Confused - Got a HRM today - big difference why?

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cath1024
cath1024 Posts: 79 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone!
I am a newbie as of 2 days ago and think this site is realy going to help me lose the 20 lbs or even more i need to lose to make me feel good about myself!

I wanted to ask a question about Heart Rate Monitors - i walk uphill incline on my treadmill for 35 mins "almost" daily and have always just used the heart rate sensor on the treadmill and went by the calories it showed i was burning.
When i started this site the calories the treadmaill was showing and the calories the search feature on this site was showing were pretty dead on.

Well today i used my HRM for the first time - did the exact same thing i usually do on my treadmill and the calories burned were way different!
HRM showed i burnt 488 in the 35 mins and the search feature on this site only shows 287 - thats 200 calorie difference!

What do you think is correct? 488 just seems pretty high as i am used to only seeing around 250-300.

anyone else find this when comparing HRM to the site?

Thanks!!
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Replies

  • sandram82
    sandram82 Posts: 615 Member
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    HRM with a chest strap is much more accurate than a machine or this site!!!
  • Shelle68
    Shelle68 Posts: 432 Member
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    I am interested in other's input on this one. I have wondered if that was possible. Hope you find your answers.
  • autumn13
    autumn13 Posts: 295
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    Everyone body is different..I could do the same thing and burn less..Just depends on the person...Go with the HRM.
  • Gargoyle69
    Gargoyle69 Posts: 87 Member
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    average the two if you don't have confidence in a single source
  • cath1024
    cath1024 Posts: 79 Member
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    i was thinking that the HRM would be alot more acurrate but does that not seem pretty high - 488 alories for 35 mins walking at 3.0 on inclines of 2,3,4, and 5?
  • ramseyrose
    ramseyrose Posts: 421 Member
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    The HRM takes into account your age, weight and sex so is far more accurate. Mine always says I have burned more than the treadmill.

    You will find this site brilliant and you will easily lose 20lb.

    A word of advice, take your measurements. Many people including myself have found that the scale sometimes doesnt move but the inches do.

    Good luck
  • cath1024
    cath1024 Posts: 79 Member
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    ok my HRM didnt ask for my weight - just had to put in my age and sex - is that mean i didnt get a good one? I didnt want nothing fancy - just to show my calories burned heart rate so i thought this cheaper one would do the job just fine. I still paid $50 so it must be half decent wouldnt you think?
  • melbhall
    melbhall Posts: 519
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    I agree with the poster who said you could average the two numbers if you don't trust the numbers your HRM says...but I totally trust mine. I have one with a chest strap and I believe every calorie it says is burned. I find that MFP way underestimated my calorie burn when pushing a stroller and walking, but seemed pretty dead on when I was on the elliptical...

    I also agree with whoever said to take measurements. I wish I had. My scale was slow moving, but I was feeling better and better about my body...too bad I had nothing to compare it to.
  • bethikabob
    bethikabob Posts: 128 Member
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    Does it have a chest strap? and what kind is it? I read some reviews about a timex that said it was consistently overestimating calories burned.
  • chelsifina
    chelsifina Posts: 346 Member
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    My trainer said that the heart rate monitor is more accurate, as its calibrated to you, your gender, and your weight. They way that I think about it, the one job of the HR monitor is to figure out how much you are exerting yourself in each minute, each second of your workout. The job of the cardio machine is to help you move around, and calorie count is secondary. As far as MFP goes, it cannot account for variations of exertion during your workout.
  • cath1024
    cath1024 Posts: 79 Member
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    no it doesnt have a chest strap - i didnt realy want the chest strap ones - i know i have read they are more acurrate but just my preference.
    It is made by sportsline - i bought it for $50 at walmart here in Canada.
  • AdamATGATT
    AdamATGATT Posts: 573 Member
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    i was thinking that the HRM would be alot more acurrate but does that not seem pretty high - 488 alories for 35 mins walking at 3.0 on inclines of 2,3,4, and 5?

