Is my heart rate monitor wrong?

bsolada
bsolada Posts: 23 Member
edited September 29 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all, I have a Polar heart rate monitor with chest strap (not sure the number). When I work out my calories burned seems to be insanely low. I'm talking under 300 for 60 minutes. During this time, my heart rate probably averages in the mid 150s, but gets up into the 190s during sprints.

I went to this website where you enter your heart rate during a work out and it's supposed to tell you calories burnt based off that. I put my average heart rate in as 145, just to underestimate because I know that's quite a bit lower than I do cardio at. But it still says I burned about 558, but my monitor says like 270... in an hour.

http://www.braydenwm.com/calburn.htm

Now I realize that the calories MFP and machines say you burn are too high, but mine is less than 50% of the estimated burn on either of these things. I have friends of the same age and size whose heart rate monitors tells them they burn approximately 600-700 calories during similar work outs. What gives? It's making me unmotivated to work out because I am working so hard, but burning hardly anything! Does anyone know if calories burnt can ever be too low?
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Replies

  • mistyb47711
    mistyb47711 Posts: 861 Member
    are you wetting the sensors before you put it on? (spit not water)....I had this problem and that was 1 problem the other was I had it up to far between my breasts.......I moved it to just to my rib cage and everything works fine now.
  • anhaab
    anhaab Posts: 44 Member
    I have the same exact problem with my polar and have been using the same website to get a more accurate count. I do some group fitness classes at the gym and I push myself really hard during those and my hrm always says way less calories than everyone else's. Also renently in doing one of the Insanity workouts it said I only burnt 80 calories...I think not!! So for me I use it to track my hr but use the website to calculate my calories burned.
  • ColoradoRobin
    ColoradoRobin Posts: 510 Member
    Depending on your monitor, you need to enter your weight, gender, and fitness level to get a more accurate read of calories burned. I had to set my fitness level lower to get it to stop reading too many calories. I used data from my Bodymedia Fit armband to calibrate the HR monitor, but calculators on various websites will give you a ballpark figure. See if there are any settings you can adjust for your HRM so that it is giving you the right calorie number. Good luck!
  • clburlison
    clburlison Posts: 2
    I'd say that your heart rate monitor is screwy. Try reseting the Polar Watch completely and re-entering all of your data. Another thing to make sure is that you have good contact points from were the chest strap is touching your chest. Whenever I had my polar chest strap I found that I actually had it to high and it wasn't getting a good reading. Try playing around with that....and of course make sure you wet the leads (the metal contacts) down with water before you put it on.

    Good luck,
    Clayton
  • ColoradoRobin
    ColoradoRobin Posts: 510 Member
    The other posters are also right about wetting the electrode part of the band (usually 2 areas, right and left of the center), and wearing it so that you get a good signal. Swimming messes up HRM, so the other day it said I burnrd 8 calories in the pool for nearly an hour. It was leisure swimming, but I burned more than 8! it just wasn't getting my HR signal well.
  • Nomomush
    Nomomush Posts: 582 Member
    I had the same problem for awhile and I was thinking maybe I wasn't pushing hard enough during the workout. Well...low and behold...it was my battery. The sensor on the chest strap wasn't transmitting the whole time because the battery was low. Check that first and see if it works. Cheap fix instead of getting a new one.
  • purplecait1212
    purplecait1212 Posts: 56
    I am having the same problem, but completely opposite! My HRM has me burning about 200% more calories than what MFP says I am. I go to that website as well, and it tends to give me a number somewhere in the middle of the two, so that is what I use and then I just customize each exercise. It is hard to wade through all the contrasting info!!!
  • mindy14456
    mindy14456 Posts: 552 Member
    are you wetting the sensors before you put it on? (spit not water)....I had this problem and that was 1 problem the other was I had it up to far between my breasts.......I moved it to just to my rib cage and everything works fine now.



    I have the polar FT4, and thought the cal burn was also too low. Spit not water? So you don't saturate it with water prior to working out? I will definitely try moving it down, I do keep it pretty high as well (based on that little diagram that came with it)
  • mistyb47711
    mistyb47711 Posts: 861 Member
    are you wetting the sensors before you put it on? (spit not water)....I had this problem and that was 1 problem the other was I had it up to far between my breasts.......I moved it to just to my rib cage and everything works fine now.



