Heart rate monitor/work out machines calorie burn

ckaczmar
ckaczmar Posts: 7
edited September 22 in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone know why the eliptical trainer at the gym would say I burned 600 calories and my heart monitor said I only burned 344 calories. Both showed the same heart rate during the duration of excersies. The my fitnesspal for 55 minutes usually shows closer to the eliptical traniner at the gym. Which do I go by?

On the stairmaster I ran into the same thing that the heart rate monitor gave a lower calorie burn, but not as drastic of a difference. I did not place the age and weight in the two machines at the gynm and only did the quick start. But my heart rate monitor which is new I do have the info such as age, weight and resting test in it.

I would appreciate any insight.

Replies

  • lyla29
    lyla29 Posts: 3,549 Member
    I had the same problem. I always go with my HRM since it has my info in it and can continually check my heart rate.
  • SweatpantsHematoma
    SweatpantsHematoma Posts: 11 Member
    I've heard that sometimes those machines affect the accuracy of the monitor. I don't really know how though. I'd go with the one that tells you more calories were burned. ;)
  • lyla29
    lyla29 Posts: 3,549 Member
    You can get an HRM that doesn't interfere with other people's HRM's when you go to the gym so it depends on which one you have :smile:
  • dmcg123
    dmcg123 Posts: 14 Member
    I'm not an expert, but I believe the Polar monitor is more accurate than the readouts on fitness equipment. For starters, if you don't provide an age and weight, the machine will use default parameters which may or may not even remotely resemble your parameters. And, consider the effect of use and maintenance; most machines get frequent use and are maintained, but not always the same way you probably maintain your own HR monitor. A clean sensor will provide better data than a dirty one every time...
  • ckaczmar
    ckaczmar Posts: 7
    Thank you for the insight. I am going by my heart monitor which is the kind you mentioned. I would rather be safe and go by the lower calorie burn. I might also try placing the info int eh machines to see if they produce a closer calorie count.
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