HRM eye opener

swebb1103
swebb1103 Posts: 200 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
I bought a heart rate monitor and realize now why my weight hasn't changed! What an eye opener - according to the machine, I burned 250 calories doing 30 minutes of elliptical. According to my HRM, it was only 148 calories! Then I did my strength training and according to MFP, I should have burned around 68 calories - my HRM says it was only 40-some calories. My calories have been way over-estimated, and so when I eat them back, I am going over my calories! :sad: Which is why my scale hasn't moved....:grumble:

Replies

  • lisastrom
    lisastrom Posts: 108 Member
    And that's why HRMs are so important to this endeavor. It's virtually impossible to tell personally how many calories you are really burning without one!
  • Kanzaki3
    Kanzaki3 Posts: 656 Member
    I am glad you invested in a HRM. It is a powerful tool. I'm also glad you found out why the scale hasn't been moving. Now you can really move forward.
  • cthomps
    cthomps Posts: 31 Member
    Yes a HRM is a must!!
  • Melissajojo3
    Melissajojo3 Posts: 100
    swebb its a good thing you got one now, and don't get discouraged just keep doing what you've been doing, but know you know what your calorie burn really is.. Does any one know of a good HRM? I went to Wal-Mart they have sooo many of them, didn't know which to get :(
  • pannacottayum
    pannacottayum Posts: 96 Member
    mines the exact opposite. My hrm always gives me more calories burned than MFP. I did a 50 minute run the other day, mfp gave me around 860, my hrm said like 1500something! I would think the hrm is more accurate but 1500+ for a 50 minute run? That's a bit crazy.
  • Airbear3
    Airbear3 Posts: 335 Member
    need one of those! are they expensive? which ones are good?
  • FierceFox81
    FierceFox81 Posts: 89
    Personal HRM are much much MUCH more accurate then the ones on the machines. But we must also remember that those to are just an estimate. As are the calories we log. But it's great that you got your own HRM! Don't let it let you down that you didn't know you were over eating when going off the machine and MFP calories...at least you know a more accurate number now :) Best to you!
  • sophjakesmom
    sophjakesmom Posts: 904 Member
    I have been thinking about getting an HRM, and I think you have convinced me. I haven't had trouble losing weight, but I am afraid as I get closer to my goal, that I will have a problem. I think I am getting one next week (pay day!). What brand do you have? I am looking at a Polar FT4.
  • Codefox
    Codefox Posts: 309 Member
    There's so many good reasons to have an HRM while you work out and this is definitely a big one 8)
  • FierceFox81
    FierceFox81 Posts: 89
    You can get pretty cheap ones (40-100 bucks) at Target. Lot's cheaper then the ones they try and sell you at the gym.
  • joaniegray
    joaniegray Posts: 88 Member
    Very interesting. I am glad that as a rule, I do not eat back too many of my calories burned. I found when I did, I felt overstuffed.
  • Foxerlina
    Foxerlina Posts: 51
    I forgot mine in the gym the other day and I was devastated....I logged it as what i'd normally get but in the back of my head I kept thinking "what if I didn't push myself as hard this week and burned less calories" lol.

    Now I've got one, it has become my best friend! I log my cycling to work, gym classes, running, walking...you name it, it's LOGGED! x
  • jojopel
    jojopel Posts: 348 Member
    I bought a HRM two weeks ago and noticed the same thing. I was eating back too many calories. Had a great week last week.
  • Codefox
    Codefox Posts: 309 Member
    BTW, I highly recommend Polar. They have a wide range of models depending on your needs.
  • JPod279
    JPod279 Posts: 722 Member
    I bought the Polar FT4 Saturday ($90) and used it Sunday and yesterday. Both times I found that I was burning less calories than I thought I had been burning. Probably explains why I have leveled off in losing weight in the last coupld of weeks. Now it's time to tweek my routine so I can get back to losing.
  • hyde1977
    hyde1977 Posts: 476 Member
    need one of those! are they expensive? which ones are good?
    Polar is a great product!

