HRM/Calorie Counting - when to take reading?

Alycyn1980
Alycyn1980 Posts: 62 Member
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
I have a Calorie counter watch/HRM that I use when exercising. When should I be taking my pulse with this after exercising to get an accurate rate of calories lost? Should this be as soon as I stop so that heart rate is very high or wait a couple of minutes to allow it to settle a bit? I just took it straight after exercising and had burned 394 in half hour then took it again after a minute or so and it had dropped to 183. Would like to know this as I dont want to be kidding myself about how well I am doing. :huh:

Thanks :happy:

Replies

  • H_82
    H_82 Posts: 418 Member
    Maybe I'm confused or something, but my HRM keeps counting until I stop it. And I usually wait til my HR gets back down to say 100ish (which doesn't take long) before writing down the calories burned.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    I'm thinking it's the kind without a chest strap, that's why its different.
    You just touch the watch and it tells you your heart rate.

    Those are VERY VERY inaccurate. There is no good way to get a calorie count from those, it's just going to be off, no matter what.

    You need the kind with the chest strap that monitors your heart rate the entire time you are exercising and once you are done you press stop and it tells you how long and how many calories.

    Go look up Polar Heart Rate Monitor on Amazon.:smile:
  • dmaynie
    dmaynie Posts: 3
    I use a watch that you have to touch and the calorie output is consistent with the weight loss each week. I would think it is pretty accurate as a result. At any rate, when working out I take my HR every 5-10 minutes. 350+ is not uncommon for about 30 minutes of working out depending on what it is you are doing. If it is intense like say p90x then you shouldn't expect any less. I cant reason why your output would be higher one moment and then lower the next. Could you have possibly read your HR (at 183) and mistaked it for calories burned?
  • Alycyn1980
    Alycyn1980 Posts: 62 Member
    Thanks all, the watch I have is a touch sensor and you just touch the side and the calories come up after about 10secs. I have never thought it to be that unaccurate but I was just wondering what other people thought. I might try that Polar one that was recommended - once I have the pennies!!!
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