Heart rate and calories.

alihisgreat
alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
edited August 2012 in Training, fitness and health
So I recently got a HR monitor... and thought it might be nice to calculate some calorie figures given the data.

Eg. today I rode just over 60 miles in just under 4 hours with an average HR of 153 and max of 185

according to various online calculators I burned over 3000 calories?!?!

Is that in the right ballpark?!?!?! (strava has 1900 estimate for what its worth.)

Comments

  • t.m.h.n.e.t
    t.m.h.n.e.t Posts: 2,265
    Could probably half that and it would still be on the generous side
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Around 2000kCal would be about right. Half of the figure (1500kCal) would be a bit low IMO and certainly not on the generous side at all.
    More problems but still living....
  • ju5t1n
    ju5t1n Posts: 2,028
    I would imagine that Strava gives a reasonable estimate. They have a lot of data to fall back on from people using power meters, hrms etc.
  • CyclingObsession
    CyclingObsession Posts: 314
    there are online calculators that can calculate your calories burnt by using your heart rate try this link http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exerc ... lator.aspx
  • ut_och_cykla
    ut_och_cykla Posts: 1,594
    25km/h is about 600 kcal hour. Depending on your weight and how much help(from wind) and hindrance (from hills ) you had.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    CyclingObsession wrote:
    there are online calculators that can calculate your calories burnt by using your heart rate try this link http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exerc ... lator.aspx

    These are educated guesses. HR does not tell you how many calories you burn.
    More problems but still living....
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Power meter is the only (semi-)reliable way to work out calories.

    At endurance pace (under 210w) I burn 710kj a hour (about 710kcal)
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    Do you actually 'burn' calories :?:
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    No, not really, you use calories.

    "Burn" comes from the way food stuff's are tested in the lab to get their calorific value.
  • ut_och_cykla
    ut_och_cykla Posts: 1,594
    amaferanga wrote:
    CyclingObsession wrote:
    there are online calculators that can calculate your calories burnt by using your heart rate try this link http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exerc ... lator.aspx

    These are educated guesses. HR does not tell you how many calories you burn.

    HR doesn't tell you how much you burn but calculating work done (as speed or watts) and help/hindrances is physics and maths and can give you figures that are better than educated guesses.

    Also if you've done a VO2 or lactate test you as an individual can actually have a pretty good idea of how just your heartbeat links to calories burnt. I know that at threshold I can generate a (pitiful) 180W, and that my heartrate then is around 160bpm, so I know I can not burn morethan about 650kcal an hour.And that pootling burns much less :cry:
    Yes heartrate is open to variations brought about by tiredness illness altidtude temperature etc - but for a given athlete who knnows his/her own body it is a useful tool
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    ut_och_cykla wrote:
    amaferanga wrote:
    CyclingObsession wrote:
    there are online calculators that can calculate your calories burnt by using your heart rate try this link http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exerc ... lator.aspx

    These are educated guesses. HR does not tell you how many calories you burn.

    HR doesn't tell you how much you burn but calculating work done (as speed or watts) and help/hindrances is physics and maths and can give you figures that are better than educated guesses.

    HR doesn't tell you work done. Few if any of the calculations online or on HR monitors have enough information to make more than an educated guess at the work done and therefore the calorie figure.
    More problems but still living....
  • ut_och_cykla
    ut_och_cykla Posts: 1,594
    amaferanga wrote:
    ut_och_cykla wrote:
    amaferanga wrote:
    CyclingObsession wrote:
    there are online calculators that can calculate your calories burnt by using your heart rate try this link http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exerc ... lator.aspx

    These are educated guesses. HR does not tell you how many calories you burn.

    HR doesn't tell you how much you burn but calculating work done (as speed or watts) and help/hindrances is physics and maths and can give you figures that are better than educated guesses.

    HR doesn't tell you work done. Few if any of the calculations online or on HR monitors have enough information to make more than an educated guess at the work done and therefore the calorie figure.

    Sorry - poorly expressed - no HR doesn't give you calories or watts or speed. But the physics of moving an object is pretty sound if rather complicated maths - calling it educated guesses isn't really correct and is likely to give a better ball park figure (e.g. about 600 hour) than the kind of numbers quoted by some. :)

Categories