How many calories burned?

Hayleighs_mom
Hayleighs_mom Posts: 48
in Fitness and Exercise
I've realized that not everything on MFP is accurate as to how many calories I've burned. I also am realizing the eating back your exercise calories is vital for healthy weight loss. I've heard of some people with HRM's and fitbits? What exactly are these and when can you purchase one at? I would like to start eating back my calories, but I don't want to if my calories "burned" is too high which means I'm technically overeating.

Replies

  • keconrad6485
    keconrad6485 Posts: 46 Member
    I'd suggest getting a FitBit at Amazon - slightly cheaper than the price to order directly.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
    I have the Polar Ft4. It was 100 bucks and I got it at ****'s Sporting Goods
  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
    HRMs can be purchased at just about any fitness / exercise equipment store, or online. I ordered FitBit from their website, though I believe they're carried by some retailers as well.

    And you're right, literally everything here is an estimate. A reasonably educated guess, sure, but not likely to be exact. If you've been following a set of numbers for 4 weeks or more, and the results aren't what you expected, then just make small changes to your calorie intake (or amount of exercise) until you get it figured out. :smile:
  • BodyByButter
    BodyByButter Posts: 563 Member
    I got my polar for around $60 on Amazon. It's great. I am shocked when I see my MFP friends logging these crazy numbers for exercise and know they are self sabotaging.
  • Establishedn1986
    Establishedn1986 Posts: 306 Member
    I have the Polar FT4. I purchased mine for $60 from HRMUSA.com Free fast shipping!.
  • sgarrard01
    sgarrard01 Posts: 213 Member
    Walking around during your day: FitBit
    Exersize which gets your heartrate up (including strength based): HRM
    Swimming: Take the MFP value and -100kcal or buy a pool mate (thats what i use).

    On swimming, the values on MFP only apply to constant steady paced swimming, for breaststroke the pace should be around 2.5km per hour, freestyle 3-3.5km per hour etc, not the time spent sitting on the side (which i'm sure lots of people log as an hours swimming, when they've only done about 30minutes and actual swim time)
  • SteelersFan7
    SteelersFan7 Posts: 217 Member
    I got my Polar FT4 for $80, best $ I've ever spent since I can use this is in the pool and in the gym. Definitely invest in a HRM.
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
    Fitbit will motivate you and is good for basic activity. A heart rate monitor is best for actual exercise. Timex makes some really good ones, Polar is ok but you can't change the batteries yourself. Most gym machines will read the Polar though. I am personally having better luck with my Timex than I did with the Polar that started getting wanky after 2 months of use.
  • meghanner
    meghanner Posts: 180 Member
    The fitbit is a great motivator to keep you moving through the day, especially if you're just starting out. I've noticed that the calorie burn on my HRM is significantly lower (sometimes 60-70%) than what MFP estimates so be careful eating back all your exercise calories if your goal is to loose weight.
  • eilmeister
    eilmeister Posts: 37
    I've heard of some people with HRM's and fitbits? What exactly are these and when can you purchase one at?

    To answer your question: The Fitbit is essentially a fancy pedometer. It counts your steps. You can wear it all day to get an idea of your overall activity. An HRM is a heart rate monitor. Most come in the form of wrist watches with a chest strap, which picks up your heart rate and transmits it to the watch. You give the watch your vital stats (gender, age, height, weight) and it calculates a calorie burn estimate for you. As this is based on your actual heart rate and vital stats, it will most likely be more accurate than the MFP number, but it will still be an estimate. A HRM is meant for cardio activity only, meaning that it cannot be worn all day to get your total calorie burn. For cardio, it will be more accurate than anything else, though.

    I'd recommend a decent HRM. Polars are quite popular and most people seem pretty satisfied with them.
  • SocWkrBee
    SocWkrBee Posts: 374
    I recently purchased the Polar FT4 at amazon.com for 65 dollars. It hasn't arrived yet, because I chose to use the free shipping. I was pleased with that price. I heard that the Polar is a decent one to get.
  • msmith2020
    msmith2020 Posts: 365 Member
    I got a Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor (Pink/Purple) from amazon for $65 and I love it! Logging what the treadmill said I burned, vrs what my HRM rated, honestly it was outrageously different, the first time I used it:

    Treadmill: 236
    HRM: 355

    The HRM is based on you, your height, your weight, your gender, your age. Its so much more accurate than a treadmill's depiction of your calories burned or myfitnesspals "guestamate" lol.

    Like other posters said, get an HRM for any real workout and the fitbit for everyday walking around etc. I will eventually get a fitbit, but invest in a HRM first!!

    :flowerforyou:
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    note: HRMs, accurate only for cardio burns
  • klalaw
    klalaw Posts: 137 Member
    I would buy an HRM and use it only for cardio burns, not day-to-day stuff. Even then, I wouldn't necessarily eat back all of the calories that it says you burned - it's more accurate than MFP, but still only an estimate, so I'd leave a margin of error.

    Fitbit is useful for keeping tabs on your day-to-day activitiy, but I wouldn't eat back the calories it says you've earned, as I think it overestimates as well, at least in my experience.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    I would buy an HRM and use it only for cardio burns, not day-to-day stuff. Even then, I wouldn't necessarily eat back all of the calories that it says you burned - it's more accurate than MFP, but still only an estimate, so I'd leave a margin of error.

    Fitbit is useful for keeping tabs on your day-to-day activitiy, but I wouldn't eat back the calories it says you've earned, as I think it overestimates as well, at least in my experience.
    This, hmrs are great. Fitbit is a nice tool but cannot figure out if or what muscles are engaged. You could be trying your hardest or half assing it
  • Scubanana7
    Scubanana7 Posts: 361 Member
    bought a timex ironman. it says I burn a ridiculous amount of calories. I don't use the count at all! highly disappointed. but the pulse rate is correct so i use it to see i'm working hard enough. I checked a bunch of calorie burn sites and MFP and the numbers on the treadmill, elliptical, etc and I kinda use an average of them all. I think the ULTRA high numbers I see posted are insane. If we really burned that much....gee whiz. how did we get fat?
  • nannabannana
    nannabannana Posts: 780
    bought a timex ironman. it says I burn a ridiculous amount of calories. I don't use the count at all! highly disappointed. but the pulse rate is correct so i use it to see i'm working hard enough. I checked a bunch of calorie burn sites and MFP and the numbers on the treadmill, elliptical, etc and I kinda use an average of them all. I think the ULTRA high numbers I see posted are insane. If we really burned that much....gee whiz. how did we get fat?






    DITTO

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