Polar Heart Montior calories burned is WRONG

peterdt

I recently went hiking in the mountains and got the following data from my Polar FT7 heart rate monitor. 1:25 minutes workout. 122 average heart rate. 145 max. 700 calories burned. I am 46 years old and weigh 319. Intuitively from everything I've heard about calories burned in a workout this just does not sound right.

I compared to this formula I found at Live Strong.

Compute the calories burned if you're male. You can accomplish this with the following equation: calories burned = (0.2017 x age in years + 0.09036 x weight in pounds + 0.6309 x average heart rate - 55.0969) x elapsed time / 4.184.

This showed 1218 calories burned.

an online calculator site taking the above stats into account came up with: 1217 calories burned. Obviously they are using the same formula as above.
http://www.calories-calculator.net/Calories_Burned_By_Heart_Rate.html

Polar Heart Monitors are supposed to be the most accurate. For heart rate I guess mine is ok. . But I think they sent me one that is off for calories burned.

They also say those formulas are only 73% accurate, so reducing adjusting to the lowest possible it would be 888 calories burned, still much higher than the Polar readout.

Has anyone else come across this problem? Any comments/observations?

Lauren8239

Did you program your stats into it?

Nastasha915

I get odd reading when I don't wash my strap regularly.

peterdt

Yes, of course stats entered correctly. Checked them twice too. I do wash my strap regularly.

Springer007

Did you take any breaks? any rests?
Formulas are ok but they dont take into account EVERYTHING that went on durring the work out.
The HRM was there, It monitored and did what it is supposed to do. I'd trust the HRM number any day of the week over some formula that has no idea how hard your body worked or how long.

This is a major problem with some of the activities on MFP. People work in their yard for a day and then list 8 or 9 hours of "Gardening/digging" and come up with 4000 calories of credit according to the formula. Well they dont consider the down time they might have incurred durring this work they treat it as non-stop work and then over eat because of it.

VegasFit

I hike quite frequently too and I wear my Garmin and not my Polar for hikes but the numbers at the end are always lower then what I think they should be based on how I am feeling. When you wear it for other activities do you feel like you are getting a correct reading?

peterdt

x

peterdt

Did you take any breaks? any rests?
Formulas are ok but they dont take into account EVERYTHING that went on durring the work out.
The HRM was there, It monitored and did what it is supposed to do. I'd trust the HRM number any day of the week over some formula that has no idea how hard your body worked or how long.

This is a major problem with some of the activities on MFP. People work in their yard for a day and then list 8 or 9 hours of "Gardening/digging" and come up with 4000 calories of credit according to the formula. Well they dont consider the down time they might have incurred durring this work they treat it as non-stop work and then over eat because of it.

I did take a couple 5 minute breaks, but I stopped my monitor during those times.

I am wondering if it taking my weight into full account. I'm 319 pounds. I guess it might be off because of that. I did enter my correct weight and age on the polar monitor.

I hate to send it back to them to check it out. By using the monitor I guess my average workout intensity has increased 10-20% and now I am doing a lot of intervals while on the machines. It's pretty fun.

magerum

Go with the HRM instead of the formulas. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's going to be far mor accurate then any calculator and/or MFP estimation.

peterdt

I hike quite frequently too and I wear my Garmin and not my Polar for hikes but the numbers at the end are always lower then what I think they should be based on how I am feeling. When you wear it for other activities do you feel like you are getting a correct reading?

When I hit the gym, the polar is also quite a bit off. I enter my stats at the gym on elliptical and treadmill. Their numbers are pretty close to the online calories burned. Also, the gym machines pick up my heart rate too from the polar signal so that is also constantly monitored by the machine. not sure if the machines take the heart rate into account for the calories burned, but I guess they do.

PAZlady

The gym machines are notoriously incorrect with their calorie estimations. Even if you are wearing your HRM and it's registering it doesn't take into account your age and/or weight. I'd still go with the HRM over an estimation or formula.

peterdt

Go with the HRM instead of the formulas. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's going to be far mor accurate then any calculator and/or MFP estimation.

I never go with the mfp rates. those are totally wacked out and super high.

cspence2270

Sorry, but I agree with most others on this subject. As long as your stats are entered correctly and the HRM is picking up your heart rate without any problems than that's the number I'd go with. I also have the Polar FT7 and use that calorie burn no matter what anything else says. And yes, there are a lot of times when I'm like WTF- you've got to be kidding me, I've been running for 45 minutes and I've only burned how much !@#@$##. I always think I'm working harder than I really am. :ohwell:

biddysaurus

I get odd reading when I don't wash my strap regularly.

me too!

krisiepoo

I hike quite frequently too and I wear my Garmin and not my Polar for hikes but the numbers at the end are always lower then what I think they should be based on how I am feeling. When you wear it for other activities do you feel like you are getting a correct reading?

