HRM and Calories Burned

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saltorian
saltorian Posts: 192 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, I know this kind of thing gets discussed pretty often here, and I know people have differing opinions on whether HRMs calculate calories burned accurately or not. I thought the numbers my new Polar FT4 gave me today seemed surprisingly high, but... what the heck. I want to use them. (Though I did adjust the total by subtracting what MFP already figures I'd have burned for those 103 minutes at sedentary, since that is already accounted for.)

What I want to know is, how many of you go ahead and use the calories burned from your HRM? What has been the result, if you did do this? Did you find that you were still losing weight at the rate you expected? I know I pretty much have to just try this for myself for a while to figure out how accurate it is for me, but I'm curious.

Replies

  • mlemonroe2
    mlemonroe2 Posts: 603
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    I just started using my Polar FT4 and found it was pretty close to what I was entering before. I have been using it for a week and am staying on track with my weight loss.
  • cruise160
    cruise160 Posts: 55
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    I am new to this....so my question for you would be....Does a HRM usually produce a HIGHER number than what MFP claims as calories burned?
  • DoctorKyrina
    DoctorKyrina Posts: 130 Member
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    I use what my HRM tells me and I'm losing at about the rate I'd expect.
  • CassieH818
    CassieH818 Posts: 221 Member
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    I always follow the HRM for the amount of cals burned. I have the Polat FT4 as well and since it had a chest strap it is EXTREMELY accurate!

    I have continued to lose weight by using the hrm number vs. MFP cals burned. I DO NOT subtract any sedentary cals from my workout time. If you do that you will risk eating too little which will put your body into starvation mode,
  • CassieH818
    CassieH818 Posts: 221 Member
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    I am new to this....so my question for you would be....Does a HRM usually produce a HIGHER number than what MFP claims as calories burned?

    It depends on your fitness & intensity level. MFP is very general for calories burned. It cannot calculate your level of intensity during the workout. A HRM with a chest strap will be more reliable than using MFP.
  • flea2449
    flea2449 Posts: 500 Member
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    My HMR calorie readings are higher than MFP cal readings. I type in an in between number. On my brisk walk/job HRM says I burn between 536 and 550, so I end up putting that I burned between 400 and 450. That's just how I do it.
  • Sasha_Bear
    Sasha_Bear Posts: 625 Member
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    I use the HRM number, mine is always higher then MFP number usually by about 100 to 150 because my intensity level is more then what MFP gives me credit for. I never subtract anything MFP already accounts for your everyday activity level which I am also sedentary so no need to subtract those.
  • rentrikin
    rentrikin Posts: 104 Member
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    I am unable to use a hrm because have been on a beta blocker for years which keeps my heart rate low. I gauge my intensity of workouts by my breathing, level of exhaustion etc... so I have been using the numbers by MFP at the moment. If anyone has any suggestions please dont hesitiate to let me know what you think. Rhonda
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
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    I use the calories that my HRM states, minus what I would have burned anyway. So if it says that I burned 390 calories doing 37 minutes of Insanity, then I just say that I burned 352. It's higher then what MFP says I would burn doing Circuit Training, but I still lose weight consistently.
  • amberfranklin1
    amberfranklin1 Posts: 79 Member
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    I just posted on an Insanity thread about using my FT4 which I had just gotten. For my Insanity workout, MFP UNDERestimated my calorie burn by 60. Then I used it on the elliptical this morning and MFP OVERestimated my calorie burn by 16 (of course the machine showed twice as much as my HRM!) I look forward to the days when I can really push myself to burn a ton on Insanity and am glad to have the HRM now to tell if I getting better or not. I do have a question though about the FT4. While reading these boards I gathered that having a HRM with a chest strap will give you the most accurate readings. I plan to always use the strap at at home, but a lot of times I walk while waiting for my kids to get out of this practice or that and wondered if it would work without the chest strap? It is not necessarily convinient to strap that to my chest all the time. The manual that came with it only is a start up guide and I quickly browsed the manual online and couldnt find the answer. Please anyone who has this let me know if I can get a reading with just the watch alone.

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