Do you count your "after burn"?

graysmom2005
graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
I have a Polar heart rate monitor, which is great for putting in accurate calorie burn to my MFP. My question is, when spin is done, I can look down and see I burned 467 calories. I can look down an hour later and I've burned over 600 from my system still reeling from class. Do you put down JUST what you burned in those 45 minutes? Are the extra calories just "buffer"? LOL! Thanks!

Replies

  • wheelieblade
    wheelieblade Posts: 323
    I stop my HRM when I finish my exercise
  • veriviki
    veriviki Posts: 44
    I stop my HRM after my heart rate goes down enough to bring me out of my target zone.
  • foxxybrown
    foxxybrown Posts: 838 Member
    After spin class, I walk to the locker room and then turn it off.
  • CardiacNP
    CardiacNP Posts: 554 Member
    I only count what i burn during the exercise. i figure anything extra ....is icing on the cake ....So to apeak of course
  • aflane
    aflane Posts: 625 Member
    I turn mine off when I leave the gym floor. Any after burn is a hidden bonus for me.
  • Crystalchaos72
    Crystalchaos72 Posts: 531
    I stop mine after my heartrate gets back to starting rate (normal) usually takes a few min
  • jsparent5
    jsparent5 Posts: 5
    Your heart beating fast is what burns your calories. If your heart is still beating fast enough to burn that many calories, then you should count it. As you get more in shape, your heart will recover faster anyway, which is a sign of a healthy heart. I would record the calories until your heart rate is within a normal range for you.
  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
    You can count it but realize that your HRM doesn't "back-out" the calories you would be burning when you're at rest - so your exercise "burn" should be adjusted to remove those rest-calories.
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,849 Member
    I stop my HRM when my cals get down to about 100, which can happen pretty much as soon as I sit.
  • vox23
    vox23 Posts: 246 Member
    I stop my hrm after I've done my cooldown and stretching. Usually by then my heart rate is getting back to normal. If it's not at resting yet, then bonus!
  • mertheg01
    mertheg01 Posts: 19
    I stop my HRM after the exercise and then record calories burned.
  • Fattack
    Fattack Posts: 666 Member
    I turn mine off after the end of the class (after stretching). Then I go to the locker room, faff around for 10-20 minutes, and turn it back on for the walk home. As soon as I get home, it goes off, so I guess I am calculating some of the after burn, within my walk - I'm not sure how long after burn lasts!
  • mummum2
    mummum2 Posts: 415 Member
    I stop mine as soon as I finish!
  • elcar7
    elcar7 Posts: 124 Member
    I usually stop my HRM after exercising and my pulse gets back to normal after 5 more mins, guess I could try the use some of the after burn, but still I think it's better to log less calories, since then I won't eat too many ;)
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
    You should stop it right after you complete your activity. Read this blog to better understand the pitfalls of your HRM:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
    I usually give myself about 5-10 minutes after I workout to let my heart rate return to more of a normal level. Once it's below 120 or so, I shut it off. I also subtract out 1 calorie per minute of exercise to account for what I would have burned if I went about my normal day, so I'm not double counting those calories burned.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    I try to do a cool down after every workout so I stop the HRM after that...for cardio, I stop it once I get off the machine. For strength, it's once I finish my stretch. The extra you burn is extra.
  • BrownEyedG1rl
    BrownEyedG1rl Posts: 625 Member
    I turn it off once I get to the locker room. Which is only like a min or two after I stop.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    Sounds like we all do the same thing. :-) I look at my watch the moment I say thank you to the class, and record that number. If we've gone anaerobic on the last song, it's amazing to see. I burn another 1-200 calories in the next hour. Even if I'm sitting having coffee with a friend. Bonus! :-)
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,330 Member
    Your heart beating fast is what burns your calories. If your heart is still beating fast enough to burn that many calories, then you should count it. As you get more in shape, your heart will recover faster anyway, which is a sign of a healthy heart. I would record the calories until your heart rate is within a normal range for you.

    I don't think that is exactly true. Your heart rate can be quite elevated with no extra calorie burn, it is your other muscles that burn the majority of your calories, and that happens while working out. I would not include the calories that come up after your cooldown because they will not be an accurate representation of the calories you have burned. HRM are for cardio exercise while it is going on, not for the time after you are done. If you want to include calories like that you need something like a Bodyfit Media or Bodybugg.
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