When I hit the gym, the polar is also quite a bit off. I enter my stats at the gym on elliptical and treadmill. Their numbers are pretty close to the online calories burned. Also, the gym machines pick up my heart rate too from the polar signal so that is also constantly monitored by the machine. not sure if the machines take the heart rate into account for the calories burned, but I guess they do.

You need to only use the HRM. It's going to be the most correct... nothing is going to be 100% perfect.

juliaamilee

I get odd readings if I am walking and my arms are straight down swinging.. lower than the strap it will keep searching... but if I keep at a good pace and my arms bent, not only to my fingers not swell as much but I get a consistant reading,each time.

Springer007

Did you take any breaks? any rests?
Formulas are ok but they dont take into account EVERYTHING that went on durring the work out.
The HRM was there, It monitored and did what it is supposed to do. I'd trust the HRM number any day of the week over some formula that has no idea how hard your body worked or how long.

This is a major problem with some of the activities on MFP. People work in their yard for a day and then list 8 or 9 hours of "Gardening/digging" and come up with 4000 calories of credit according to the formula. Well they dont consider the down time they might have incurred durring this work they treat it as non-stop work and then over eat because of it.

I did take a couple 5 minute breaks, but I stopped my monitor during those times.

I am wondering if it taking my weight into full account. I'm 319 pounds. I guess it might be off because of that. I did enter my correct weight and age on the polar monitor.

I hate to send it back to them to check it out. By using the monitor I guess my average workout intensity has increased 10-20% and now I am doing a lot of intervals while on the machines. It's pretty fun.

Hmm.... I wonder if you should have just let it go and not stopped it for breaks. Because, calorie burn is based on heart rate, if your heart was worked up to say....140 BPM and you stop hiking, its not like it drops instantly to normal resting rate. You continue to burn some calories while you are "resting". While I would not trust a formula to calculate those "resting calories" being burned, I would trust the HRM to count them. I bet if you shut it off twice for breaks you are probably 10 minutes short in your calorie burn stats. What ever that may figure out to.

Look at the bright side. Its better to under estimate then to over estimate. At the end of the day nothing recorded on paper, website or HRM matters anyway. Its all you and your body. So if you really burned more then it shows... So what... you will still get those benefits in your body. Better to figure this stuff conservatively then over estimate.

Di3012

Sorry, but I agree with most others on this subject. As long as your stats are entered correctly and the HRM is picking up your heart rate without any problems than that's the number I'd go with. I also have the Polar FT7 and use that calorie burn no matter what anything else says. And yes, there are a lot of times when I'm like WTF- you've got to be kidding me, I've been running for 45 minutes and I've only burned how much !@#@$##. I always think I'm working harder than I really am. :ohwell:

Absolutely agree!

OP fwiw, if I run solidly for 70 minutes, I burn just over 700 calories, I am 135lbs. Now if I were walking for 75 mins, I would burn around 400 calories.

Your reading is coming up as 700 calories for 85 mins and although you are walking it, not running, you are also in mountainous areas and weigh more than me - I would say your HRM is accurate - that calculation that gave you over a 1200 calorie burn is very, very high and I would disregard it.

VegasFit

I hike quite frequently too and I wear my Garmin and not my Polar for hikes but the numbers at the end are always lower then what I think they should be based on how I am feeling. When you wear it for other activities do you feel like you are getting a correct reading?

When I hit the gym, the polar is also quite a bit off. I enter my stats at the gym on elliptical and treadmill. Their numbers are pretty close to the online calories burned. Also, the gym machines pick up my heart rate too from the polar signal so that is also constantly monitored by the machine. not sure if the machines take the heart rate into account for the calories burned, but I guess they do.

I wear my Polar at the gym and it is usually around 150 calories difference between what the machine says and what my HRM says. I wish the machine was right! Lol. Even on this site and others that I've used to track my exercise I always go off my HRM and never let the site do the math for me. I think 700 is probably accurate for your calorie burn on your hike, and that to me is still a lot of calories burned!

MikeInAZ

I have a FT7. Ive never questioned its accuracy. I would reset it and start over. Plus change out the batteries. Although for your weight it sounds a little low. I would think about 1000 at the minimum. I'm 183, if I workout hard (I mean hard) for an hour, I do about 800-850 calories.

