Finally Bought an HRM...little bummed...

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DaniJeanine
DaniJeanine Posts: 473 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I thought that MFP's calculation of "375 calories burned for 60 minutes of high-impact aerobics" was way too low. Since I go to Zumba 2-3 times a week, I decided to get a HRM for a more accurate calculation. I bought the Proform Ultimate Heart Rate Monitor w/ chest strap from Walmart. I had a pretty good workout (kept up with all the dances, did all high-impact moves--worked very hard!) and it said I only burned 385 calories! I've heard some people say they easily burn 500 in Zumba! Could this be a faulty HRM?
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  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    The leaner you are and the better shape you're in -- the less calories you will burn. This completely bums me out - but it is true. When you're leaner and in better shape your body doesn't have to work as hard. Also, I've found my resting heart rate is lower, I can get my heart rate up faster AND it recovers quicker now.
  • CeleryStalker
    CeleryStalker Posts: 665 Member
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    are you comparing your caloric burn to the burn of those much larger than you? at 6' tall and 200#, im certain to burn at least 500, closer to 600, calories in an hour of working out. The same would not hold true for my 5'5, 125# mom :)
  • JulieBoBoo
    JulieBoBoo Posts: 642
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    The heavier you are the more you burn because the harder your body has to work. You're very small hence you're not going to burn what someone who weighs over 200lbs is going to burn. You're not even going to burn what someone who weighs 150 is going to burn. Sorry.
  • LillysGranny
    LillysGranny Posts: 431
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    I don't know if your hrm is faulty, but the people in my Zumba class with hrm's usually hit around 700.
  • breezymom81
    breezymom81 Posts: 499 Member
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    Every one burns differently! And I burn different every day! I have a Sport Line w/chest strap and love it!! It was pretty close in price to the one at Walmart but I got it from Best Buy on sale this week. Try for a while, if it doesn't match what you think exchange it! That's the beauty of Walmart
  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
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    I think it depends on how much you weigh now, and how hard you worked. If you are relatively small already, you aren't going to burn as many calories. Did you check the watch every now and then to see how high your heart rate was? I try to do that every few minutes so I know if I need to step it up during my workout.

    ETA- just saw your current weight on your ticker. You are very small, so that calorie count seems pretty accurate to me.
  • mirna_ayala0428
    mirna_ayala0428 Posts: 406 Member
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    My calories were cut in half once I started using my HRM but I noticed that once I increase the level of my workout my calories burned also increased.
  • taldie01
    taldie01 Posts: 378
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    Tha soundes high for Zumba, I wasnt even cutting that many cals for a high intensity spin class.
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
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    i could be your hrm , i know mine does not seem to do calories right , take today, did 30 min on the elliptical according to my hrm i burned 98 calories reallly???? come one, sure it was not one of my more intense session but i was still dripping with sweat.

    i have found a caculator on the internte that i plug my info including average hr , and other stuff and it had the work out at burning 292 cals.

    yes it is a cheap walmart HRM, and not ruling out operator error
  • DaniJeanine
    DaniJeanine Posts: 473 Member
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    Very good point about burning less calories--I guess overall I'm smaller than the average bear--I'm 5'1" and 117 lbs. I got the HRM and expected to see a whopping 700 cals or something--instead I saw almost *exactly* what MFP predicted. Damn MFP and it's freakish accuracy with me! lol.
  • DaniJeanine
    DaniJeanine Posts: 473 Member
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    Oh and yes, I kept track of the heart rate...I was averaging about 147...
  • rjsbailey
    rjsbailey Posts: 78 Member
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    It depends on your weight, size and current fitness level- even at 20lbs overweight I have always been really active and fit yet it is hard for me to burn more then 350 calories per hour even at my very highest intensity. Don't get bummed! You are still burning and that is what counts- that and your diet! what you feed your body is more important then calories burned a lot of the time! Good luck! You will get used to the HRM and your own numbers soon and learn to work with it!
  • CassieLEO
    CassieLEO Posts: 757 Member
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    I exercise daily with Cardio for a hour and then go to Zumba for a hour, and my HRM usually says betweek 600 to 800 pounds, and I weight 155 pounds. Are you working up a big sweat and going full hearted into every move?
  • DaniJeanine
    DaniJeanine Posts: 473 Member
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    Yes, I usually go all-out in my Zumba classes. I do every move high-impact and I never take a break. However, this particular instructor was new, so she took a break after each song to prep us for the moves in the next song. Maybe my usual class will be more intense...
  • JustMichelleB
    JustMichelleB Posts: 290
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    That sounds about right, sorry. But better to know the more accurate burn than to overestimate!!
    And yeah, the more weight you lose, the more in shape you get, the fewer calories you burn!
  • erinhale
    erinhale Posts: 137 Member
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    Proform isn't the best brand- they are more know for treadmills and equiptment. Actually anythign Jillain Micahels puts her name is garunteed crap. You did the right thing with a chest strap, just maybe not the right HRM. This is the hrm I recommend to my personal training clients http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F5WB66/ref=ord_cart_shr. Its affordable and works great.

    Also, how long have you been doing Zumba? A while? After a whie your body gets used to it and the fewer calories you burn. For example I do a certain workout every MOnday (for the past 3 weeks) and the first tiem I did it my burn was 700 +, now its like 350+. I have a client who did the same workout every monday and she the first time had over 1000+ and now is at like 750+. So everyone burns different.

    Try a different one, not endorsed by Jilliam Michaels.
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
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    You're pretty small so you won't get the same calorie burns. It's the same reason you can't eat as many calories as the bigger people.
  • bpatti
    bpatti Posts: 8
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    Hey, you did good to burn those calories...try some weights, it will help you burn more calories. Keep up your work out, just add other things. Don't be bummed.
  • hollykmckinney
    hollykmckinney Posts: 36
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    Tha soundes high for Zumba, I wasnt even cutting that many cals for a high intensity spin class.

    Believe it or not I burn more in my Zumba classes then I do and advanced spin class and a cardio kick boxing class.
  • breezymom81
    breezymom81 Posts: 499 Member
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    Proform isn't the best brand- they are more know for treadmills and equiptment. Actually anythign Jillain Micahels puts her name is garunteed crap. You did the right thing with a chest strap, just maybe not the right HRM. This is the hrm I recommend to my personal training clients http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F5WB66/ref=ord_cart_shr. Its affordable and works great.


    Is this one really good? I just got a SportLine 1025 I love it but it was $70, are they comparable? One better then the other or about the same? I wold hate to spend twice as much for the same info!!

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