Heart Rate Monitor Calorie Challenge

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twt1999bird
twt1999bird Posts: 48
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all! I have a Polar HRM and looooove it. I wanted to challenge my self and others to burn off their goal amount of calorie. I believe that the scale can be so discouraging at times. Depending on that time of month for women it can move in every direction for two weeks out of the month.

I decided to try and burn 3500 calories every week because that equals one pound! I am also taking advantage off the calorie counter on this website and have been doing really well the last few days.

I hope there are people out there with the same goals and we can help each other stay motivated. I have joined other threads but never get a response from the people that have joined that thread before me. I guess they have their friends and favorites.

Keep Moving and good luck!
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Replies

  • lisanxd
    lisanxd Posts: 93
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    I love my polar too! If I went with the "exercise machine" count, I would be grossly miscaclulating my calories.. and lately I've burned more than the machines say :-) it's a life saver! My weekly goal is 3500 as well and I usually do great at the beginning of the week, then get burned out and rarely make it.. though a few times I have and usually I'm close.
  • jddicarlo
    jddicarlo Posts: 171 Member
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    I'm kind of new to this stuff - so just looking for some guidance. I don't have a HRM. I have seen that BodyBugg but it is way too expensive. Right now I am just giving my best guess on what I am burning based on what I can find on the internet. How do you use the HRM to tell you how many calories you burned?
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    Hi guys! This might be the spot for me. :) I just got a Polar f6 yesterday after months of debating on whether or not I should splurge. It's pretty cool. I'd love a place to report back in and work toward a goal.

    Should we do introductions, including what kind of exercise we typically do and what exercise goals we have for the week?

    Thank you for starting this thread - i hope it takes off! :)
  • nisijam5
    nisijam5 Posts: 10,390 Member
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    Hi, my name is Kim and I think this is a great...would love to join all of you in this calorie-pumping goal...my main exercising is the Jillian Michaels series and elliptical...I also do 6-pack abs on Comcast. Hopefully, weather will change soon and can get outside.

    What is the start date for logging...Do you want to report weekly

    Also, I am doing the warrior dash in June...5 K with all kinds of obstacles...(jumping over fire, climbing haybales, mud crawl
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    I'm kind of new to this stuff - so just looking for some guidance. I don't have a HRM. I have seen that BodyBugg but it is way too expensive. Right now I am just giving my best guess on what I am burning based on what I can find on the internet. How do you use the HRM to tell you how many calories you burned?

    As you can see, I'm new to the HRM too! I learned about it from this site. Basically, you can buy a unit that comes with a watch and a (surprisingly comfortable) chest strap that has electrodes that pick up your heart beat. It detect what your heart rate is during exercise and will give a summary on the watch display of your calories burned during your exercise, based upon what the transmitter in the chest strap picks up. It sounds a little complicated - but I was amazed when I used mine yesterday for the first time. Enter a few numbers (that was fairly easy), press a button and GO.

    I found out that during my morning run, for example, I burned 480 calories (vs the 277 that I've been estimating using online calculators). I also saw that I was only exercising in my target heart rate for 3 out 48 minutes - and the rest of the time, I was apparently exercising "harder" than recommended. Who knew?

    There are lots of different kinds of HRMs - varying in price and accuracy, from what I understand. You can buy models without the chest strap (which I actually wanted, for comfort) - but it is suggested that the chest strap models are more accurate.

    Good luck!
  • kingking
    kingking Posts: 64 Member
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    I have a Polar FT7 and I love it, too. I has an RS300, but the user-interface was too customized for runners ("lap time" is useless to me, but "calories burned" is really important - the RS300 made it hard to get the calorie count). I wear it anytime I'm exercising and it's been really helpful.

    Things like skiing for me can burn a ton of calories or very few - guesstimating usually gets it wrong, but I never know whether I'm over or under. If I wear my HRM, I get a very precise count of how my day went.

    Highly recommended.

    (And get a model with a chest strap - the "no strap" kind aren't as accurate.)
  • twt1999bird
    twt1999bird Posts: 48
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    Yay! Glad to see people are interested with me.

    Jddicarlo-You can get a good basic one for about $100. The best are the ones with the chest strap because you can just strap it on with your watch and go. No need to keep touching your watch to update. It is also the most accurate. Mine just tells me my heart rate and calories burned. Some get way to indepth and probably for professional athletes.

    All-Monday seems like a good time to post about your week sense it is the beginning of a new week. It is bitter sweet for me cuz my son goes to his fathers every other week and on those weeks I can really pound out a work out at Gold's taking their classes. So far I burned over 2k cuz I have been able to take two classes a night this week.

    smiles4miles-I typically burn about 600 calories in an hour in a high impact cardio class like Step or Spin. During my weight lifting class I burn about 350-400 calories in an hour. It has been pretty consistant for me. Proof that my HRM is working good :happy:

    "Keep Moving"
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
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    bumping for later. I would love to join. I am obsessed with my HRM and every sunday night it gives me a summary of what I've done for the week. perhaps that can be our posts, the summary of each week.
  • twt1999bird
    twt1999bird Posts: 48
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    Goodevening all! I just got back from the gym and did two more cardio classes at Gold's. Glad I have all the time to do this but miss my son terribly. I can't wait until I see him on Friday. Then he's all mine all week! Shared custody sucks :grumble:

    Well...I bured 1221 calories tonight! I am going to be way over my goal this week. Next week will be nothing like this though. Might-as-well do it while I can :happy: :happy:

    Stay Motivated and Keep Moving!
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    Wow twt1991bird / (Jennifer)- 1221 in one night? Amazing! You're a rock star!!!:smokin: That's excellent - you must feel great about such a great workout. (I know I would).

