HRMs and high heart rate

ashiggins
ashiggins Posts: 144 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently received a HRM (Polar FT7) as a gift and started using it. My main question to those who have one or know more than me about them---does having a high heart rate throw off the calorie count? Should I be decreasing the amount of calories I record as burned? For a 45-50 minute intense circuit class I burn about 530 calories according to my HRM.

When I start the monitor (just standing/walking around) my heart rate measures about 90-100. When I workout, my heart rate easily gets up in the 170s. Also, just so you all know, I am not looking for medical advice. I'm not worried about my heart rate as I recently had a physical and my resting heart rate was normal (74) and my blood pressure was completely normal as well (I'm 22yo, 155 lbs, 5'7"). I've been working out consistently for about 9 months now, so my heart rate doesn't really concern me, however my trainer was concerned (probably because she has a resting heart rate of 45!).

If anyone has a similar issue or knows more about how the HRMs work, I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!!

Replies

  • SteadfastSian
    SteadfastSian Posts: 8
    I have just bought an FT4 and went for a run in my lunch hour. I've been running regularly for about 12 weeks and also swim, bodypump and other exercises.

    My maximum HR today hit 195!!

    I've frightened myself - as I didn't feel extraordinarily breathless or weird in any way.

    My average was 165 - I'm 39 and 170lbs and I ran for 2 x sets of 10 minutes with a 3 minute break in between the runs and then warm up/warm down brisk walks wrapped around.

    I've now convinced myself I'm ill. :-O
  • kamazza
    kamazza Posts: 98 Member
    While I have no advice to offer I will be following this post closely :) I'm about to invest in a HRM and I have a higher then average heart rate. I suffer from asthma and take steroids on a daily basis to control it, the major side affect is a higher heart rate :) My average is between 80-90 resting most days :)
  • SteadfastSian
    SteadfastSian Posts: 8
    Ooh, I'm an asthmatic too. Not on steroids though, but I did wonder if the puff of reliever I had might have made the HR shoot up!

    I'm hopeless!
  • kamazza
    kamazza Posts: 98 Member
    if you take ventolin, it's not steroid. but yes, it will make your heart rate shoot up. and if you take it as long as I have, your heart rate will be perm. up. *lol*
  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
    I have the FT7. I took mine in to the docotors office and it was only 2 beats different then what they where showing.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,330 Member
    From the numbers you have given, you heart rate is not high. Before I started to work at getting healthy my resting heart rate was 120 or higher. No idea on walking around. Now my resting heart rate is in the high 50s. Walking around it will vary between 80-94 sometimes getting into the 100s. I would say you are pretty normal, so don't worry about the calorie count as long as you have your polar set up correctly with your height, weight, age, sex, and if possible VO2Max. If it has a fitness test mode, do that.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
    You sound exactly like me, actually. I have a normal resting heart rate, and doing more intense exercise always puts my heart rate up in the 170-180's range easily, without much effort. The last half mile or so when I pick up the pace, it's easily sitting in the 190's, and I don't feel like I'm dying. Your body has a default setting for heart rates in general, and having a higher exercise rate can be a totally normal function, so long as there's nothing else wrong. I don't worry about mine, either.

    That being said, the calorie counts can be off if you're a woman. There was a post on here a while back about Polar HRMs especially having slight errors in calculating calories burned for women and being totally accurate. In general, I go off my HRM, because it's the best individual reflection of actual work done that I have, and unless it gives me a huge number for something i know didn't burn a lot (like walking or some other low-impact activity), I use the number it gives me.
  • ashiggins
    ashiggins Posts: 144 Member
    Thank you for all of the responses! I'm going to assume my HRM is pretty close! I'm glad to hear that others have similar heart rates---I never worried about mine until my trainer made a fuss about it yesterday, but I'm starting to realize that she has an especially slow heart rate (probably because she runs long distance) and that's probably why mine seems so unbelievable to her!
  • ashiggins
    ashiggins Posts: 144 Member
    I have the FT7. I took mine in to the docotors office and it was only 2 beats different then what they where showing.

    Glad to hear this!
  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
    Glad to be a help. The increase in your heart rate is not abnormal and your trainer should know better. I have to take meds for chronic migraines and high bp. I took mine in to the doctor and had them help me set my limits. I am not allowed to get mine over 140 (they set it to 125 max). My previous goal was 170 and my resting rate was 78

    If you are still worried, talk with your doctor. There are people with very sensitive systems and it is not unusual for your rate to go so up. I am a great example. Resting rate 58, walk to the bathroom and it is 98. Sit on hamper and it returns to normal. Yes, my system is sensitive to everything.

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