heart rate monitor calories -v- MFP

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sarahmarieb36
sarahmarieb36 Posts: 39 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I bought a heart rate monitor/calorie counter watch and i noticed a big difference sometimes on the calories the watch says i've burned compared to just entering an exercise on MFP. my instinct is telling me that the watch is more accurate because its measuring my heart rate as well.
Today i went to the YMCA for the first time while wearing my watch to compare what is says and what the machines (that also measure heart rate) says....
the watch says i burnt more calories then what the machine said (but not by a TON or anything)....

so i guess here is what im curious about...

should i just stick with what my watch is saying? It is pretty much in the middle of MFP and the machines at the Y...i know none of them are going to be 100% but just wondering if its ok to just go with what the watch says..

Replies

  • Marina614
    Marina614 Posts: 19 Member
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    HI! I wear a Polar HRM too. Are you using just a watch or one with a body strap? The strap is the most accurate. I have noticed the Cals burned in the MFP templates are way off. They are to high. It concerns me and I have brought it to my MFP buddies attention on my wall. Some have gotten monitors since. I am not sure how they came up with their numbers but every person is different. Age, weight, height, BMI, medications taken etc will factor into total cals burned for any given workout. I personally will only use the HRM numbers as it could negatively affect my net calories to rely on the template numbers. Please feel free to friend me :)
  • sarahmarieb36
    sarahmarieb36 Posts: 39 Member
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    i noticed MFP is really high in the calories it says burnt. I got a Sportline S7 Heart Rate Watch from walmart. it doesnt have the body strap i remember using those in school and i hated them lol. i feel pretty confident that the HRM is more accurate. =) and thanks i'll send ya a friend request.
  • lynnjunior
    lynnjunior Posts: 42
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    I myself also just purchased the Polar FT4 and LOVE it, I have noticed a HUGE difference on what that tells me I burned calorie wise compared to what MFP say I have burned - for example I jog in place for 30 minutes (while watching my TV show's) and my heart rate monitir said I burned 206 calories, when I checked on MFP it said I would have burned over 300 - that's quite a big difference esp. if you are thinking you have the "extra" calories to "eat back" (like a lot op peeps do)! I will always go by my HRM from now on - it actually pushes me harder while i'm working out now beacuse I now know for sure how many calories I am burning!! :flowerforyou:
  • laineylynnfit
    laineylynnfit Posts: 369 Member
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    I agree that MFP really over estimates the calories burned. I have seen some people burn 400-500 calories doing light housework for 30 min and I don't burn that much doing cardio for 40 minutes between the treadmill and elliptical. I would go with the HRM.
  • jadesign19
    jadesign19 Posts: 512 Member
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    I'm having the opposite problem.
    My polar heart rate monitor with the strap at the chest will estimate that if I run 48 minutes, I burned 786 calories.
    However, MFP calculates close to 300 less. This is very confusing.
  • sarahmarieb36
    sarahmarieb36 Posts: 39 Member
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    well i posted this forever ago but im a bit concerned again. i dont know why i was saying before that my heart rate monitor was telling me less then what the MFP calories burnt was telling me. its the opposite. like i wore my watch while walking laps and pushing my niece in a stroller (mind you she's 30 lbs) and for that half hour (2 miles) it said i burnt 465 calories...but then my mom who did the same just entered it on MFP and it told her only like 130...which seems like a huge difference. maybe i'll have to just suck it up and get one with a chest strap. i still think my watch is more accurate then MFP but it seems like its a little high. ugh idk. im sticking with my watch. rant over. lol.
  • Amach37
    Amach37 Posts: 7 Member
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    I myself also just purchased the Polar FT4 and LOVE it, I have noticed a HUGE difference on what that tells me I burned calorie wise compared to what MFP say I have burned - for example I jog in place for 30 minutes (while watching my TV show's) and my heart rate monitir said I burned 206 calories, when I checked on MFP it said I would have burned over 300 - that's quite a big difference esp. if you are thinking you have the "extra" calories to "eat back" (like a lot op peeps do)! I will always go by my HRM from now on - it actually pushes me harder while i'm working out now beacuse I now know for sure how many calories I am burning!! :flowerforyou:

    I, too, just bought the POLAR FT4! I also LOVE it! Totally makes me feel much more secure about my calorie intake and the strap is also very comfortable IMO.
    I do elliptical and a "walk" at home video and both of the MFP calories burned were off before I got the monitor. I'd recommend the monitor and strap to anyone that wants to be meticulous. Also bought a food scale....Yep.

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