How many calories will I burn doing ________?

scapez
scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I see it on the threads all the time...someone says I'm doing C25K or Zumba or Running backwards up stairs for a half hour or whatever and they don't know how to log it because they don't see it in the database.

Do yourself a favor, GET A HEART RATE MONITOR WITH A CHEST STRAP such as the Polar FT4 or FT7. Expect to make a $70-80 dollar investment, but it will give you a more accurate calorie burn than a generic entry in the database or a machine at the gym. Gone will be the days of searching the database for something that you may or may not find or numbers that may or may not apply to you.

Imagine the freedom of creating custom exercises using your HRM numbers and getting the most accurate burn counts that you can!

Barring an extremely tight budget, there's no reason why someone that exercises frequently and wishes to record their burns shouldn't own a reliable HRM with a chest strap. The chest strap part is important, because those HRMs give more accurate readings than versions of ones that don't have the strap.

Replies

  • DoomCakes
    DoomCakes Posts: 806 Member
    I was actually thinking of getting an HRM with a chest strap as I do a lot of at home work outs. I see A LOT of things posted on MFP with calories and it's like "wow, no WAY did you burn that many..." I think sometimes people think they're doing the extra effort, or harder trying kind of stuff, but they may not be.

    I was also told by my doctor that things you do on a normal basis, like work and cleaning, don't count towards weight loss as your body has already adjusted to that as the norm. So I thought a HRM would be a great investment. After I move and get situated I know that's on the top of my list!

    So, yea, I 100% agree on you! HRM is way more accurate for your individual purpose!
  • GretchenReine
    GretchenReine Posts: 1,374 Member
    Thanks for this! I see that topic a LOT!!! I got my HRM for Christmas and can't live without it now!!!
  • timadotcom
    timadotcom Posts: 653 Member
    how many cals will I burn search for a HRM :P
  • DoomCakes
    DoomCakes Posts: 806 Member
    how many cals will I burn search for a HRM :P

    3
  • mhouston2011
    mhouston2011 Posts: 155
    All I can say is THANK YOU!!
  • ShifuYaku
    ShifuYaku Posts: 504 Member
    Do you have to have a chest strap? Or can I just get that device that hooks up to my wrist? :D
  • susiebear29
    susiebear29 Posts: 266
    couldn't agree more!!! I love my polar FT4!!!! and was actually burning MORE than MFP was telling me!!! RESULT!! :smile: :smile: :smile:
  • OfficiallySexyVal
    OfficiallySexyVal Posts: 492 Member
    I am looking into HRM's now but I can not get one until I meet my mini goal! I am 5 pounds away from hitting it and I have been at a plateau for about 2 months now! It is so frustrating, I really want to cave an buy it early but at the sametime that is my present for reaching another mini goal! So confused on what to do!
  • LovingCruz
    LovingCruz Posts: 634 Member
    how many cals will I burn search for a HRM :P

    :)
  • AggieLu
    AggieLu Posts: 873 Member
    I agree! I can't imagine life without my Polar :*) It was one of the best investments of my life!
  • dan323
    dan323 Posts: 271 Member
    I think if it's on the internet,,IT'S TRUE. So if it said you burned 1987 calories watching TV,,then you must have. NOT ! Get a heart rate monitor.:grumble:
  • Marcus0716
    Marcus0716 Posts: 3 Member
    I got the Polar FT7 for my birthday in july and i could not do this with out it. At the gym The machine ( elliptical) said i burned 550) My polar ft7 said 725.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I agree!

    But to one poster: Yes, you have to have a chest strap. The watch only ones are useless.
  • AJ_Pete
    AJ_Pete Posts: 863 Member
    Holler.
  • usera1365
    usera1365 Posts: 146 Member
    Love mine.... FT7
  • GretchenReine
    GretchenReine Posts: 1,374 Member
    I agree!

    But to one poster: Yes, you have to have a chest strap. The watch only ones are useless.

    ^^^ This! The watch only ones will just tell you your current heart rate when you put your thumb on it...they don't calculate calories burned! Complete waste!
  • mattnv30
    mattnv30 Posts: 1
    Not necessarily complete garbage. They can be useful for an estimation of how many calories one would burn during a workout with the proper formula. A person can check their heart rate multiple times during their workout and estimate an average and then plug that into one of the calorie calculators found online (I like www.caloriesiburned.com for this). It won't be exact, of course, but it can give a person a good, solid estimation.
  • rachmass1
    rachmass1 Posts: 470 Member
    Some activities a chest strap and watch don't work. I think specifically of aikido where you can't have something on your wrist and since you are pinned to the mat often, the chest strap could be uncomfortable. Just saying
  • raventeddybear
    raventeddybear Posts: 2
    not feasible for some people who have to be in uniform. such as me, and cheerleading isn't any of the options :( fingers crossed it will be soon!
  • munchlaxx
    munchlaxx Posts: 102 Member
    Not necessarily complete garbage. They can be useful for an estimation of how many calories one would burn during a workout with the proper formula. A person can check their heart rate multiple times during their workout and estimate an average and then plug that into one of the calorie calculators found online (I like www.caloriesiburned.com for this). It won't be exact, of course, but it can give a person a good, solid estimation.

    This is what I do. It works fine for me, it only takes a few seconds to check my pulse. It maybe inconvenient for most, but I can't quite spend $70 on a chest strap type at the moment...couldn't say no to a $15 watch!
  • ShifuYaku
    ShifuYaku Posts: 504 Member
    Are the small machines that only measure the heart rate better than the ones that do calorie counting, too?
  • mstifb
    mstifb Posts: 230
    I see it on the threads all the time...someone says I'm doing C25K or Zumba or Running backwards up stairs for a half hour or whatever and they don't know how to log it because they don't see it in the database.

    Do yourself a favor, GET A HEART RATE MONITOR WITH A CHEST STRAP such as the Polar FT4 or FT7. Expect to make a $70-80 dollar investment, but it will give you a more accurate calorie burn than a generic entry in the database or a machine at the gym. Gone will be the days of searching the database for something that you may or may not find or numbers that may or may not apply to you.

    Imagine the freedom of creating custom exercises using your HRM numbers and getting the most accurate burn counts that you can!

    Barring an extremely tight budget, there's no reason why someone that exercises frequently and wishes to record their burns shouldn't own a reliable HRM with a chest strap. The chest strap part is important, because those HRMs give more accurate readings than versions of ones that don't have the strap.

    I have a tight budget but have been looking on places like Wal-mart and also online like ebay and Amazon, but there are so many to choose from. How do you know if the cheaper ones are user friendly or even reliable? That's why I haven't bought one yet.

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