Body fit media variation in calorie burn

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mtforrester
mtforrester Posts: 2
in Fitness and Exercise
I just got the BFM link. Yesterday I worked out on the elliptical for 65 minutes in "fat burn" mode, so my heart rate didn't get much over 125. Good workout but not real strenuous. BFM said I burned 396 calories. Today I did elliptical on Rolling hills program for 65 minutes and exerted myself WAY more. I was drenched and felt like I had really burned a lot of calories. I synched up and to my surprise BFM said I burned about 250 calories. This cannot be accurate. Has anyone else had this experience? I want to be able to rely on the info I am getting, but there is no way I burned less calories today in my workout. Would love to hear other's feedback

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  • mtforrester
    mtforrester Posts: 2
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  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    i havent had it happen with my BMF, but ive had it happen with my HRM. ive learned that the amount i sweat and perceived exertion dont always = more calories burned. also, the more you wear your bmf the more accurate it will be - it takes about a week for it really kinda "learn" your body.
  • Surisaddai
    Surisaddai Posts: 142 Member
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    I use my body media band all day long. When I am going to do hard workouts I also put my heart rate monitor on to compare. I will usually log the calories my HRM says I burned during those work outs to mfp and then my arm band balances it out. I have noticed that once I added them on mfp, the arm band will not add the workout again, it will show something like "bodymedia adjustment 0". I use the body media info to estimate my loss during a whole week of work and it is usually pretty accurate, I hope that helps.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,227 Member
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    I dont' have a BMF, but they are not specifically for recording times of exercise. They are a whole day activity monitor. As to the differences, I can't really say except that I seem to remember reading that it takes a while for the BMF to "learn" you as an individual. Through that time the numbers it gives for your daily calorie burn will vary and likely, from what I remember, start out a little high and then move lower. In the long run those numbers will be much more accurate than they are at first, or so I have heard.
  • amyoliver85
    amyoliver85 Posts: 353 Member
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    Body Media Fit is not the most accurate way to measure your heart rate, unfortunately. If you are off of your bicep by even a smidgen, you will get an inaccurate reading. Also, it is my understanding that it's technology relies on your body heat to help give you a reading too. If your sweat got cold or your skin got cold, then it can mess up the reading. I have a friend who is a zumba teacher that has one and she never works out without her HRM on her too. I also have a fitbit and a BMF and I always still use my HRM when I work out. The difference between the two is astounding. To be honest, my fit bit actually comes out with a much closer to accurate reading of my exercise than my BMF.
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
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    Body Media Fit is not the most accurate way to measure your heart rate, unfortunately. If you are off of your bicep by even a smidgen, you will get an inaccurate reading. Also, it is my understanding that it's technology relies on your body heat to help give you a reading too. If your sweat got cold or your skin got cold, then it can mess up the reading. I have a friend who is a zumba teacher that has one and she never works out without her HRM on her too. I also have a fitbit and a BMF and I always still use my HRM when I work out. The difference between the two is astounding. To be honest, my fit bit actually comes out with a much closer to accurate reading of my exercise than my BMF.

    ^^^^ this - when I was using my BMF I would still use my HRM for exercise, and not the BMF readings..... It does not read your HR, so not very accurate when exercising....

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