New heart rate monitor cant be right!!!!

katjohn83
katjohn83 Posts: 119 Member
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
I bought a heart rate monitor yesterday. Yes it has a chest strap. But it cannot be riight. It said I bunred 1630 calories just sitiing around the house yesterday for 6 hours. Thats 271 calories per hour. If thatw ere thecase I could eat 3500 calories a day and still lose weight. Trust me when I say Ive tried that and it does not work. This is a sportlin brand I got from Walmart. Any ideas???

Replies

  • Forensic
    Forensic Posts: 468 Member
    Actually, that sounds about right, to me. Burning 1657 sitting about would, however, mean you could eat 1500 and lose weight, I believe....
  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
    you still burn calories just sitting around the HRM is for tracking the calories you burn while doing activity above your normal.
  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
    It's my understanding that HRMs don't accurately measure 'at-rest' calories, that is when your heart rate is under 100. There are other posts on the site, particularly by a member called Azdak. I'll edit if I can find the links.

    Found his blog-has several good posts in it: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/azdak

    If you want to measure resting metabolism you'd use a body media/body bugg or the like.
  • katjohn83
    katjohn83 Posts: 119 Member
    Actually, that sounds about right, to me. Burning 1657 sitting about would, however, mean you could eat 1500 and lose weight, I believe....

    That was only 6 hours worth. Which mean that equals aover 4000 calories a day which means I could eat 3500 calories a day and still lose weight. Again I say not right.
  • katjohn83
    katjohn83 Posts: 119 Member
    you still burn calories just sitting around the HRM is for tracking the calories you burn while doing activity above your normal.

    I am not sure that is accurate either as I just spent 20 minutes loading my truck and it says I burned 450 calories. I have burned 450 calories before and felt like I hasd to work a whole lot harder and longer.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    It's my understanding that HRMs don't accurately measure 'at-rest' calories, that is when your heart rate is under 100

    This is correct, your HRM CANNOT tell you what your daily burn is accurately only what you burn during exercises that elevate your HRM. A Body bug does have that capability but that's a couple hundred dollars + monthly subscription fees.
  • katjohn83
    katjohn83 Posts: 119 Member
    Any other thoughts or ideas?
  • AndyBee
    AndyBee Posts: 171 Member
    Well I don't know your size, but the bigger you are, the more calories you burn.
  • katjohn83
    katjohn83 Posts: 119 Member
    So by the comments,the blog, and my research, it appears this site is all for naught.

    we can't count calories with any bit of certainity,so why bother!!

    Whata waste.
  • dustyhockeymom
    dustyhockeymom Posts: 537 Member
    A HRM isn't designed to measure your calorie expenditure all day. It's only for exercise. By using the MFP data for my calorie alotment and my HRM to measure my exercise calories burned, I have averaged over 10 pounds lost each month so it is definately not for nothing.
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
    A HRM isn't designed to measure your calorie expenditure all day. It's only for exercise. By using the MFP data for my calorie alotment and my HRM to measure my exercise calories burned, I have averaged over 10 pounds lost each month so it is definately not for nothing.

    ^^^This.

    1. Use the MFP tools to determine what your daily calorie goal is. It is based on your age, gender, starting weight, activity level, and how much you feel you can lose a week (1lb/week is a good start for many).

    2. Use a HRM to estimate how many calories you burn WHILE exercising. Eat those calories back so you stay at a healthy deficit.

    3. Use the food database and read food labels to track how many calories you consume daily. Aim to reach, but not go over, your NET calorie goal.

    It is this combination that will allow you to eat at an appropriate deficit to lose weight.

    Losing weight and getting healthy is not exact math. There's a little trial and error involved for many people to find the right balance of calories in/calories out to lose weight steadily.
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