Calories shown with an HRM

Swissmiss
Swissmiss Posts: 8,754 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a Polar F6 and I love it. Here is the problem.....it shows that I can only burn between 2 and 3 hundred calories during a tough workout such as spinning. Everyone else says that is too low and that my HRM must be off. All these people are burning close to 1000 calories during an hour class. We all have our HRM set with our information. So, what am I doing wrong?

Replies

  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Nothing.

    Your HRM is set to you... so if it says you burn 200-300 calories, then thats what you burn. Just because it seems tough and you are sweating a lot, does not mean that you will burn a ton of calories. I jog/run for 3 six minute intervals, with a 2 minute rest between intervals.. and by the time I'm done, I'm sweaty and gross, but I only burn 250-300 calories.. which is fine, because I am pretty fit.

    If you are really worried, then make sure the strap is wet enough, tight enough and that the batteries in the transmitter are good.
  • kellyyjean
    kellyyjean Posts: 499 Member
    Nothing.

    Your HRM is set to you... so if it says you burn 200-300 calories, then thats what you burn. Just because it seems tough and you are sweating a lot, does not mean that you will burn a ton of calories. I jog/run for 3 six minute intervals, with a 2 minute rest between intervals.. and by the time I'm done, I'm sweaty and gross, but I only burn 250-300 calories.. which is fine, because I am pretty fit.

    If you are really worried, then make sure the strap is wet enough, tight enough and that the batteries in the transmitter are good.

    I thought I was going to burn more calories when I got mine, but it was actually a lot less than my exercise machines and websites. But I think I am pretty close to what others post on here.
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    I had the same problem in a zumba class, I felt like I worked by butt off but only got 340cals in an hour. After each song I looked at my HRM it said my heart rate was between 180 and 200 and I felt like I was about to die so I'm not sure whats going on. I'll be trying it again this week and make sure the strap is tight and the band is wet enough. I'll be disappointed but at least I'll know what I'm actually burning so I'm not vastly overeating xxx
  • Swissmiss
    Swissmiss Posts: 8,754 Member
    Nothing.

    Your HRM is set to you... so if it says you burn 200-300 calories, then thats what you burn. Just because it seems tough and you are sweating a lot, does not mean that you will burn a ton of calories. I jog/run for 3 six minute intervals, with a 2 minute rest between intervals.. and by the time I'm done, I'm sweaty and gross, but I only burn 250-300 calories.. which is fine, because I am pretty fit.

    If you are really worried, then make sure the strap is wet enough, tight enough and that the batteries in the transmitter are good.

    This sounds right. I will check all that you mentioned.
    Can anyone think of how the others are burning so many calories??? I, personally have to think that their HRM are wrong but then, there are a lot of people saying that they are burning a lot more.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Nothing.

    Your HRM is set to you... so if it says you burn 200-300 calories, then thats what you burn. Just because it seems tough and you are sweating a lot, does not mean that you will burn a ton of calories. I jog/run for 3 six minute intervals, with a 2 minute rest between intervals.. and by the time I'm done, I'm sweaty and gross, but I only burn 250-300 calories.. which is fine, because I am pretty fit.

    If you are really worried, then make sure the strap is wet enough, tight enough and that the batteries in the transmitter are good.

    This sounds right. I will check all that you mentioned.
    Can anyone think of how the others are burning so many calories??? I, personally have to think that their HRM are wrong but then, there are a lot of people saying that they are burning a lot more.

    Cheap HRM's or HRM's without a chest strap.

    Some Timex HRM's can tell you that you have burned upwards of a thousand calories exercising.. even though you haven't.

    Strapless HRM's can also give an inflated burn because you need to touch the watch in order for it to read heart rate. So if you touch it once and it reads 160 lets say, and then don't touch it again, it will base the calorie count off that 160.. and if you leave it at 160 for an hour, then you could get a pretty inflated calorie count.
  • drezha
    drezha Posts: 18
    I find in general my HRM strap and Garmin estimate far less than the calories that MFP gives for the same exercise so I tend to follow the HRM strap instead.

    Others might be using MFP and if so, might be overestimating.
  • Swissmiss
    Swissmiss Posts: 8,754 Member
    I find in general my HRM strap and Garmin estimate far less than the calories that MFP gives for the same exercise so I tend to follow the HRM strap instead.

    Others might be using MFP and if so, might be overestimating.

    I agree. The others are not at MFP but they may be using cheap HRMs.
  • becky3277
    becky3277 Posts: 64 Member
    It could be that your restiing heart rate is really low. That's a good thing. It means your in great shape!

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