HRM calorie counts - how do you know if they're right?

stevieg_fan
stevieg_fan Posts: 51
edited September 19 in Fitness and Exercise
I bought a Polar F11 2 weeks ago - set it with all of my information - and have been wearing it for the last 2 weeks of workouts. It records my swim calories at about 400 for 20 minutes, my run calories at about 1200 for a 5k and my usual interval cardio/weights/plyo workouts that are generally about 80 minutes, at about 1800 calories. These numbers are much higher than what I expect. However, I know that I have a significant amount of muscle mass... and I am quite fit, with a rather intense workout regimen. I'm about to start training for the first sprint tri of the season (in april) and I want to be sure that my counts are accurate. I know each of our bodies are different, but do these sound really high or realistic?

Replies

  • stevieg_fan
    stevieg_fan Posts: 51
    I bought a Polar F11 2 weeks ago - set it with all of my information - and have been wearing it for the last 2 weeks of workouts. It records my swim calories at about 400 for 20 minutes, my run calories at about 1200 for a 5k and my usual interval cardio/weights/plyo workouts that are generally about 80 minutes, at about 1800 calories. These numbers are much higher than what I expect. However, I know that I have a significant amount of muscle mass... and I am quite fit, with a rather intense workout regimen. I'm about to start training for the first sprint tri of the season (in april) and I want to be sure that my counts are accurate. I know each of our bodies are different, but do these sound really high or realistic?
  • astridfeline
    astridfeline Posts: 1,200 Member
    I can't help with your question but I have a question of my own--so you use it for swimming?? Does it have a chest strap or is it a wrist watch type HRM? Thanks! :flowerforyou:
  • stevieg_fan
    stevieg_fan Posts: 51
    It's a chest strap w/ a watch. The F11 is swim safe (though it says not to push the buttons while in the pool), but I don't know if the other Polar models are. The instruction book says what level of water resistance each type has, I think.
  • shar140
    shar140 Posts: 1,158 Member
    I can't help with your question but I have a question of my own--so you use it for swimming?? Does it have a chest strap or is it a wrist watch type HRM? Thanks! :flowerforyou:

    I have a Polar F6 (also has a chest strap) and it also says you can use it swimming, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. But I sweat a lot and it's been ok! :laugh:

    To the OP - I haven't used mine a lot yet, but I found that I was burning more calories than I thought and more than MFP was crediting me. And more than the machines were telling me.
    When you put in your height/weight/etc when you originally set it, did you make sure to change it to use pounds and inches and not kilograms and cm?
  • GIBride01
    GIBride01 Posts: 328 Member
    I don't know that there is any way to know absolutely if your HRM is correct, I do know having worn mine over the past week I burned more calories than expected for cardio, like step class and elliptical. For 35 min on the elliptical plus 30 min 3.5 mile/hr on treadmill today I burned 840 something calories. Which is a few hundred calories more than MFP or the calculator on the machines. I do know for my yoga though, I burned a little less than I was calculating. I think your muscle mass will affect the numbers quite a bit, so a more muscular person will likely see bigger numbers - which neither MFP or the machines take account for. So if I burned 800 something calories in 65 minutes, I suppose its feasable you burned 1200 in 80. I am only eating a portion of my exercise calories back , which so far is working great. I would be a little afraid to eat back 1200 calories! I do know I have made the mistake though of starting my HRM before I actually started my workout and left in on a few minutes after, which does affect your numbers. I forgot to turn mine off after my workout today, and in the time it took me to walk downstairs, grab my purse from the locker and walk a short distance to my car, I had burned another significant chunk of calories. I try to make sure I start my HRM right when I am starting my workout and as soon as I am done with the cooldown. Hope that helps.:smile:
  • stevieg_fan
    stevieg_fan Posts: 51
    Thanks All! - I'll double check again that I'm set in pounds/inches - pretty sure I did that. Though suppose I could drop the setting weight by 4 pounds now and make sure.
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