Disappointing first workout with HRM -- Help

Options
2»

Replies

  • gudiiya
    gudiiya Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    I had the same exact thing happened to me, but guess what now I push myself at the gym and burning real 900 calories on the HRM last week was just an awesome feeling. So you will get over it and really we DO want to know the truth because we dont want to over eat what we should not be over eating. I initially burned 200-250 calories on an average workout where I would be couting 500 calories burned, so make your new HRM your new PAL and happy tracking! :) Oh all I did for the 900 calories burn was 1 hour on elliptical which I love with fast music and 30 min TM plus some weights, but I had 500 calories burned just on the elliptical...I made sure my heart rate was spiking between 150-160 and then I would relax and go to 140s...etc. Hope this helps.
  • Tommyfuzz
    Tommyfuzz Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    Hey Brenda...

    Just a few little words of advice..... that seems to have helped me.... Don't get lost in the numbers.... instead of being disappointed in the number of calories your burnt...Use that number to motivate you to work harder... personally I kinda had a similar dilemma...MFP said that my 4k walk that I did only burned 110 calories...but yet a 40 minute walk on the treadmill...the treadmill said I burned 330 calories.... So just keep at the workouts... and eating right...and the results will come ... Good luck...
  • mkath4
    mkath4 Posts: 85 Member
    Options
    I have a Polar FT4 as well. The first time I used it I was disappointed. I honestly thought I was burning a lot more. I would guess it was accurate with you, as it was with me. When I did the same DVD again (30DS) I worked even harder. I gave it everything I had. I burned and extra 137 calories. so, my 201 from before was now 338 calories. Made me realizes that I really need to push it to burn calories and lose weight.

    Also, MFP has be very high when I do the stair stepper at the gym. Had me at 600+ calories for 30 min. on the stairstepper. With my HRM, it comes to approx 340 in 30 min.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    Options
    It does have a chest strap, and I did wet the sensors. The heart rate seems accurate. I'll just have to accept that THIS is my burn for now. I do push myself, believe me. At this weight and having fibromyaliga, working out at this level for 40 minutes is all I got in me. I'm going to try a more intense workout for a shorter duration and check out the burn on that.

    Damn MFP calorie burn lies! Everyone needs to be warned....DO...NOT...TRUST...THE...MFP.
  • marianne_s
    marianne_s Posts: 986 Member
    Options
    Did you set the HRM up correctly.... by entering your weight, sex, etc.?
  • Pocket_Pixi
    Pocket_Pixi Posts: 1,167 Member
    Options
    If my chest strap isn't making good contact with my skin my readings are super low. I always wet the sensors and put it on, and then put my sports bra on and never seem to have problems that way. I weigh less than you do and in 28/30 minutes I burn roughly 250-260 calories. So maybe the sensors were not touching your skin?
  • Phrak
    Phrak Posts: 353 Member
    Options
    It does have a chest strap, and I did wet the sensors. The heart rate seems accurate. I'll just have to accept that THIS is my burn for now. I do push myself, believe me. At this weight and having fibromyaliga, working out at this level for 40 minutes is all I got in me. I'm going to try a more intense workout for a shorter duration and check out the burn on that.

    Damn MFP calorie burn lies! Everyone needs to be warned....DO...NOT...TRUST...THE...MFP.

    MFP/Cardio machine all lie. Even most HRM are inaccurate by 30%. This is why i wish people would calculate their maintence calories based on their activity level and subtract 500 cal from that. Instead of guessing at their exercise calories and eating those.
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
    Options
    When it runs 10k (6.2 miles) the MFP tells the precious that it burns 1084 calories The precious is happy. It is happy. Then it wears an HRM. The filthy HRM says that the precious burns 750 calories not 1084 calories.

    The precious. The precious was lied to by the MFP. The stupid fat MFP...
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
    Options
    I don't have time to read all the post here, so if this is redundant I apologize. Go to this thread. The OP has an nice explanation how to set up a hrm.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/429688-new-hrm-how-to-make-the-calorie-estimate-more-accurate
  • tuffytuffy1
    tuffytuffy1 Posts: 920 Member
    Options
    Yup, unfortunately, that sounds like it could be right. In 30 minutes of extremely strenous lifting with bursts of intense cardio, I only burn about 300 calories max. So with your average heart rate at 135 for 38 minutes, that could definitely be accurate.

    Try adding some intense intervals in your cardio - run as fast as you can for 30 seconds then recover; repeat. Do this for a few cycles. It will add a lot of caloric burn, and if you believe some of the articles out there, your body will continue to burn calories at a higher rate when you are done than if you had just done even-paced low intensity cardio.
  • mrsjennifermaffei
    mrsjennifermaffei Posts: 469
    Options
    For me, aerobic exercises don't burn a lot of calories...maybe 9/minute unlike when I do cardio and I burn 12/min
  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
    Options
    I just means you're in better shape than you thought! Just because you might be heavy, doesn't mean you're out of shape. Keep that in mind. If you're working out pretty hard, and your heart rate is still relatively low, you're in good shape cardiovascularly (is that a word??) speaking. Of course, some medications can lower your heart rate (e.g. beta blockers for high BP) and that can skew your results too.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Options
    What did MFP say you burned before that?
    Did you include your stretching before that? I wouldn't have counted the stretching, anyway, but that is just me.
  • flamegirl72
    flamegirl72 Posts: 143 Member
    Options
    When it runs 10k (6.2 miles) the MFP tells the precious that it burns 1084 calories The precious is happy. It is happy. Then it wears an HRM. The filthy HRM says that the precious burns 750 calories not 1084 calories.

    The precious. The precious was lied to by the MFP. The stupid fat MFP...

    Ahhhaaaahahahahahaha! The precious makes my day he does
  • meycay
    meycay Posts: 29
    Options
    When it runs 10k (6.2 miles) the MFP tells the precious that it burns 1084 calories The precious is happy. It is happy. Then it wears an HRM. The filthy HRM says that the precious burns 750 calories not 1084 calories.

    The precious. The precious was lied to by the MFP. The stupid fat MFP...

    Literally laughing out loud... actualy scared my son who was watching Disney in a trance. LOL
  • DonPendergraft
    DonPendergraft Posts: 520 Member
    Options
    Chin up! You are burning calories and getting into shape. It's better that you have the truth. I suspect the total isn't far off. If you plan on increasing aerobic fitness, your heart rate is actually pretty good. Try to extend to an hour. If you are trying to burn max calories, then you need to increase the intensity. Keep up the good work. Don't be discouraged, you are doing great!!

Categories