HRM calorie burned experiment

Lynnsimmons
Lynnsimmons Posts: 8
edited September 30 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok everyone. I was doing a calorie burned test. I used my old HRM that requires the chest strap and only tells you minutes worked out and avg HR. I have been using that one and using a formula off livestrong to calculate my calories burned. I got a new New Balance HRM that does not require a chest strap and worked out with both today. With my old HRM and the formula it said I burned 716 calories. With the new NB HRM that calulates the calories for you, it said I burned 1073. Can anyone explain this to me. I'm wondering if the new ones calculate after burn?

Replies

  • Fochizzy
    Fochizzy Posts: 505 Member
    I was told the ones without the chest strap can not sense the shifts fast enough and can give you an incorrectly inflated HR thereby giving you a poor calorie burn estimate.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Without the chest strap it is only getting your heart rate when you touch the watch... and unless you are touching the watch the whole time your working out, it will base your calorie burn off of what the heart rate was the last time you touched the watch.

    You also have to make sure that the watch and the formula has all of your information.. Age, sex, height, weight and vo2max if it allows for that. If they don't, then neither one is accurate.

    Personally I suggest you look into buying a Polar HRM with a chest strap. It will give you a pretty accurate estimation of calories burned and that way you won't have to go through all this nonsense.
  • Lynnsimmons
    Lynnsimmons Posts: 8
    Thank you all. I did just what you told me to and got a Polar HRM with a chest strap!! Not sure if it asks for the vo2 thing, not even sure what that is. Lol. But it did get all my other info and I feel better about that. :)
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Thank you all. I did just what you told me to and got a Polar HRM with a chest strap!! Not sure if it asks for the vo2 thing, not even sure what that is. Lol. But it did get all my other info and I feel better about that. :)

    If you got a Polar FT4 or FT7, it won't ask for Vo2. If you got an FT40 or up it has a fitness test that determines Vo2.

    Most get the FT4 or FT7.. which are awesome HRMs. I love my FT7.
  • OlibecaMom
    OlibecaMom Posts: 78
    I just ordered a New Balance one yesterday. Ugh......perhaps it'll be good enough until I can afford the Polar.
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