How much do you trust your HRM?

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Awake_Alive
Awake_Alive Posts: 261 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a HRM with a strap that I bought for a midline price. While I know I am a big girl, and I will naturally burn more calories throwing my weight around, it seems that I burn SO much more than my MFP pals.

I need opinions...do I trust it, or buy a super expensive HRM?
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Replies

  • RUNN3Rmom
    RUNN3Rmom Posts: 441
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    What are some of the calories vs time of work out and type of work out? Maybe posting that would help?
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Depends - what kind did you get? Does it have the option for you to enter your info - gender, height, weight, age, max heart rate, activity level? The more info it has on you, the more accurate I think it would be.
  • Awake_Alive
    Awake_Alive Posts: 261 Member
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    I typically burn 600 calories doing 20 minutes of moderate elliptical and 20 minutes of vigorous biking. I'm definitely sweating when I am done!

    The brand is Sportline, and I did enter my gender, height, weight, etc. That's why I thought it should be accurate!!! I hope you're right! LOL
  • o2bADyer
    o2bADyer Posts: 208
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    I typically burn 600 calories doing 20 minutes of moderate elliptical and 20 minutes of vigorous biking. I'm definitely sweating when I am done!

    The brand is Sportline, and I did enter my gender, height, weight, etc. That's why I thought it should be accurate!!! I hope you're right! LOL

    That calorie burn sounds a little high. Good luck on figuring out if it's accurate. When I do my exercise log, I round down on the actual time if I'm using the MFP database AND if I'm on gym equipment, I round my weight down. I figure giving myself less credit is better than giving myself too much. :wink:
  • RUNN3Rmom
    RUNN3Rmom Posts: 441
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    I would think that it's pretty reasonable. I burn about 350-380 for 4/mile 40 minute run so I would think someone who weighs more would burn more. You could always go on a 75% sure entry. If you burn 600 on your HRM then log 450 calories burned (or something similar).
  • Awake_Alive
    Awake_Alive Posts: 261 Member
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    Ahhhh, great ideas!!! Thank you so much!!!
  • Awake_Alive
    Awake_Alive Posts: 261 Member
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    On a side note, is that a boxer in your picture alparrish0907? I'm a boxer mom, love those dogs like no other ;)
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
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    You could always plug your data into this site to get another idea: http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx
  • Jesea
    Jesea Posts: 374 Member
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    I have a very inexpensive Sportline wrist HRM. When I use my elliptical, the readings are the same for both the watch and the machine, so I figure it's fairly accurate :)
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    i trust mine more than i trust MFP or the machines at the gym, but i know its not 100% either.
    i usually get about 100 calories burned for every 10 minutes on the elliptical, unless im REALLY pushing myself.. i think ive done 720 calories in an hour before. (im 5'6, 230lbs)
  • amyram
    amyram Posts: 108 Member
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    Not sure about the elliptical yet, I just got my Polar F7, but I tried 20 min vigourous biking (avg 14.88 mph) and got credit for 322 cal.
    Also doing C25k W5D2 which is walk 5min, run 8min walk 5min run 8min walk 5min and got 299 cal. So it sounds close. I'm 51, 208lb and 5'7". Hope this helps.
  • kmeekhof
    kmeekhof Posts: 456 Member
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    I typically burn 600 calories doing 20 minutes of moderate elliptical and 20 minutes of vigorous biking. I'm definitely sweating when I am done!

    The brand is Sportline, and I did enter my gender, height, weight, etc. That's why I thought it should be accurate!!! I hope you're right! LOL

    I would say it's very accurate.
  • pennyrtyler
    pennyrtyler Posts: 79 Member
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    Try wearing your HRM during normal activities for one hour. This will tell you how many calories you would have burned during that time without exercising at all. I typically burn about 70 calories per hour during normal activities (according to HRM). That might help you get a better idea of how much more you're really burning during exercise.
  • Awake_Alive
    Awake_Alive Posts: 261 Member
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    Gaaaaaaah, you guys really are the GREATEST! Thank you all so much for your input, it helps SO MUCH!
  • Frogger0828
    Frogger0828 Posts: 47
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    I wasn't so sure about the accuracy of my HRM, either. Machines, MFP, my Nike+App and the HRM all said something different and the HRM seemed high. I did some research, though, and found The Journal of Sports Sciences has a formula, tweaked for each gender, to calculate calorie burn based on average heart rate. So, I set up the formula in the excel spreadsheet I use to plan my workouts so all I have to do is pop in the variables to figure out my burn. See below.

    If you set up an Excel spreadsheet, you can quickly enter the info for your workout to get a good estimate of calories burned.

    Variables are:
    Age (in years)
    Weight (in pounds)
    Average Heart Rate
    Time (in minutes)

    Formula for men:
    Calories Burned = [(Age x 0.2017) - (Weight x 0.09036) + (Heart Rate x 0.6309) - 55.0969] x Time / 4.184.

    Formula for women:
    Calories Burned = [(Age x 0.074) - (Weight x 0.05741) + (Heart Rate x 0.4472) - 20.4022] x Time / 4.184.

    I hope this helps you!
  • pornstarzombie
    pornstarzombie Posts: 297
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    Try wearing your HRM during normal activities for one hour. This will tell you how many calories you would have burned during that time without exercising at all. I typically burn about 70 calories per hour during normal activities (according to HRM). That might help you get a better idea of how much more you're really burning during exercise.

    HRMs aren't really designed to be worn during regular activities, and the calories burned amount will be quite a bit off from how many calories you actually did burn.

    If you really want to know how much you burn on a normal basis, a BodyBugg is a good investment.
  • DarthH8
    DarthH8 Posts: 298 Member
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    I've calculated my calorie expenditure so many ways. I've compared my Timex Ironman results with quite a few things that tell you what you've spent. I originally bought a Nike+ Sportwatch, but wanted the Ironman instead so I switched it out. I used a friends watch that you press against your arm and take in intervals. Also, three different treadmills. I'd say my HRM is accurate +/- 20 calories on a 45 minute workout of any type. Every method I used had some sort of way to input information about myself, and they were all very close to each other. So I would say if it has something to base it's calculations off of, it's going to be reliable.
  • Awake_Alive
    Awake_Alive Posts: 261 Member
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    Wow Frogger, I am going to do this! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

    BodyBugg? I'll go check it out!
  • Awake_Alive
    Awake_Alive Posts: 261 Member
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    Thank you Darth!!!
  • moea432
    moea432 Posts: 75 Member
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    HI! i LOVE MINE (POLAR F4) ITS VERY ACCURATE ACTUALLY....I ONLY USE MINE FOR CARDIO THOUGH (I HAVE HEARD THEY ARE NOT MUCH GOOD FOR LIFTING) I WOULD ONLY SUGGEST YOU SPEND A DECENT AMOUNT ON ONE IF YOU WANT ACCURATE READING....JUST FROM EXPERIENCE

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