HRM (something wrong?)

gidget1978

gidget1978

Cathlete
This goes out to all you gals or guys who own a HRM. DH recently bought one for me for my b-day cause of course, like everyone else, I just had to know how many cals I was burning when working out. I heard so much about a few ladies around the boards who burned like 800-1000 cals when doing a Cathe workout, so I was dying to get one for my runs.

Well...I put my stats in *5'4", 126 lbs, 29 yrs old, female....blah...blah...
On a run I did on Thurs, I burned 550 cals and the run was like 70 mins long! I was a little disappointed cause I had read somewhere that you burn a average of 10 cals per min when running but I also know that most of these claims are based on a 135 lbs women.I was a litte disappointed cause I thought I was burning more then that, and it seems like alot of work for only that few cals.
Then yesterday I did C&W's, only burned 320 cals

And then today I go for another run, 12.4 kms, 75 mins and I only burned 450 cals!Less the I did on sat and most of the elements were the same and I even ran longer. The temp was about the same, but it may not have been quit are windy.Im not a slow runner, I pass alot of other people, run a few hills and by my timing I should be running a 6 min km, pretty much, give or take. Not to mention that I am pushing a stroller with a 20 lbs baby in it.
Does this seem weird or wrong to anyone else? Im wondering if I didn't just totally waste money b/c even if this is correct, i think was better off not knowing!

Lori
 
I would like to let you know that if you weigh less you'll burn less. The same thing happened with my friends doing Tae Bo workouts. They would do a workout and burn something like 700-800 calories and I would burn 400. But they were also heavier than I was and that's why they burned more calories.
 
Yes, the more you weigh, the more calories you will burn. When calculating calories burned, the HRM takes into account weight, height, and HR (the most important element). You need to take into account how long you've worked out and at what intensity. Note the calories burned for that particular workout and you have a good basis of comparison for YOU. Everyone is different so it's pointless to compare calories burned unless it's with someone who is at the same fitness level and who is exactly the same size as you.

HTH :)
Carolyn
 
Hi Lori,
I've noticed that as well. For example, I teach a 50 minute cycling class where we are supposed to burn on average between 500-700 calories (it's tough!) and according to my HRM I burned 350! I am 5'5 and 126, so I am at a good weight, but it is frustrating. I just try to focus on gaining a strong heart and great legs as opposed to burning calories.
Eren
 
Don't sweat it, Lori. I'm lucky to burn 300 calories during a 40-min. cardio workout. We petite folks don't burn calories like the bigger gals do. ;) If I do an hour-long cardio coach workout I may get to 450 or so.

IMHO, what you should really be looking at is your heart rate. Make sure you don't go below or above your target zone so that you're making the most of your cardio time and giving your heart and lungs the exercise they need.
 
So how do I figure out my target HR? Most of the time my HR was between 163-166, is that good?
I know I shouldn't compare myself to others (and Im not really) But I just thought that I would have burned atleast 600 cals for a 75 mins workout. And running is not easy! LOL I hate to see what I would be burning if I wasn't pushing a stroller!
It just kind of burned me cause when I ran on Thurs on the 4th street, i was at 117 cals and today when I looked I was only at 66 cals! I wasn't impressed! haha I don't think i will be wearing that thing very often.

Lori:)
 
Lori, I think you need to reevaluate what 'a lot' of calories are for you. Maybe 300 calories burned for you is the equivalent of 600 or 700 for a taller girl.

Carolyn

ETA: there is a newer (supposedly more accurate) formula for figuring out max HR. It's 208 - (.7 multiplied by age).
 
> So how do I figure out my target HR? Most of the time my HR
>was between 163-166, is that good?
> I know I shouldn't compare myself to others (and Im not
>really) But I just thought that I would have burned atleast
>600 cals for a 75 mins workout. And running is not easy! LOL I
>hate to see what I would be burning if I wasn't pushing a
>stroller!
> It just kind of burned me cause when I ran on Thurs on the
>4th street, i was at 117 cals and today when I looked I was
>only at 66 cals! I wasn't impressed! haha I don't think i will
>be wearing that thing very often.
>
> Lori:)

Lori, don't take this personally, but this is a pet peeve of mine, so bear with me. Women who watch calories instead of heart rate. You spend all that time and energy running and all you look at is calories. I know you're probably in the majority of women, but the majority is wrong, in my opinion. ;) Yes, calories can tell you how intense a workout is compared to another workout, and that is helpful. But it is not the purpose of cardio. HR lets you know everything else. Here is the Cardio Coach website that will help you determine your target zones:
http://www.cardiocoach.com/aboutQSG5.php

If you can measure your resting heart rate when you wake up in the morning, you can use the more advanced calculator which is a lot more accurate than the age-based calculations.
 
The age-based MHR formulas don't mean a thing! Frustrating but true. The reason your max changes with age is due to deconditioning-- not biology!

And the rule of thumb is 100cal per mile, not minute, when running. Not that I get there very often! ;) I'm 5'2" too, and the better shape you're in, the lower your HR stays, so you burn even less. Argh!!! x( :7 (Then again, we can outrun whoever is chasing us, I guess!!)
 
I guess I spent so much time "assuming" how many cals i was burning, so that I could eat more LOL and thats all I cared about.
For example, if I were going out tonight and I had done a 75 mins run today...Id be thinking...WOO HOO! I can have a couple of drinks tonight and I already burned it off;) But now I only come to find out that I only really burned 1 drink! HA! Or if I wanted a plate of nachos, then I wouldn't worry. Prehaps thats why my weight stayed the same for so many yrs...I was actually eating more then I was burning!:p
When I get a chance I will read the articles. Thanks for the respondes everyone.


Lori:)
 
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