Inaccurate HEart Rate Monitor? Need advice!

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BiscuitsNDavy
BiscuitsNDavy Posts: 212 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys, I bought a watch-only type HRM that you had to put your fingers on to get a reading, but after some bad reviews I decided to return it and got a chest strap type instead. After entering my age,weight, and MHR, I put it on and jogged for an hour totaling 5 miles (12min mile). After some light weight lifting, I completed my exercise and it read that I burned 1438 calories. O_o MFP said I burned 718 calories. Is my HRM defective?

Would much appreciate the help!!! I really don't want to have to go through getting an exchange :(

Replies

  • JoyfulSparkle
    JoyfulSparkle Posts: 96
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    I have the watch HRM, it also doubles the MFP calories burned
  • Just_Bethy
    Just_Bethy Posts: 272
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    Does it let you add your VO2? If not the reading will be too high...You can use the average BPM from your work out and add your details here...plus your VO2...most peoples is 35ish...THEN it will give you the right reading...This is what I do because mine doesn't have a VO2 input either...

    http://www.triathlontrainingblog.com/calculators/calories-burned-calculator-based-on-average-heart-rate/
  • Moonbeamlissie
    Moonbeamlissie Posts: 504 Member
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    What kind did you buy? I would make sure that you didn't have a typo as well. Mine is alright. I will tell you also, that if you have any interference that makes your heart rate reading go up it will get you a higher calorie reading. Mine sometimes when I am walking in an area with a lot of electronic items my heart rate will go crazy on my watch not myself personally.
  • BiscuitsNDavy
    BiscuitsNDavy Posts: 212 Member
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    Does it let you add your VO2? If not the reading will be too high...You can use the average BPM from your work out and add your details here...plus your VO2...most peoples is 35ish...THEN it will give you the right reading...This is what I do because mine doesn't have a VO2 input either...

    http://www.triathlontrainingblog.com/calculators/calories-burned-calculator-based-on-average-heart-rate/

    It doesn't have a VO2 input but it does have a fitness input which I feel could be similar to that. I guess I may have imputed my fitness level too low? Idk blergh lol
  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
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    YOU ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER===> When you use a HRM, you need to take the calories burned that your HRM shows and SUBTRACT it by how many calories you burn normally without the exercise. My per minute standard calorie burn is about 1.5.

    Total calories burned every day (your maintenance value) divided by 24 (hours) then divided by another 60 (minutes). This is your per minute standard calorie expenditure.

    If I work out 60 minutes and burn 700 calories on my hrm, I have to take out 90 (60 times 1.5) from 700 because I would have burned that sitting around or doing regular things.

    This may account for a drastic amount of your calories burned that you didn't realize before. :)
  • BiscuitsNDavy
    BiscuitsNDavy Posts: 212 Member
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    YOU ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER===> When you use a HRM, you need to take the calories burned that your HRM shows and SUBTRACT it by how many calories you burn normally without the exercise. My per minute standard calorie burn is about 1.5.

    Total calories burned every day (your maintenance value) divided by 24 (hours) then divided by another 60 (minutes). This is your per minute standard calorie expenditure.

    If I work out 60 minutes and burn 700 calories on my hrm, I have to take out 90 (60 times 1.5) from 700 because I would have burned that sitting around or doing regular things.

    This may account for a drastic amount of your calories burned that you didn't realize before. :)

    Good tip thanks! I have a reebok precision xt. It was reasonably priced, I'll maybe spring for a polar later down the road.
  • crystalinda
    crystalinda Posts: 151 Member
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    YOU ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER===> When you use a HRM, you need to take the calories burned that your HRM shows and SUBTRACT it by how many calories you burn normally without the exercise. My per minute standard calorie burn is about 1.5.

    Total calories burned every day (your maintenance value) divided by 24 (hours) then divided by another 60 (minutes). This is your per minute standard calorie expenditure.

    If I work out 60 minutes and burn 700 calories on my hrm, I have to take out 90 (60 times 1.5) from 700 because I would have burned that sitting around or doing regular things.

    This may account for a drastic amount of your calories burned that you didn't realize before. :)


    I don't do this - too much work. I see how this can make sense though. I log calories burned in excercise log straight as they are calc'ed on my hrm, about once a week I add up all the numbers (bmr, calories burned, net calories consumed, etc) and everything seems to work itself out as it should.

    Also, MFP is just a general estimation, so is the hrm but its probably closer in terms of accuracy because the chest strap is giving you an ekg reading.
  • briggsl23
    briggsl23 Posts: 15
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    I just purchased a HRM a couple days ago, its was fairly inexspensive, but they calories burned have been almost 300 more than what the treadmill says, everything else like the HR, and time is correct, so I am pretty frustrated with it, and plan to return it, my fear is that I am not on track for calories if this thing is even close to being correct...I dont know if the polars are more accurate or not, but I dont think I will be finding out.. good luck!
  • byrnet18
    byrnet18 Posts: 230 Member
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    My husband and I just bought Polar F60's and it works really well. It has a chest strap and I would count what that says as most accurate compared to what the treadmill says. My resting heart rate is 40-48 bpm so I feel that the treadmill has no way of knowing what I am really burning since it probably assumes a generic heart rate for most users at a certain age and weight. The HRM is actually counting my heart rate and it knows how many calories I burn. I would recommend a Polar HRM.

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