heart rate/working out/calories burned

Maria052007

Hi,

A lot of ppl say the calories MPF give you are not right for the amount of calories burned. Some recommend to get a device like a heart rate monitor to tell calories? Could someone please explain?

gregavila

Simple...

Everyone's body burns calories different. You cannot accurately use a formula on a website, or an estimate from the machines at the gym because they don't really know how hard you work.

A heart rate monitor, does just that... which allows it to use your heart rate to calculate calories burned.

Fit4lifestlouisbethpennington

I agree with gregevila, but I am going to take it a step further. The cardio machines, like a treadmill calculate your caloric expenditure by the information you put into it...not very accurate at all. A heart rate monitor will also calculate your caloric expenditure but will be closer to accuracy since when you set up the watch, you have to input your information and uses the help of your heart rate. But once again, it's just a formula, and the more information is put into the device, the more accurate. However, if you really want to know exactly how your body burns its calories (more specifically, what types of calories, carbs or fat) then I would suggest doing a Exercise Metabolic Assessment. It's measured accurately because you are but on a cardio machine while having an oxygen mask on, so it takes in account your volume of carbon dioxide produced as well as your volume of oxygen consumed, while monitoring your heart rate too. You can go to www.newleaffitness and do a search of locations around you that have this equipment.

LastSixtySix

I've been using a HRM for a little over a year and don't know what I did without it beforehand. It is great and very trustworthy because it records MY heartrate with MY activity - not what a machine averages the standard for my weight and speed to be. I just bought a new one - a Polar FT7. I love it.

-Debra

jhardenbergh

a heartrate monitor will be the closest thing to accurate because it measures your continuous heartrate, not only when you press your fingers on it like some watch models or like the machines at the gym will only record accurately when all the info is entered in correctly and your holding onto to the transponders or whatever they call them. Some models of gym equipment are more accurate than others, but a heartrate monitor just as long as you enter in your initial information properly and update it with every pound you lose and gain will be best.

mangojh2

I'll just say this- I do Turbofire dvds, similar to kickboxing, and Mfp doubles my actual calories burned. It said 1200 someodd this morning but my heart rate monitor said 600.

Akijade

I can't afford a HRM at the moment, so I just put in what I do into MFP, then cut the calories it says I burned in half. But I plan on getting one soon.

JohnnyResets

You should definitely get an HRM if you want to see the actual work that you are doing. All the best!