BMR / Calories Burned / HRM

cshapiro926
cshapiro926 Posts: 27
edited September 30 in Health and Weight Loss
Could someone help me (i know it has been done before but I cant seem to locate)... I recently purchased a HRM and have begun using it. During my workouts I am burning between 700-1000 cal. Would someone be able to assist me with ensuring that I am accurately calculating my lost calories and not including within that number my BMR (already calculated calories). I am going to a registered dietician on Monday as well as my PCP to discuss any possible barriers to my weight loss. - like many of the gazillion others, I too have been having trouble actually seeing lb's drop off the scale. I have been working out apprx 5-6 days a week and just about 2 weeks ago added in strength training at the recommendation of one of the consults at my gym. I am unsure if I am truly eating too many carbs (or sugars) and this could be what is causing my inability to drop lbs.

I did get measured a month post working out at the gym (like they offer every month) and although I was the same weight - I had lost approx 5" from all over my body. I definitely feel a 1000x better but I am getting married in 3 months and would like to see some lbs drop off.

I did go from really NOT seeing the gym AT ALL to now going approx 5-6 times a week.


I guess I am hoping someone can help me understand the BMR vs my HRM reading and ensure that I am accurately accounting for my calories burned. I have recently started utilizing the HRM during my strength training because I do sweat and wanted to figure out how many calories I am burning during my 30-45 min weight session. Do you think this is innacurate? I've noticed my HR is higher during lifting (running around 115-135) and when I work out I stay around a 145-150.

I am 5'4", 201lbs, and have no outstanding medical conditions to my knowledge. (and no family hx of DM or Thyroid/PCOS issues and I am 27 so I am not perimenopausal)... I wear a size 14 in pants and a L in tops.

Any advice would be welcomed!

Replies

  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
    MFP calculates everything for you. All you need to do is insert how many calories you burned and MFP will add those to your daily food intake. Meaning that you can eat those calories back. But I typically only eat half my workout calories because those numbers aren't always accurate. Open up your diary and maybe we could adjust some things as well. Good job on including strength training.
    I hope this makes sense or that this was what you were looking for.
  • ejhayes
    ejhayes Posts: 44 Member
    I don't know which HRM you got, but I can tell you that I don't worry so much about BMR when working out. The calories I burn when working out, as far as I know, are just that working out calories. I only wear it when I'm working out so I don't count the calories you normally burn during the day. The calories you burn when doing strength training burn more from fat than the ones you do when doing cardiovascular activities. My HRM tells me how many of the calories I burned are from fat, and the ones during that particular activity are always higher. You also burn more calories after you stop working out when doing strength training, your muscles are still working even after the workout is over. Don't worry too much about the weight, concentrate in those inches, they are fat loss and that's great. The weight will start to come off soon enough. I'm not sure that I answer your question, but I hope this helps. Also please consider the king of calories you consume, they make a huge difference.
  • weeziews
    weeziews Posts: 162 Member
    This is from livestrong.com. I hope it helps and simplifies it for you. I've added strength training too and am not dropping lbs, but I am losing inches. That is huge! So don't get discouraged.

    Step 1
    Determine your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, a 20-year-old would have a maximum heart rate of 200 (220 minus 20 = 200).

    Step 2
    Determine what your heart rate range during exercise should be. The lowest rate should be 60 percent of your maximum heart rate, and the highest rate should be 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. For the 20-year-old, these two rates would be 120 and 180 beats per minute. Keep these numbers in mind as your heart rate goals while you are exercising.

    Step 3
    Put on the heart rate monitor, which should include a chest strap and a wristwatch. It is often beneficial to lightly moisten the chest strap first and place it directly on the skin so the watch gets the best signal.

    Step 4
    Turn on the watch and begin exercising. Warm up to your lowest heart rate goal for three to five minutes.

    Step 5
    Increase your heart rate by five to 10 beats per minute and exercise for four minutes.

    Step 6
    Increase your heart rate by 15 beats a minute for one minute. You do not need to wait until you reach this higher heart rate to count your one minute--instead you will take one full minute to try to reach this higher heart rate goal. After one minute, whether you've reached the goal or not, go back down to the preceding heart rate. For example, if you were exercising at 65 beats per minute, you will increase your heart rate until it reaches 80 beats per minute or until one minute has passed and then lower back down.

    Step 7
    Repeat this four-minute-low, one-minute-high pattern at least four times for a 20-minute workout. You can continue if you want to do a longer workout.

