HRM Calories vs Machine Calories Burned - Difference?

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DelightfullyWifed
DelightfullyWifed Posts: 70
in Fitness and Exercise
I am looking at getting myself a HRM later this year for many reasons. One of which is to calculate calories.

I have a question for those of you that do hav a HRM, have you ever set the machine with your info (weight, age, gender, etc) and compared the 2? If so what have you seen? Are the machines really off, pretty close, etc? I am curious.

Thanks!!!

Replies

  • AHealthierRhonda
    AHealthierRhonda Posts: 881 Member
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    My elliptical almost triples what my HRM tells me. I go by the HRM, depressing as it is..... Polar FT60 LOVE IT!
  • cibolodave
    cibolodave Posts: 45
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    Hello. it has been my experience that the machines usually show about 50-75 calories more than the HRM
  • CountryDevil
    CountryDevil Posts: 819 Member
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    It just depends on the machine. Some are better at calculating than others. But I think it goes without saying that you will get the most accurate calorie burn reading with a HRM.
  • cameralinds
    cameralinds Posts: 239
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    I'll be curious to see the responses. Bump Bump!
  • mohawk1971
    mohawk1971 Posts: 40 Member
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    I typically find the exercise machine runs 150~ calories less than my HRM.
  • datguy2011
    datguy2011 Posts: 477 Member
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    There's no clear cut answer for you unfortunately... it will depend on your own body and the type of machine you're going to use. Right now my hrm ranges about 50-80 less than my gps.. so it really depends on you.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Most machines(like the ones at the gym) don't let you enter all the info.. most only let you enter age and weight.

    I find that when I do the treadmill and the elliptical, that my calories burned on my HRM are higher then what the machine shows. I personally have Polar FT7, which is fantastic.

    The thing with HRM's is, you need one with a chest strap and one that lets you enter all your information into the watch. Without those two components, there will not be an accurate calorie burn.
  • keith0373
    keith0373 Posts: 2,154 Member
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    It depends on what kind of shape you are in. When I was heavier and not in good shape( heart rate averages around 170), the machines were very close. They just us a calculation of speed and distance to determine it, but now my heart rate stays much lower ( 130 average for the same workout), so the calculation is off by about 40%)
  • stacyg32
    stacyg32 Posts: 4 Member
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    I use a Garmin Forerunner 305 (wuth HRM) when I run outside and when using the treadmill. I have a "footpod" that helps to acuratley track distance and calories when I am inside o the treadmill. My expereince has been that the machines are always way over in thier estimation of the calories burned. I go by what my HRM says. A few months ago I was also using a Body Media Fit to track my calories throguh out the entrie day and it was always very close in calories burned to what my HRM said while I was running. The worst machines seem to be the Ellipticals. They can be double, even triple what you really burned. My Garmin does not give an accurate indication of what I burn on the Elliptical so my calculation is 100 calories for every 15 mintues on the elliptical and that is with my arms moving.
  • thamre
    thamre Posts: 642 Member
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    bump
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
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    For a typical 45 minute workout on the elliptical, which (1) knows my age and weight and (2) communicates with my Polar FT7 so knows my HR:

    MFP: 850
    Machine: 600
    HRM: 450

    Obviously a huge difference. I was kind of disappointed when I first learned this, but I much prefer having a closer estimation of course.

    But this will depend a lot on your body type and exertion.

    I love my HRM for more than just calories burned though. I like knowing what my exertion is like, when I'm slacking and when I really am giving it my all. I also love the weekly tallies of minutes exercised, calories burned, average peak, and average overall.
  • holly_v
    holly_v Posts: 292 Member
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    on the treadmill it tells me i burn more then my heart rate monitor.

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