Heartrate monitor vs. machine

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SarahBeth0625
SarahBeth0625 Posts: 685 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just ordered myself the Polar FT4. I am curious to see the calories burned vs. what the machine tells me. I do the elliptical 7 days a week (and strength training 2-3 days a week; pushups every day).

I am impatient and suppose I can answer this when the device arrives, but what has been your experience (if you have a HRM, or this particular model)? I typically burn anywhere from 375 - 435 calories in 31 minutes on the elliptical, according to the machine (Matrix Elliptical). Wonder what I can expect the Polar FT4 to say.

So excited!

Replies

  • Emtabo01
    Emtabo01 Posts: 672
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    The burn on my HRM is just over half what my elliptical says, so....I've been overestimating how much I was actually burning :(. The machine says 500, HRM says 285. Just got mine last week for my birthday.
  • SarahBeth0625
    SarahBeth0625 Posts: 685 Member
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    The burn on my HRM is just over half what my elliptical says, so....I've been overestimating how much I was actually burning :(. The machine says 500, HRM says 285. Just got mine last week for my birthday.

    Good to know! I usually go to bed with a 300 calorie deficit, and maybe that's why... I could be putting in calories based on the inaccuracy of the machine.
  • whr_spur
    whr_spur Posts: 2
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    I got the H7. Before using MFP i calculated my strength training at between 500-700 calories. After getting the HRM it says i burn between 1200-1500 calories. Huge difference. Also when running i was using nike run and MFP to calculate. Once again the HRM states i actually burn about 1/3 more calories.
  • SarahBeth0625
    SarahBeth0625 Posts: 685 Member
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    Wow, okay. Now I'll be real curious to see where I'm at. Must be burning something because I can see a progress in the past 2 months since I kicked it up at the gym. :smile:
  • briteyes1002
    briteyes1002 Posts: 313 Member
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    Using the machine has always been way off for me. When the machine said I was burning 400 calories my HRM says I am only burning about 250. Its so much more accurate than a machine HR system.. You know that you really have to push yourself with the HRM to get the calories burned that you really want to burn.
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    I got the H7. Before using MFP i calculated my strength training at between 500-700 calories. After getting the HRM it says i burn between 1200-1500 calories. Huge difference. Also when running i was using nike run and MFP to calculate. Once again the HRM states i actually burn about 1/3 more calories.

    Curious, how many hours do you lift at a time?
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
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    I burn way under what the machine says, even on the treadmill & those actually connect to my HRM. I have a Polar FT60, my FT4 is retired. The machines have no way of picking it up right even when it's taking the beat from the HRM itself. The treadmill can show me as burning over 1000 in a 50 min run on there, while my HRM watch will only show about 600. It's soooooooooooooo out the machine. I would not rely on it at all.
  • tomwatso
    tomwatso Posts: 1,304 Member
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    I use a Polar A6 (older model) and compare with the machines at Planet Fitness. I see about a 20 cal difference between them. Sometimes, the watch states for calories. Sometimes, the treadmill/elliptical machine states more calories. I use whatever states I burn more calories.
  • 1yoyoKAT
    1yoyoKAT Posts: 206 Member
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    I just got the FT4 and started using it last week. I noticed that the heart rate matches my home elliptical and the gym ARC trainer to within 1 beat, however, the calorie burn is significantly less that what is on the machine or what MFP would allocate to me. As for my walking at 3mph walking the dog, the calorie burn corresponds very closely with the MFP estimate.

    Have fun with your HRM, it's a pretty cool gadget! :smile:
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    I've found the burn to be very similar to the Precor machines at my gym.
  • SarahBeth0625
    SarahBeth0625 Posts: 685 Member
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    I do take my heartrate (on the machine) and it seems to be around 164 on average (I am 32), and usually up to 172 after/during a sprint interval. I am really hoping I am getting a good burn and it'll be nice to see what the HRM says. I think that I am burning at a good target heartrate and I always notice that I tend to go faster than people on either side of me. LOL. The one girl started 1.5 mintues before me yesterday and I ended up being 130 calories ahead of her (according to the machine). Hopefully it's not TOO inaccurate, but I would rather have accuracy than think I'm burning more than I actually am.
  • larnsperger
    larnsperger Posts: 161 Member
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    I have the Polar F4. I have had similar results as other posters regarding the elliptical. The HRM is always lower than the elliptical readout. Love the F4!
  • SarahBeth0625
    SarahBeth0625 Posts: 685 Member
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    I have the Polar F4. I have had similar results as other posters regarding the elliptical. The HRM is always lower than the elliptical readout. Love the F4!

    Glad you like it!! I read a bunch of reviews on Amazon and it seems to be well liked. I was comparing/contrasting with the F7 and figured well, this is a little cheaper. I'll try it. :smile:
  • doc800
    doc800 Posts: 148
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    You should find that you might burn more calories when you receive your HR, depends on the age of the machine.. Very simple explanation too. Your new HRM will ask you for your height and weight and age. Most machines don't take weight into account so they tend to use a very inaccurate calculation
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    I don't have the f7 but the f40 and I love it. I find that the treadmill definitely underestimates - it doesn't ask for crucial info like height + weight + age atleast the machines I use don't. I don't like the one size fits all so I decided to get a HRM. Turns out I burn hundreds more and now it's clear why I was not losing much weight. I had no idea that I was burning more, therefore not eating enough.

    I am not sure if the F7 has Vo2max but apparently the HRM with that function have better calorie readings.

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