Calculating calories burned

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Pughey
Pughey Posts: 30 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'd be interested to see what calculators people use. I have a HRM which I use when I do all my cardio workouts. I'm trying to balance my calorie intake and so I need to know that the calculator I'm using is reasonably accurate. I'm using this one at the mo:

http://www.triathlontrainingblog.com/calculators/calories-burned-calculator-based-on-average-heart-rate/

Does anyone have any comments on this one or use another calculator that they think is more accurate?

Replies

  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
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    If you have a HRM, why are you using a web-based calculator?

    I use my HRM to track cardio at the gym only. My daily activities are acounted for in my "activity level", and i don't bother trying to track my strength trianing
  • crux
    crux Posts: 454 Member
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    All these methods including your HRM are estimates based on formulas.

    It does not mater which you use as long as you're consistent with it and accurately log your diets calories. Then you simply adjust how much of the exercise calories burned you need to eat back to get the desired weight loss over the weeks and months (bearing in mind that slow, steady sustainable weight loss wins the race!)

    As for the calculations (even the HRM), it changes over time as well, if you become very fit and adjusted to your exercise routine, you may start to burn less calories than the calculators suggest. For example I burn no where near what that on-line calculator says I will or even what my HRM says I do.
  • Pughey
    Pughey Posts: 30 Member
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    Because it's a cheap one it only measures my heart rate. It doesn't measure my calorie burn too. I only bought a cheap one to see what it was like and if the novelty would wear off for me but I use it all the time now so I need to invest........ In the meantime I do need to use an accurate calculator.
  • Pughey
    Pughey Posts: 30 Member
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    As for the calculations (even the HRM), it changes over time as well, if you become very fit and adjusted to your exercise routine, you may start to burn less calories than the calculators suggest. For example I burn no where near what that on-line calculator says I will or even what my HRM says I do.

    Yes I have found this. I've hit a plateau and wondered if it was because of the calculator overestimating the burn.

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