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HRM, BMR, and exercise calories question

newarkco05
newarkco05 Posts: 240
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been thinking about buying an HRM since they are more accurate than machines and online calculations . I have one question about them though. I hope I can explain it clearly enough... I attempted asking my fiance and he was confused.

How compatible are HRMs and MFP?

These numbers are just pulled out of my head so I understand these are not accurate and we burn different amounts and different times a day such as sleeping and anything else.

Lets say my BMR is 1200 a day. Just averaging it, I would burn about 50 calories every hour.

Now lets say I exercise on the elliptical for an hour and it says I burned 300 on the HRM. Is this 300 including the calories I would normally burn during the day by just sitting around? If it is then I would be double dipping with calories by posting those 300 calories in my exercise calculator.

I know it kind of seems like a silly question but I don't want to put a lot of money into something if it isn't going to be completely accurate due to MFP all giving a calorie allotment based on my BMR.

If my question is confusing I can attempt to explain it better.

Replies

  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    You're question makes sense.. Don't worry.

    To answer, no HRM's don't take into account what you would have burned doing nothing. So that 300 does include the 50 calories that you would have burned just sitting around.

    Some people subtract those calories but I personally don't. I find that I lose weight just fine without that extra step.
  • newarkco05
    newarkco05 Posts: 240
    Thank you for answering the question!! I think I'll buy one and then add in 75% of my exercise calories. I think it makes a bigger difference for me because I am currently set at losing 1/2 pound per week.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Not a problem.

    It may make a bigger difference and it may not. I'm set up to lose a pound a week and I lose that pound fine.

    It also depends on what HRM that you get.. A Polar(IMO, others have different things to say!) estimate calories burned better then a Timex or Sportline. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to HRM's.
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