Heart rate monitor accurate?

pammybrochu

Is there anyway to tell if my heart rate monitor is providing me accurate calorie readings? It seems kind of high. I weigh 217 and a 55 min walk yesterday said I burned 600 cals. That seems like a lot. I don't want to cheat my progress. It was warm yesterday, and I was walking at a medium speed, but that still seems inflated. It's a timex heart rate monitor. Help?

mcarter99

It sounds high to me, too. Most people can't burn more than 10 calories/minute, at their highest exertion (though that's higher for the obese). Do you know how far you walked? Usually 50-100 calories/mile is normal for a woman, I think.

You can see what the MFP database estimates, or other online ones. Without a lab test, there's no telling which is most accurate for you, though.

jmdax

Have you input your weight, birth date, and all other user info into your HRM? If so, that does indeed seem a bit high. The manufacturer should have a website to voice your concern over its accuracy.

pammybrochu

I have put all of my info into it, which is why I thought it would be accurate. I mean my heart is pumpin that's for sure. Good idea about checking out their website. It's brand new, so I'm frustrated I spent so much money in something I thought was going to work. I would say I walked 3 miles.

kubyshechka

I have the same problem with my HRM, it gives me these really high numbers, even though I entered all my data correctly. I checked it against my treadmill HRM and my watch/strap HRM was more then 100 cal over. It is too late for me to return it so I just subtract on average 100 cal from each 400 reading I get, and that is the number I enter in my MFP exercise.