Question about Heart Rate Monitor

blg1977
blg1977 Posts: 12
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,

Yesterday I purchased a heart rate monitor with a chest strap and that calculates calories burned.

I wore it when I went down to the grocery store a short while ago. The watch says I burned 550 calories and 50 g of fat in about 90 minutes. I'm thinking this sounds way too high. I have the watch set for a user defined with my lower rate 124 bpm and my higher limit 153 bpm. This is what I did in that 90 minutes
- Walked down to the grocery store, about a 10 - 15 minute walk away.
- Puttered around in the store for about 40 minutes
- Walked home (there is a hill going back up to my building). I'd say it is moderately steep. I had 2 bags, plus a knapsack (none were particularly heavy)
- Put the food away,
- Carried a fairly heavy box of newspapers down the hall to the garage to be recycled and came back to my apartment.

MFP would have said I probably burnt around 320 calories (walking at a 2.0 mph, a 3.0 mph, and carrying 15lbs).

I just got the HRM so I'm still learning how to use it. I don't know if my targets (upper, lower) are off or not. My previous HRM said my lower limit was also 124 but my upper limit was 164 (that was about 5 years ago).

I'm just curious of readers of this post think the calories being generated by my HRM are accurate. I am hoping so, this is why I bought one in the first place.

Thank you

Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Firtly, your Heart Rate Monitor is meant to be worn for steady cardiovascular excersize, NOT normal things you would do around the day. This should be factored into your TDEE. So please do not count those as "exercise calories".

    Secondly, i don't believe it is completely innacurate, however, keep in mind that you would have burned "x" amount of calories within that time frame ANYWAY with your BMR/TDEE.
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
    Check with the manufacturer. Could be a bad product. Could be defective. I wouldn't use it because I wouldn't trust it at this point. Get your money back.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    Firtly, your Heart Rate Monitor is meant to be worn for steady cardiovascular excersize, NOT normal things you would do around the day. This should be factored into your TDEE. So please do not count those as "exercise calories".

    Secondly, i don't believe it is completely innacurate, however, keep in mind that you would have burned "x" amount of calories within that time frame ANYWAY with your BMR/TDEE.

    I think most HRMs take BMR and TDEE into account when you factor in your default details at the beginning, so the calorie count given by the HRM would be the calorie burn after those base calories.

    If that is the case the HRM is over estimating calorie burn by a long way so I agree with RobynLB - possibly dodgy HRM or maybe you haven't put in your personal details to the HRM accurately, or at all yet?

    It is possibly more accurate to take your pulse every ten minutes and record them during your cardio and then work out calorie burn using an age/weight formula on the 'net - cheaper too!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Firtly, your Heart Rate Monitor is meant to be worn for steady cardiovascular excersize, NOT normal things you would do around the day. This should be factored into your TDEE. So please do not count those as "exercise calories".

    Secondly, i don't believe it is completely innacurate, however, keep in mind that you would have burned "x" amount of calories within that time frame ANYWAY with your BMR/TDEE.

    I think most HRMs take BMR and TDEE into account when you factor in your default details at the beginning, so the calorie count given by the HRM would be the calorie burn after those base calories.

    If that is the case the HRM is over estimating calorie burn by a long way so I agree with RobynLB - possibly dodgy HRM or maybe you haven't put in your personal details to the HRM accurately, or at all yet?

    It is possibly more accurate to take your pulse every ten minutes and record them during your cardio and then work out calorie burn using an age/weight formula on the 'net - cheaper too!

    Hmm... I wonder if that is the case. Alternatively, i'm not sure how out of shape you are OP and if you heart rate geniunely was this high.

    I know when I first start excersizing a year ago i would walk on the treadmill for 2-3 minutes and my heart rate would be at 180. Were you out of breath or did it feel difficult to you? Because that doesn't seem like TOO much to me. With intentional exercise i can burn 300 calories every half hour.
  • blg1977
    blg1977 Posts: 12
    Hi,

    Rainbowbow, is walking down to a grocery store (walking) not exercise? I can see putting the stuff away and bringing some stuff down to the basement of my apartment as not being exercise, but to me the walking most certainly is. During the months were there isn't snow on the ground that is how I tend to do my cardio.

    I don't normally get out of breath unless I am walking up a steep hill. When I carry my groceries home I sometimes need to stop simply because I need to readjust the way I am carrying my bags. I live on the 5th floor of my building. I can walk up all 4 flights (about 14 steps each) without stopping for a break. When I get to the top my heart rate is certainly up, but I wouldn't say I am huffing and puffing.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    The only way you should count it as exercise is if you have your activity level set to sedentary. Otherwise MFP assumes you are walking and burning additional calories throughout the day. MFP creates your caloric deficit from your TDEE which includes walking and normal daily activities.
    Hi,

    Rainbowbow, is walking down to a grocery store (walking) not exercise? I can see putting the stuff away and bringing some stuff down to the basement of my apartment as not being exercise, but to me the walking most certainly is. During the months were there isn't snow on the ground that is how I tend to do my cardio.

    I don't normally get out of breath unless I am walking up a steep hill. When I carry my groceries home I sometimes need to stop simply because I need to readjust the way I am carrying my bags. I live on the 5th floor of my building. I can walk up all 4 flights (about 14 steps each) without stopping for a break. When I get to the top my heart rate is certainly up, but I wouldn't say I am huffing and puffing.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    HRM's are meant to be used for exercise that significantly raises your heart rate. Walking unless you do it at a very brisk pace while good for you doesn't really raise your heart rate that much. The algorithms that the monitor uses is set to calculate calories in those higher ranges and are wildly over inflated at lower levels. If walking to the grocery store is your only exercise a device like a FitBit might be your better choice.

    Also, HRM's don't deduct your BMR from the calorie burns they give. My BMR calories for an hour are about 50 so if my HRM says I burned 300 for an hours workout then I need to deduct 50 from that to be accurate.

    If you set yourself up with your activity level as sedentary then maybe walking to the store counts although even at sedentary there is an assumption that you do move around during the day not just lay on the couch. I would certainly not count walking to the store as calories needing to be eaten.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    Also, HRM's don't deduct your BMR from the calorie burns they give. My BMR calories for an hour are about 50 so if my HRM says I burned 300 for an hours workout then I need to deduct 50 from that to be accurate

    thanks Mokey
  • blg1977
    blg1977 Posts: 12
    Hi,

    I'm not eating back my exercise/activity calories. I probably eat ~1600 calories a day. I do have my activity level set at sedentary. I live in a hilly city, so walking to/from the grocery store does get my heart rate up.
  • blg1977
    blg1977 Posts: 12
    Bathtubs are great places to think!

    Some previous comments have made me think of a few questions. I am looking for input. Please don't assume I am lazy or stupid (I have an M.Ed). You don't know my history and how much I have struggled with my health (which has probably contributed to my weight problems).

    At the present time I am not working. If I were working I would have a desk job and would probably be at about the same activity level that I am now. Right now I have my My Fitness Pal.com activity level set at sedentary because I'm not doing a whole lot of movement during the day. I do get up and walk around, go for a walk outside when the weather is nice, or use my stationary bike. I don't understand why I cannot count a trip to the grocery store (for which I walk to and from) as exercise. I am walking for cripes sake which is better than sitting around in my apartment or taking a taxi home. If I spend 2 hours cooking, why can't I count that, I might not get my heart rate up, but again I'm moving and therefore burning fuel.

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