HRM - How important?

Zumbanator
Zumbanator Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
How important is it to have one? I just started a couple of weeks ago. I'm doing a fitness challenge at work and have upped my weekly exercise to include weights, cardio, yoga, and walk the dogs every night for a total of about 11 hours a week and want to lose that last stubborn 5 pounds (and stay there forever). I eat my calories back mostly and I've gained weight (about 5 lbs.)! I feel pretty good though, so I'm sticking with it. When I take my BP/hr at the drugstore, it's usually pretty low (like 60 bmp) and I'm otherwise sedentary during the day. Could the MPF be overestimating my baseline caloric usage?

Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    MFP calorie estimates are normally quite bit over in my experience. Personally I would never eat all those calories back a lot of people eat only half back to take into account any over estimation on MFP s part. A HRM can be very useful but even there calorie estimates can be off. I use mine more for training in target zones than calorie counting. It's a bit like you pay your money and take your choice in reality.
  • obrientp
    obrientp Posts: 546 Member
    A HRM or fitbit or something similar is your best bet for getting an accurate calorie burn count. MFP and most internet calculators way overestimate.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    It's not necessary but definitely useful! MFP and exercise machines overestimate exercise cals burned so if someone eats them all back they end up eating too much.
  • cyclist_44060
    cyclist_44060 Posts: 86 Member
    I agree with "sevlia" MFP and other websites do overstate calorie burn, but HRM are more accurate than other measures. I do not eat back all the recorded calories. At most I only eat back about 75% to allow for inaccurate measurement. If you eat all back, you will most likely be overeating.
  • goldfinger88
    goldfinger88 Posts: 686 Member
    Recent studies show it's not at all important. That was the "in" thing in the ancient aerobics era when people were running, ruining their knees and hearts and getting in the "zone". But now there really is no cardio zone. Moreover, they're not accurate.
  • Zumbanator
    Zumbanator Posts: 8
    OK cool. You just saved me some $$!
  • DanielleKMoore
    DanielleKMoore Posts: 9 Member
    I have one and I have not decided if it is worth it or not for tracking calories. I love being able to use the timer, but all smart phones have those as well. So is it really necessary is a great question. My biggest issue with my HRM is that I get a completely different calculation from the HRM, my cell phone apps, the elliptical machine or treadmill, and from MFP. How do I know which one is correct?
    For example (just an example, not accurate numbers) say I jog for 30 minutes…
    Calories Burned According to each:
    HRM: 500
    Cell Phone App: 400
    Treadmill: 350
    MFP: 275
    How do I know which one is accurate?
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
    It's not necessary but definitely useful! MFP and exercise machines overestimate exercise cals burned so if someone eats them all back they end up eating too much.

    ^^agree :)

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