HRM Question

Tracey_Tee
Tracey_Tee Posts: 128 Member
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
I bought myself a HRM yesterday and used it today while I was doing my 30DS workout. Now, I usually log it at Circuit Training, General on here and it tells me I burn about 340 cals (I am over 200lbs). But when I looked at my HRM after my workout it said I burned 526 cals.

I have read that you should always go by your HRM when logging exercise - can anyone tell me if that amount of cals burned seems correct please ?

Replies

  • Heidi_Maggott
    Heidi_Maggott Posts: 18
    bump
  • Tracey_Tee
    Tracey_Tee Posts: 128 Member
    Anybody ?
  • futurefitgirl88
    futurefitgirl88 Posts: 284
    yes the one on your HRM is more accurate than what it says on the data base. :)
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    It depends on the HRM to be honest.. for the most part they will be more accurate. but some HRM's are not.

    Does it have a chest strap and all of your information(age, weight, height, and gender)? If it does, then it will be pretty accurate. If it does not, then I'd be weary of it and not eat all those calories back.
  • fibrogirl
    fibrogirl Posts: 170 Member
    Hi Tracey,

    I'm no expert but from everything I've researched I believe that not all HRM's allow for background or base calories, i.e the calories that you would burn just by existing and not doing any exercise. If your HRM allows for this then you just go with what it says but if it doesn't you need to deduct them or you will be logging too much. I did have it written down as to how to work it out but cannot for the life of me find it. If you do a search on here I'm sure you'll find it, I'll have a look too and will report back, sorry I feel as though I'm only giving you a half hearted answer but wanted to give you some info.

    Good luck,

    Angie
  • fibrogirl
    fibrogirl Posts: 170 Member
    Me again, I found the info so here goes:-

    On this site go to tools and then BMR to find out your own BMR

    The formula is your BMR divided by 24hours divided by 60 minutes this gives you your base or background calories burned per minute

    (bmr/24/60= base cals per minute)

    Then to get the amount to be deducted from HRM (if not already deducted) you need Minutes exercised x base calories per minute that you have calculated above.

    I hope that this makes sense, it seemed pretty complicated when I first did it and as I've been a bit lazy lately I'd forgotten how I did it!

    If anyone thinks that this formula is wrong feel free to comment as this is only what I've learned from other sites I am no expert!

    Angie :blushing:
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Your HRM is either not setup correctly or it is not very accurate. That is way too high a number for 30DS, unless you weigh like 500 lbs.

    Most likely your max HR is higher than the one programmed into your HRM, so the HRM assumes you are working at like 100% max the whole workout.

    To be honest even the 340 listed the MFP database sounds really high. 30DS is not a big calorie burner.
  • ambercole
    ambercole Posts: 426
    I bought myself a HRM yesterday and used it today while I was doing my 30DS workout. Now, I usually log it at Circuit Training, General on here and it tells me I burn about 340 cals (I am over 200lbs). But when I looked at my HRM after my workout it said I burned 526 cals.

    I have read that you should always go by your HRM when logging exercise - can anyone tell me if that amount of cals burned seems correct please ?

    That seems really high, I only burn about 175 calories doing the shred and that is when i'm giving it all I got.
  • Jess5825
    Jess5825 Posts: 228
    I've never done the 30ds but, I know when I was over 200 lb I burned like 530 calories or so doing my kickboxing class (45 min kickboxing 15 min abs). So if it is only like 30 minutes or so that is probably way to high and either you didn't configure your HRM correctly or it is not a good one with a chest strap.
  • Tracey_Tee
    Tracey_Tee Posts: 128 Member
    Hi everyone and thanks for the feedback !

    The HRM does have a chest strap but I had trouble reading the instructions that came with it (they are teeny tiny lol) ! Anyway, I have reset it and I think I may have put my upper and lower HR info in incorrectly so hopefully tomorrow it will show a different reading !

    I am not relying on today's reading for the calories burned just to be on the safe side !
  • jfinnivan
    jfinnivan Posts: 360 Member
    You should take the calories indicated by your HRM and your TDEE, which is the BMR times your activity level. For me, at a sedentary level, its about 80 calories per hour. Also, make sure your Max heart rate is at least close to actual. You can google ways of finding out what your number is. There is a formula, but it's generic. It's better to find out by actually getting your heart rate to approach the max.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Hi everyone and thanks for the feedback !

    The HRM does have a chest strap but I had trouble reading the instructions that came with it (they are teeny tiny lol) ! Anyway, I have reset it and I think I may have put my upper and lower HR info in incorrectly so hopefully tomorrow it will show a different reading !

    I am not relying on today's reading for the calories burned just to be on the safe side !

    Is your HRM a Timex? if so, they are notorious for over estimating calories.. and the the only reason why I ask, is because I had to input an upper and lower HR with mine.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    Your HRM is either not setup correctly or it is not very accurate. That is way too high a number for 30DS, unless you weigh like 500 lbs.

    Most likely your max HR is higher than the one programmed into your HRM, so the HRM assumes you are working at like 100% max the whole workout.

    To be honest even the 340 listed the MFP database sounds really high. 30DS is not a big calorie burner.

    THIS. Azdak has a great blog post about HRMs too:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472
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