Keep HRM going after workouts!

jamie1888
jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
This may be common knowledge to everyone. But, I just got my a heart rate monitor this week and discovered that if I leave my HRM going for awhile after my workout, (while I cool down, change my clothes, etc), I stay in the fat burning zone and keep burning calories!

Today's example:
If I would have stopped my HRM after my little 30 minute workout, it said I burned 225 calories. But, I kept it going for about 15 more minutes while I changed my clothes, walked back to my office and sat down at my desk. Now I have burned 283 calories in 55 minutes.

Replies

  • houseofCs
    houseofCs Posts: 18
    This is what I do.....After an intense workout I keep my HRM going until my heart rate falls below my fat burning zone. You are stil burning fat calories if your heart rate is in your fat burning zone.
  • j_g4ever
    j_g4ever Posts: 1,925 Member
    *bump*
  • knittygirl52
    knittygirl52 Posts: 432 Member
    Good advice! Thanks
  • ladybugg03
    ladybugg03 Posts: 4
    I always keep mine on after workouts just to see my calories burned throughout the day.
  • little_miss_very_bad
    little_miss_very_bad Posts: 21 Member
    Hi,
    at the risk of sounding really thick, are these heart rate monitors accurate? Is it really true that after workouts, if you keep going you can really burn a significant amount of calories? I find it hard to believe but if its true I'm so getting one lol! Any advice would be appreciated.

    Thanksxx
  • StarryEyedGirl
    StarryEyedGirl Posts: 585
    i always turn mine off but I have thought about this and tomorrow I will leave mine on to see what I do during cool down. thanks which HRM do you own?
  • diet45
    diet45 Posts: 392 Member
    Good advice for when I get mine!!! Thanks!!!
  • lizziewhan
    lizziewhan Posts: 148 Member
    i just used one for the first time today..ill definately have to check this out
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    I have the Polar FT7.

    Little Miss Very -
    Yes, heart rate monitors are the most accurate way to monitor how many calories you burn! I highly recommend getting one! I've been over-estimating how many calories I burn during exercise for a long time now!

    And yes, it's true.. after exercise, your heart rate is still accelerated. So, as long as your heart rate is above your "resting heart rate", you are burning calories!
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    I have a Polar F7 & my heart rate goes down pretty quickly if I stop working out (we're talking less than 2 mins). So, to me, it doesn't make sense to keep the HRM running. It's made for workouts only, not all day monitoring. If you want something to monitor every calorie earned and burned, save up for a bodybugg!
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    I'm not saying wear it all day.. I'm saying keep it going until you drop below fat burning zone. I know that as you increase your cardio capability/strength, your heart will stay accelerated longer. But, you have to condition your body to do that. Working in the higher intensity heart rate zone conditions your heart.
  • little_miss_very_bad
    little_miss_very_bad Posts: 21 Member
    Little Miss Very -
    Yes, heart rate monitors are the most accurate way to monitor how many calories you burn! I highly recommend getting one! I've been over-estimating how many calories I burn during exercise for a long time now!

    And yes, it's true.. after exercise, your heart rate is still accelerated. So, as long as your heart rate is above your "resting heart rate", you are burning calories!


    Thank you so much for the info! xx
  • pfenixa
    pfenixa Posts: 194 Member
    I'd been thinking about this lately. I need a refresher on where the fat burning zone is though.
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    I'd been thinking about this lately. I need a refresher on where the fat burning zone is though.

    Do you use a heart rate monitor? Mine tells me what zone I'm in. Do an internet search for heart rate calculators, etc. There's a formula you need to do to find out what your range is. (based on your age and your resting heart rate)
  • zeeohhsix
    zeeohhsix Posts: 41
    I turn mine off after work out I figure these extra 60-100 calories are what i would have burned if i wouldnt have worked out. The HRM doesnt subtract your basic calorie burn while not exercising.Not sure if that is the correct way to do it , but thats what i have been doing
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    I figure these extra 60-100 calories are what i would have burned if i wouldnt have worked out.

