HRM Polar FT4

Gagaluvr
Gagaluvr Posts: 73 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just purchased this HRM this week and have been using it. It makes me sad to see that the calories I burn now are NOT even close to what the machines said before. Its like 150 cal less than the machine! Has anyone else experienced this? Also when I do turbofire (which you workout hard to) for the 45 min class I only burn MAYBE 350 calories. UGH.....upsetting. LOL

Replies

  • MsMartyMac
    MsMartyMac Posts: 33
    Just be certain you set it up correctly to interpret the information. I know when I first started using mine it was way off but that was because I had not callibrated it to my resting heartrate and stride. Needless to say I fixed that right away.
  • karynspeace
    karynspeace Posts: 132
    I use a heart rate monitor as well. Make sure you read your manual. Mine doesn't start measuring until my heart rate is over 100. PLUS I take a beta blocker for my heart, and it keeps my heart rate lower than the standard amount - you may still be burning more calories than the monitor shows.

    For instance, I am on the Insanity workout program. They "hype" that you will burn 1000 calories a workout. I plugged my data into a calorie burning website and they estimate it at more like 500. My heartrate monitor says I burn 175 to 200 calories... in 40 minutes. Therefore I estimate it at about 350 actually. This is less than the website calculators but more than my heart monitor. And I am losing weight so I think it is pretty darn correct.

    Don't let your monitor discourage you - use it as a monitor, not as a calorie tracker, and you will do fine.
  • Gagaluvr
    Gagaluvr Posts: 73 Member
    Just be certain you set it up correctly to interpret the information. I know when I first started using mine it was way off but that was because I had not callibrated it to my resting heartrate and stride. Needless to say I fixed that right away.

    Do you have the same model HRM? I don't think it asked me for stride and resting heart rate. hmmmmm i'll relook at the manual. Thanks!
  • Gagaluvr
    Gagaluvr Posts: 73 Member
    I use a heart rate monitor as well. Make sure you read your manual. Mine doesn't start measuring until my heart rate is over 100. PLUS I take a beta blocker for my heart, and it keeps my heart rate lower than the standard amount - you may still be burning more calories than the monitor shows.

    For instance, I am on the Insanity workout program. They "hype" that you will burn 1000 calories a workout. I plugged my data into a calorie burning website and they estimate it at more like 500. My heartrate monitor says I burn 175 to 200 calories... in 40 minutes. Therefore I estimate it at about 350 actually. This is less than the website calculators but more than my heart monitor. And I am losing weight so I think it is pretty darn correct.

    Don't let your monitor discourage you - use it as a monitor, not as a calorie tracker, and you will do fine.

    See when I did insanity for awhile and turbofire they do tell you that you burn 500 or more calories and it isn't true. So I was just "guessing" at the time (went upon what they said) and did MFP and I was wondering why my weight wouldn't drop! I was like dang I bust my hiney and nothing is dropping! So I got a newer HRM (the one I had before is like 12 years old lol) and now when I do turbofire its like maybe 350. So that right there is huge in calories. I was eating too many before I knew how much I was actually burning. Thanks for your help!
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    I have a Polar FT7 and I can tell you that machines do overestimate the calories burned because they're guessing your heart rate. The Polar HRM is probably closer to accurate than anything else you'll find.

    Don't be too sad. I only burn around 500 calories running 3 miles. The better shape you're in the less calories you burn doing the exact same exercise. It's called conditioning. As you get more and more fit it takes more to increase your heart rate and your body becomes more efficient at doing the same exercise. That's a good thing or I'd never be able to get my 5k times down.
  • bluelena
    bluelena Posts: 304 Member
    I had the same letdown when I started using my Polar FT60. BUMMER that I wasn't burning what I thought I was doing TJ. But I was still losing, so I figured it had to be at least CLOSE. Not even.

    However, somehow it calibrated itself to what I think is closer to "normal" after I re-did the "fitness test" the following week. I still burn less than what MFP says I do for TJ, but it seems to be a more reasonable number now.

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