    Step 8
    Decrease your intensity level to below your lowest heart rate goal and back to your resting rate for the next three to five minutes.



    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/75454-use-heart-rate-monitor-lose/#ixzz1UFhD5ope
  • mefeight1964
    mefeight1964 Posts: 88 Member
    BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the amount of calories your body needs just to stay alive. MFP sets your calorie goal based on your BMR, your activity level and how quickly you want to lose weight (how many lbs per week). That figure is the MINIMUM amount you should eat every day. When you exercise, MFP adds the calories burned onto your minimum amount so that you don't go into starvation mode.

    There's always a discussion going on somewhere on here about whether or not you should eat your exercise calories back. MFP's rule of thumb is yes you should - general consensus throughout the members is that you should eat some, but not all back to see results. Everyone is different, but you shouldn't drop below your minimum calorie goal set by MFP. It's dangerous.

    You don't need to worry so much about your BMR because MFP has done the math for you and has your plan laid out for you. Basically, if you follow it the way it's laid out and stick with your calorie goal (plus your exercise calories), you're set to win the battle!

    One caution though. Make certain that you're not over estimating the number of calories you're burning. If you are and you eat those calories, you'll throw a monkey wrench in the gears of your plan and slow (or even halt) you loss.
  • cshapiro926
    cshapiro926 Posts: 27
    MFP calculates everything for you. All you need to do is insert how many calories you burned and MFP will add those to your daily food intake. Meaning that you can eat those calories back. But I typically only eat half my workout calories because those numbers aren't always accurate. Open up your diary and maybe we could adjust some things as well. Good job on including strength training.
    I hope this makes sense or that this was what you were looking for.

    I unlocked everything! Sorry - I had no idea about this stuff since I am still new! ...


    Also -I have a New Balance HRM Fit + .... and as you can see by my diary (for the most part) i have not eaten the calories back completely (some of them but not all) ....

    I guess I also need to figure out just how much protein I need and how MANY carbs I would need .... I heard a rumor somewhere that if I dont watch my carbs when I start intaking more protein (through lean meats or shakes)that I will GAIN wait due to the protein AND carb combo... is this a myth?
  • cshapiro926
    cshapiro926 Posts: 27
    Bump
  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
    MFP calculates everything for you. All you need to do is insert how many calories you burned and MFP will add those to your daily food intake. Meaning that you can eat those calories back. But I typically only eat half my workout calories because those numbers aren't always accurate. Open up your diary and maybe we could adjust some things as well. Good job on including strength training.
    I hope this makes sense or that this was what you were looking for.

    I unlocked everything! Sorry - I had no idea about this stuff since I am still new! ...


    Also -I have a New Balance HRM Fit + .... and as you can see by my diary (for the most part) i have not eaten the calories back completely (some of them but not all) ....

    I guess I also need to figure out just how much protein I need and how MANY carbs I would need .... I heard a rumor somewhere that if I dont watch my carbs when I start intaking more protein (through lean meats or shakes)that I will GAIN wait due to the protein AND carb combo... is this a myth?

    i usually set my macros at 40-30-30 or there about as I don't like how mfp sets them up. I'm a weight lifter so I need much more protein than they recommend. You should also add sodium and sugar to the macro list so you can monitor those too.
  • mlindahl
    mlindahl Posts: 43 Member
    This may already be noted elsewhere; however, I found a website that calorielab.com where you enter your weight and it has lots of categories for activities and on the same website you can find what food that amount of calories burned relates to.
    Not sure of the accuracy so use with caution.

    Anyone else use this site and can verify the accuracy?

    Thanks, :flowerforyou:
  • sweebum
    sweebum Posts: 1,060 Member
    Are you eating at 1200 a day? That's really low for someone your weight. Your BMR is the number of calories you would burn in a coma. Does your HRM have a chest strap or is it one you put your fingers on? Either way, you need to eat back some of the exercise calories. If you are truly eating 1200 calories a day, eat more. You are WAY under your BMR and your body won't appreciate it.

    As for carbs/protein etc...it's all about calorie deficit, you need to eat less than you burn. That said, keeping protein higher in a calorie deficit is important to spare muscle loss, and keep you feeling full.
  • Lahdidahdah
    Lahdidahdah Posts: 33
    My trainer said a 50% carb, 25% protein and 25% fat is recommended for weight loss. However, I do more like 40% protein, 30% carb, 30% fat just because those are the foods I like.
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