    This is not true... your heart rate is faster (after a workout) because you just worked out. If you had not worked out, your heart rate would not have accelerated. So, you wouldn't have burned those extra calories.

    I'm only speaking to the time after a workout where your heart rate is still elevated and you are still in your "fat burning" zone.
  • zeeohhsix
    zeeohhsix Posts: 41
    Jamie I understand what you are saying , but what im saying is during your 1 hour work out you hrm doesnt subtract your bmr which for most people is 60-100 calories per hour. This is why I shut mine off and I could be totally wrong
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Hi,
    at the risk of sounding really thick, are these heart rate monitors accurate? Is it really true that after workouts, if you keep going you can really burn a significant amount of calories? I find it hard to believe but if its true I'm so getting one lol! Any advice would be appreciated.

    Thanksxx

    There is an "afterburn" after exercise--it's directly related to the the intensity of effort during the exercise session and it varies widely among individuals. However, only a couple of really high-end HRM models (e.g. $350-$400 range) can even partially track that with any degree of accuracy.

    The HRMs used by those commenting here cannot track that data, nor can they accurately track calories burned during non-aerobic exercise activity, nor do they provide any insight whatsoever into post-exercise "fat burning" activity (and, anyhow, we burn the highest percentage of fat when we are at rest). So people may enjoy looking at the post-exercise numbers, but they don't provide much in the way of real data.
  • oats4breakfast
    oats4breakfast Posts: 225
    The question in my mind is why would we want to know this ?

    Is this so you can eat back those extra calories or is it simply a "wow" factor.

    Which number goes in your diary ? 225 or 283 ?
  • Serenifly
    Serenifly Posts: 669 Member
    Sweet tip!

    Question. Does your Stop Clock have to be going on yours for it to count calories? mine does, I don't want that stupid clock going all the time! lol
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    I guess I don't understand why we wouldn't count those calories.... when you exercise and increase your heart rate, you burn more calories. So, just because you step off the treadmill or put down the weights, your heart rate is still elevated and you are burning more calories than if you weren't exercising. Basically, your heart is still exercising until you cool down.

    In my mind, it's the same thing as if you were on the treadmill and stayed on there for a 10 minute cool down (or whatever time period) after your 30 minute run. You keep walking on the treadmill and keep decreasing your pace and intensity until your heart rate comes down. Once you step off the treadmill, you would still log those 10 minutes of cool down calories.

    I'm just saying that those cool down calories are still exercise calories that you wouldn't have burned otherwise.

    The question of whether to eat the exercise calories is a personal one and seems to be hot topic on here that I'm not going to touch. And yes, I believe my stop clock has to be running for it to count the calories.

    EDIT:
    Maybe I should add that when I go to the gym, I don't have time to cool down before changing my clothes and getting back to my desk at work. So, the time period I'm speaking of IS my cool down period.
  • j_g4ever
    j_g4ever Posts: 1,925 Member
    I was told by the owner of my gym who is also a personal trainer that HRM are not needed and that they are not accurate. I have had one for almost 2 years. I was doing great while using mine to eat back those calories and I'm wondering now since I have gained all my weighted back and getting back on the weight lost wagon should I leave mine behind or put it back on and start using it again.
  • ilovemybuggy
    ilovemybuggy Posts: 1,584 Member
    Bump - got my FT7 yesterday, and used it for the first time last night! I turned mine off after my workout was done- but maybe tonight i'll leave it on :)
  • ilovemybuggy
    ilovemybuggy Posts: 1,584 Member
    I'd been thinking about this lately. I need a refresher on where the fat burning zone is though.

    me too!
  • Vansy
    Vansy Posts: 419 Member
    Interesting. My heart rate drops back down to the 80s very shortly after I finish an exercise -- even in-between circuits it drops back to 90. So I don't burn many calories unless I"m actually doing something. But that is an interesting find.
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