so confused

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sneekspeete
sneekspeete Posts: 136
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok,I'm 41 yr old woman,I weigh 185,workout @ curves for 30 minutes to 45 a day keeping a heart rate around 132-140.any clue as to how many calories I'm burning?Plus I'm on an elliptical @ home 25 minutes 2x aday on the preset fatburn program n that says I'm burning 197/sometimes 170. is that fairly accurate n can i use that for my curves workout also?

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  • waldenlev
    waldenlev Posts: 102 Member
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    I've found my elliptical to overestimate based on my HR monitor. I'd suggest getting a HRM (chest strap kind) and just wearing it while you exercise, then you'll know. That's a lot of exercise!
  • sneekspeete
    sneekspeete Posts: 136
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    I have a heart rate moniter, one came with my elliptical, I just don't kno how to use my heart rate 2 determine the calories I've burned. Yeah I exercise a little. I'm trying 2 fit into my shorts from last year! And my shirts, and underwear and everything but socks it seems! :smile: the moniter says averages, by the end of my workout my heart rate was like 138.how do I figure out calories burned?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    I wouldn't try to overthink this. If you don't want to use your HRM (I don't bother with mine either), then just plug your exercise into MFP based on time. It has a calculation both for ellipticals and for Curves circuits. It will change based on your weight. Is it 100% accurate? Of course not. But neither is a HRM. And it's plenty accurate enough to use as a guide to control your weight and manage your daily caloric intake.
  • waldenlev
    waldenlev Posts: 102 Member
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    My HRM has my weight and does the math for me. I'm sure there's a formula somewhere, but I'm not sure what it is. On the MFP front, it's in there, but at least in my case way high. MFP says the 30 min I did this AM would be 688 calories, but my HRM says 360. I'd much prefer MFP to be right, but... :-)

    The issue I have with anything other than the HRM is there are so many variables. 30 minutes at level 1 and at level 10 are going to burn drastically different calories, and only the HRM knows how hard you were working.

    As for the cloths... I know the feeling, I just got tired of the dryer shrinking everything! ;-)
  • sneekspeete
    sneekspeete Posts: 136
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    Yeah I noticed MFP calories burned was WAY WAY higher then what my machine said. I'll go with lower number to make myself work harder
  • Symphony2
    Symphony2 Posts: 38 Member
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    These 'set' machine calorie-counting thingies are there to do what they do best - to be 'top of the market' in their calorie-burning quotas - so I tend to ignore what any machine tells me I'm doing - or at the very least err on the side of caution and subtract at least 100-150 calories from what they say. To be honest, if you have a machine at home AND you go to CURVES then you can definitely afford a heart rate monitor (the POLAR ones are inexpensive and fantastically accurate). Why go by estimates on machines when you wear a HRM and get an accurate calorie count from a HRM? In CURVES you don't have to do anything lying on your front, either, I think - which is the only time the HRM can get in the way - otherwise, after about 2 minutes you don't even notice you're wearing it. Grab a HRM for yourself and then you can relax that your calorie-burning is accurate and you'll be able to calculate your daily calories with more confidence. There's nothing worse than 'wondering' - particularly when you're trying your hardest to get those pounds away. I hope this helps X
  • sneekspeete
    sneekspeete Posts: 136
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    ok,so if my heart rate moniter(,which came with the ellpitical n wraps around chest) say my avg HR was 136- how do I use that 2 find out calories burnes? Keep in mind my math skills SUCK
  • sneekspeete
    sneekspeete Posts: 136
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    These 'set' machine calorie-counting thingies are there to do what they do best - to be 'top of the market' in their calorie-burning quotas - so I tend to ignore what any machine tells me I'm doing - or at the very least err on the side of caution and subtract at least 100-150 calories from what they say. To be honest, if you have a machine at home AND you go to CURVES then you can definitely afford a heart rate monitor (the POLAR ones are inexpensive and fantastically accurate). Why go by estimates on machines when you wear a HRM and get an accurate calorie count from a HRM? In CURVES you don't have to do anything lying on your front, either, I think - which is the only time the HRM can get in the way - otherwise, after about 2 minutes you don't even notice you're wearing it. Grab a HRM for yourself and then you can relax that your calorie-burning is accurate and you'll be able to calculate your daily calories with more confidence. There's nothing worse than 'wondering' - particularly when you're trying your hardest to get those pounds away. I hope this helps X



    OMG so if this machine says that for 30 minutes I burned 230 calories, I really only burned 130????or LESS? WOW what's the point. That's truly discouraging.
  • bluex232
    bluex232 Posts: 135 Member
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    I don't really know how accurate this is, maybe someone with a HRM can try it an see how it compares, but here is a formula you could try.

    http://thecaloriecounter.net/how-to-calculate-calories-burned-from-heart-rate/
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
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    A polar FT would give you calories burnt also. I have the FT60 but the FT4 is supposed to be good too and cheaper. As someone who exercises a lot a HRM is a must. Its really motivating too! X
  • jazziesaj11
    jazziesaj11 Posts: 351 Member
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    Ok,I'm 41 yr old woman,I weigh 185,workout @ curves for 30 minutes to 45 a day keeping a heart rate around 132-140.any clue as to how many calories I'm burning?Plus I'm on an elliptical @ home 25 minutes 2x a day on the preset fat burn program n that says I'm burning 197/sometimes 170. is that fairly accurate n can i use that for my curves workout also?

    Try this website here :http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx I don't know the formulation they use but so far it's been pretty accurate, as much as the average hmr. :P

    At your stats for a 30minute class with your HR at 132 you'd burn APPOX. 223cals. with your HR at 140, 265cals. For a 45min class HR at 132 you'd burn 334. HR at 140, 373 cals. so basically with a 30 minute workout you burn an average of 242 cals, for a 45min you burn an average of 351 cals. Hope this helps. :D
  • splendifikiss
    splendifikiss Posts: 10 Member
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    No no, they're wrong. The machines are relatively accurate, not nearly that far off. HRMs are great tools, so if you can afford one - invest.
  • sneekspeete
    sneekspeete Posts: 136
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    Thank u all for all the info! Guess I just need 2 pay closer attention 2 my HR huh? Just use the #'s on elliptical as a guide. Thanks again 4 all the advice and suggestions.
  • sneekspeete
    sneekspeete Posts: 136
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    I don't really know how accurate this is, maybe someone with a HRM can try it an see how it compares, but here is a formula you could try.

    http://thecaloriecounter.net/how-to-calculate-calories-burned-from-heart-rate/
    this was excellent info.pretty darn close 2 whet my machine says. I feel better now! Thank u.!
  • waldenlev
    waldenlev Posts: 102 Member
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    Assuming that weight is in KB, not LB, it's still about 30% over what my watch says. I'd love it to be correct! :-) And if that weight is in LB then it's more that double my watch!

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