But 122 isn't that high of a heart rate either. Your MAX HR should be 179 (based on your age). Your 85% level is 152. So you should really be pushing to get up to that 85% or higher zone for a good 20 minutes + to get results.

booyainyoface

i think your 700 sounds about right... thats how much i would burn in 1hr 25 mins at such a low/moderate heartrate. besides better to underestimate burn and eat it all back than overestimate and eat it all back!

tinana_RN

I'd go with the HRM over a formula I find online. The HRM is with you, livestrong is not.

littlecaponey2

Did you take any breaks? any rests?
Formulas are ok but they dont take into account EVERYTHING that went on durring the work out.
The HRM was there, It monitored and did what it is supposed to do. I'd trust the HRM number any day of the week over some formula that has no idea how hard your body worked or how long.

This is a major problem with some of the activities on MFP. People work in their yard for a day and then list 8 or 9 hours of "Gardening/digging" and come up with 4000 calories of credit according to the formula. Well they dont consider the down time they might have incurred durring this work they treat it as non-stop work and then over eat because of it.

I have to agree with this!!

ladybug1620

Did you take any breaks? any rests?
Formulas are ok but they dont take into account EVERYTHING that went on durring the work out.
The HRM was there, It monitored and did what it is supposed to do. I'd trust the HRM number any day of the week over some formula that has no idea how hard your body worked or how long.

This is a major problem with some of the activities on MFP. People work in their yard for a day and then list 8 or 9 hours of "Gardening/digging" and come up with 4000 calories of credit according to the formula. Well they dont consider the down time they might have incurred durring this work they treat it as non-stop work and then over eat because of it.

I did take a couple 5 minute breaks, but I stopped my monitor during those times.

I am wondering if it taking my weight into full account. I'm 319 pounds. I guess it might be off because of that. I did enter my correct weight and age on the polar monitor.

I hate to send it back to them to check it out. By using the monitor I guess my average workout intensity has increased 10-20% and now I am doing a lot of intervals while on the machines. It's pretty fun.

My polar doesn't add up workouts for the day. If I stop the monitor, it records that amount. If I do another workout, it deletes the previous workout if done on the same day and records the new one. Is it possible that with all the stopping and starting, it only recorded your last session? In other words, you took a few breaks where you burned 300 cals, stopped, burned another 300, stopped, burned another 300. Should be a total of 900 but it only recorded the last 300? (hope this makes sense)

mzhokie

I go with the HRM over my Fitbit for my long walks and workouts. If I have to do any downhill walking, the Fitbit is always off. It thinks I'm running when I'm not and gives me more calories burned.

I have had better results sticking with what the HRM says than any machine, formula or Fitbit.

rhonniema

Not really.
Your HR wasn't really all that high for the duration of your workout.

KeriD

Sounds right to me, especially since you said your settings are right! The amount of calories on this site are way over the top.... your goal is to lose right? Over calculating your calories burned and then eating those cals will not get you to your goal. I hike steep mountains and my burn is about 500 per hour. It all depends on your heart rate... how hard are you pushing! Watch your heart rate, try to increase it by pushing yourself harder if you are looking for a bigger burn. You can go faster or even run. I love my hrm.... one of my best training tools. Best wishes to you!

tjradd73

Did you take any breaks? any rests?
Formulas are ok but they dont take into account EVERYTHING that went on durring the work out.
The HRM was there, It monitored and did what it is supposed to do. I'd trust the HRM number any day of the week over some formula that has no idea how hard your body worked or how long.

This is a major problem with some of the activities on MFP. People work in their yard for a day and then list 8 or 9 hours of "Gardening/digging" and come up with 4000 calories of credit according to the formula. Well they dont consider the down time they might have incurred durring this work they treat it as non-stop work and then over eat because of it.

I agree with this 100%!!!!

SPNLuver83

I would trust your HRM over an online calculator.

moran1917

I have the same heart rate monitor. I got some weird readings and wondered what was up. Turns out I had lost some weight and the strap was no longer tight enough. Also I started to wash the strap regularly. That seemed to work it out.

Oh, one time, my strap got a little twisted and I did not notice. The timer kept going on the hrm but it did not record anything but the time. I wondered how I burned 200 calories on a 70 minute run. I caught it another time, where it did the same thing and adjusted the strap and it kept going.

AddictedtoAerosmith

I have a Polar HRM and I usually work out 1.5 hours and burn an average of 1000 plus calories. This length of time and previous calories burned is roughly the same. Maybe your strap is moving around too much when you work out, try to tighten it and if you feel it's still inaccurate return it. Any cardio on a consistent basis will show results.