    I have the polar FT4, and thought the cal burn was also too low. Spit not water? So you don't saturate it with water prior to working out? I will definitely try moving it down, I do keep it pretty high as well (based on that little diagram that came with it)
    Mi instructions on mine N4 Newbalance says to use my own body fluids ex: spit sweat and not water.
  • bsolada
    bsolada Posts: 23 Member
    Thanks everyone for your replies so far! It really means a lot. I do have all my information entered I'm there but I guess there are a number of things I could try now. I have never wetted it before putting it on, so it's probably not really reading calories burnt at the beginning of my work out. I also wear it right under my breasts because I make sure my sports bra completely covers it. That is probably way too high if it's fully under my bra. Wasn't aware it was supposed to be so low!

    Also, I should try to reset it and check the batteries. It does have a two-yer warranty on the battery I believe. But we will see. I get worried because I don't want to be eating way too few of my exercise calories back, but then I don't want to be eating too many either. It's very discouraging but I really appreciating all the help. I just thought other people were working way harder than me. But when my heart rate is at 197, it can't be that. Thanks again everyone! Good Luck! :-)
  • bsolada
    bsolada Posts: 23 Member
    Shoot, I was actually wrong about my heart rate monitor being a Polar brand. It is actually a Sportline Duo 1060 I believe. Anyone have any experience with this particular type and its calories burned accuracy?
  • pitbullmom87
    pitbullmom87 Posts: 54
    anyone get this resolved? i have the same problem. i have the sportline and its saying im not burning very many calories also
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    Hi all, I have a Polar heart rate monitor with chest strap (not sure the number). When I work out my calories burned seems to be insanely low. I'm talking under 300 for 60 minutes. During this time, my heart rate probably averages in the mid 150s, but gets up into the 190s during sprints.

    I went to this website where you enter your heart rate during a work out and it's supposed to tell you calories burnt based off that. I put my average heart rate in as 145, just to underestimate because I know that's quite a bit lower than I do cardio at. But it still says I burned about 558, but my monitor says like 270... in an hour.

    http://www.braydenwm.com/calburn.htm

    Now I realize that the calories MFP and machines say you burn are too high, but mine is less than 50% of the estimated burn on either of these things. I have friends of the same age and size whose heart rate monitors tells them they burn approximately 600-700 calories during similar work outs. What gives? It's making me unmotivated to work out because I am working so hard, but burning hardly anything! Does anyone know if calories burnt can ever be too low?
    558 just sounds right....
    Something isn't right here.
  • Sumo813
    Sumo813 Posts: 566 Member
    One thing you can do is get some electrode gel... go to bodytronics.com and you can get a tube of spectra 360 for about $5. I ordered 4 tubes for about $16. (get the free shipping for $15 or more)

    I noticed the other day when I tried using water on mine, the reading wasn't accurate (I'm just about out of gel). Of course, the battery could be a big issue too.
  • finchase
    finchase Posts: 174
    I often think my Polar FT7 is underestimating my calorie burn also. Curiously, the burn rate has gotten better as I've gradually update the weight data to lower weights. It also frequently loses the heart rate altogether. I've changed the battery so it's not that. I'm strongly considering getting some conduction gel for the electrodes to see if that helps.

    I've taken the opposite track with my low burn, however. I was appalled by the numbers so I just started pushing myself even harder in workouts.
  • shellyrulz
    shellyrulz Posts: 148 Member
    anyone get this resolved? i have the same problem. i have the sportline and its saying im not burning very many calories also

    I have the same thing and it is useless! I am purchasing another a polar in the next couple of weeks.
  • olee67
    olee67 Posts: 208 Member
    Are you just doing cardio? All I know is, when I do cardio I don't burn nearly as much as when I lift weights. Equal amount of time, more intense on the cardio. Last time out, burned 220 calories doing 20 minutes of running/intervals, and burned 380 calories doing 20 minutes of circuit training with light weights...

    My calories burned are only about 80-85% lower (which makes sense considering I'm in pretty good shape eventhough I'm over weight). I played hockey today, but, it was only a light skate and burned nearly 1,000 calories in 90 minutes...

    Maybe they do need to be wet, or, it's not tight enough and it's not keeping a steady reading. When I wet my nodes, I soak'em.
  • raevynn
    raevynn Posts: 666 Member
    One thing you can do is get some electrode gel... go to bodytronics.com and you can get a tube of spectra 360 for about $5. I ordered 4 tubes for about $16. (get the free shipping for $15 or more)

    I noticed the other day when I tried using water on mine, the reading wasn't accurate (I'm just about out of gel). Of course, the battery could be a big issue too.
    I bought my tube of Sprectra 360 through Amazon... and yes, I'd recommend using gel instead of water/spit.

