HR/Calorie burn question

gsmithnp

Yes, yes I know--I need to get an HRM (preferrably a continuous-monitoring model). However, the budget is already tight and other, more critical things are ahead of the HRM in line (such as we had to replace carpet in basement due to minor flooding, and still have to replace the roof).

As such, I have been intermittently checking my HR during exercise, averaging the results at the end, and plugging those results into a calorie calculator that factors in age, weight, gender, and avg HR. Knowing that MFP overestimates the calorie burn for cardio such as elliptical, I ignore that number and have generally been using the estimated calories-burned given by the elliptical machine. However, the calorie calculator that I've been using will give me an extra 100-200 calories over that.

Example: I am female, 133 pounds, 37 years old. I did 30 minutes on elliptical, completing a distance of 2.22 miles. The machine estimated 248 calories. By my calculations my average HR was 184 giving me a calorie burn of 404.

So my question is two-fold: am I overdoing it (getting my HR that high for my age--I feel fine, no dizziness or headache with it), and is my calorie calculator on track or no? Which result should I log into MFP?

gsmithnp

Hello? Not to be a pest but...is this thing on?

Tilran

Example: I am female, 133 pounds, 37 years old. I did 30 minutes on elliptical, completing a distance of 2.22 miles. The machine estimated 248 calories. By my calculations my average HR was 184 giving me a calorie burn of 404.

So my question is two-fold: am I overdoing it (getting my HR that high for my age--I feel fine, no dizziness or headache with it), and is my calorie calculator on track or no? Which result should I log into MFP?

I am more worried about the fact your HR was 184 on average?!?! There is no way.

Get an HRM and get real numbers is all I can say. If 184 was your average, that means you were spiking 200 at peak performance? At 37 years old, 200bpm I'd be scared of a Myocardial infarction

gsmithnp

Being a nurse for 15 years, I know how to take my HR correctly. At the moment, I am sitting at my desk and have been for at least 30 minutes. My HR right now is 88. So at my peak HR I'm only maxing out at 100bpm over my normal HR. Maximum predicted heart rate for a 37 year old is 183 (220-37=183). My heart rate during exercise ranged anywhere from 178 to 188, and like I said, I was sweating and breathing hard, but no chest pain, dizziness, headache, or nausea. If I sustain too close to 190, I can feel my head pounding a little and back off. I never let it get higher than that, so I'm not getting anywhere close to 200bpm. If I try to keep my HR between 140-160, I'm hardly exerting myself at all.

And like I said, I'd love to buy a HRM (maybe for Christmas...) but I don't have the $$$ to spare. Every spare dollar is going to house and car repair at the moment.