Timex Ironman HRM question about high calorie burns!

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chattinchick
chattinchick Posts: 48 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone out there in MFP world have one of these HRM's and do they seem to indicate HIGH caloric burns for activity?? My Dad came to me one day and suggested that my HRM has got to be reading wrong cuz people just don't burn those kinda calories doing a running/walking workout....I told him I didn't know - I'm just following what my HRM tells me. It's got all my stats in it - age, weight, height, gender, etc. So...just wondering if anyone else has ever encountered this, worried about this, cared about this?!? LOL....is it something that I should look into? Is it something to worry about?? Are there people who are just high caloric burners??

Currently, I am doing the Couch to 5K program and when I am running (currently on Week 6, Day 2 of C25K, I am 42 yrs. old, female, and 193 lbs) I burn anywhere from 570-700 calories in the 35 mins or so. My HR is anywhere from 136-170 range.

Feedback? Concerns? Don't let it bother me? LOL...HELP?!

Replies

  • kelcro40
    kelcro40 Posts: 115 Member
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    Sorry, I have the Polar ft4. But I can tell you that I burn 300 calories walking in just over 30 minutes at 3 mph and incline of 3 to 4. So Maybe 500 ish for running isn't too crazy?
  • chattinchick
    chattinchick Posts: 48 Member
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    OK...cool. I am walking at 3.5 mph on my walking intervals and running at 4.8 or 4.6 for my running intervals. They are 10 minute runs right now (x 2) in this week with a 3 min walk in between...so, was just curious as to whether or not those calorie burns seem really unrealistically high!
  • bstevens1047
    bstevens1047 Posts: 8
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    If you're honest with your food diary it should be some easy math to find out if the HRM is giving your realistic numbers. I use the Polar FT60 and regularly see numbers ranging from 800 - 1200 calories burned while walking for 1 - 2 hours at 60% - 70% MHR (28 / 5'11" / Male / medium build / 165 lbs). I won't say the count is exactly accurate but I can vouch that my results have remained consistent while using them. 117 lbs. in 1 year and I was aiming at 2 lbs / week using the HRM counts to control calories. I'd say trust it unless your results say otherwise.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    Having coached Couch to 5K with two people, one smaller than me, one almost literally twice my weight, I can tell you that that seems like a really high number. At the paces you are alternating between you probably aren't burning much more than 300-400 calories in 35 minutes.

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