Question about excercise calories...

Lou2016
Lou2016 Posts: 26 Member
edited November 18 in Fitness and Exercise
I have been using my polar to try and get more accurate calories burned, but was curious how many calories I burned doing nothing.

I did a class at the Y and it said 581 calories
So I did 1 hour later and it said 221

So my question is should I subtract 221 from my excercise calories each time to get more accurate?

Replies

  • MrsMES10
    MrsMES10 Posts: 23 Member
    I would just start your watch at the beginning of class and stop it at the end. You're going to drive yourself crazy trying to overanalyze the numbers. You burn calories all day long, afterall.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    jenorator680 wrote: »
    I have been using my polar to try and get more accurate calories burned, but was curious how many calories I burned doing nothing.

    I did a class at the Y and it said 581 calories
    So I did 1 hour later and it said 221

    So my question is should I subtract 221 from my excercise calories each time to get more accurate?


    no. first, your calorie estimate is just that, an estimate. even the most advanced heart rate monitors are off to a degree.

    second, your heart rate monitor is really only designed to work while at higher heart rates. at lower heart rates, it's not functioning properly.

    also, do the math... 221 x 24=5304. do you think your BMR is 5,304 calories? nope.
  • hazleyes81
    hazleyes81 Posts: 296 Member
    You're trying to figure out your resting burn? Get your BMR and divide it by 1440 and that tells you calories per minute just staying alive. For instance, my BMR is ~1450 so I'm right around one wopping calorie a minute if I stayed in a coma. However, there's no need to subtract anything from the number polar gives you, unless you are just curious to see what portion was from the exercise itself and what you would have burned in a vegetative state.
  • Lou2016
    Lou2016 Posts: 26 Member
    I never calculated my bmr before, ...I just googled it and got 1722.

    Capt Apollo..... I didn't think of it like that, I wish!
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