HRM vs MFP calorie burn

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celiason81
celiason81 Posts: 57 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just got my Polar FT4 HRM today, and used it on my evening jog for the first time. Up to this point my cal guesstimate on MFP has only been about 250 cal for 30 min jog/walk. According to my HRM today, I burned 383! Now I'm really confused cause I thought most people said MFP overestimated cal burn. So which is really more accurate?

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  • veerichie
    veerichie Posts: 214 Member
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    I would assume the HRM is more accurate.

    When I do eliptical I burn, say 220 calories according to MFP and MFP doesn't know if I was doing intense, fast, with an incline, etc... I usually go off what the machine says since I enter my weight in ahead of time.

    I should probably invest in a HRM too :)
  • veerichie
    veerichie Posts: 214 Member
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    Or do what I do and err on the smaller calorie size, to leave a little bit of "padding"
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    My suggestion is always take the smaller number.

    Over estimating calorie burn and under estimating calories eaten are the top two things preventing most people from weight loss.
  • ivikatasha
    ivikatasha Posts: 192 Member
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    Your HRM is going to be a lot more accurate.

    MFP cannot take into account your level of intensity while working out, whereas the HRM can, which is a big reason why it is going to be more accurate.

    I also have a Polar FT4.
  • MrsBailey149
    MrsBailey149 Posts: 248 Member
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    I just got my Polar FT4 HRM today, and used it on my evening jog for the first time. Up to this point my cal guesstimate on MFP has only been about 250 cal for 30 min jog/walk. According to my HRM today, I burned 383! Now I'm really confused cause I thought most people said MFP overestimated cal burn. So which is really more accurate?

    How do you like the FT4? I've been looking into getting one. I was thinking of purchasing the FT40 though. There is quite a price difference between the two.
  • dhoddy
    dhoddy Posts: 35
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    I have an FT7. Read some article on here citing a study about how the FT7 (not sure about the other watches), for ladies, has a 33% inaccuracy. So at the end of my workouts I just subtract 33% from the final calorie count! If I were you I would just do some research on the accuracy of that particular HRM. Good luck!
  • alexis831
    alexis831 Posts: 469 Member
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    HRM is more accurate. Use it! Mine is way lower then MFP estimates and its because I am short and don't weigh that much. I already knew that going into it that it was off. You have the FT4 not the FT7 so I would disregard what the other poster stated. As far as I know it is around 97% accurate. But if you know differently let me know because I have the same model you have.

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