heart rate monitor help

KXanthos
KXanthos Posts: 189 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I recently bought a chest strap heart rate monitor. I used it for the first time this morning. At an average heart rate of 142 on my elliptical trainer for 25 minutes, it says that I only burned 130 calories. Can that possibly be right? I was sweating like crazy and it just doesn't make sense that I could have only burned 130 calories in that 25 minutes. Do these things not work on the elliptical trainers?

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    What kind of hrm did you get? It does seem like you should have burned more calories, but it depends on your height & weight, and the settings of the monitor, and if it was reading correctly the whole time. Does it allow you to enter your personal info? Were the contacts in the right place, moistened & tracking the whole time?
  • Gordonc66
    Gordonc66 Posts: 10 Member
    That does seem low. I did 10 mins today, HR was 160, but HRM showed around 110 cals and the machine showed 100.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    did you have the setting inputted correctly? did you have the strap on correctly, and moistened the sensor before you put it on?
  • ConnieSG
    ConnieSG Posts: 376
    I usually burn about 250 calories doing 25 minutes on the ellipitcal
  • skierxjes
    skierxjes Posts: 926 Member
    If my heart rate was only at 140ish for 25 mins, I'd only burn about the same amount, maybe a little more, but when I'm on the elliptical, my HR is usually in the 170's-180's. Just my 2 cents
  • KXanthos
    KXanthos Posts: 189 Member
    I wanted to get the pulsar, but I couldn't afford it, so I got a pulse sonic. I followed all of the instructions in the user manual, I entered my height and my weight, I made sure that the chest strap sensors were moistened, I did everything the user manual said.
  • KXanthos
    KXanthos Posts: 189 Member
    I think it must be monitoring my heart rate wrong, because when I put my hands on the heart rate monitors on the equipment there are times when its up to 156.
  • jfcarlson713
    jfcarlson713 Posts: 108 Member
    Before I got my HRM my elliptical said I was burning about 400 calories in 30 minutes. Once I got my HRM it now says I'm just shy of 400 calories after 50 minutes. I'm usually at about 150 - I would say that 130 calories in 25 minutes could be correct with 140 heart rate.
  • janf15
    janf15 Posts: 242 Member
    Although the amount of calories you burn is depending on your weight - your numbers seem way too low. Something may not be right in the way you set it up if you burned that small amount of calories. Try and reset it and set it up again - look at the manual and see if there might be something you missed.
  • navyw1fe
    navyw1fe Posts: 313 Member
    Not sure then as I have a Polar ft 4 and its VERY accurate!
  • LaLa150
    LaLa150 Posts: 14 Member
    That does seem quite low. I do 20 minutes on the elliptical and I burn between 250 and 300 calories. It does depend on your weight though. You may be a bit smaller, so perhaps you aren't burning as many as I am. :ohwell:
  • a_acosta80
    a_acosta80 Posts: 43
    Maybe try using HRM Gel. It might help. I have notice that sometime the elliptical s own HRM can interfere with the one you are wearing.
  • ahni77
    ahni77 Posts: 75
    i burned 287 doing 30 minutes on the elliptical yesterday. Maintained my HR between 130 and 150 the entire time. Mostly in the 140's though. Not sure what your stats are. perhaps you're lighter than me? I'm on the thick side - for now ;) make sure your settings are accurate. good luck!
  • nk17
    nk17 Posts: 141 Member
    Seems a reasonable amount to me. I do 47 minutes on the treadmill and a warm-up of about 15 minutes and still only burn a bit over 300.
  • jfcarlson713
    jfcarlson713 Posts: 108 Member
    That does seem quite low. I do 20 minutes on the elliptical and I burn between 250 and 300 calories. It does depend on your weight though. You may be a bit smaller, so perhaps you aren't burning as many as I am. :ohwell:

    Is this according to your HRM or the calories burned on the machine. Ellipticals are notorious for having incorrect high calorie burn readouts.
  • mcovillion
    mcovillion Posts: 33
    i have the polar FT 4 and i love it! since u followed all the directions, maybe the strap isn't where it should be? maybe try checking your resting HR with the monitor and then check it yourself the old fashioned way by counting on your wrist. see if they match up.
  • Elle_Jamaicangirl81
    Elle_Jamaicangirl81 Posts: 418 Member
    It usually all depends on your height and weight and effort for the workout.

    so
    1. it could actually be quite right.
    2. the chest strap/watch arent on correctly.(position-wise)
    3. chest strap isnt wet enough.
    4. is the HRM coded? cause it could be interfering with the machine you're on

    Hmm, and if those things dont work..maybe the HRM is defective? and u should replace it and see.
  • Elle_Jamaicangirl81
    Elle_Jamaicangirl81 Posts: 418 Member
    i have the polar FT 4 and i love it! since u followed all the directions, maybe the strap isn't where it should be? maybe try checking your resting HR with the monitor and then check it yourself the old fashioned way by counting on your wrist. see if they match up.

    the FT4 is awesome isnt it? thats what i have too
  • KXanthos
    KXanthos Posts: 189 Member
    I am 5 foot 7 inches and have at least 40 pounds to lose, so I don't think the issue
    is that I am smaller than anyone. I am probably larger than most of you.
  • KXanthos
    KXanthos Posts: 189 Member
    I wish I could afford the polar, but I am recently divorced and am supporting a mortgage on my 1 income was meant for 2 incomes...I was lucky that I could afford this 1.
  • lou1618
    lou1618 Posts: 96 Member
    I just starting using a HRM (wrist type) this week...before a 20 mins workout (program 2) elliptical reading would be around, 263-270, the wrist HRM shows that I burned 360-375 for the some routine, a little higher reading them the ellip. reading. Could it be placement of the monitor.? I've also used my waist monitor when doing KettleWork dvd workout and the first time I wore the watch inside my wrist and got a much lower reading them wearing it on the outside.
  • KXanthos
    KXanthos Posts: 189 Member
    is it possible that my boobs are getting in the way?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    is it possible that my boobs are getting in the way?

    No. I have large breasts and they don't have any affect on the HRM. You could be getting interference from other monitors, either on the elliptical, or other nearby people.

    The Polar monitors have a built-in anti-interference capability. I don't know if yours does. Unfortunately, you usually get what you pay for. Is it new enough that you could return it for a refund? Save up and buy a better brand?

    It could be correct. Or not. No way to know.
  • KXanthos
    KXanthos Posts: 189 Member
    I just repositioned it and got back on the elliptical. Now its showing 155 bpm which is more consistent with the heart rate on the equipment.....
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