Which calorie burn total should I trust?

ShaunWV
ShaunWV Posts: 25 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a Polar Bluetooth heart rate transmitter. I have FT4 watch/reciever, and I use the Endomondo app on my iPhone. For instance, I walked 5 miles last night. The FT4 watch had me burning 993 calories, and the Endomondo app calculated 1401 calories. I went with the lowest of the two, but man that's a huge difference. Both are configured the same with age/weight/etc. Which one would be considered the most accurate?

Replies

  • Chagama
    Chagama Posts: 543 Member
    The heartrate monitor will generally be more accurate, so I'd go with the FT4. The app is just a generic formula and less accurate.
  • LatinaGordita
    LatinaGordita Posts: 377 Member
    The one you have to use a chest strap with.
  • dianediaz
    dianediaz Posts: 53 Member
    I agree. Definitely go with the heart rate monitor. That's a more accurate measurement for you versus a generic app that might not take into account factors specifically related to you physically.
  • Wendy_Newbern
    Wendy_Newbern Posts: 5 Member
    a good rule of thumb is about 100 cals per every 10 minutes of a hard workout. granted, thats a general average - but without knowing how long it took you to walk those 5 miles, what your fitness level is, etc. I would say go with the Polar, esp if you were using the HRM (Heart rate monitor) with it.
  • ShaunWV
    ShaunWV Posts: 25 Member
    That is the thing, I was using the HRM with both of them. Same chest strap, two different "recievers" so my heartrate information from the chest strap was identical to both devices. It confuses me how they could both be so different? Same thing happens at the gym. FT4 is way lower than the machines, and the machines are hooked up to the chest strap the same as the watch is.
  • katlou2
    katlou2 Posts: 199 Member
    I would agree with everyone else and trust the Polar HRM most...
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    Endomondo can use data from your HRM strap? I use it but not with a HRM.

    Both burns look suspiciously high to me but I don't know how big you are. Most people burn around 100 calories/mile, women can be as low as 50ish/mile.
  • HisPathDaily
    HisPathDaily Posts: 672 Member
    Agreed, both seem a little high, but that's just a guess not knowing all the data ... we all burn a little differently. Without being there I clearly would not recommend going with a 1400c burn for 5 miles ... My guess would be around 500 give or take, so I'd go with the FT4. Based on your goal weight, I wouldn't be surprised if you're burning 700 give or take ... so the FT4 looks like your best bet.

    Again, just another outside sourced educated guess, do not weight my input too heavily :)
    Both burns look suspiciously high to me but I don't know how big you are. Most people burn around 100 calories/mile, women can be as low as 50ish/mile.
  • RuthieCass
    RuthieCass Posts: 247 Member
    I don't know if I would trust either of those, personally. They both sound a bit high. A good estimate for total calories burned walking per mile is 0.53 X weight in lbs. So if you're 250 lbs, a good estimate is ~663 calories for those 5 miles. However, it's important to calculate the NET burn, total calories minus your TDEE calories, rather than your TOTAL burn. In this case, a good estimate for walking is 0.3 X weight in lbs. So a 250 lb person would burn ~375 NET calories walking 5 miles.
    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-311-8402-0,00.html
  • ShaunWV
    ShaunWV Posts: 25 Member
    Endomondo can use data from your HRM strap? I use it but not with a HRM.

    Both burns look suspiciously high to me but I don't know how big you are. Most people burn around 100 calories/mile, women can be as low as 50ish/mile.

    Unfortunatley, I am 315, so I figure I burn some calories.

    To answer the Endomondo question, with Endomondo Pro and a bluetooth HRM/strap, yes Endomondo can use the data from your HRM strap.
  • ShaunWV
    ShaunWV Posts: 25 Member
    I don't know if I would trust either of those, personally. They both sound a bit high. A good estimate for total calories burned walking per mile is 0.53 X weight in lbs. So if you're 250 lbs, a good estimate is ~663 calories for those 5 miles. However, it's important to calculate the NET burn, total calories minus your TDEE calories, rather than your TOTAL burn. In this case, a good estimate for walking is 0.3 X weight in lbs. So a 250 lb person would burn ~375 NET calories walking 5 miles.
    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304-311-8402-0,00.html

    Awesome info, thanks!!

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