Polar FT7... is MFP too liberal with exercise calorie burn?

kennyh75
kennyh75 Posts: 20 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Recently purchased my wife a Polar FT7. We do Les Mills class (Bodypump and Bodycombat) and intense spinning 5 times a week. I had a feeling that the burn estimates on MFP for these activities were inaccurate (overestimating). The hrm seemed to confirm that, by about 25% per our monitor. Has anyone else noticed this?

Replies

  • camiah
    camiah Posts: 146
    MFP is way, way, way too liberal with the exercise burn. For 45 minutes on my elliptical, MFP tells me I burned 720 calories. My HRM tells me I burned about 460. I'd go with the HRM, as it is at least taking into account how hard I am working. Even though they have a large error rate for women, it definitely isn't as large as the error for MFP's estimate for my calorie burn. There is no way I burned 720 calories, as much as I'd like to think I did.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    MFP is low for me. It all depends on your level of intensity, which MFP can't possibly know. It's a rough guideline at best.
  • fitQueenbeast
    fitQueenbeast Posts: 298
    Opposite. MF's numbers were too low. I have the FT7 and love it! My numbers are quite higher using the monitor.

    Erica
  • kubyshechka
    kubyshechka Posts: 75 Member
    The MPF exercise/calorie burned were entered by the members so I would not rely on those. I have Timex with a chest strap and I entered all my data but I still think it overestimates my calorie burned. When I run on the treadmill which HRM mounted in and a chest strap, my Timex HRM shows higher burn then treadmill by about 25/30%. So I usually subtract that from HRM reading when I enter the exercise data.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    When I started using my FT4 I too found MFP to be about 25% high.
  • eilmeister
    eilmeister Posts: 37
    I've been comparing the MFP estimates with the numbers my HRM gives me for a while. Turns out that for me, the two are almost always within 10 calories of each other (that's for about 45 minutes of running, using the correct speed entry in MFP). Every body is different. The MFP numbers are very rough estimates that don't work for everybody. The HRM number is also just an estimate, but it's more likely to be accurate since the HRM knows how hard your body is actually working. So I'd go with the HRM when in doubt.
  • KALMdown
    KALMdown Posts: 211 Member
    The MPF exercise/calorie burned were entered by the members so I would not rely on those. I have Timex with a chest strap and I entered all my data but I still think it overestimates my calorie burned. When I run on the treadmill which HRM mounted in and a chest strap, my Timex HRM shows higher burn then treadmill by about 25/30%. So I usually subtract that from HRM reading when I enter the exercise data.

    I also use a Timex and noticed it overestimated it. I now enter the numbers in at 50% the reading. It makes me sad to go from a 1000 cal/burn reading and entering it as 500 cal/burn but it seems to be working for me now. Ah well.
  • am0206089
    am0206089 Posts: 18 Member
    I have the same problem too. My HRM watch indicated I burn 758 calories in 45 minutes. While on the Eliptical Machine stated I burned 286 calories. I'm just a little confused, if anyone can help and let me know which is more accurate I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance :happy:
  • jenniferstanton
    jenniferstanton Posts: 132 Member
    I have the same problem too. My HRM watch indicated I burn 758 calories in 45 minutes. While on the Eliptical Machine stated I burned 286 calories. I'm just a little confused, if anyone can help and let me know which is more accurate I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance :happy:

    Did you put your Age, weight and height in the polar?
  • am0206089
    am0206089 Posts: 18 Member
    My bad it's actually a New Balance HRT? fit Heart Rate Monitor watch.
  • jenniferstanton
    jenniferstanton Posts: 132 Member
    My bad it's actually a New Balance HRT? fit Heart Rate Monitor watch.

    Does it have a strap that goes around your chest?
  • am0206089
    am0206089 Posts: 18 Member
    No
    My bad it's actually a New Balance HRT? fit Heart Rate Monitor watch.

    Does it have a strap that goes around your chest?
  • jenniferstanton
    jenniferstanton Posts: 132 Member
    No
    My bad it's actually a New Balance HRT? fit Heart Rate Monitor watch.

    Does it have a strap that goes around your chest?

    My understanding is that the HRMs with straps are more accurate. Also not sure if you mentioned whether you put your age, weight etc.. in because all that makes a difference also. Good luck!
  • WenonaY
    WenonaY Posts: 203
    I have the Polar FT7 and love it! Also MFP calories burned are alot less then my heart rate monitor.
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
    I have the FT7 and MFP calorie estimates are higher than my HRM.

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