Over 100 cal difference between MFP and HRM

celiason81
celiason81 Posts: 57 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
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.

Replies

  • celiason81
    celiason81 Posts: 57 Member
    I guess I'd like to know which is MOST accurate?
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    HRM will always be more accurate. My personal suggestion: Always use the smaller number for exercise and the larger number for foods.
  • Berto0391
    Berto0391 Posts: 273 Member
    HRM will always be more accurate. My personal suggestion: Always use the smaller number for exercise and the larger number for foods.

    THIS!!!!
  • celiason81
    celiason81 Posts: 57 Member
    HRM will always be more accurate. My personal suggestion: Always use the smaller number for exercise and the larger number for foods.
    Well, my problem is aside from my cheat days, most days I have trouble even getting to my 1200 cal, and yes, that is with overestimating how much I ate. So, if I'm only consuming just over 1000 cal/day and burning a lot more calories than I originally thought, that's going to create way too much of a deficit.
  • chelledawg14
    chelledawg14 Posts: 509 Member
    Make sure you put your current weight, etc into your HRM to make sure it is accurate. I adjust my weight every time I lose, too.
  • 1960HikerDude
    1960HikerDude Posts: 215 Member
    Also, don't forget to input your age and gender into the HRM
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Have you configured your HRM monitor - Age, Sex, Weight, resting HB (if it has it)? If so, consider the HRM estimation to be the better one.
  • DoOrDoNotThereIsNoTry1
    DoOrDoNotThereIsNoTry1 Posts: 149 Member
    I have been experiencing the same thing. I have had my HRM Polar FT7 for two weeks. In those two weeks I gained three pounds and lost three pounds. Before that I was losing 1 per wee pretty consistently. Diet remained the same. Today I decided to under estimate my HRM calories burned. It said I burned 457. I only put 357 on MFP. I am hoping that a week of this will help me get back on track. But I would suggest shorting exercise calories.
  • MorissaW
    MorissaW Posts: 95 Member
    I agree, use the number on your HRM, if you have it set to your specs.
    I was also shocked when I got my FT7 and realized how many calories I was actually burning.
  • TrinaJ11
    TrinaJ11 Posts: 159 Member
    I found that when I first got my old HRM, MFP was underestimating for me too. Trust your HRM. MFP can't calculate your heart rate via interwebz lol. I just got a FT7 today so I'm looking forward to seeing the difference between that and my ****ty old HRM lol

    *edited to say underestimating...I accidently said over at first.
  • stlhrs
    stlhrs Posts: 67 Member
    I could also be that one is recording NET calories and the other is recording GROSS calories....

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/articles/net-versus-gross-calorie-burn.aspx

    (nutshell: GROSS includes what you'd burn by doing nothing; BMR).

    Not sure which one MFP reports.
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    I found that the fast I go, the closer the numbers are on MFP and my HRM. If I am jogging or walking, then there is a much bigger difference. One thing I would do is check your weight listed in both places. I have had too refresh my weigh in the MFP settings - not just a weigh in but almost like going through the set up process again...
  • KristysLosing
    KristysLosing Posts: 683
    Here is a question...I don't know how any others work, or if they all work the same, but I have to check my heart rate on mine to find out how many calories I burned. Should I wait until the end to check? Will it still be accurate if I check a couple of times in between? I'm worried I'm doing it wrong and it's not going to be accurate.
  • WickedSpinSistr
    WickedSpinSistr Posts: 139 Member
    I go with what my HRM tells me. If I weren't going to do that I might question why I bought and use the HRM in the first place. :)

    That said, MFP was way underestimating my calories burned during a 45-minute Spinning class. It estimated 270 calories while my HRM reports 400 calories. I've been tracking it as 400 calories since I started using my HRM weeks ago and I continue to lose weight. I eat the majority of my exercise calories, too.

    I have a Polar FT40.
  • Monkee_Magic
    Monkee_Magic Posts: 32 Member
    I would check that all the correct data was inputted into the HRM so it can give you an accurate reading. I have found on two HRM that they are usually less for aerobic activities, depending on what the activity is upto 100-150 calories less according to the HRM, as I have lost a bit of weight I have had to work harder too!

    Good luck.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    I too have the Polar FT7, and I find that it's also giving higher estimates that MFP. Yes - it is configured correctly for my height, weight, gender, age.

    I'm wondering if it's gross calories - it seems that if I back out what I burn just by breathing, then it's pretty close to MFP.
  • MrsSanthoff
    MrsSanthoff Posts: 272 Member
    I could also be that one is recording NET calories and the other is recording GROSS calories....

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/articles/net-versus-gross-calorie-burn.aspx

    (nutshell: GROSS includes what you'd burn by doing nothing; BMR).

    Not sure which one MFP reports.



    I think this is correct! Your HRM is probably giving you your gross and that is why it is over. I have been having the same issues and I think I have just come to the conclusion to use the mfp calories burned and not my hrm....specially if you plan to eat back your calories.
  • rileyfanof24
    rileyfanof24 Posts: 40 Member
    I agree, always take the lowest amount burned and the highest amount consumed when things vary :0)
  • celiason81
    celiason81 Posts: 57 Member
    I could also be that one is recording NET calories and the other is recording GROSS calories....

    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/articles/net-versus-gross-calorie-burn.aspx

    (nutshell: GROSS includes what you'd burn by doing nothing; BMR).

    Not sure which one MFP reports.



    I think this is correct! Your HRM is probably giving you your gross and that is why it is over. I have been having the same issues and I think I have just come to the conclusion to use the mfp calories burned and not my hrm....specially if you plan to eat back your calories.
    Thanks for all the replies everyone! Yes, all my info is correct in both MFP and HRM. This to me might be the only thing that makes some sense. I've only done about 4 workouts now with my HRM, but each time it's 100+ calories more than what I've been getting from MFP.

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