MFP vs HRM

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deejaycee114
deejaycee114 Posts: 139 Member
in Getting Started
Ok guys, I have a question. I wore a HRM for the first time today during my workout (Billy Blank's Tae Bo Cardio Circuit DVD). The HRM beeped several times asking me to check my strap which was FINE! It wasn't lose, it was still on snuggly, but the HRM kept resetting. After I was done (35 minutes), it showed I burned 244 calories but when I look it up on MFP and sparkpeople.com, based on my weight, I burned a little over double what my HRM says. Which should I log? How can I tell if my HRM is accurate? Thanks!

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  • LisaMfit4life
    LisaMfit4life Posts: 567 Member
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    Hi! If you programmed your HRM correctly than what you want to do is go by what your HRM states. As far as the beeping that is because you're heart rate is going up. The HRM is going to be the most accurate and that is what you should log. Machines and websites are not the best way to be accurate. Hope this helps!
  • teamAmelia
    teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
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    You said that your HRM was snug, but did you see if your HRM was actually tracking or showed an actual HR? That's normally why mine beeps. I don't think that yours was tracking at the time. I would go with what MFP says and I'm assuming that you're going to redo the workout. Your burn should be about the same if you're putting in the same amt of effort. Just compare the numbers.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    What brand/model of HRM do you have (for instance, I have a Polar FT4)? This may make a huge difference in the advice you get, not all HRMs are made the same.
  • deejaycee114
    deejaycee114 Posts: 139 Member
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    teamAmelia: Yes, it did look like it was still tracking my HR. After resetting, it would jump back up to a number, but then go back to zero after beeping. I do plan on redoing the workout tomorrow with the same effort. :)

    LisaMfit4life: Thanks for the reply. I had always read that HRMs are best, but with such a huge difference between that and the web site, I wanted to be sure I logged the correct number. Lol. :)
  • deejaycee114
    deejaycee114 Posts: 139 Member
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    MinnieInMaine: I have a Polar FT7.
  • ThriceBlessed
    ThriceBlessed Posts: 499 Member
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    Most of the time a HRM is going to be more accurate than MFP, in fact, I feel that MFP GREATLY exaggerates calorie burn for many activities. For example, MFP will tell me I burned 1000 calories on my elliptical, but I have a bodymedia arm band and I'll see that I actually burned around 600. Since the armband only has a margin of error of around 4% for most people, that means MFP is telling me I'm burning a lot more.

    That's why I will sometimes suggest to people who aren't losing that they stop eating back ALL of their exercise calories, and instead eat back only about 1/3-1/2 of them to compensate for inaccurate calorie burn estimates.
  • deejaycee114
    deejaycee114 Posts: 139 Member
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    Thanks, ThriceBlessed! :)
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    My HRM beeps when heart rate goes above "the zone".

    HRMs, arm bands, MFP...all of them have large errors unless you know what you're doing. Unless you are already fit, take the lowest value you can find, cut it in half, and use that as a starting point.

    @Thrice - there is no way you are burning 600 calories on the elliptical.
  • Lizabelle1212
    Lizabelle1212 Posts: 252 Member
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    I like to do Tae Bo, also, and I always go by my HRM. The calories MFP says you burn are extremely out of proportion with how many you actually burn doing TaeBo. I've also worn my HRM while on the elliptical at the gym, and the machine displays a calorie count way higher than my HRM, as well. Everything I've read/heard states that, although there is no 100% accurate way to track calories burned, the HRM is the most accurate. I would say MFP is probably the least accurate way to track, because with machines, for example, they at least know how fast you're going, etc. Hope this helps.

    *Edit - I should also add that I have a Polar HRM, and it beeps when I am either below or above the "In Zone" range for my height, weight, age. Tae Bo usually takes me above the range, but not too far. My HRM does tend to beep pretty much the entire time because of this, though.
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
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    In my experience MFP over-estimates calorie burn compared to my HRM by at least 50% and often 100%. Its got less accurate as I've got significantly fitter, I assume that's because it just uses age, weight & height for its estimates and for my weight I'm now pretty fit (eg can run non-stop for over an hour without stopping). I use my HRM figures and eat back my exercise cals and am losing a steady 2lbs a week so trust my HRM data for cardio. No method is perfect but I think consistency is important eg always use your HRM or MFP, don't 'mix & match'. Track what you 'should' be losing based on your calorie deficit and if over a couple of months its significantly different to what you expect (and you're weighing, measuring & logging food accurately) then re-evaluate.
  • deejaycee114
    deejaycee114 Posts: 139 Member
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    thanks, guys, for your replies! :)
  • DymonNdaRgh40
    DymonNdaRgh40 Posts: 661 Member
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    When I first used the HRM with the chest strap it took me some time to get it in the right place. I have the Polar FT60. It would often beep letting me know to check my HRM, cannot read heart rate. I finally found the perfect spot which is right above the breast and pretty close to my heart and now it reads fine. Your HRM will be more accurate than MFP, you just have to make sure you're wearing correctly.
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
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    In my experience MFP over-estimates calorie burn compared to my HRM by at least 50% and often 100%. Its got less accurate as I've got significantly fitter.

