I've lost confidence in my HRM and calorie estimates

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  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Mine completely sabotaged my weight loss...i gained EVERYTHING back that i lost before i wore it. It took me a bit to clue in that I wasn't burning 1000 calories at a work out, but by then it was to late and i was 15lbs heavier. Now i just wear it as an expensive timer. I was pee'd right off. I just use MFP and I've lost my 15lbs again, so I'm back to where I was before. I'm sorry I wouldn't recommend a HRM to anyone anymore, I don't care the make and model. There are tons of calculators on the internet that can help you figure out how many calories you've burned. I just use MFP and I have a whole lot more respect for this site now than I did before.

    The internet calculators all ignore the fitness factor, they don't factor in that in 2 months doing the same thing you will burn less, which you will, but the calculations will tell you, you are still burning the same amount as you did 2 months ago (assuming you did not lose any weight)
  • lawdhelpme2
    lawdhelpme2 Posts: 149
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    What kind of HRM do you have? They make different ones, and I heard the ones with the chest straps are more accurate.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    yeah well they work better than the stupid HRM that I have...
  • givprayz
    givprayz Posts: 328
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    givprayz,

    One more thing, did you set it up for your level of fitness? That makes a difference too, the settings on the HRM. But, yeah, it's not meant for daily activity - get a Body Bugg type device for that.
    But while on the subject of estimates, the calories given for foods that are measured any way but by weight are also crazy inaccurate. I wish those could be deleted from the database

    A $20 food scale on Amazon takes the guesswork out of this.


    I think you are agreeing with me, but I'm not sure. I am a nurse and I've taught "estimating" to nursing students and residents, and people are terribly inaccurate at estimating the volume of anything.
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
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    Mine completely sabotaged my weight loss...i gained EVERYTHING back that i lost before i wore it. It took me a bit to clue in that I wasn't burning 1000 calories at a work out, but by then it was to late and i was 15lbs heavier. Now i just wear it as an expensive timer. I was pee'd right off. I just use MFP and I've lost my 15lbs again, so I'm back to where I was before. I'm sorry I wouldn't recommend a HRM to anyone anymore, I don't care the make and model. There are tons of calculators on the internet that can help you figure out how many calories you've burned. I just use MFP and I have a whole lot more respect for this site now than I did before.

    Not to be mean, but how did you get up 15 lbs before realizing that something was off and adjusting. I don't think you can strictly blame a HRM.

    My polar is very accurate, though I watch my #s and round up or down as needed.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    I loved my HRM...before I lost it. Working on a replacement.

    However, what I think is a MUST have is a food scale. You can buy a cheap one at a hardware store for $11 (a shipping scale does the same thing)

    Food Scale + HRM + MFP = Success!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,121 Member
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    givprayz,

    One more thing, did you set it up for your level of fitness? That makes a difference too, the settings on the HRM. But, yeah, it's not meant for daily activity - get a Body Bugg type device for that.
    But while on the subject of estimates, the calories given for foods that are measured any way but by weight are also crazy inaccurate. I wish those could be deleted from the database

    A $20 food scale on Amazon takes the guesswork out of this.


    I think you are agreeing with me, but I'm not sure. I am a nurse and I've taught "estimating" to nursing students and residents, and people are terribly inaccurate at estimating the volume of anything.

    Yes I was agreeing with you!

    On the HRM, I was kinda saying what accountant_boi said above. Make sure you have the HRM set to your VO2 level, your age, your correct weight. Then get rid of the Timex and buy a Polar :wink:

    Here's my favorite (lengthy) explanation, it goes into depth on what we are saying here:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472



    I love my food scale.....it made a big difference. But be careful if you tend to obsess over stuff. Being able to measure to within a gram can get those perfection juices flowing.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
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    I use a FitBit and it has proven to be extremely accurate. I am graphing my daily deficit based on what I log to eat here and my FitBit and my weight loss is right where it should be, based on the cumulative deficit / 3500 calories.

    I've learned that, during intense exercise, I burn a lot less than the machines at the gym or MFP says. But rather, overall, I burn about 200-300 more calories a day during normal activities than MFP estimates.