    Nolachick - hey hey hey - welcome! Can't wait for you to join us! Soon, I may too become "obsessed" with the results. So, are we going to give a weekly report on Mondays?

    KingKing - agreed - the HRM does seem to give a much more accurate picture!

    I don't have a calorie burn to report today - I have a stomach bug and can't eat much. I've only taken in about 450 cals today and will be really lucky if I can manage another 500 tonight... so I don't think I need to try to burn anything off. I went for a run yesterday (even wiht the bug) and ended up feeling worse. Guess i have to wait it out.

    Question for all of you: i discovered that my f6 keeps chirping every hour - do you know off the top of your head how to disable that? I had it on my nightstand last night and it chirped away.... a little on the annoying side. :laugh:
  • nisijam5
    nisijam5 Posts: 10,390 Member
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    Quick question, when are we officially starting this...or, has it started already
  • twt1999bird
    twt1999bird Posts: 48
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    Quick question, when are we officially starting this...or, has it started already

    We picked Monday as the start date sense I decided to start this just yesterday. I already started logging the week because I had the information saved on HRM.

    "Keep Moving"
  • nisijam5
    nisijam5 Posts: 10,390 Member
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    OK, that sounds good...just trying to remember all the places I have to report to and when...LOL

    Now, I've got Monday, Tuesday and Friday commitments.
  • Resalyn
    Resalyn Posts: 528 Member
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    Hi there - I've been reading up on the HRMs and have been contemplating buying one. Nice to get some good info on them! I'm hoping to have one very soon, so I'm excited to follow this thread along with all of you. I'll check in now and then and report when I get my unit and have stats to report!
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    Hi there - I've been reading up on the HRMs and have been contemplating buying one. Nice to get some good info on them! I'm hoping to have one very soon, so I'm excited to follow this thread along with all of you. I'll check in now and then and report when I get my unit and have stats to report!

    Hi Resalyn - excuse my enthusiasm - bc i'm so new to using the HRM but I just can't believe how helpful / motivating / interesting it is! You will be so glad when you get one for yourself. :) I'm tempted to do ALL of my workouts, back to back, just to see what kind of burn I'm really making, but that's so crazy... so i have to pace myself.... :laugh:

    Looking forward to the Monday report in - yeeeeee-hah!!!!!:bigsmile:
  • FormerJerseygirl
    FormerJerseygirl Posts: 42 Member
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    I just bought a Polar FT60 yesterday so I am still trying to figure it out. Tomorrow will be the first day so I'll see how it goes.
  • flipchickmc
    flipchickmc Posts: 59 Member
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    I have a Polar F6 and LOVE it! This thread is just what I need to become more motivated.

    I do hot yoga 2-3/week and usually burn about 400+cals during the 60min class and 600+ in the 90min class. I also alternate between Jillian Michael's DVDs: 30DS, BFBM and NMTZ and burn any where from 200-400+ doing those.

    I guess I'll need to double up on certain days if I want to meet the 3500cal/wk goal for this group.
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    I have a Polar F6 and LOVE it! This thread is just what I need to become more motivated.

    I do hot yoga 2-3/week and usually burn about 400+cals during the 60min class and 600+ in the 90min class. I also alternate between Jillian Michael's DVDs: 30DS, BFBM and NMTZ and burn any where from 200-400+ doing those.

    I guess I'll need to double up on certain days if I want to meet the 3500cal/wk goal for this group.

    Hi, welcome! I've heard of hot yoga before but don't know what it really is. Would you mind describing it?

    I also alternate between jilllian's shred and BFBM - I would like to buy NMTZ and add that into the mix. I also run/jog, take my dog for walks and throw in pilates and yoga booty ballet to keep it interesting.

    This thread seems like it's gonna be hoppin! :)
  • twt1999bird
    twt1999bird Posts: 48
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    Did two more classes last night. I am finally takeing a break today from the gym. I may end up doing one of my DVD's at home though, if I am feeling motivated. I might have to though because Rita's opens today for the season and I want to treat myself to a Gelati. They are sooo good and I think I deserve one after a great week. Maybe that will be my weekly reward if I meet my calorie goal.

    We should all think of something to reward ourselve's to keep us motivated.

    "Keep Moving"
  • nisijam5
    nisijam5 Posts: 10,390 Member
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    Didn't exercise yesterday, I've just been exhausted...so, today, I am going to do NMTZ with Jillian and some elliptical

    My weekly treat is beer, cold and bubbly and de-lish...I miss it so much!!! Oh, with pizza. YUMMM

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