HRM Question

lannlynn
lannlynn Posts: 72 Member
edited October 2 in Fitness and Exercise
So I invested in a HRM and have used it for the last 2 days while exercising on the elliptical trainer. According to my HRM I burned 472 caloreis for 50 minutes but the counter on the elliptical showed me buring 200 calories more than that! And the machine detects the heart rate as well. I was high "in the zone" (my heart rate was up) and the resistance on the machine was 11-13. So why such a difference?? Has this happened to you? A 200 calorie difference is a lot.

Replies

  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
    yeah baby - did you program your info into the HRM? It's probably more accurate than the elliptical - it's actually monitoring how hard your heart is working. Congrats! I was averaging 400 cals doing 30 day shred (till I blew out my knee =\)
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    I always take what the HRM says, and from my experience the machine is always WAY off from what my HRM says.
  • msmayor
    msmayor Posts: 362 Member
    Go with your hrm it's a better reading because it has your age, weight, height, sex and it reads your heart rate - I know I felt this way too my treadmill will give me 586 cal burn to my hrm 430 of course I would prefer the treadmill so I can eat more but I go with the hrm - this may explain why I'm losing slow - eating back the incorrect number of calories.....good luck
  • fayeriston
    fayeriston Posts: 21 Member
    hmm... The HRM sounds about right for the ellipitcal but yeah 200 cal diference is strange. Doe your hrm and elliptical both have the right weight for you?
  • dorisholaway
    dorisholaway Posts: 531 Member
    I have a HRM watch and a gowearfit by body media, and most days they have a difference of 100 to 200 and both of these are set to my age and such. I wear them both at the same time and do not understand why there is a difference in them.
  • RNewton4269
    RNewton4269 Posts: 663 Member
    The HRM would be more accurate than the machine because the machines are all calibrated differently. If you programed your HRM and have all your information in there correct..that would be the number I would go with.
  • hyde1977
    hyde1977 Posts: 476 Member
    HRM is accurate! The machines are off! I know even now the machines are wrong! When I work out on them the machine is always 125-175 off. Which is why HRMs are a great investment, so that you don't put more calories burned then you actually did.

    I tell my friends that don't have HRMs to take 100-150 off what the machine says.

    The HRM takes your height, weight, age, etc....True the machine does as well (some of that information) but they are never accurate!
  • DinaLKeil
    DinaLKeil Posts: 95 Member
    I have a similar issue except opposite I guess. My HRM says I burn more than the elliptical. The longer I work out, the bigger the difference. Today it was about 160 calories different. Then when I log my exercise, it says less. I know I could change what mfp says but, I just go with the lower of the 3 and consider those extra calories a little bit of backup incase I forget something or miscalculate, etc.
  • lannlynn
    lannlynn Posts: 72 Member
    Thanks for all the responses. The HRM is programmed correctly with all of my info. So I am going with it! I want to be accurate.
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