burned.... WTF!! So I triple checked my setting on my HRM and everything is correct (age,height,weight,VO2max,etc...) FYI (I have a degree in IT/Networking so very efficient with electronic devices... lol) So I have read in the forums you should ALWAYS go by your HRM.... Well???? That is a big difference lol... What do ya think??? I tend to eat back 50-60% of my exercise calories.....

Rebroland

I haven't personally seen that much of a difference myself. However, my HRM ALWAYS shows that I burned more calories than the machines at the gym. For example: tonight my HRM read almost 160 calories higher than the treadmill. I would go by your HRM. Ps.. Great Burn!

Tiffysinsanity

I heard this too. A friend of mine has the exact same treadmill as I do and she said hers over estimates. Mine is right on. It may be your age or just your body. I'd go with the HRM personally.

Jaxster92708

I would still go with your HRM. I often compare what my HRM says and what the machine says. MOST of the time, the machines overestimate when compared to my HRM; however, some machines show a lower calorie amount compared to the HRM. Polar is a good brand, too, especially if you have a model that considers your VO2 max!!!

FriendsR4EverTreasures

trust your HRM, it's correct! Good job!

jcr85

Your heart rate monitor is defiantly more accurate than the machine. The machine isn't calibrated to your specific stats. The more you weigh the more calories you burn as you lose weight and get in better shape you will probably notice you burning less calories.

Congrats on being able to do the elliptical for 80 minutes... I would be bored to death.

CRSE1214

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kimberly_grubbs

I have the same HRM. It records anywhere between 100 & 250 calories more than what the machines at the gym say depending upon the intensity of my workout. I'd say go with the read from your HRM and keep it up!

austepants

From what I understand that is a pretty great HRM plus its a Polar. I would trust the HRM but if you want to be sure you could leave a little more of a buffer with eating your exercise calories than usual. I have a Polar FT7 but have never gotten that huge of a difference. But my HRM doesn't do VO2 max.

CyberEd312

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CyberEd312

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doornumber03

No question that the HRM is the one to go with. Great job on the work out