I need some help please....Day 1 with my HRM

WarmDontBurn
WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,258 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
So normally I use my iphone (imapmyrun) to track my calories and log them here. I got a Polar F7 yesterday and wanted to test it against my iphone. I knew to expect my HRM to be higher but I think something is screwy. Can someone please either help me set it up for me or tell me what I am doing wrong.

I went for a walk tonight. Here are my stats from my HRM

duration - 1:32:28

calories 636
45% fat

max HR - 177 93%
Avg HR - 141 74%

exec time in zone 75 - 85 -- all zeros

My resting heartrate is set at 90 - it jumps from 87-102 at times usually hovering around 98 if I am super still for a couple of minutes. As I type it is 105 -106.
HR max is set to 191 based on a couple calculators I tried online
VO2 Max is 37 by default (not sure what that is yet)

Are my setting maybe making the calorie count so high? My iphone says I burned 328 calories. That is over 300 difference.
I appreciate any help as I want this to be as accurate as it can be.

TIA

Replies

  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    I would go with the HRM, the Iphone isnt strapped to your chest... The iphone uses a more generic calculation I would image and does it actually read your HR?
  • TabiHerbalifeCoach
    TabiHerbalifeCoach Posts: 691 Member
    trust the hrm. it is based off of your body weight, height gender, and heart rate, it is much more accurate than the ipod.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,258 Member
    I am all for that and I know it is much more accurate then the iphone but really 636 calories???? That is a another whole meal!! I will have a wack of calories left over and I just can't help but think something is screwy with my settings. If not great but I just want to be sure. I did a calculation online (again I know not totally accurate) and it said I burned 471.
  • Cina04
    Cina04 Posts: 609
    Trust it!

    When I went on a walk for an hour and 30 mins I burned 750 cals
    (hills & pushing a double stroller)
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    I am all for that and I know it is much more accurate then the iphone but really 636 calories???? That is a another whole meal!! I will have a wack of calories left over and I just can't help but think something is screwy with my settings. If not great but I just want to be sure. I did a calculation online (again I know not totally accurate) and it said I burned 471.

    you walked for AN HOUR AND A HALF.. I would hope to burn more than 300 cals :)
  • Cina04
    Cina04 Posts: 609
    I am all for that and I know it is much more accurate then the iphone but really 636 calories???? That is a another whole meal!! I will have a wack of calories left over and I just can't help but think something is screwy with my settings. If not great but I just want to be sure. I did a calculation online (again I know not totally accurate) and it said I burned 471.


    remember you don't have to eat all of your exercise calories - although the days I do burn a lot I eat a little bit more than the previous day.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,258 Member
    I am all for that and I know it is much more accurate then the iphone but really 636 calories???? That is a another whole meal!! I will have a wack of calories left over and I just can't help but think something is screwy with my settings. If not great but I just want to be sure. I did a calculation online (again I know not totally accurate) and it said I burned 471.

    you walked for AN HOUR AND A HALF.. I would hope to burn more than 300 cals :)

    LOL. Ya I try to do my 5 miles without the kids!

    So 636 calories doesn't seem like a lot then for 5 miles in 1 1/2 hours?
    How do you set your VO2?
  • gabrielled
    gabrielled Posts: 247 Member
    I think you should just trust the hrm. Mine always says way more than the machines at the gym. Good job for walking an hour and a half!

    Also, I think Polar has stuff on their site about the V02.
  • gabrielled
    gabrielled Posts: 247 Member
    http://www.crosslink.net/~cherylw/V02MAX.htm

    There is a formula at the bottom of the page!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Your HRM calories are an overestimate. At your weight, walking 5mi in 90 min will burn approx 380 calories. Your HRM definitely has your max HR set too low and most likely the VO2 max is set too high. I am not sure you can manually enter your own VO2 max on an F7-there's no reference in the manual. I would change the max HR and make it at least 10 beats higher. If you can change the VO2 max or if their is a way to set a lower fitness level. It will help with the accuracy.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,258 Member
    Thanks. I can manually enter it all on the F7.

    It is hard to figure since my resting heart rate is higher then it allows. So my Max HR should be 201 instead of 191?
    What should the V02 be? It is 37 now.
  • TabiHerbalifeCoach
    TabiHerbalifeCoach Posts: 691 Member
    I am all for that and I know it is much more accurate then the iphone but really 636 calories???? That is a another whole meal!! I will have a wack of calories left over and I just can't help but think something is screwy with my settings. If not great but I just want to be sure. I did a calculation online (again I know not totally accurate) and it said I burned 471.

