Polar FT4 how accurate?

una2282
una2282 Posts: 48 Member
in Getting Started
For those of you who have the Polar FT4, how accurately do you think it is at counting calories? I feel like sometimes it is counting them super high and i don't feel like i have done that much. I did check the heart rate monitory accuracy by comparing it to the ones i had at work ( i am a veterinary technician) and it is spot on with the medical machines.

I have been pretty much logging whatever the elliptical tells me i burned as opposed to the FT4. I would like to log what FT4 tells me if it is accurate because it would give me a better idea of what i am burning on daily basis.

What are your thoughts?

Replies

  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    It's best for steady state cardio, otherwise it can over estimate.
  • amypet469
    amypet469 Posts: 8 Member
    In my experience the Polar FT4 says I burn far fewer calories on the elipitcal than the eliptical says I do. I asked the trainer and the nutritionist and they both assure me the Polar FT4 is accurate. At any rate, burning calories and keeping my heart rate up are the goals, the pure number of calories burned is just a way of measuring.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    It's best for steady state cardio, otherwise it can over estimate.

    Actually it pretty much ONLY works for cardio, definitely not for weight lifting or for wearing all day. But yes, it should be better than what the machine is telling you.
  • Rabid_Hamster
    Rabid_Hamster Posts: 338 Member
    I find it much more accurate. I noticed the elliptical reporting 10% higher calorie expenditure versus the Ft4. Considering I don't like blind time calculations, I'll trust the HRM over what MFP says for my lifting work-outs too...
  • ChrissyBee23
    ChrissyBee23 Posts: 1
    I have the same HRM and I've gaged it against the Elliptical and treadmills at my local Gym and the HR itself is pretty spot on with what the machines say, and the calorie burn is also very similar. If I had to choose which to log daily, then I would take the lower number. Worse case scenario being you burned MORE calories than you thought you did. :wink: I have not tried this monitor in water but I hear that the readings don't reflect accurately while swimming on other models that include the chest strap.
  • una2282
    una2282 Posts: 48 Member
    I was noticing that too! but i don't know for you, even with cardio it tells me that i am burning 100+ cal then the elliptical! How odd!
  • una2282
    una2282 Posts: 48 Member
    In my experience the Polar FT4 says I burn far fewer calories on the elipitcal than the eliptical says I do. I asked the trainer and the nutritionist and they both assure me the Polar FT4 is accurate. At any rate, burning calories and keeping my heart rate up are the goals, the pure number of calories burned is just a way of measuring.

    That's interesting, it tells me the opposite which is what made me wonder!
  • una2282
    una2282 Posts: 48 Member
    It's best for steady state cardio, otherwise it can over estimate.

    Actually it pretty much ONLY works for cardio, definitely not for weight lifting or for wearing all day. But yes, it should be better than what the machine is telling you.

    I like what the polar 4 tells me, it usually estimates i do more than what elliptical says, If that's the case i will gladly go with it! :D
  • una2282
    una2282 Posts: 48 Member
    I have the same HRM and I've gaged it against the Elliptical and treadmills at my local Gym and the HR itself is pretty spot on with what the machines say, and the calorie burn is also very similar. If I had to choose which to log daily, then I would take the lower number. Worse case scenario being you burned MORE calories than you thought you did. :wink: I have not tried this monitor in water but I hear that the readings don't reflect accurately while swimming on other models that include the chest strap.


    Good to know, I wonder why mine is so far off from what the elliptical tells me, based on the FT4 i am always burning about 150 cal more than what the elliptical says i am.
  • Keefypoos
    Keefypoos Posts: 231 Member
    it calculates on a range between 100 beats per minutes to 150 beats per minute higher or lower than that the formula used is inaccurate
  • Trez32
    Trez32 Posts: 84 Member
    I'm right there with you, for some reason my FT4 shows that i'm burning more calories then what the ellipitical shows. Very rarely it will be vice versa. I've been using the calories my FT4 says and so far still losing so I cant complain :smile:
  • xxghost
    xxghost Posts: 4,697 Member
    My FT4 is accurate. Occasionally, it will tell me I'm burning more than the treadmill says, but that's when I'm really hoofing it. I'm a big person, and it doesn't take much to get and keep my heart rate up. I really haven't had any huge problems.
  • pjs2780
    pjs2780 Posts: 41 Member
    My FT4 shows about 200 calories less than the cardio machines. I am short, and I think the machines assume an average height person. For me, the FT4 lines up with what MFP pre-calculates, and since both know my height/weight (machines never ask for height), I go with the lower numbers. Since doing that, my weight loss has been steadier. So -- if you are on the taller side, the elliptical might underestimate, and if you're shorter, it might overestimate.
  • RadicalGrace22
    RadicalGrace22 Posts: 12 Member
    Hello,
    I can tell you if you are heavy, and you stay at a lower heart rate you will burn a lot of calories. We have been taught that we need to be huffing/gasping for air and sweating profusely to be getting "a really good workout". I am learning that quite the opposite is true.
    I challenged the amounts that MFP listed for me for a 35 min bike ride. It was really large (645 calories) !! Sounded too good to be true. So before I started partying.....I went out and bought a HRM watch with a chest strap. Well guess what, MFP was fairly accurate.
    The more overweight one is, the higher the calories burned. As we drop weight, our bodies will become more efficient at working out and we may need to work harder for the same calorie burn.

    Trust your Polar numbers if you are consistently coming under calories and losing at least 2 pounds a week. You've earned it!

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