We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

NEW NEW NEW

naguilar210
naguilar210 Posts: 88
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all,

I just bought a new 'basic' heart rate monitor. Nothing fancy, was about $45.00, got the usual alarm, stopwatch, calorie counter.
I have a couple of questions. While using this yesterday, I found that I have been undercalculating the amount of calories that I burn when I exercise (usually go by what machines say which of course I know have not been the most accurate anyway).
My HRM showed that I burned off about 150 more calories than what was shown on the machine!
Okay, so obviously I would be going off of what my HRM shows, but I have a question. Since my heart rate is obviously still UP after Im off the treadmill, at what point do I stop counting the calories from that workout? When it goes back to my resting heartrate? Is there a certain percentage that I reach when I no longer count them towards my daily workout? Or should I just stop the count when I step off the treadmill?

Your responses will be greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • I don't know if I'm doing it right, but I stop at the point I stop working out. I figure if I'm still burning for a little while after that it's an extra bonus and it's much easier to track.
  • I always trusted my heart rate monitor more than anything else, since it was connected directly to me.
  • springgrl
    springgrl Posts: 168 Member
    I usually stop as soon as my body is starting to relax - usually around 100 bpm. That is usually no more than a minute or so after I stop working out.
  • dwarfer22
    dwarfer22 Posts: 358 Member
    I agree w/ Losergirl. I hit stop the second I step off the treadmill. And like she says, anything above and beyond is a bonus or cushion that I set for myself incase my INTAKE cals are a little off. Probably won't mess up your totals one way or the other but I tend to underestimate burned cals and round up eaten cals.

    Good luck!
  • bpayne78
    bpayne78 Posts: 249 Member
    I'm another person who stops my HRM when I stop working out. I do Insanity and Turbo Fire and as soon as the cool down is done I stop my HRM. It's just a convenient time to stop it and I don't have to keep watching it to see for a certain percentage/HR and possibly lose track. The afterburn of those two workouts continue for a lot longer than the workout so I'm getting a large cushion that I don't count.
  • Hello! :) I saw a video that said after a cardio workout we continue to burn a elevated number of calories for up to 24 hours after the workout! I LOVE IT!!! I don't have a HRM so I just go by what the machine says which means that when I stop moving it stops counting burned calories. I like to think that if I had a HRM I would do the same. I like the thought from above where you just consider it an extra little bonus. :flowerforyou: HAPPY CALORIE COUNTING!!!!!
  • jrlenig
    jrlenig Posts: 364 Member
    I stop mine when I am done working out, after my cool down and if my heart rate is till up then great!
  • Where did you buy your HRM?
  • jrlenig
    jrlenig Posts: 364 Member
    The first one I got was manual from Wal-Mart within my budget like 25 dollars, I just got a Body Bugg for sweetest day, my manual HRM pretty accurate though, I got mine off of ebay for 99 dollars. Kind of wish I didn't seems like a little bit of waste
This discussion has been closed.