    My choice of the FitBit was based on wanting a device to measure every day living energy usage (and cost), vs measuring how much I burn during just aerobics or intense exercise.
  • IsMollyReallyHungry
    IsMollyReallyHungry Posts: 15,385 Member
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    On the HRM, I was kinda saying what accountant_boi said above. Make sure you have the HRM set to your VO2 level, your age, your correct weight. Then get rid of the Timex and buy a Polar :wink:

    Here's my favorite (lengthy) explanation, it goes into depth on what we are saying here:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472

    I so loved Azdak lenghty explaination! I read it before.....:-)
  • caprica
    caprica Posts: 80 Member
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    all of these devices, such as HRMs, BodyBugs, the machine at the gym, the MFP calculator, etc are giving you nothing more than an estimate and each has its pros and cons. To get an accurate estimate you would need to live your life in one of those rooms that measure your calorie consumption from the oxygen levels.

    My general observation is we usually over estimate the benefit of any exercise and underestimate the calories we consume. To compensate for this I look at the lowest estimate given to me and use that. For example, 30 mins on the eliptical trainer with a heart rate monitor yesterday estimated 340 cals burned. MFP estimates 401 calories. My bodymedia fit estimated 205. I used the 205 estimate.
  • IsMollyReallyHungry
    IsMollyReallyHungry Posts: 15,385 Member
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    all of these devices, such as HRMs, BodyBugs, the machine at the gym, the MFP calculator, etc are giving you nothing more than an estimate and each has its pros and cons. To get an accurate estimate you would need to live your life in one of those rooms that measure your calorie consumption from the oxygen levels.

    My general observation is we usually over estimate the benefit of any exercise and underestimate the calories we consume. To compensate for this I look at the lowest estimate given to me and use that. For example, 30 mins on the eliptical trainer with a heart rate monitor yesterday estimated 340 cals burned. MFP estimates 401 calories. My bodymedia fit estimated 205. I used the 205 estimate.

    So very true.
  • FitPhysique
    FitPhysique Posts: 284 Member
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    Costco has Bodymedia Fit on sale for 149.99 and from what I heard they are more accurate. I bought an New balance one last week thrusday and I am returning it to ge the body media.
  • FitPhysique
    FitPhysique Posts: 284 Member
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    Caprica. From Reading the reviews and speaking with 2 other ppl that have been using the bosymedia over the last couple of weeks. When you are on a stationary equipment like ellipticals, bikes, treadmill etc the reading is more accurate if the band is use on the calf rather than the arm. Try that and see if you get that big of a difference.
  • FitPhysique
    FitPhysique Posts: 284 Member
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    I always feel like mine grossly underestimates my calories burned. After a 45 minute run, it said i only burned 320 calories, NO WAY! My HR was at 91-96% almost the entire time! MFP said I burned 479 calories...so I have just been averaging the two...
    How many miles are you doing during that time? If you want to estimate, a person usually burns 100 calories/mile.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    Caprica. From Reading the reviews and speaking with 2 other ppl that have been using the bosymedia over the last couple of weeks. When you are on a stationary equipment like ellipticals, bikes, treadmill etc the reading is more accurate if the band is use on the calf rather than the arm. Try that and see if you get that big of a difference.

    I'm curious - how do these people know that it is more accurate when used on the calf? How do they know that it's not their expectations that are wrong, rather than the reading? Instructions for the BodyMedia Fit make it clear that this device is designed/calibrated to be worn on the left upper arm. Wearing it anywhere else compromises the accuracy of the data.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    I use a FitBit and it has proven to be extremely accurate. I am graphing my daily deficit based on what I log to eat here and my FitBit and my weight loss is right where it should be, based on the cumulative deficit / 3500 calories.

    I've learned that, during intense exercise, I burn a lot less than the machines at the gym or MFP says. But rather, overall, I burn about 200-300 more calories a day during normal activities than MFP estimates.

    My choice of the FitBit was based on wanting a device to measure every day living energy usage (and cost), vs measuring how much I burn during just aerobics or intense exercise.

    Ditto.

    I gave in to my love of all things gadgety and had one imported from the States (they are not sold in the UK.) I don't use it to track energy expenditure from any kind of exercise but simply my activity of day to day life. In my opinion, HRM are an excellent tool for assessing fitness goals.However, if you are relying on them to give you any kind of accurate account of calories burned during exercise then be very careful unless you have a high end one. Even then I could take the readings with a large pinch of salt.

    I have to say I really like Fitbit. It gives out some useful data and is relatively inexpensive. I used to think that I was relatively sedenatry outside of the gym when in reality I am much more active then I thought. In addition, I know with some degree of certainty my maintenance level of calories per day without exercise and the Fitbit calculation was suprisingly close to it. It's nice to have what I know to be true confirmed.

    Look out for Green Goose sensors though. They are being released soon and only cost $24. Oh, how I wish I lived in the US sometimes...

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