Heart Rate Monitor Accuracy (Polar FT7)

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lar4290
lar4290 Posts: 55 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I got a Polar FT7 a few weeks ago and I really like it, especially if I go to an exercise class or rowing where I'd have no idea how many calories I burn.

I have been shocked at how high some of the estimates are though. Is there any way to adjust setting to make it more accurate or would I just have to get a nicer model? I have it set to my height, weight, birthday, sex, etc. This is my first one, so I didn't want to pay twice as much for a nicer model before figuring out if I'd actually use it.

I'm not sure if I'm actually burning the calories it reports, or if I just have an abnormally high heart rate. Advice?

I've read other posts debating accuracy in general. I generally eat back my exercise calories in order to not starve my body. I'm a petite female with only about 10 pounds to loose, so I'm already eating a pretty low amount a day...if I didn't eat them back I'd net 750 calories a day, which doesn't seem right.

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  • rblakeman
    rblakeman Posts: 25
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    Can you give us details about what it is saying you are burning, for what type of exercise, and at what estimated intensity? Did it measure your resting heart rate as part of the data you entered? I think my Polar is probably pretty accurate (it is a different model, cost about 140); it estimates far fewer calories than the treadmill, is pretty consistent with the elliptical, and is slightly under what the stair master says. I can also tell a difference in calories burned (per the watch) based on my intensity level.
  • lar4290
    lar4290 Posts: 55 Member
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    For example, walking a trail (3 mph, very hilly, without pack) for 51 mins read out 437 (1.5x MFP); a 40 minute pilates workout read out 200 calories (twice MFP).

    Calories burned for rowing machine (98 for 10 mins) and elliptical (varies, but 190-225 calories for 25 mins) seem about what I'd expect.

    As you can probably tell, I vary my workout routine a lot!
  • debgcook
    debgcook Posts: 64
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    I have a question for mine.
    In theTRAINING SETTING I set mine up for 155 BPM Maxium (It shud be 166 but I never get that high)
    Age is 54
    weight is 148
    Female
    DOB 12/7/1957
    Height 5'6

    *But in the User Information when you put your weight, height, DOB, sex. What do you put in the Maxium heart rate there?
    Is this the resting heart rate or kinda of active heart rate. Mine is between 65-69. I think I was told to put 99. Is this correct or do I put 155 the same as in the TRAINING area.
    I am confused on that one.

    Please message me in private if possible as I am not sure I will get the message this way.

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