How has a heart rate monitor helped you?

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reenasamaan
reenasamaan Posts: 66 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi folks,

I recently took the plunge and purchased a heart rate monitor to get more smart about the workouts I'm doing.. frankly, too, I was getting frustrated with the difference in numbers MFP was giving me versus machines at the gym (it's all/mostly about the math, right?). Anyways, lo and behold according to my HRM I've been burning a bit less during my daily workouts than I thought (~80 cals less)! Have any of you discovered this as well and adjusted either your workouts or daily intake? I haven't lost a pound or an inch in months and thinking it could be because my burn was lower than I suspected and eating back most of my exercise calories really meant eating more than my goal...but it's not like I was burning THAT much less- does 80 cals really make a difference? Going to switch things up either way but wondering about your thoughts? Successes? Suggestions?

Thanks!

Replies

  • Lexi507
    Lexi507 Posts: 79 Member
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    I actually had the opposite problem - I was underestimating my cardio workouts by about 50%. My HRM has helped me get a more realistic (knowing that it's not a perfect measure) of my workouts - much better than me looking at the MFP estimate and guessing how much higher or lower my workout actually was.
  • ChloeRoseLejeune
    ChloeRoseLejeune Posts: 488
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    It helps you stay within your optimal fat burning zone
  • Browneyedbeff
    Browneyedbeff Posts: 24 Member
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    It's really difficult to know how accurate the readings are. My friend and I both bought el cheapo heart rate monitors this week from WalMart and were happy with the results. Then we tried an experiment and purchased a more expensive one. Totally different (and much, much lower) reading. It's actually pretty frustrating and I think I'm gonna stick with the el cheapo heart rate monitor OR just go back to using my fitness pal's guesstimate of how much I burn.
  • gennafer731
    gennafer731 Posts: 27 Member
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    My bodymedia gives me lowest calorie burn, the machine is in the middle and my HR monitor gives be a high number so I don't know. I just go with the bodymedia one.
  • Littlegurl
    Littlegurl Posts: 172 Member
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    I have the not so cheap Polar FT4. It has helped to know that I have the opposite issue. I burn more calories than MFP says I should. This makes sense because I was losing more weight than MFP was predicting I should. I have mitral valve prolapse and I think because of that I naturally burn more calories due to that and anxiety side effect of mitral valve prolapse. It has also helped me to understand that my fat burning zone is a little higher heartrate percentage than the standard "guidelines". And hey we can sometimes convince ourselves that we are working out as much as we should be, but when u see ur HR drop on the HRM it usually tells u if ur working in the zone.
  • kvossandrews
    kvossandrews Posts: 210 Member
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    I actually had the opposite problem - I was underestimating my cardio workouts by about 50%. My HRM has helped me get a more realistic (knowing that it's not a perfect measure) of my workouts - much better than me looking at the MFP estimate and guessing how much higher or lower my workout actually was.

    Im the same at least 50%..........Its hard to know which one to go by put its my heart rate so that one should be right.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Now test your HRM to see how accurate it is.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/774337-how-to-test-hrm-for-how-accurate-calorie-burn-is

    Because for the nicer Polar's than yours that self-test for some stats, up to 33% off for women.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/459580-polar-hrm-calorie-burn-estimate-accuracy-study
  • smokinjackd
    smokinjackd Posts: 341
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    Hey, I've been using a fitbit combined with an HRM for certain exercises for a bit now and am constantly running a deficit on my calories in vs calories burned and even though I was consistently doing the right thing I had a huge long plateau. I have changed up my routine a bit and finally after over two months am starting to lose again. My point is, even though it didn't look to me that I was making progress for a bit the HRM and fitbit kept me going when I might otherwise have said f$)k it. Because I was able to track everything so consistently I knew I was doing the correct thing even during the dark weeks of killing myself with spinning and insanity and seeing no progress. So in that way,yes it has helped me.
  • Chrissy180
    Chrissy180 Posts: 30 Member
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    Well, I bought a HRM a few weeks ago. I was checking my HR intermittantly with the elliptical so I felt like it was pretty accurate. however, when I would log my calories burned on MFP I would get the "wow, that's alot of calories" and "goodness, are you sure that's right?" from my friends. So, I decided to see how accurate it was. I purchased the not so cheap HRM at Academy and guess what?? I was dead on!! But, it is nice to be able to watch your heart rate while working out without having to hold on to those stupid handles..People forget that people are different sizes and shapes and will burn calories at different rates..
  • borom44
    borom44 Posts: 24 Member
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    I have the polar H7 Bluetooth HRM

    Whilst using the machines I have, Bike , Eliptical and Rowing machine I have found that the HRM consistently reports that I have used less calories than the machine reports. The most accurate is the concept II rower, typically 20-30 cals more shown on the display of the machine rather than the HRM and its software alone.

