Trust my HRM or machine??

passionately_kate
passionately_kate Posts: 99 Member
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
Yesterday I worked out with new heart rate monitor with chest strap for the first time at the gym. I was using the elliptical and the machine and my heart rate monitor were pretty much spot on with eachother when it came to my heart rate. But what Im curious about is which one I should look at for how many calories burned? The machine said I burned about 600, but my heart rate monitor said 900kc. Which one is accurate?

Replies

  • lovinglife71
    lovinglife71 Posts: 65 Member
    I have no idea myself, i just ordered me a hrm and it should be coming in the next couple of days and would luv to know!! The only thing with me is I walk at home(outside) and when I go to the gym I do the kickboxing class,etc. So when I get mine the only numbers I can compare mine to will be mfp's numbers. Maybe some one will reply with some knowledgable info!!!
  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
    I don't think there's a true and scientific equation to get to how many calories are burned.. It depends on the individual, how much muscle mass they have (live tissue requires and burns more calories), and any number of physical condition variables. If I had to choose, I'd go with the lesser of the two calories burned, only because it's generally better (for weight loss) to underestimated your calories burned and (when in doubt) overestimate calories consumed.
  • agataarchangel
    agataarchangel Posts: 292 Member
    Good question- I'll be getting one myself soon and I'd be asking the same thing....what brand of HRM did you purchase?
  • laurasimmons
    laurasimmons Posts: 575 Member
    Your heart rate monitor should be the most accurate.
  • Nomomush
    Nomomush Posts: 582 Member
    HRM...most accurate because it takes your data...age, sex, weight, height into consideration.
  • wewon
    wewon Posts: 838 Member
    I'm not going to give a "straight" answer, but I will give you my best educated guess:

    The machine is giving you a calorie count most likely on weight (mass), speed, time just like a calculation for energy in your high school physics book. I'm willing to be that this is very little bio-data in it's algorithms.

    Your HRM, at least the one that I use, takes into account, age, time, heart rate and calculates the amount of calories a person would burn based on those biological functions.

    IOW it is looking at the heart rate of 140 bpm of a 40 year old man over 10 minutes the machine is looking at moving a mass of 210 lbs at 6mph for 10 minutes. Mine are within about 10% of each other.

    That being said, I would go with the HRM, but I'm suprised that yours are so far apart (a 50% diff).
  • Windi38
    Windi38 Posts: 164 Member
    The machine said I burned about 600, but my heart rate monitor said 900kc. Which one is accurate?

    900kc? Mine gives a choice between c and kc, but I don't know what kc is, it's a different way of measuring calories. You may want to change the setting to regular c and not kc.
  • hikingmonk
    hikingmonk Posts: 134 Member
    A chest strap HRM is 99% of the time going to be more accurate. It's always difficult to know for sure since most manufacturers of HRMs and gym equipment don't publish the formulas they use to calculate calories burned. Just remember they are all essentially estimates, as is your BMR number.
  • Lwoodslim
    Lwoodslim Posts: 31 Member
    I personally have no idea, but to make an educated guess, I would use the HRM. It is constantly checking your HR and will account for your weight, ect. Most machines I use only calculate calories off time, weight, and speed during exercise. I hope someone knows the real answer!
  • ramius
    ramius Posts: 91
    Yesterday I worked out with new heart rate monitor with chest strap for the first time at the gym. I was using the elliptical and the machine and my heart rate monitor were pretty much spot on with eachother when it came to my heart rate. But what Im curious about is which one I should look at for how many calories burned? The machine said I burned about 600, but my heart rate monitor said 900kc. Which one is accurate?

    I always double check both using the following :: http://www.braydenwm.com/calburn.htm
  • passionately_kate
    passionately_kate Posts: 99 Member
    900kc? Mine gives a choice between c and kc, but I don't know what kc is, it's a different way of measuring calories. You may want to change the setting to regular c and not kc.

    kilo calories. its what an "actual calorie" is lol. 1000 kc = 1 calorie. but everyone just says calorie instead of kc. I duno if I made sense...google it lol
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