HRM Accuracy for calories burned

fitnessfreddie
fitnessfreddie Posts: 74 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just bought a hrm and I tested it a couple times and it was very accurate. I'm just curious if the calories that it said I burned are also that accurate?? I put in height, weight etc. so I'm assuming it is, but I'm just wondering for those that have had these before if they know for sure how accurate they are?? I have a polar ft7.

Replies

  • Mavrick_RN
    Mavrick_RN Posts: 439 Member
    I just started using my FT7 and in comparing it to MFP calorie counts it's lower. Comparing to the calories on the elliptical at the gym it's very close when I enter my weight and age. There is also the advantge that the elliptical picks up my HR without having to hold the bars. I also use it when I'm on the rower which doesn't have a calorie counter.
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    I have a FT4 & Ft60...... both have been valuable in my loss. Without it I'd still be going via the amount here gives me & I'd still be fat. The only other thing I every found that was close was Runtastic apps or Fitbit. Other than that the HRM is brilliant. Better than relying on here or a gym machine....at the gym it can say I've burnt 1000 calories in 45mins..... when my HRM will tell me closer to 500. BIG difference when trying to lose weight. I never rely on the gym machines at all. Hey they burn when you are not even running on them.... turn it on, get it going...watch the count go up even when not standing on it.
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
    Polar HRM seem to be the most accurate for HR and calories. I have a different HRM I got as a gift. the HR is accurate but calories are super low. said i only burned 3 calories doing 20 minutes of yoga and only 260 calories in a strenuous 60 minutes spin class where everyone else i know in the class had HRM saying they burned close to 750! I may invest in a Polar. On average people burn between 5-10 calories per minute of exercise with the lower end being things like moderate walking and the high end reserved for intense exercise such as running, vigorous rope jumping, hard cycling, etc.
    The machines and MFP usually seem high in their estimates, especially with the elliptical trainer. My heart rate barely gets into the aerobics zone on that machine anymore and it says i burned close to 10 calories a minute when it was probably much closer to 6 calories per minute.
  • fitnessfreddie
    fitnessfreddie Posts: 74 Member
    Yeah I did heavy weightlifting tonight and for 80 minutes it said I burned 792 calories. Wasn't sure if that sounded right??
  • phjorg
    phjorg Posts: 252 Member
    Yeah I did heavy weightlifting tonight and for 80 minutes it said I burned 792 calories. Wasn't sure if that sounded right??
    it's not. unless you're only doing steady state cardio, then the number a HRM spits out can be considered completely random.
  • muayqis
    muayqis Posts: 72
    i have nothing to back this up, but i think i read somewhere that your HR will climb when you lift weight, out of proportion with the calories you are burning....
    *rummage rummage*
    http://www.sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_experts.asp?q=75

    that said, i wear mine for almost all exercise,
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    A great blog to understand
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472

    How to test for accuracy (I would also suggest reading be link that gives all the factors that affect accuracy)
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/774337-how-to-test-hrm-for-how-accurate-calorie-burn-is

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