HRM over calculating?

sterphy
sterphy Posts: 68 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just took my Polar heart rate monitor out of the box and used it for the first time tonight. I walked for 62 minutes and stayed pretty near 145 the whole walk. My HRM says I burned 743 cals...I have about 50 lbs to lose but I didn't think it was possible to burn that much from walking an hour...Is this too high?

Replies

  • kubyshechka
    kubyshechka Posts: 75 Member
    I have Timex HRM and I entered all my data in. I am getting similar results and I just don't feel this is correct. I have a treadmill which has pre installed HRM and the chest strap. When I run 3 miles on the treadmill it shows me that I burn on average 360 -380 calories. A few days ago I used my Timex while running on the treadmill - as I expected the treadmill (which actually was reading heart rate from the Timex strap) showed that I burned 386 cal, the Timex HRM showed 492 cal. I am glad I never entered all the calories that it previously showed me. But If I have to be guessing my calories even if I am using HRM, what is the purpose of it. I am pretty sure that the treadmill is giving me more accurate reading because every treadmill or elliptical in every gym that I've been to over the years were showing similar reading.
    The other day I did Turbo Fire for 45 min and walked for an hour, after that my HRM showed 1300+ calories - I would have to run for about 10 miles to burn that many calories. No way this is correct.
  • BlueEyedTXmom
    BlueEyedTXmom Posts: 179 Member
    Yeah that seems really high. Did you set it up first using your information?
  • Tann19
    Tann19 Posts: 94 Member
    definitely too high, 1 mile is roughly 105 calories give or take 5 to 25 calories based on body weight and intensity. Be sure that it is calibrated with all your specifics, did you buy the foot pod as well? that "might" help to make it a little more accurate

    I have never worked with timex, but did work a lot with polar and garmin they always had a tendency to be over, polar more than garmin.

    the heart rate monitor is great for tracking the intensity of your workout, so it's still a very useful tool.
    good luck on your journey!
  • tamtamzz
    tamtamzz Posts: 142
    Yeah, I think it's too high as well. What was the average for the entire 62 minutes?

    In my experience, if I'm going at a good pace (which 145 is) I'm probably burning 100 cals every 10 minutes or so...maybe a little more if the average is 145 for the entire 62 minutes.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    as long as you entered your info correctly and did your fit test, i personally wouldnt say those numbers are too high. i still have 50 pounds to lose as well, and my hour long workouts can easily burn up to 800 calories.

    try not to compare your burns with others either. 145 HR to you is something totally different to another person, so if 145 is pretty close to your v02 max then you're obviously going to be doing more work than someone who's V02 max is much higher
  • Jynus
    Jynus Posts: 519 Member
    as long as you entered your info correctly and did your fit test, i personally wouldnt say those numbers are too high. i still have 50 pounds to lose as well, and my hour long workouts can easily burn up to 800 calories.

    try not to compare your burns with others either. 145 HR to you is something totally different to another person, so if 145 is pretty close to your v02 max then you're obviously going to be doing more work than someone who's V02 max is much higher
    based on metabolic chamber testing with average guys, 188HR at 70% VO2MAX was 420 calories in 45min. the idea that a girl, doing far less HR, would burn far more calories is not accurate. And I would say your info is not accurate either.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    as long as you entered your info correctly and did your fit test, i personally wouldnt say those numbers are too high. i still have 50 pounds to lose as well, and my hour long workouts can easily burn up to 800 calories.

    try not to compare your burns with others either. 145 HR to you is something totally different to another person, so if 145 is pretty close to your v02 max then you're obviously going to be doing more work than someone who's V02 max is much higher
    based on metabolic chamber testing with average guys, 188HR at 70% VO2MAX was 420 calories in 45min. the idea that a girl, doing far less HR, would burn far more calories is not accurate. And I would say your info is not accurate either.

    oh so you know what my V02 was back then? :laugh:

    i guess that info must have been included in your little metabolic chamber testing then right?
  • sterphy
    sterphy Posts: 68 Member
    I think I may need to reweigh myself, when I was weighed at the doctors a week ago I was 215, although I truly feel like I've lost a bit since. My fat burning max is 167...and like I said I was staying around 145 the whole time... I am 24 years old if that helps. Maybe I should send my HRM back.

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