I've been duped!!

c8linmarie
c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
edited December 16 in Fitness and Exercise
I was sooooo excited to get my (Polar FT4) HRM today! I even went out for a 2nd one hour cardio session to see how it works! To my HORROR, I find out that the Precor treadmill I've been using at the gym was so far off on the calorie count that the "feature" shouldn't even be legal!! I worked out at a 15 incline, going 3 mph, for one hour and the Precor says I burned 681 calories. The HRM, 452 calories. That is a difference of a whopping 229 calories!

I must say that I am a workout newbie, as I've never seen the inside of a gym until a month ago, so yes, like a complete moron, I believed what the stupid machines told me I burned! To add insult to injury, I have been religiously trying to eat back my workout calories so I could NET 1200 (as recommended by so many here) only to find out I've essentially over-eaten by over 200 calories every day! That definitely explains why the scale has not moved in 3 weeks!

Has this happened to anyone else, or am I just an idiot?
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Replies

  • courtrptr13
    courtrptr13 Posts: 272
    I've heard that the monitors on cardio machines can be up to 30 % off :(
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    The machines make a best guess, this site makes a best guess, and I'm under the impression that while the monitor may be more accurate, it still has some wiggle room.

    But yeah, the guessing of the machines kind of takes the exactness off all of my measuring =/

    MFP already calculates deficit for you, you'd still loose with a 200 calorie mishap...I think.
  • quiltbugj
    quiltbugj Posts: 89 Member
    Yes that has happened to me in the past - I think it happens a lot. I have relied on my heart rate monitor for years! Good luck with your fitness plan!
  • mysticwonder
    mysticwonder Posts: 39
    Don't feel bad. I did the same thing until I got my HRM. First I was overeating, then under eating, lol. Now I'm more balanced, but that's only been for 3 weeks and I'm almost at 3 months into this journey. I still lost 21 pounds though, so don't freak out just yet. You're still doing way more than you ever did at this point, I'm sure.

    Oh and I found that the Polar HRM syncs with some machines. When that happens, the machines become much more reliable!
  • 15in8
    15in8 Posts: 141 Member
    You are far from an idiot, you based your thinking on what information you had at the time, now the information you have has changed, your thinking has changed. That makes you smart in my book.

    But the same thing will happen with food, make sure you confirm calorie values from a few different sources if you dont have the actual label available. An example is fruit, the values on here vary immensely, as does bread and a ton of other food. The more honest you are, the more accurate the results.

    I think you have the right attitude, you will get the results you want, just be critical about the information you get from others and from machines, even the polar if it seems quite odd.
  • Karstenf
    Karstenf Posts: 85 Member
    It happened to me, too. I read somewhere that they base the machines' calculations on a physically fit adult male, which has more muscle mass, therefore burns more calories doing less work. Now that you have your HRM, you should be good to go. Best of luck!
  • maggie4097
    maggie4097 Posts: 156
    Don't worry about it now~~it's water under the bridge. I usually use an average if I'm not sure, and I usually try to eat back around 1/2 of my exercise calories (unless I'm starving!). That way, I have a bit of room for mistakes.
  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
    I don't have a heart moniter and don't really want to get one. When I use a treadmill on the weight loss setting I only burn about 150 calories. On the elipitical its more like 350 for the same amount of time. I try not to eat all the exercise calories back just in case it is off.
  • runbyme
    runbyme Posts: 522 Member
    You're not an idiot! You were just doing the best with the information you had! Now with an HRM, you know exactly how much you are burning and you can adjust from there!
    Good job and keep up the awesome effort! :happy:
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
    The machines and MFP have some very high numbers. HRM is the most reliable for exercise. I always underestimate calories burned and overestimate calories in when presented with more than one number.
  • geckofli
    geckofli Posts: 155 Member
    yeah theyre all 'approximate' but hey at least its a lesson learned (:
  • puggypatti
    puggypatti Posts: 12
    I always use my Polar HR monitor. I learned long ago that everything, including the calories this site gives for exercise are over estimated. I have to adjust down daily, but knowing that my HRM is accurate helps. Best of luck.
  • Colbyandsage
    Colbyandsage Posts: 751 Member
    Hey! So excited that you got one. It was the same way when I got mine. I thought for sure I brned tons of calories on Insanity but I am lucky to burn 400. I am in decent shape even though I am fat, but come on! I am a puddle of sweat!!!

    The good thing though is that now that I know exactly what I am burning, the pounds are coming off, I am sure u will see the same.

    Not sure if I ever told u but ur son is beautiful!
  • cfrances12
    cfrances12 Posts: 6 Member
    I am an ex gym frequenter, now working out at home on just a portable bike, and it works swimmingly - though I've no ideas the cals burned, i just use the "exercise" section on this website, but generally with weight hopefully the same - as it turns out it records it, even with usually the stated extra 200 cals (or more) that i am supposedly NOT using according to this website.

    So, honoring the comparative "fluke" of always being under calories - and still able to maintain weight (in other words, there's no 200 calorie treat that I can take even though according to MFP fitness if i just go by calories remaining, i could take those and not gain - but why the plateau - welcomed for 6 months, explain that.