    The only thing I would say when eating calories back is realize that when you work out a certain number of those calories are already counted in your daily calorie burn there are websites that will help you figure out how many calories you burn an hour, other wise I would only it 50-75% of the calories back
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,258 Member
    Your HRM calories are an overestimate. At your weight, walking 5mi in 90 min will burn approx 380 calories. Your HRM definitely has your max HR set too low and most likely the VO2 max is set too high. I am not sure you can manually enter your own VO2 max on an F7-there's no reference in the manual. I would change the max HR and make it at least 10 beats higher. If you can change the VO2 max or if their is a way to set a lower fitness level. It will help with the accuracy.

    I sent you a message but haven't heard back so thought I would ask everyone else.

    I have set my Max HR to 191 and the V02 max to 20 so we will see what that does. Anyone have any advice on what these numbers should be please share :)
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,258 Member
    Ok so I didn't get very far tonight..lol...kids!

    So my HRM says that in 24 mins I burned 73 calories walking

    My iphone says that I was going about 2.21 mi/hr and burned 82 calories

    So they are closer but shouldn't my HRM be more?

    HR max = 191
    HR Sit = 90
    V02 Max = 20

    HELP :)
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Your HRM calories are an overestimate. At your weight, walking 5mi in 90 min will burn approx 380 calories. Your HRM definitely has your max HR set too low and most likely the VO2 max is set too high. I am not sure you can manually enter your own VO2 max on an F7-there's no reference in the manual. I would change the max HR and make it at least 10 beats higher. If you can change the VO2 max or if their is a way to set a lower fitness level. It will help with the accuracy.

    I sent you a message but haven't heard back so thought I would ask everyone else.

    I have set my Max HR to 191 and the V02 max to 20 so we will see what that does. Anyone have any advice on what these numbers should be please share :)


    I apologize that my schedule doesn't allow unlimited time for free consultations. Determining VO2 max can be a challenge. The only definite way is to undergo a VO2 max test, which is impractical. Or you can try a submax test. One easy one is the Rockport walk test--details and a calculation site is here:
    http://exrx.net/Calculators/Rockport.html

    There is also the 12 min run test, but that might be too much if you are not a runner. If you belong to a gym, Life Fitness treadmills have a 5 min walk test that is pretty good and easy to do. Your F7 should have a "fitness test" in which VO2max is estimated based on resting HR.

    If you don't want to do a test, you can try comparing reliable calculated number to your HRM and fine tune the numbers by changing max HR or VO2max. If you can maintain a steady pace of 17:00 per mile ( a little faster than 3.5 mph) on a level route, you should burn approx 5 cal per minute. You can calculate that and see how it matches your HRM.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,258 Member
    Your HRM calories are an overestimate. At your weight, walking 5mi in 90 min will burn approx 380 calories. Your HRM definitely has your max HR set too low and most likely the VO2 max is set too high. I am not sure you can manually enter your own VO2 max on an F7-there's no reference in the manual. I would change the max HR and make it at least 10 beats higher. If you can change the VO2 max or if their is a way to set a lower fitness level. It will help with the accuracy.

    I sent you a message but haven't heard back so thought I would ask everyone else.

    I have set my Max HR to 191 and the V02 max to 20 so we will see what that does. Anyone have any advice on what these numbers should be please share :)


    I apologize that my schedule doesn't allow unlimited time for free consultations. Determining VO2 max can be a challenge. The only definite way is to undergo a VO2 max test, which is impractical. Or you can try a submax test. One easy one is the Rockport walk test--details and a calculation site is here:
    http://exrx.net/Calculators/Rockport.html

    There is also the 12 min run test, but that might be too much if you are not a runner. If you belong to a gym, Life Fitness treadmills have a 5 min walk test that is pretty good and easy to do. Your F7 should have a "fitness test" in which VO2max is estimated based on resting HR.

    If you don't want to do a test, you can try comparing reliable calculated number to your HRM and fine tune the numbers by changing max HR or VO2max. If you can maintain a steady pace of 17:00 per mile ( a little faster than 3.5 mph) on a level route, you should burn approx 5 cal per minute. You can calculate that and see how it matches your HRM.

    Sorry didn't mean to bother you and take up your time.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories