how to accurately calculate calories burned?

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tressatnt
tressatnt Posts: 77
in Health and Weight Loss
When I go running, I have a Garmin watch that I use for those calories and when I'm on a machine at the gym, I will usually take about 30% off of the machine total to account for overestimation since it does not ask if I am female, but what about when I do some circuit strength training? I have a program that takes about 30 minutes, or more depending on how much time I have. I do several different exercises (stepping up on a high box, lunges w/bicep curl, squats, planks etc) that get me sweating so I know I'm doing something, but I just don't know how much I'm burning! I've been using the MFP "circuit training" selection, hoping it's not too much of an overestimate. Is it pretty accurate? Is my only option to get a HRM? If so, is there a slightly inexpensive one recommended?

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  • mamafish2313
    mamafish2313 Posts: 61
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    You need a good heart rate monitor like the Polar FT4 or FT7. I have the 4, its simple and seems pretty accurate over the timex I used to have. What ever you choose, the chest strap style is bar far the most accurate. You will be amazed at what you burn or thought you were burning. I never workout without mine!

    PS MAPMY RUN is a great app on your phone for free that also calcs calories and distance and run time and averages! I love it too!
  • runfreddyrun
    runfreddyrun Posts: 137 Member
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    you can use a HRM to get an idea for strength training, but if you're lifting heavy, from what i understand it's pretty inaccurate. if you're not lifting heavy but are using low weights/high reps then it's probably more similar to cardio and a HRM should be fairly accurate.

    i have the garmin 305 which i don't even think it measures calories inside when you're not using the GPS. also, i've read some posts that garmin misses the calorie read by quite a lot, but maybe they have fixed that.

    i ended up buying a polar ft60 and i use that in the gym. i ended up figuring my TDEE based on the amount of activity i'm doing (moderately active - 3 to 5 hours a week) and i just take a 25% cut from that.

    for example - if you run on the treadmill and the HRM says you burned 300 calories in 30 minutes, my understanding is that if the HRM says you burned the same 300 calories in 30 minutes doing strength training (heavy lifting) that the number is inflated. someone explained why but i couldn't quite understand - something about anerobic burns.

    it sounds like you're mainly doing body weight type stuff for your strength training - and i have no idea about that. my guess would be that a HRM would be closer to accurate than if you were heavy lifting.
  • tressatnt
    tressatnt Posts: 77
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    I guess I need to get a HRM, just need to find the funds (I just bought new running shoes!). I do a mixture of body weight and weights. Today my workout was: leg step ups on a high box, row machine, body weight pushups at an angle (not sure how to describe this one), squats with weigh lifts, dead lifts, rev flys, plank rows, leg lifts on the bench. I did the circuit 4 times over 40ish minutes and I was sweaty, out of breath and heart was pounding so I have to believe I did SOMETHING. Can't wait to find out what I really did.

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