HRM or MFP - Im so Confused?!?

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AlyssaAmes3
AlyssaAmes3 Posts: 26 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
OK so I used my new HRM for the first time today. I did two excersise dvds by The Firm. The first one was a 25 minute strength dvd and the second was a all cardio 30 minute dvd. According to MFP I would have burned 259 calories by putting in 25 minute underneath strength/lifting weights and 25 minutes in the aerobic high impact.

However, according to my HRM, which I started when I began my first workout and did not stop till I was done the second workout, I burned a whopping 647 calories. I should clarify that my HRM goes solely on age and gender not weight like MFP does. Im so confused though. Which one is correct? There is a huge 388 calorie difference!

Then Im thinking if my HRM is more accurate than MFP, have I been undereating for a year now? Is this why I am having such a hard time losing weight now that I am getting closer to my goal of 130 (I'm 5'3")? Or did I simply use my HRM incorrectly? It is a simple and cheap HRM from Walmart. What does everyone think?

Im gonna try logging what my HRM says for two weeks and eat back about all my exercise calories (as I always do), and see what the verdict is I guess :laugh:

Replies

  • LLStover09
    LLStover09 Posts: 49 Member
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    I have such a hard time with this as well. Every time I use the cardio equipment at the gym, I program my age and weight and go to town. Typically 35 min on the Elliptical and it reads 360 Cals burned. If I put it into MFP (which I thought also took into acct age/ht/etc) it Calculates almost 500 calories for the same time. It's frustrating to always get different answers and I have no clue which one is correct! I would like to think the HRM would be more accurate as it's reading the fluctuation in your HR throughout exercise whereas on the others it doesn't take into account the HR. ??? Hopefully someone with a clue can help us out Alyssa :)
  • holthaus30
    holthaus30 Posts: 58 Member
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    When I go to the gym and I push myself pretty hard I enter that under vigorous calisthenics. If I go with a few friends and we stand around a bit and talk then I list it as strength training. The strength training on MFP is only an estimate, it has no way of knowing how hard you worked out.
  • CatchMom11
    CatchMom11 Posts: 462 Member
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    An HRM is the best read of what you are actually burning. Even the sensors on the cardio equipment won't get an exact read because a lot of times they stop reading if the surface gets to sweaty, if you let go for a second, etc. MFP is giving you a generalized number for your weight... it's not taking into consideration what your actual heart rate was when completing that activity.

    HRM takes your actual HR and calculates based on that.
  • AlyssaAmes3
    AlyssaAmes3 Posts: 26 Member
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    Yea I would think the HRM would be accurate. What confuses me is my HRM (which is a cheap one) only takes my heart rate when I push my index finger on the sensor thingy. It never prompts me to do it so I did it periodically during my workouts just in case. My next experiment I will leave the calorie counter on all day tomorrow and compare it with MFP calories burn for an entire day. I guess I will just have to experiment and see how my body reacts and do what is best. I don't know if I would trust the HRM on machines though... It's funny I had no problem losing weight with MFP in the begining and I never doubted the calories that I burned with MFP. Now this changes the whole game lol
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
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    HRM no doubt.
  • zia130
    zia130 Posts: 21 Member
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    i have a My Mio HRM and it has been pretty close to MFP, sometimes just over, sometimes just under, i'm going with HRM when i use as i feel it is more accurate as i'm taking my hear rate several times through exercise, some days my intensity is higher than others. i have found the heart rate monitors on machines to not be very accurate and some calorie counters on the machines i use don't have me pre-set with my weight
  • AlyssaAmes3
    AlyssaAmes3 Posts: 26 Member
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    Ok so I just re-read the manual to my HRM and it says "THe Sportline S7 uses an advanced algorithm based on your personal profile (which includes age and gender only) to ESTIMATE your mavimum heart rate and calculate calories burned." Im taking this as I need a better HRM that takes my HR during my workout and calculate calories burned based on that!
  • crystale0143
    crystale0143 Posts: 37 Member
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    I think that if u have been eating back all your calories based on what MFP says u burned and it's lower then the HRM and u have had a hard time losing then u should definitely NOT eat back your calories with your HRM if it's higher. Good HRM are sold for around $100 but well worth the money since they are more accurate and use your weight as well. I have had mine for 6 yrs only replaced the battery twice and it's water proof even for when u swim. I don't for one day regret the money spent it makes me push myself harder every workout to get more calories burned than the last one. It's a Polar HRM an most gym equipment is set up to coincide with Polar so if u are on a treadmill at say 24 Hr Fitness and only have your cheat band on it will read out your correct calories on the treadmill just as if you had the watch on.
  • CatchMom11
    CatchMom11 Posts: 462 Member
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    Ok so I just re-read the manual to my HRM and it says "THe Sportline S7 uses an advanced algorithm based on your personal profile (which includes age and gender only) to ESTIMATE your mavimum heart rate and calculate calories burned." Im taking this as I need a better HRM that takes my HR during my workout and calculate calories burned based on that!



    My sister has one that has both a chest strap and a wrist strap.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    Ok so I just re-read the manual to my HRM and it says "THe Sportline S7 uses an advanced algorithm based on your personal profile (which includes age and gender only) to ESTIMATE your mavimum heart rate and calculate calories burned." Im taking this as I need a better HRM that takes my HR during my workout and calculate calories burned based on that!

    Yes, you need a better HRM. Mine (a Polar FT4) has a chest strap that transmits to a reciver/watch. It keeps a constant count of calories burned and uses my age, weight, gender, and height to calculate my burn. My calorie burn is always different than the MFP estimate or the machine estimate, but I feel confident that my HRM is accurate. I paid about $60 for it on Amazon, and it's been worth every penny.

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