need some answers!

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hamilton4beaumont
hamilton4beaumont Posts: 122 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have worn my polar f4 for 2 days straight (one day working out and the other not working out). I am shocked! The first day said I burned 2374, and I ate 1663. The second day (I went to the gym and did half my usual) and it said, 3,000! I ate 2,023 yesterday! I used to eat 1200-1400 everyday for years and wondered why I was stuck at 150 pounds!!!! So I would cut back on food and lose a little pound here or there! I'm not sure if my polar is working or not or do I need to eat? How many calories should I eat? 500 minus what i burn? That's a lot. Is that why I haven't been able to lose? SOrry for the questions, just needing answers!

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  • hamilton4beaumont
    hamilton4beaumont Posts: 122 Member
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    I have worn my polar f4 for 2 days straight (one day working out and the other not working out). I am shocked! The first day said I burned 2374, and I ate 1663. The second day (I went to the gym and did half my usual) and it said, 3,000! I ate 2,023 yesterday! I used to eat 1200-1400 everyday for years and wondered why I was stuck at 150 pounds!!!! So I would cut back on food and lose a little pound here or there! I'm not sure if my polar is working or not or do I need to eat? How many calories should I eat? 500 minus what i burn? That's a lot. Is that why I haven't been able to lose? SOrry for the questions, just needing answers!
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
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    yep it should be whatever you burn, minus your deficit. SO it sounds like could be anywhere from 1500 to 2500 depending on your day.
  • LokiFae
    LokiFae Posts: 774 Member
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    Isn't it awesome to know that you should eat MORE to lose weight? This whole experience with MFP has just completely reversed my thinking on dieting. Have fun eating all your calories!
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
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    LOL! I'm not shocked. This site tends to underestimate things to be safe. But I doubt your polar is broken. If it broke I doubt it would be in a way that still calculated calories, I.E. I could see it not working at all, or showing random stuff, but not getting your heart rate, calculating calories, and giving you bad numbers, that would be a weird way for it to break.

    I would chalk it up to you having a higher metabolism then the average, this is most likely a good thing, it means that you can eat more and still lose weight! Woo Hoo! Let me tell you, there is nothing better then eating breakfast, then lunch, then realizing you still have 1200 calories for you afternoon snack, dinner, and an after dinner snack. I love that I'm not hungry through the day. Granted I'm probably a LOT larger then you, but still.
  • pmkelly409
    pmkelly409 Posts: 1,653 Member
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    I have worn my polar f4 for 2 days straight (one day working out and the other not working out). I am shocked! The first day said I burned 2374, and I ate 1663. The second day (I went to the gym and did half my usual) and it said, 3,000! I ate 2,023 yesterday! I used to eat 1200-1400 everyday for years and wondered why I was stuck at 150 pounds!!!! So I would cut back on food and lose a little pound here or there! I'm not sure if my polar is working or not or do I need to eat? How many calories should I eat? 500 minus what i burn? That's a lot. Is that why I haven't been able to lose? SOrry for the questions, just needing answers!

    Hey H4B,

    I have the F4 and I am not using at all right now, my HR never registers correctly! I am very close to selling it on Ebay and getting another one. It sounds like you are having luck with yours though. So tell me if you have experienced any issues in getting started using it, or anything you have found in using it that perhaps I am missing. You are using the chest strap obviously right?
  • hamilton4beaumont
    hamilton4beaumont Posts: 122 Member
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    Yes. I only take it off to go to the shower. My husband set it up for me. He put in my weight and height and heart ranges. I hit the left button and then it starts totaling my calories. Right now, I've been standing all morning.. I'm a teacher... and i'm using 39-40%. When I sit down, it usually says 35%. I accidentally hit a button in teh middle of the night and it was in clock mode, but I just restarted it as soon as I noticed. I've not had any trouble with it. Maybe you could call the place that you bought it from and ask them. LEt me know if that helps at all.
  • hamilton4beaumont
    hamilton4beaumont Posts: 122 Member
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    LOL! I'm not shocked. This site tends to underestimate things to be safe. But I doubt your polar is broken. If it broke I doubt it would be in a way that still calculated calories, I.E. I could see it not working at all, or showing random stuff, but not getting your heart rate, calculating calories, and giving you bad numbers, that would be a weird way for it to break.

    I would chalk it up to you having a higher metabolism then the average, this is most likely a good thing, it means that you can eat more and still lose weight! Woo Hoo! Let me tell you, there is nothing better then eating breakfast, then lunch, then realizing you still have 1200 calories for you afternoon snack, dinner, and an after dinner snack. I love that I'm not hungry through the day. Granted I'm probably a LOT larger then you, but still.
    [/quote]
    From me:
    I'm sorry, but if I had a higher metabolism, wouldn't I be very thin with so few calories compared to what I'm burning?? I feel like a special ed student in a chinese classroom! I'm so sorry for being so dense! I do thank you for trying to explain this to me. I don't know what else to do though! Would it make sense that I'm so round considering I've consumed so few calories FOR YEARS?
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
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    I'm sorry, but if I had a higher metabolism, wouldn't I be very thin with so few calories compared to what I'm burning?? I feel like a special ed student in a chinese classroom! I'm so sorry for being so dense! I do thank you for trying to explain this to me. I don't know what else to do though! Would it make sense that I'm so round considering I've consumed so few calories FOR YEARS?

    Not necessarilly, if you have been eating too few calories for a long time, your body could have been fighting to keep itself from degrading for the whole time. It wouldn't be the first time I have seen this. It will probably take a while for your body to correct itself, but once it does, I'll bet you have a lot easier time losing weight and toning up.
  • amy_ryan
    amy_ryan Posts: 28 Member
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    I have the F4 and love it so far. I have found that this site (and exercise equipment) actually overinflate calories burned by quite a bit--for me. I am finally losing weight now that I am using the HR monitor, which is helping keep me honest! I have not worn mine around all day, however. I always wondered about how accurate that would be, since I am pretty sure it underestimates calories burned for things like weight lifting or other non-aerobic activities. I say that because I am quite muscular, and I am pretty sure that in 30 minutes of weight lifting, I burn more than the, say 40 calories, my F4 would have me believe. Just to be safe, I record the low number but obviously muscle is going to burn more calories in general all day long, right?
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
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    Where could I find a heart rate monitor? I am not totally thrilled about the idea but it may be a better option then using guesstimates.
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
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    Where could I find a heart rate monitor? I am not totally thrilled about the idea but it may be a better option then using guesstimates.

    http://www.amazon.com/s/?node=3375301&brand=Polar&hidden-keywords=F4&emi=ATVPDKIKX0DER
  • amy_ryan
    amy_ryan Posts: 28 Member
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    I got mine as a gift (my fiance bought it at Sports Authority) but I would recommend shopping around given how expensive they are. I am sure you could get one at Ebay or a cheaper one to make sure you use it/like it, but my personnel recommendation would be to get a reasonably nice one with a warranty. I have already found it highly motivating to really know how many calories I am burning and how hard I am pushing myself when I workout. As I said before, it keeps me honest. :smile:
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
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    Where could I find a heart rate monitor? I am not totally thrilled about the idea but it may be a better option then using guesstimates.

    http://www.amazon.com/s/?node=3375301&brand=Polar&hidden-keywords=F4&emi=ATVPDKIKX0DER

    Awesome! Thanks Banks, I was worried it was going to be a big complex thing! I can handle THAT...haha

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