    Just make sure you get one with a chest strap
  • ronda_gettinghealthy
    ronda_gettinghealthy Posts: 777 Member
    need one of those! are they expensive? which ones are good?

    As with most things you get what you pay for. there are some inexpensive ones and then there are some CHEAP ones. Most of my friends have the Polar FT4 or FT6 or FT 7 i bought the 4 paid about 65$ for it---it has a chest strap for continuous monitoring can use it in the pool and I really like it. Good Luck
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    I have been thinking about getting an HRM, and I think you have convinced me. I haven't had trouble losing weight, but I am afraid as I get closer to my goal, that I will have a problem. I think I am getting one next week (pay day!). What brand do you have? I am looking at a Polar FT4.

    I love my FT4. Highly reccommend it! It's very easy to use and gives me what I need.
  • jlanab
    jlanab Posts: 89 Member
    i had the opposite issue as well. I was burning way more calories that MFP suggested and I wasnt eating back all my calories to begin with. On the computer I was roughly 100-150 calories under but I was actually more like 500 calories under which probably put me either in maintenance or starvation mode. No wonder why the scale hasnt moved in two weeks and I been working my butt off!

    I purchased a New Balance HRM (with chest strap) from Target for $70. I love it so far. Maybe in some months I'll reward myself with a really nice Polar HRM. Not sure which model but the one i looked at was around $129. They can be costly but after 3 days of using mine I think they are totally worth the investment
  • swebb1103
    swebb1103 Posts: 200 Member
    I picked up a New Balance HRM at Target for about $65, I think? It says it has a smaller/slimmer band for women, not sure how important that is but it is very comfy, I put it on and don't even notice it on. The wrist part fits me too, which is important because it's very hard to find a watch or bracelet that isn't too large, so that was a nice surprise - I expected the wrist band to not adjust down small enough.

    It says it's water resistant up to 50 meters but I am afraid to try it, but now I know how over-estimated my land calories are, I'm sure my water calories are as well....
  • SNorris01
    SNorris01 Posts: 97 Member
    Most machines if not all are about 12% to 20% more than you actually burn. Each person has their own BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), and they are all different. So they are calibrated as best they can since they are not calibrated to a specific person, but as whole. I would do a search on the HRM's there are so many out there different people have different opinions. I have had several, the best ones are the ones that actually fit around your chest or the Bodybugg types, they tend to be more expensive and some of them have a monthly, yearly fee to allow you to access their online programs. The ones you were on your wrists and use your fingers to get your pulse are good, but they are not as accurate as the others.
  • Codefox
    Codefox Posts: 309 Member
    I picked up a New Balance HRM at Target for about $65, I think? It says it has a smaller/slimmer band for women, not sure how important that is but it is very comfy, I put it on and don't even notice it on. The wrist part fits me too, which is important because it's very hard to find a watch or bracelet that isn't too large, so that was a nice surprise - I expected the wrist band to not adjust down small enough.

    It says it's water resistant up to 50 meters but I am afraid to try it, but now I know how over-estimated my land calories are, I'm sure my water calories are as well....

    The watch should be safe in the water but I think you'll find that the HRM won't work in the pool. There's not many HRMs that transmit at the frequency needed to get through the water and they're fairly expensive ;)
  • swebb1103
    swebb1103 Posts: 200 Member
    I wondered about that.... maybe I will just automatically cut the calories in half when logging them! I can feel my heart pumping harder when I am swimming so I know I am burning, but probably not as much as I would like, LOL!
  • Codefox
    Codefox Posts: 309 Member
    Well, swimming is a pretty good workout! If you're pushing yourself, I wouldn't cut them in half. I'd go off what a similar workout feels like on land and you're at least burning the same if not more. 8)
  • Cletc
    Cletc Posts: 352
    need one of those! are they expensive? which ones are good?

    They are worth in to me
    http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Forerunner-Receiver-Monitor-Bilingual/dp/B000E3XPYQ
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