    H7 reports to the Iphone using bluetooth and the Polar app, it also transmits like a normal HRM to the machines monitor so the same heart rate is shown on both with the machine consistently showing more calories burned than the HRM+Software.
  • reenasamaan
    reenasamaan Posts: 66 Member
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    Thanks for this valuable input!

    I thought that getting the HRM (I have the Polar F4) would show that I was burning more. In fact, in my less frequent exercises, it shows I burn significantly more than MFP (Spinning: 430 HRM; 320 MFP // Yoga: 180 HRM; 65 MFP). However on the elliptical it's a difference between 345 HRM and 423 MFP - these are pretty big differences!

    I was told that my body might be just more adapted to the elliptical because I do it almost everyday, and therefore I perhaps burn less than what I used to - meaning, time to switch it up and get challenged. I'm hoping that Elliptical/Arc Trainer Five Days a week + Spinning Twice a week + Yoga once a week will help. Oh and strength training 3 times a week. I don't really take break days on cardio tho because I sit at a desk all.damn.day. so I REALLY need to move it each day.

    Accurate or not I guess, these last few pounds just ain't coming off. And there has to be a reason why- either I'm not tracking food or exercise accurately or my body is giving up :)
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    I resisted buying one for many years and finally gave in out of curiosity. I did with it exactly what I knew I would do: wore it 2x for each activity, found that the estimates I had been using were just fine, and now it sits on the bathroom counter.

    I use it as a bathroom clock now. It helps me see what time it is.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    It lets me know my exertion rates at different levels of exercise. With that, I have a more accurate account of calorie burns during workouts. I can also use it to understand where and when I can push myself, or when I need time to recover.

    I set target zones and such for different races and such as well.
  • sjstick
    sjstick Posts: 12 Member
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    Right on!
  • jmcreynolds91
    jmcreynolds91 Posts: 777 Member
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    Hi! i dont find my HRM very dependent so i always log alot under what my hrm says. For example, if it says i burn 600 i only log 300 because i would rather under eat than overeat.
  • bronnyd
    bronnyd Posts: 278 Member
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    It's really difficult to know how accurate the readings are. My friend and I both bought el cheapo heart rate monitors this week from WalMart and were happy with the results. Then we tried an experiment and purchased a more expensive one. Totally different (and much, much lower) reading. It's actually pretty frustrating and I think I'm gonna stick with the el cheapo heart rate monitor OR just go back to using my fitness pal's guesstimate of how much I burn.

    So you're going to trade in the high quality, accurate heart rate monitor for the cheaper, inaccurate one because it gives you numbers you like better? :huh:

    I love my HRM. I got a Polar FT4 and that along with my food scale have been instrumental in my success! I love being able to wear a HRM during exercise classes where I wouldn't otherwise have any means of knowing how many calories I'm actually burning.
  • Berlygirl10
    Berlygirl10 Posts: 68
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    I really like my HRM. I hadn't worked out in years when I started again and I was out of breath and sweating crazy but mfp said I only burned like 100 calories..WHAT :) the HRM showed me that I was burning more than MFP was telling me and has helped me to calm down a bit so I am not overdoing it. I don't wear it all the time unless im trying out a new exercise or feel like my workout isn't as hard it used to be.
  • BlackJack96
    BlackJack96 Posts: 43 Member
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    I have a Polar FT7 and I bought the Web linking attachment as well. I've had both for about a week. The monitor helps me stay in my target heart rate to burn the most calories but not get out of the aerobic zone. I primarily do the elliptical and I find that calories are relatively close (maybe 10-15% difference) between the machine and the monitor. The machine underestimates the cool down since I push myself a little harder than it wants me to. What would be great is integrating the polar website data into MFP.

    My wife has one as well and likes it since you can get calorie estimates for workout DVDs where you do not get an estimate.
  • Kickinkim418
    Kickinkim418 Posts: 257 Member
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    IT really has helped me by motivating me to work harder during my workouts. Before I had one, I really didnt know how many calories I was burning or couldn't keep track of my heart rate.
  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
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    I used to think an hr doing zumba burned off over 800 calories and with the hrm I was actually hitting 400. It was a bit of a shock and after getting over it. I am getting my numbers closer to 600. I have always cycled my calories caue I thought at times I had a huge amount of calories to carry over. I still cycle calories but now I do try harder to stay closer to the daily goal.

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