    Depends on the person and their physical fitness level.
  • Seesaa
    Seesaa Posts: 451
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    hrm should be based on your age atleast and perhaps your weight and if you are walking on an incline you are working hard. so i'd say it's pretty right. I can do a walking dvd and not burn as much as if i go out side and walk up and down hills in the same amount of time.

    this site is just an average to go buy, it doesn't work with your weight or age. only so much it can do with out knowing how much effort you actually put out.
  • Nomomush
    Nomomush Posts: 582 Member
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    The most accurate HRM takes your height, weight, and age into consideration. The more information you add that is specific to you, the more accurate it will be. The machines you use for exercise gives the average amount of calories burned. I don't know about you but I have never fit into anything average. lol

    For $50, you could get an HRM that takes your height, weight, and age and will give you the most accurate reading. If you're able, return the HRM for another that has the following:

    Chest strap
    age entry
    weight entry
    height entry
    calories burned count

    There are more HRMs that have more features but that's going to be up to you.

    Hope this helps
  • Ajrydson
    Ajrydson Posts: 2 Member
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    Some heart rate monitors have you program the type of exercise to calculate total calories burned. This way it can calculate difference on intensity of exercises. Look at your manual that came with it and see if that is what is making the numbers high. I know if it is set on biking you are going to burn more calories faster than walking on the treadmill. Hope that helps.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,238 Member
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    see below.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,238 Member
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    no it doesnt have a chest strap - i didnt realy want the chest strap ones - i know i have read they are more acurrate but just my preference.
    It is made by sportsline - i bought it for $50 at walmart here in Canada.

    Without the chest strap it is pretty much useless for calculating calories. You must have constant monitoring of your heart rate for any meaningful calorie count. Think a moment and you will see why. To calculate you calories used, the watch uses a formula based on your heart rate. While you work out your heart rate is going up and down all the time. If you happen to touch it for a heart rate and your heart rate is really high at that moment, but drops down in a few seconds after the watch takes it, the watch doesn't know that without the strap. Instead it works from that high heart rate that is not correct. I would advise you to take it back and get one with a chest strap.

    My Sportline with chest strap has you input age, height, weight, gender.
  • Isa25
    Isa25 Posts: 46
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    The most accurate HRM takes your height, weight, and age into consideration. The more information you add that is specific to you, the more accurate it will be. The machines you use for exercise gives the average amount of calories burned. I don't know about you but I have never fit into anything average. lol

    For $50, you could get an HRM that takes your height, weight, and age and will give you the most accurate reading. If you're able, return the HRM for another that has the following:

    Chest strap
    age entry
    weight entry
    height entry
    calories burned count

    There are more HRMs that have more features but that's going to be up to you.

    Hope this helps

    Totally agree! Sounds like you'll need to return the one you got for a better, more accurate HRM that let's your input more info and has a chest strap. It DOES make a huge difference and is totally worth the little bit more it will cost.
  • denimandroses
    denimandroses Posts: 43
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    The most accurate HRM takes your height, weight, and age into consideration. The more information you add that is specific to you, the more accurate it will be. The machines you use for exercise gives the average amount of calories burned. I don't know about you but I have never fit into anything average. lol

    For $50, you could get an HRM that takes your height, weight, and age and will give you the most accurate reading. If you're able, return the HRM for another that has the following:

    Chest strap
    age entry
    weight entry
    height entry
    calories burned count

    There are more HRMs that have more features but that's going to be up to you.

    Hope this helps

    I also agree with this. I have a Polar HRM and it asks for height, weight, age, and sex to determine calories burned. I also use the chest strap. I've found it to be pretty consistent (within 10-20 calories) of MFP. As the prior poster suggested, I'd exchange your current one for one with these features for more accurate calorie burn counts.

    Best of luck to you! :)
  • cath1024
    cath1024 Posts: 79 Member
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    ok just re packed it up and will retunr it tomorrow and try and find one with the inputs you suggested.
    I did look around at a few places today and didnt seem to see any with the name polar here in Canada but i will try a few other places and see ifi can find one.

    Thanks for the advice everyone!
    I will be curious to see if there is a difference between the 2!

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