HRM vs Myfitness pal

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RoosMommy01
RoosMommy01 Posts: 88
in Health and Weight Loss
Gonna try this again but in this section to see if I can get more answers on how I should handle this.

Ok I finally broke down and invested in an HRM since everyone was telling me that I was overestimating my calories when I worked out. Now someone explain this!

I walk for 35 minutes outside (roughly at 3mph). I'm currently at 264 and am 5'6. I was checking my heart rate throughout the walk and it was staying in the range of 150-155

Now for the calories estimates:
My ipod was at 301

Myfitnesspal said 296

HRM said a whooping 548!!

Now out of those numbers which one should I be using! *L*

I followed the advice of another lady on here and took the average of the 3 and come out with 381
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Replies

  • STACYINOC
    STACYINOC Posts: 75 Member
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    I would go with what your HRM says...after all, it's calculating YOUR BPM and it's more specific to you only. Do you have your weight, age, etc. entered in correctly in your HRM settings?
  • boodlelibra
    boodlelibra Posts: 74 Member
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    Bump
  • SARgirl
    SARgirl Posts: 572 Member
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    Does your HRM have a chest strap? If so then I would go with it's reading.
  • ceannesjourney
    ceannesjourney Posts: 250
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    I think you could use any of them...depends on how many of your exercise calories you eat back. I usually try to only eat about half back...
  • emily_can
    emily_can Posts: 24 Member
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    I would also stick with what the HRM says. Just be sure the settings for your information are correct.
  • MerBear1985
    MerBear1985 Posts: 131
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    I would make sure you have your information entered properly and use that. I actually found that MFP wasn't giving me ENOUGH burned calories when I checked with my HRM...go figure, I guess everyone is different!
  • chachanumber1
    chachanumber1 Posts: 3 Member
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    I have a feeling that your HRM isn't set up with your height/weight correctly (make sure it isn't expecting KGs vs LBs). They can be confusing!

    The results calculated with this HR-based burn calculator correlates with your iPod and MFP...

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx
  • HisPathDaily
    HisPathDaily Posts: 672 Member
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    First of all, congrats on your 36 lbs :)

    With a walking HR around 150-155 you're still pushing your body pretty hard, and if that's accurate I would go with that. I'll burn about 400 calories in a 30 minute run (doing about 155bpm) ... so while I'm running, you're still pushing your heart to a good aerobic range ...

    Keep using the HRM though ... as you become more fit, the lower that will go ... and thus you'll be burning less and less calories.
  • HealthyWarrior
    HealthyWarrior Posts: 394 Member
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    I ALWAYS go with what my HRM says. I feel its the most accurate.
  • Hannah645
    Hannah645 Posts: 75 Member
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    Ugh, I feel the same way you do . I'm skeptical of all the different numbers being thrown at me all the time.

    I try to eat more on the days I am very active and less on the days I hang out in sweatpants on the couch. I can't make myself trust the numbers.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Can I ask what brand of HRM you have and does it have a chest strap... I use a Polar FT60 with a chest strap and would not take any other calories burns except for what I get from it...
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    My HRM (I use a Garmin 610 which, supposedly, has a newer and very accurate algorithm) will show anywhere from 450 to 500 cal burned during a half hour run (10 min miles) and my heart rate is lower than what you've recorded (I'm just under 200lbs) so your HRM may not be that far off. (a little OT but my HRM and MFP tend to be within about 10% of each other - my run this morning was 731 cal according to my HRM and IIRC about 780 according to MFP)
  • RoosMommy01
    RoosMommy01 Posts: 88
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    Thanks everyone. Yes all my info is definetly entered correctly. I'm a little OCD when it comes to following directions! *L* I double checked myself at least 3 times on the directions.

    This is part of the reasoning on why I never eat back exercising calories. I never know which one is the right number. I put this on as my calories burn this morning and had 4 "friends" email me saying that the HRM was full of it and I wasn't anywhere near that number so now I'm second guessing myself like always since starting this website! :indifferent:
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
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    Like pretty much everyone else is saying, I'd go with the HRM
  • loridianehood
    loridianehood Posts: 10
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    I agree...I always only eat back maybe 50% of calories from exercise...seems to work!!
  • Arleigh7
    Arleigh7 Posts: 150 Member
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    Does your HRM allow you to input your age, weight, height, etc? If it does then I would definitely go with that. The bigger you are and the heavier you are the more calories you burn during excercise but programs that estimate your calories burned can only do that if they have your vital statistics.
  • Lize11e
    Lize11e Posts: 419
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    I just recently (last week) got my HRM. I was thinking that MFP was over-estimating my calories burned but instead, according to my monitor, it was under-estimating. Also, and this is helpful to ME to see how you are reacting to your HRM, you and I are very close to the same size. I am 5'7" and weigh 268. I have been going with my HRM. I figure you set it up right, it sounds very much like the kind of readings I've been getting. Congrats on doing such a fabulous job!
  • jenluvsushi
    jenluvsushi Posts: 933 Member
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    Use your HRM but only count 80% of those calories burned as exercise calories. The reason why is that even if you were sitting still you would be burning calories.
  • teach54
    teach54 Posts: 22 Member
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    I'm voting with those who say to check all your settings - age, weight, AND gender.
    I have a relatively inexpensive HRM that gives me my time and average heart rate. Then I go to an online calculator to figure out my calories burned.
    On those occasions where I've forgotten to click on "Female" instead of "Male", i get ridiculously high calorie burns, similar to what you reported. When I enter data correctly, the results are close to MFP's numbers, but usually slightly lower.
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
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    Only things that are more accurate than a properly used HRM is a BodyMedia unit or a gold standard professional test. MFP and other items use averages for people. They assume an average health level and heart rate and give calorie counts based on that. Since most of us are not exactly "average" on here, it can be a little iffy.

    After working with my BM Fit Link, I found that MFP is relatively close for me during some activities, and way off on others. Now I defer to my unit's estimates for off-body activity, and take the numbers directly for on-body activity.

    It can be difficult to gauge calorie burn off of HRM alone, especially when you're bigger. I tend to warn people against swearing they are 100% spot on. All of these are just tools to get an idea as to what you are doing.

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