HRM in heat?

Jaxie1231
Jaxie1231 Posts: 24 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I used my Polar HRM today outside for the first time. It was really hot out and I feel like I burned more calories than I actually did. Does heat affect your HR or the amount of calories you burn? Also, does the monitor take into account the calories you would burn if u did nothing? 200 calories for barely getting my HR up just seems like too much. Thanks for any help.

Replies

  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Yes, heat and humidity will affect heart rate and give you a higher calorie burn.

    Here is a great post about factors that affect the accuracy of a HRM
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/773451-is-my-hrm-giving-me-incorrect-calorie-burn
  • mbelle97
    mbelle97 Posts: 37 Member
    The monitor does not take into account what you would have burned doing nothing. Some people take amount and subtract it from the amount the monitor shows burned.
    That being said, I don't. Nothing is going to be perfect in showing you the amount you burn.
    If it seems too high, it probably is, but all you can do is make your best guess.
    It's not as much of an issue if you don't eat your excercise calories back, or you only eat 1/2 of them.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Heat and humidity will affect heart rate and will affect the calorie burn ON YOUR HRM.

    Meaning, your HRM will show a higher number, but you didn't really burn any extra calories. Heat causes heart rate to drift higher without any real increase in oxygen uptake (it's the increase in oxygen uptake that burns calories, not the heart rate per se).
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    Lots of good advice here but I'll add that if your HRM is in heat just try to keep it away from any other HRMs in the area so there's no fighting or unwanted baby HRMs.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Lots of good advice here but I'll add that if your HRM is in heat just try to keep it away from any other HRMs in the area so there's no fighting or unwanted baby HRMs.

    :laugh:
  • gingameister
    gingameister Posts: 125 Member
    Lots of good advice here but I'll add that if your HRM is in heat just try to keep it away from any other HRMs in the area so there's no fighting or unwanted baby HRMs.

    LMAO!! :laugh:
  • Jaxie1231
    Jaxie1231 Posts: 24 Member
    HAHA! Thanks for the advice, I figured it was off a bit. I will take that into account.
  • Elisirmon
    Elisirmon Posts: 273 Member
    I do have to say that the hotter it is outside the more your body will oxygenate to balance your core temp so you do burn a slightly more calories but best to take an average and not eat back all the calories burn.. : )

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