Tracking Calories w/ HRM

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laurenmanderson1
laurenmanderson1 Posts: 113 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone have any suggestions for a HRM with a chest strap that accurately tracks calories burned?

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  • cmbauer99
    cmbauer99 Posts: 184 Member
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    I use the Polar HT7 Bluetooth sensor and strap, it syncs to my phone and also my Polar Loop.

    Seems to track calories pretty dang close
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    What activities do you plan on doing while using the HRM?
  • laurenmanderson1
    laurenmanderson1 Posts: 113 Member
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    I box and run/strength train.
  • laurenmanderson1
    laurenmanderson1 Posts: 113 Member
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    Thanks cmbauer99, I will have to look into that one!
  • tmjdunn
    tmjdunn Posts: 77 Member
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    I use a bare bones Polar HRM and then use a calorie burn calulator online. This is the one that I use:
    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx

    The link leads to a calculator for your gross calorie burn. Then I take that number and follow a link to their net calorie burn calculator. It isn't quite as simple as having a readout on the HRM watch but it works.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    I box and run/strength train.

    The only one of those three activities that you'll get something close to an accurate estimate for from a HRM is running ... assuming you do that at a relatively constant or gradually transitioning effort level. The formulas only apply to certain steady state cardio events where lab testing demonstrated a link between exertion levels, heart rate, oxygen uptake, and burn.

    For anything interval based ... boxing, sprints, HIIT ... the formulas used don't work accurately due to the elevated heart rate while no longer performing at increased exertion levels. For lifting, HRMs are only good to tell you what your heart rate is ... not the caloric burn because the relationship between VO2, caloric burn, heart rate, etc is not established for that activity (and it varies so widely from person to person that it is unlikely to ever have a simple formula that companies can plug into a HRM).
  • laurenmanderson1
    laurenmanderson1 Posts: 113 Member
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    That is really interesting, I never thought about the science behind the HRM. Thank you for explaining all of that information.

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