A Question about HRMs

jennmodugno

So let me start out by saying that YES, I got a really crazy cheap one that doesn't have a chest strap, just a watch. I know I need a better one, but I wanted to start cheap in case I find I almost never remember to use it or some such. I'd really like to avoid hearing "get a fitbit!" or "get a better HRM with a chest strap!" I'm working on it, I swear! XD

Anyway. So my question is this - do those of you who use a HRM take the calories burned at face value, or do you factor in how many you "burn" in a 30-minute rest period and do the math to subtract that number? It's not a big number by any means, but I want to be as accurate as possible.

ericarae33

I'm not sure I understand your question completely.

I only wear my HRM during my entire work out from warm up to cool down....I count the calories that show. I don't subtract anything.

I have a polar F40 with a strap

Azdak

HRMs are not accurate enough to worry about it one way or the another, so any choice you make is fine. .

KarenJanine

So let me start out by saying that YES, I got a really crazy cheap one that doesn't have a chest strap, just a watch. I know I need a better one, but I wanted to start cheap in case I find I almost never remember to use it or some such. I'd really like to avoid hearing "get a fitbit!" or "get a better HRM with a chest strap!" I'm working on it, I swear! XD

Anyway. So my question is this - do those of you who use a HRM take the calories burned at face value, or do you factor in how many you "burn" in a 30-minute rest period and do the math to subtract that number? It's not a big number by any means, but I want to be as accurate as possible.

The reading from your HRM will include your BMR cals (I.e. those you would have burned anyway if you were not working out). Using you BMR you can calculate what your resting calorie use is per minute (for the average person this will be somewhere in the region of 1 cal per min or 60 per hour). Therefore if you've worked out for 30 minutes and your HRM tells you you've burned 280 cals, to get a more accurate burn it will be 280 - 30 = 250 exercise cals (the other 30 will have already been factored into your MFP allowance as part of your BMR).

jennmodugno

@KarenJanine - Thank you! This is exactly what I was wondering. I'd suspected as much, but wasn't sure I was recording it properly.

1Fizzle

HRMs are not accurate enough to worry about it one way or the another, so any choice you make is fine. .

^^THIS...

MissMaryMac33

I wear my FitBit 24/7 and i put on my Polar FT60 just during workouts.

DavPul

HRMs are not accurate enough to worry about it one way or the another, so any choice you make is fine. .

rachaelgifford

I only use my HRM as a rough guide. I know it is not accurate, so I leave it as what it says.

newcs

At rest I burn about 28 calories in a half hour. Not enough for me to worry about it and my HR is probably elevated while I'm moving around getting showered, dressed, walking back to work and going up the 5 flights of stairs back to the office so I call it good enough and take the # from the HRM

ahallen83

I wear my heart rate monitor during every workout,and I take the calorie at face value.

I know it isn't going to be 100% accurate, but it's definitely better than taking the number off the cardio machines (even with my age, gender, height and weight entered some of the elipticals and treadmills I've used have calculated up to 100 more calories for a workout than my HRM). I take it as a rough guildline, I think it's better to low ball how many calories I'm burning and overestimate or round-up the number of calories I'm eating than to get all jazzed over seeing a big number come up on the equipment display.

sevsmom

I usually knock off 10% from my hrm, just because. My own little mental math game. But, my HRM gives me WAAAAY less caloric burn than the cardio machines that I tend to use. I'd be a rock star if I could burn like that. In any event, I don't worry about what I would've burned sitting at my desk for that half hour.. . it's too depressing to think about anyway. I just use my HRM number rounded down, usually my by 10% for fun.

Ladyslippers

I have a Polar FT60 and use the calorie burn from that device for my exercise entry on MFP. The other day I did an hour on the elliptical and got the following:

HRM: 280 calories burned
Fitbit: 298
MFP: 550

I'd prefer the MFP calculation but honestly....that seems waaaay off to me.

22Gnomes

I have an older Polar model that doesn't take BMR into account, so I usually subtract roughly what I'd be burning at rest for that period of time.

Mokey41

HRM's include your total burn for the time you're using it so to be "accurate" you'd need to deduct your BMR.