subtracting calories burned from HRM

sarah307
sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
does anyone else subtract a percentage of calories burned from their HRM? or a certain amount of calories burned?

to compensate for any margin of error?

For example, for every 30 minutes of exercise, subtract 50 calories burned from the HRM??

anyone else do this?

if so, how do you do it? what method do you use?

Replies

  • jimmy_jenkins
    jimmy_jenkins Posts: 65
    Normally subract 14 calories for every ten minutes excerised. I used my BMR to work out how many calories i would have burned in that time just by doing nothing.
  • CPrincipeDeSA
    CPrincipeDeSA Posts: 27 Member
    Not sure I understand your question. I enter the exercise in the journal, then adjust the calories burned that MFP gives me to those of my HRM. HRM is more accurate.
  • abby459
    abby459 Posts: 694 Member
    well I think I already told you this...but since I have a timex and people say it over-estimates, I subtract 100 cals for every 30mins I work out. I check it against an online calculator that uses HR, age, wt, height and VO2 max......so I think its accurate??
  • Mad_Dog_Muscle
    Mad_Dog_Muscle Posts: 1,251 Member
    I do. I use a calculation based on 1.5 to account for my BMR......
    At the end of my workout, I take how many minutes I worked out, multiply that times 1.5 and then deduct that from my calories I burned according to my HRM (ex: 30 minutes exercise / 500 cals according to HRM ... 30x1.5=45 500 cals -45=455cals is what I would log as my burn). IS it scientific, maybe maybe not, but I like the buffer. It works for me.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I don't.. I mean, I only exercise for 30 to 45 minutes anyway, so the amount that i would subtract is very minimal.

    If your worried, just leave that many calories left over at the end of the day.
  • MelC2564
    MelC2564 Posts: 182 Member
    I take off the calories I would have burnt anyway doing nothing (I don't know if thats what you were talking about), and then I usually double it just to be safe... even though they're meant to be pretty spot on, I'm paranoid. :p So I think mine is something like:

    Calories burned from normal daily activity: 1,740
    Minutes in a day: 1440
    1740/1440 = 1.208

    1.208 * minutes of workout (eg 40) = 48.32. So I'll round that to 50 and take off an extra 50 just for extra peace of mind :p
  • MelC2564
    MelC2564 Posts: 182 Member
    I do. I use a calculation based on 1.5 to account for my BMR......
    At the end of my workout, I take how many minutes I worked out, multiply that times 1.5 and then deduct that from my calories I burned according to my HRM (ex: 30 minutes exercise / 500 cals according to HRM ... 30x1.5=45 500 cals -45=455cals is what I would log as my burn). IS it scientific, maybe maybe not, but I like the buffer. It works for me.

    ^ this guy probably explains it better haha
  • kateopotato
    kateopotato Posts: 215 Member
    Yeah. I subtract 1.35 calories per minute. I calculated it once based on wearing my Hrm while sleeping and dividing the total by the number of minutes which came to 1.3 calories per minute. Then a few months ago I got my RMR measured and it came to 1.35 calories per minute... Pretty darn close.
  • MikeBBerger
    MikeBBerger Posts: 9
    Another option might be to wear the HRM without doing exercise (or anything active) for 30 minutes or so to see how many calories it says you are burning, compare that to your BMR, and make adjustments accordingly. Some HRMs only show calories burned over resting, others show a total including resting - it'd be good to see what yours shows to see if you need any adjustment. I know that with my HRM if I wear it and do nothing (sit in a chair) the calorie counter barely moves - maybe 1 calorie every 10 mins - so I at least know it's not including my resting calorie burn.
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    Nope. I just have faith in my HRM... But I don't eat exercise calories back either, so I guess it doesn't matter to me much anyways. Also, everybody who is talking about subtracting the "amount of calories you would have burned otherwise" is wrong. MFP takes into account those calories you expend in ADDITION to your BMR when it sets up your daily goal. Let me repeat: MFP's recommendations aren't based off of your basal metabolic rate. Your goal is set up in relation to your daily calorie expenditure (which is BMR + all those calories you burned walking upstairs, folding laundry, washing dishes, typing, etc.) so there's no need to subtract any calories from your HRM... Unless you're doubting that your HRM is correct in the first place.
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    Oh, and in case anybody forgot: heart rate monitors are not designed for determining calories burned for anything other than aerobic exercise. They will not give an accurate estimation for strength training or rest. The best explanation: http://www.sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_experts.asp?q=75
  • kateopotato
    kateopotato Posts: 215 Member
    Oh, and in case anybody forgot: heart rate monitors are not designed for determining calories burned for anything other than aerobic exercise. They will not give an accurate estimation for strength training or rest. The best explanation: http://www.sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_experts.asp?q=75

    While I didn't "forget" that, it turned out that MY experiment with MY HRM came out to the same as what my results of my RMR testing came out to be. And it DOES make sense to subtract them out when working out... I want the most accurate ADDITIONAL calorie burn to be recorded... If you don't do it that's fine, glad that works for you.
  • finabella
    finabella Posts: 176
    No I don't but I also don't eat all the calories I burn back
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Thanks! just wondering what others did also! i know i have asked a few people on here but just wanted to make a post about it!

    and yeah, i think it does matter if you are a person that eats back your exercise calories (which i am !) because if MFP is telling you to eat [x] amount of calories for your daily living and your HRM is saying you are burning [x + exercise] amount of calories during a specific 30 minute workout then you'd be accounting for those original [x] amount of calories twice.

    I am probably just talking in circles at this point. but i got my question answered!! so thank you!!!

    I am going to subtract [1.2 x number of minutes exercised] from HRM :) //// THANKS!
  • jfinnivan
    jfinnivan Posts: 360 Member
    Your HRM is giving you the TOTAL number of calories burned for the time requested. This number includes the calories you would have burned just doing normal activity, which MFP assumes for its calculations. So, to get the number of calories you should add in your log, you should subtract the number MFP normally uses, which is your TDEE. For me, it's about 80 calories per hour. I subtract this from the number the HRM gives me. It's not a matter of trusting the accuracy of the HRM, but knowing the assumptions that MFP makes about calorie expenditure.
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Your HRM is giving you the TOTAL number of calories burned for the time requested. This number includes the calories you would have burned just doing normal activity, which MFP assumes for its calculations. So, to get the number of calories you should add in your log, you should subtract the number MFP normally uses, which is your TDEE. For me, it's about 80 calories per hour. I subtract this from the number the HRM gives me. It's not a matter of trusting the accuracy of the HRM, but knowing the assumptions that MFP makes about calorie expenditure.

    ^yes! explained well. thanks
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