How long do you measure cals burned on HRM?

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gobigorange2916
gobigorange2916 Posts: 16 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How long are you supposed to measure the cals you burn when you exercise? Someone told me that you're supposed to start when you start your workout and then stop measuring cals burned when your heart rate is back down to normal. And another person told me you are supposed to stop measuring when your workout ends. But don't you KEEP burning after your workout is over?

Does anyone know an accurate answer? Thanks a bunch!

Replies

  • melon_e
    melon_e Posts: 58
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    I stop when my heart rate goes back to normal. Don't know if that is the "right" way to do it, but that's what i've always done.
  • littlecaponey2
    littlecaponey2 Posts: 143 Member
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    I stop it as soon as I stop moving, I always thought the "perk" of working out is that you burn calories long after your wrkout is done....so those calories burned are a "bonus". But, I am interested in what people say.
  • MayMaydoesntrun
    MayMaydoesntrun Posts: 805 Member
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    I stop after my heartrate is back down to normal..usually only about 5 minutes of cool down time.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Stop when you are finished working out. If you wait until your HR drops, your cals burned will be over estimated, for the period of time that you are not exercising, as the HRM assumes you are working out and the HR is only 1 variable in its equation.
  • julwills
    julwills Posts: 286 Member
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    I stop mine after my workout's cool-down and by then my heart rate is usually back to normal. If it's not then I still stop it and those extra ones are just a bonus!
  • Angie80281
    Angie80281 Posts: 444 Member
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    I stop when my workout is done. I understand that you're supposed to eat back your exercise calories, and I do for the most part, but I would rather record a lower burn and have a greater calorie deficit than record too many and end up eating back more than the workout was really worth. Besides, HRMs don't take into account what you would have burned during that time anyway, so not counting the calories while your heart rate returns to normal helps to counter-act that.

    If that doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll try to explain it better. It's early and I haven't had my caffeine.
  • MattAxtell
    MattAxtell Posts: 73 Member
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    After my cooldown (walking to my car etc) / stretching.

    It really wont make a big difference.

    An extra 5 minutes of low heart rate is only like an extra 25 calories for me.
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    When my heart rate goes back to normal. According to the internet my BMR is 1440, so I take off 60 cals per hour, 30 per half hour... so when I record my exercise, for example walking my dog, it'll usually be 300-400 minus 60 if it's been an hour, and so I enter 260.
  • gobigorange2916
    gobigorange2916 Posts: 16 Member
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    So... half of you do it one way, and half do it the other. So I'm still confused. lol. Thanks everyone for your answers though!

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