    ^^This! Other apps like runtastic or the counters on the cardio maschines (+30%) overestimate my burns too. MFP however is normally over the moon! Maybe the burns are good for the average man...but what is that? I'm a short woman...

    I only go by my HRM and I only eat about 2/3 of those cals back.
  • deejaycee114
    deejaycee114 Posts: 139 Member
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    I went ahead and logged based on the HRM. I'm redoing the workout tomorrow morning, so I'll see if I get the same results.
  • laurie41565
    laurie41565 Posts: 64 Member
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    I would definitely go with the HRM since it's a Polar because they are pretty accurate. I have a FT7 and I was going by what the machine said before I purchased it and boy what a difference in calorie burn!! I was using a Bowflex Treadclimer and it was saying I burned 495 calories in a half hour when my hrm stated only 150 so yeah way off!! I did it for a few days just to be sure and got same result. So glad I purchased it because my calorie burn was way overestimated on everything I did.
  • ThriceBlessed
    ThriceBlessed Posts: 499 Member
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    @Thrice - there is no way you are burning 600 calories on the elliptical.

    That is quite a bit of assumption going on, since you have no idea how long I was on it. I weigh 238 pounds, I stay on elliptical for an hour, 600 is actually low, I rounded down.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
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    I have the Polar FT4 and I enter my age, weight...etc...my calories burnt are always way UNDER what MFP says..i have to adjust the amount of time I worked out...for example today I played tennis for 3 hours...however an hour of it was not really anything more then slow movements...I entered the time that equaled the amount of calories my HRM said I burned...I actually usually deduct 100 from it. also just to be on the safe side..
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
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    @Thrice - there is no way you are burning 600 calories on the elliptical.

    That is quite a bit of assumption going on, since you have no idea how long I was on it. I weigh 238 pounds, I stay on elliptical for an hour, 600 is actually low, I rounded down.

    Agreed. I burn approx 380 cals in 30mins on the elliptical at a similar weight.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    @deejaycee114

    Did you wet the chest strap per the directions?

    Make sure the strap isn't "too" snug. I've had mine too tight before and it seems to mess the signal up just as bad as if it were too loose. Sometimes it takes a bit of messing around with it to get it just right.

    P.S. Just want to add in that the 600 cal burn for Thrice sounds about right to me. I only weigh 170 but if I've got the resistance high enough and really push it I could even get close to that for an hour's work!

    P.P.S. My Polar FT4 went a little wonky on me today - took a while to actually pick up my heart beat then kicked off a couple times during my 45 minute workout. What I normally get about 400 for, it said I only got a little over 300. I still logged it as 400. :)
  • ThriceBlessed
    ThriceBlessed Posts: 499 Member
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    In my experience MFP over-estimates calorie burn compared to my HRM by at least 50% and often 100%. Its got less accurate as I've got significantly fitter.

    ^^This! Other apps like runtastic or the counters on the cardio maschines (+30%) overestimate my burns too. MFP however is normally over the moon! Maybe the burns are good for the average man...but what is that? I'm a short woman...

    I only go by my HRM and I only eat about 2/3 of those cals back.

    The problem with ANY online estimate, or mathematical formula just based on activity, height, weight, age, gender, etc. is that they have no way to determine the kind of effort you are putting out. For example, if I get on the elliptical, and just sort of mildly cruise along for 30 minutes, or if I get on and go full speed, pouring down sweat for 30 minutes, I will get very different burns. Any formula that doesn't measure some kind of data from your actual body will at best be depending on your subjective opinion of your effort and intensity level, if it takes it into consideration at all.

    Arm bands, heart rate monitors, fit bits, etc. All at least in some way measure your actual exertion or motion. The heart rate monitor measures how much your heart rate increases, something directly tied to your level of exertion, the arm band measures motion, body temperature, perspiration, and heat flux (how quickly heat is leaving your skin.) The fit bit measures motion. All of them have a better chance at accuracy than any estimate based solely on activity and body type.

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