    Also, make sure your strap is getting washed well enough/often enough between uses.
  • sailorsiren13
    sailorsiren13 Posts: 460
    I've been having issues with mine for a while now and went and bought a new one today which is really aggravating. I'm not ready to give up on the old one yet so i'm giving it one more day. I have washed the strap, changed the battery, moved the strap around. You name it i have tried it. It is right at two years old. Really aggravating i need it to be as accurate as possible. Good luck to the rest of you hope it all works out!
  • olee67
    olee67 Posts: 208 Member
    Just did a search on polar, using the electrode gel can damage the sensors and make the strape unusable.. perhaps some investigating should be in order.
  • brandimacleod
    brandimacleod Posts: 368 Member
    I have the FT7 too and this is all helpful because I keep thinking I just dont burn like everyone else. However, I kinda like it low...keeps me from overeating. It is like a bonus burn if it is wrong. LOL!
  • SteveHunt113
    SteveHunt113 Posts: 648 Member
    I have a Polar FT7. When I do cardio on a machine, it usually reads slightly lower than the machine, which I'm ok with. I figure the machines read high anyway. So if the elliptical says I burned 1020 calories in 60 minutes, and my FT7 says I burned 900, I'm ok with the 900 calories. It's close enough that when I'm doing circuit training, I know I'm getting a pretty good number for my calories burned.

    I ware my chest strap right below the my pectoral muscle. Since I have some definition there, I just pull it up till it stops and leave it. I also use warm tap water. I start sweating quick enough that my owe sweat kicks in withing the first 10 minutes or less.
  • SteveHunt113
    SteveHunt113 Posts: 648 Member
    I have the FT7 too and this is all helpful because I keep thinking I just dont burn like everyone else. However, I kinda like it low...keeps me from overeating. It is like a bonus burn if it is wrong. LOL!
    Exactly!
  • pitbullmom87
    pitbullmom87 Posts: 54
    i busted my rear yesterday for an hour and it said i only burned 30 calories. that is way off!
  • shellyrulz
    shellyrulz Posts: 148 Member
    Same here danced my butt off and it told me I burned 17 calories but the game said it was 55 calories burnt.
  • tryinghard71
    tryinghard71 Posts: 593
    I have the opposite problem. I am worried it is saying I burned more than I did. I was on the treadmill this morning was walking then running then walking again... It said I burned 408 calories when the treadmill said 264. My heart rate monitor is usually 100 to 200 calories more than the treadmill. But the treadmill does not know my age, weight, etc... Just worried I am logging more calories burned than I really am.
  • Spamee
    Spamee Posts: 148 Member
    I have had my Polar FT7 for about 2 months now. I often walk & run on my NT treadmill.
    I use water on my strap- not saturated though- I sweat pretty fast to help. I dont think I have had a strap connection problem.

    Here is how my Polar has worked & I think its accurate. ( I just started working out hard in Mid Jan)
    Anyway When I got my HR monitor I beat the treadmills calorie count every time. Usually I was a bit behind in the 1st 10 minutes...Then I caught up & then Passed it by the end of my workout.

    Then I started matching the TM calorie count after about 1 months of use.

    Now It is very hard for me to beat the Treadmill. My HR monitor calorie count is always lower...Sometimes alot lower. I am working out just as hard...But I am in better shape then I was just 2 months ago.

    I will have to kick up my workout soon so I can burn more calories-( I have bursitis on my knees right now- so have had to take it slower the past week) Id like to at least match the Treadmills count again.
  • tryinghard71
    tryinghard71 Posts: 593
    Thanks Spamee! That makes a lot of sense because I am not in good shape. Well, not yet! Trying:)
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
    I find my Polar FT4 to be far more accurate than the MFP calorie counter (grossly over-estimates) and also more accurate than machines.

    I actually *wet* the electrodes (Spit on them? For real???) I turn my sink on lightly, preferring lukewarm water (hello cold water under the boobies... buuur!) I run each spot of the strap (the electrodes) under the water back and forth 1 time each way, lightly shake off any excess, strap it around my chest, under the boobs, not too high otherwise it just doesn't feel right, then snap on the piece and I am good to go.
  • tryinghard71
    tryinghard71 Posts: 593
    I find my Polar FT4 to be far more accurate than the MFP calorie counter (grossly over-estimates) and also more accurate than machines.

    I actually *wet* the electrodes (Spit on them? For real???) I turn my sink on lightly, preferring lukewarm water (hello cold water under the boobies... buuur!) I run each spot of the strap (the electrodes) under the water back and forth 1 time each way, lightly shake off any excess, strap it around my chest, under the boobs, not too high otherwise it just doesn't feel right, then snap on the piece and I am good to go.

    I do the same thing like the instructions say and run under water. When done I rinse it again and wipe down then hang to dry.
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