Reality check... HRM vs. Treadmill Calories Burned

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dsak
dsak Posts: 367 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So.... I've been exercising regularly on the treadmill for the past several months, and I've been slowing increasing my speed and endurance. to date I've lost 38lbs. I've been using the CALORIES BURNED as stated on my treadmill, and all has been happy in my world. Then I decided... ya know... maybe I should buy a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) to better track my calories burned, heart rate and exercise, etc. I got on the treadmill the other day and did some walking/jogging for about 40 minutes. The treadmill said 414 calories burned, and.... when I checked my HRM, it only showed 251!!!!! Wow... was I surprised. I knew the treadmill was probably high, but... I didn't expect there to be such a big difference. Sigh..... now I have to work twice as hard to lose the calories. I feel deflated, and I need a good swift kick in the pants to get me motivated again!!!!

Just a heads up for those out there tracking calories directly from your treadmill.....
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Replies

  • olpbabe
    olpbabe Posts: 89
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    If you've been using the treadmill calories and still lost 38 pounds, then I you're still doing great stuff.
  • arkenny
    arkenny Posts: 125
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    what kind of HRM are you using???? are you sure its accurate>?
  • mommachef
    mommachef Posts: 52
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    If you've been using the treadmill calories and still lost 38 pounds, then I you're still doing great stuff.

    That's what I was thinking. Not to mention you are improving your health!
  • IamJustSanie
    IamJustSanie Posts: 93 Member
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    If you've been using the treadmill calories and still lost 38 pounds, then I you're still doing great stuff.
    I agree!
  • mgmlap
    mgmlap Posts: 1,377 Member
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    Don't sell yourself short..you are still doing what you need to in order to lose weight. 38 pounds is nothing to shake a stick at...
  • VeganGal84
    VeganGal84 Posts: 938 Member
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    If you've been using the treadmill calories and still lost 38 pounds, then I you're still doing great stuff.

    I agree with this! Don't fix what isn't broken. :laugh:

    I use the calories calculated by MFP, and unless I start having issues (stop losing weight), I don't see the need to get more accurate with it than that.
  • Amber_Kunkel
    Amber_Kunkel Posts: 52
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    I agree with Olpbabe! :bigsmile:
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
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    So losing 38 pounds on your current methods is deflating?! Cmon maaaaaan! Keep increasnig the intensity each week. You'll continue losing. Also, does your HRM have a chest strap? Does it ask for height, weight, sex and D.O.B.?
  • sandy729
    sandy729 Posts: 232 Member
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    Yep..You must be doing something right. Don't be so hard on yourself. What you're doing is working
  • andreae13
    andreae13 Posts: 239 Member
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    I noticed the same thing. Usually the treadmill ranges from 100-150 calories more than my HRM. I'm really glad I got the HRM now because I want to make sure I'm burning enough.
  • jagh09
    jagh09 Posts: 555 Member
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    Shoot, you're doing something right! You've lost 38 pounds. Maybe your HRM isn't accurate either. But keep with it, because it's working!
  • dsak
    dsak Posts: 367 Member
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    Using a Polar FT4.... I assume it's accurate.... not sure how to really test that out.
  • dsak
    dsak Posts: 367 Member
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    So losing 38 pounds on your current methods is deflating?! Cmon maaaaaan! Keep increasnig the intensity each week. You'll continue losing. Also, does your HRM have a chest strap? Does it ask for height, weight, sex and D.O.B.?

    I know, I know... I shouldn't be so hard on myself.... I was just in complete shock at the huge difference. I'm ecstatic at losing 38lbs, and I'm going to continue doing what I've been doing for the past few months. You're right... I should increase my intensity each week!!!

    I have a Polar FT4 with a chest strap, and I am able to input my height, weight, sex and DOB. I figured being 46 and overweight I'd get a few extra calories burned!!!!! :happy:
  • dsak
    dsak Posts: 367 Member
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    I noticed the same thing. Usually the treadmill ranges from 100-150 calories more than my HRM. I'm really glad I got the HRM now because I want to make sure I'm burning enough.

    I'm glad I got the HRM too.... for the same reason. And.... congratulations to you on your 60+lb loss.... that is awesome!!!!!
  • afwg1979
    afwg1979 Posts: 170 Member
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    Hi, dsak! Your best bet is to stick with the MFP calculator just to keep things simple. I stopped using the treadmill's info as well as my heart rate monitor (cheap quality). Out of curiousity, I tried using different treadmills (same exact model) at the gym, using the same exact settings and got different results. Bottom line: If you're losing, you're on the right track. Keep focus and stay true. :flowerforyou:
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Using a Polar FT4.... I assume it's accurate.... not sure how to really test that out.

    I just ordered that one. Do you like it?

    And yeah, you are obviously doing great! If you find you aren't getting enough food now that you know more accurately what you are burning, just decrease your weekly loss goal to give yourself more calories. I'm all about eating more when possible even if that means losing slightly slower.
  • WillWorkout4Food
    WillWorkout4Food Posts: 94 Member
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    The same thing happened to me, though my heart rate wasn't off by that much, when I initially recorded my treadmill exercise. I believe the best bang for my buck regarding a HRM is the fact that it motivates me to maximize my workouts. I wear a chest strap so it's closer to my body, and therefore provides a better calculation when recording my heart rate than the treadmill. It completely boosts my endurance. I TOTALLY agree, if you've already lost 38 pounds then you are doing great, but I also understand the feeling of knowing that you could have lost more if you had a better idea of what you were burning. I'm not saying the HRM is the only way to track, just one of the best ways. I have lost 16 pounds but I know that number could have been at least 20 had I purchased a FT7Polar HRM sooner.

    Best of luck!
  • Whatnow50
    Whatnow50 Posts: 93
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    I noticed the same thing. Usually the treadmill ranges from 100-150 calories more than my HRM. I'm really glad I got the HRM now because I want to make sure I'm burning enough.
    That's about what I have found also. Using Polar FT7 with chest strap. I like having one so when I'm not on a machine but still doing stuff for exercise I can have an accurate account of it. I find MFP is high also.
    I'm a gadget geek also... so any excuse to get one! :laugh:

    Also agree OP is on the right track considering she is losing and doing great!:flowerforyou:
  • dsak
    dsak Posts: 367 Member
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    Using a Polar FT4.... I assume it's accurate.... not sure how to really test that out.

    I just ordered that one. Do you like it?

    And yeah, you are obviously doing great! If you find you aren't getting enough food now that you know more accurately what you are burning, just decrease your weekly loss goal to give yourself more calories. I'm all about eating more when possible even if that means losing slightly slower.

    So far the Polar FT4 isn't bad... it's comparable to one I had a few years ago (F6) which I lost. It tracks your heart rate, min/max and calories burned. I think the FT7 offers more features and tells you whether your are training in the right zone (fat burning, etc.), but... I figured I didn't really need that. The FT4 does have the chest strap, so it is more accurate than those that don't (IMO), and... it's easy to program and use.
  • YukonJoy
    YukonJoy Posts: 1,279 Member
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    I don't use the treadmill (rugby injury) but I do use the stepper and I find the calories there are pretty accurate to what my HRM says.

    However, I find MFP seriously, seriously over-estimates the calories burned if you go by their calculations. That kind of pisses me off since they have all this flout about eating back your exercise calories, and then tell you that you are burning twice as much as you actually are.

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