How to Use Your Heart Rate Monitor as a Calorie Counter

by Coach and Trainer, Dr. Alinda Perrine

Your heart rate monitor is a handy tool. Don’t wait to go to the gym to use a calorie counter on a machine. Set your heart rate monitor on the calorie mode and start counting. Some heart rate monitor watches will show heart rate and calories at the same time. If not, toggle between heart rate and calories.
Here are a few pointers when using your calorie counter:

• Don’t expect total accuracy. Each caloric counter uses various formulas that include specific variables such as age, weight, maximum heart rate, time in zone. Depending on the information, the formula calculates the calories. This number can be plus or minus 25% accurate.
• Set your trend, use trend data. Start a new exercise regiment or start recording your familiar routine using your calorie counter. Calorie data is trend data. Its value is recognized when you observe the trend in the data over the long term. For example, look at the calories you burned each week for a month; then month 2, 3, and so on. How did your routine change, improve, or digress? How did the number of calories change with your exercise or lifestyle change.
• Don’t expect a balancing act. Food calories and your exercise calorie counter may not balance. The calories in a bagel (approximately 100) compared to the calories burned during your 30 minute run may not exactly balance. Because the calorie counter is set with a mathematical formula, you cannot be assured that these two values balance each other.
• Starting points vary. Many heart rate monitors count calories based on the time you are in various heart rate zones. This is a good feature. Formulas that use your work effort and intensity are better calorie formulas than formulas that use weight and age. But when does the counting actually start? Some heart rate monitors start counting calories when you turn the monitor on; others begin counting when your heart rate is 50% of your maximum heart rate. Each heart rate manufacturer builds in a “start time.” Again, use the calorie counter as trend data and don’t get hung up on when the counter started, just make sure you start your exercise!

Your heart rate monitor is worn every day as a watch and as a fitness tool. Try the calorie feature and journal your workouts. Use the heart rate function to hold your heart rates steady or try an interval workout by increasing and decreasing heart rate. Compare your calorie expenditure. Journal each workout by writing a few notes about the workout and the calories you burned. Review your journal each month. Consider trying a new sport and keep journaling.

Your heart rate monitor and calorie counter is a cool tool.

copyright 2009 ZoneX™ Sensible Heart Rate Training
For the most comfortable and accurate heart rate monitoring try NuMetrex. NuMetrex heart monitoring apparel provides a comfortable alternative to the traditional heart monitoring strap. The seamless NuMetrex heart sensing garments have sensors knit directly into the fabric. A small transmitter snaps into the front of the garment, captures your data and sends it to your watch or cardio equipment. Heart rate is a great motivator that enables you to monitor your fitness goals and calories burned.

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