    Anyway, to cut to the bait - I went online to Livestrong.com and found this short assessment - supposedly then, your new counter could be even moreso overestimating your progress - if you are hoping to incrementally increase your calories burned. Here' s what it says (maybe it will help you - I still don't have a calorie burner and the calibration on these machines are geared towards being ignored):

    Incline

    As you increase the incline of the treadmill, you increase the number of calories you burn. A 150-lb. person walking for 30 minutes at a 5 percent incline burns an additional 70 calories than if they walked on a flat level. Increase the incline to 10 percent to burn an additional 114 calories, or 15 percent to burn an additional 159 calories.

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/299447-how-many-calories-do-you-burn-walking-fast-on-a-treadmill/#ixzz1q5Mb6wcz

    Good luck! (PS: I did hear from someone who just bought something like you described, I should ask her more about it).
  • pg1girl
    pg1girl Posts: 268 Member
    The machines are way off. We have a precor treadmill and it is always way over what my garmin hrm says.
  • JoJo_fat2fab
    JoJo_fat2fab Posts: 297 Member
    I have not lost one single ounce since December, I tried to eat most of my exercise calories. I had been using a Timex HRM since August, anyways, almost 2 weeks ago I decided to get a Polar FT4, once it got delivered I did a little experiment, I did a 20min DVD wearing the Timex and It said I burned a little over 300 calories, later that day I did the SAME workout wearing my polar and I burned 171 calories. That is a HUGE difference!!!!
  • feistyhorsegal
    feistyhorsegal Posts: 109 Member
    gosh glad you posted this! I am going to get out my hubbys heart rate monitor and start using it to see what I'm ACTUALLY burning. So say I go for a walk and the HRM says I burned this much and MFP would normally say I burned more, how do I adjust it?

    BTW I rarely eat back any of my exercise calories and I have lost 10.5kg since New Years Day.
  • c8linmarie
    c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
    Don't feel bad. I did the same thing until I got my HRM. First I was overeating, then under eating, lol. Now I'm more balanced, but that's only been for 3 weeks and I'm almost at 3 months into this journey. I still lost 21 pounds though, so don't freak out just yet. You're still doing way more than you ever did at this point, I'm sure.

    Oh and I found that the Polar HRM syncs with some machines. When that happens, the machines become much more reliable!

    I did notice that my HR was in sync with the machine, but after an hour, the treadmill said 681 calories burned, as it always had before...
  • feistyhorsegal
    feistyhorsegal Posts: 109 Member
    So the polar heart rate monitors are the best? I THINK hubby's is that brand, will have to get it out.
  • c8linmarie
    c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
    Hey! So excited that you got one. It was the same way when I got mine. I thought for sure I brned tons of calories on Insanity but I am lucky to burn 400. I am in decent shape even though I am fat, but come on! I am a puddle of sweat!!!

    The good thing though is that now that I know exactly what I am burning, the pounds are coming off, I am sure u will see the same.

    Not sure if I ever told u but ur son is beautiful!

    Thank you, you're so sweet!!
  • c8linmarie
    c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
    So the polar heart rate monitors are the best? I THINK hubby's is that brand, will have to get it out.

    I think in general, the ones with a chest strap is more accurate than just the watches. BUT - I'm no expert and new to this too!
  • Tajdancer
    Tajdancer Posts: 82 Member
    You are not an idiot! You did the best you could with the info at hand, as another couple of posters have said.

    I can't afford a quality HRM right now, so here's what I do: I input a weight 5 lbs under my real weight when I work out on a cardio machine. I take about 25% off other calorie-burn numbers given by MFP (gardening, for example). I eat back most of my exercise cals--accurate or not. And I'm losing quite steadily.
  • Kempossible
    Kempossible Posts: 158 Member
    bump
  • Loves418
    Loves418 Posts: 330 Member
    I was beyond shocked when I got my HRM and the difference between the machines and it. Now I am on the right track. Don't feel bad happens to a lot of us...
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    Oh noooo that sucks! The exercise machine was on crack! LOL
    I love my Ft4!!!!

    Don't feel like an idiot, this is a learning process for all of us.

    Good work with your commitment! You will go far!! :flowerforyou:
  • EBFNP
    EBFNP Posts: 529 Member
    Honestly, I use the readout from the machines as a guideline. If it says 600, I usually just count about 350-400 as my basis.
  • rachelgoutos
    rachelgoutos Posts: 57
    I know exactly how you feel!!! Kind of :brokenheart: actually... The same thing happened to me today. I got the same HRM as you, which arrived yesterday afternoon. This morning, I did my second day of 30DS and the difference between what MFP estimated vs. what the HRM stated was off by 150 calories. I am actually kind of afraid to go to the gym and see what the difference between the HRM and the machine says! Oh well, better to know now than wonder why the scale isn;t moving all that much...
  • pauljsolie
    pauljsolie Posts: 1,024 Member
    Been there!! When I got my FT7 I was so bummed to find it about 15% below my Octane Elliptical readout. Once the shock wore off, I don't seem to mind it anymore.
  • knittermom07
    knittermom07 Posts: 94 Member
    Don't worry about it now~~it's water under the bridge. I usually use an average if I'm not sure, and I usually try to eat back around 1/2 of my exercise calories (unless I'm starving!). That way, I have a bit of room for mistakes.

    Thats what I do too!
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    I'd be irritated too, but you know what? This could be a good thing - you're netting at about 1400 instead of 1200? That's good - a lot of people on here do that finding 1200 ultimately to be too restrictive. If I were you, I'd keep doing what you're doing and adjust your goals on mfp and be patient with the plateau :)

    That said, it really makes me wonder about calorie estimates! Another reason why I need to get an HRM! :)
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