my polar ft4 cheating me out of calories ?

If your HRM is set for your weight and the other settings correctly, I would trust it before I would the machine. I have a Polar FT7 and record my readings everyday and eat back 2/3's of the calories I burn and it is working for me.

The Polar series has been one of the most purchased HRMs on MFP, but I would check the settings and make sure. 520~ calories is a more reasonable estimate. Ellipticals always lie... MFP exaggerates as well... just check your HRM stats and make sure they're right. 520 calories is not easy to burn at all.... that's a lot of work... I would be more inclined to believe this number.

Otherwise, I have heard much success with Polar FT7, but I have not tried it myself.

The more fit you are the fewer calories you burn ...... MFP has no clue as to how fit you are. Double check your settings, but I'm guessing the HRM is correct.

I just got the same FT4 and started using it this week. Man, what an eyeopener! I knew I wasn't burning as many calories as MFP had estimated, especially the ones for cardio where they estimated about +10 cals/min (100 cals in 10 min of exercise).

The first thing I used it for was a Zumba tape and I was sorely disappointed in my burn. But then I realized it was because I wasn't getting my heart rate up enough or doing it at high enough of an intensity. Once I started paying attention to my heart rate zone it was a motivator to walk more quickly, add extra hop in my step when doing cardio, etc. I FINALLY hit 100 cals in 10 minutes when I was almost running because I was walking so fast and uphill lol.

As others mentioned, make sure your settings for weight and height are correct and then visibly monitor your heart rate while working out. For instance, my hrm target range is 126-167, so if I'm in the 120's-130's I know my burn is going to be slower and lower so I may do something to spike it (go faster for a minute or two) and then go back down to my normal speed.

As others mentioned, make sure your settings for weight and height are correct and then visibly monitor your heart rate while working out. For instance, my hrm target range is 126-167, so if I'm in the 120's-130's I know my burn is going to be slower and lower so I may do something to spike it (go faster for a minute or two) and then go back down to my normal speed.

And this is why HIIT or Interval Training is so effective. If I'm walking/jogging I may sprint for 30 seconds and then I get to walk slowly for a few minutes while still getting the calorie burn of a higher heart rate.

I use the FT7 as well. And I agree that the more fit you are the harder it is to burn as many calories. In the same 1hr spin class I burned 518 calories while someone next to me with an FT4 on showed that they burned 1207. I don't know any of their specifics, but I can tell you that I was working hard to get those 518 calroesi burned. The only numbers I go by are the ones on my FT7 since I know that it is set up with my specifics of height, weight, and age. The machines only take the information that you enter and those don't account for your height, so that could throw the numbers off a little bit as well (not sure on that though).

I just got the same FT4 and started using it this week. Man, what an eyeopener! I knew I wasn't burning as many calories as MFP had estimated, especially the ones for cardio where they estimated about +10 cals/min (100 cals in 10 min of exercise).

The first thing I used it for was a Zumba tape and I was sorely disappointed in my burn. But then I realized it was because I wasn't getting my heart rate up enough or doing it at high enough of an intensity. Once I started paying attention to my heart rate zone it was a motivator to walk more quickly, add extra hop in my step when doing cardio, etc. I FINALLY hit 100 cals in 10 minutes when I was almost running because I was walking so fast and uphill lol.

As others mentioned, make sure your settings for weight and height are correct and then visibly monitor your heart rate while working out. For instance, my hrm target range is 126-167, so if I'm in the 120's-130's I know my burn is going to be slower and lower so I may do something to spike it (go faster for a minute or two) and then go back down to my normal speed.

exactly... !!! I turned my workouts almost into a game to see how long and when, etc i can keep my hr in the right zone and it amazes me how many calories i can burn throughout my workouts and when i see a more significant burn.. DON'T believe the machines calorie burn - trust your hrm if it's set right ...

As others have said...go with the lowest number. Then you WILL succeed and you WILL see weight loss. What's more important to you, results or being able to put up bigger numbers?

Like somebody else said now that I use a HRM I try to keep my intensity (number) at between 145-150 for an hour. The HRM and the machine both say I burn like 1500 calories...but MFP only gives me credit for 1100ish....I go with the lower number. I'm seeing great results!!

I have an ft4 and usually burn 800 per hour of medium paced running, treadmill usually gives 150-200 less!

If you set the HRM up correctly then I would go with that. Is it set with your current body weight as previously mentioned?

I never trust the machines. They always seem to over-estimate.

It might be a bit of a conspiracy theory, but it is rather mild and makes a lot of sense. If the dumb machine guesstimates a high number of calories you burn, you will want to use that machine over one that tells you a lower number. Especially those who just go to the gym for a bit and don't do any outside research or thought. Overall they sell more machines when the gym owners see that they are being used. 500+ calories is actually quite a lot. I would guess most people actually overestimate their calories burned, they get away with it because they A. don't eat them all back or B. are already at a high deficit set on here so overall they are still at a deficit.