Previous to this purchase, I occasionally wore the heart rate monitor (HRM) that came with the treadmill. I was devastated at how much holding onto the sides and getting on and off for bathroom breaks affected my heart rate. And, I wondered how much better of a workout I was getting outdoors versus indoors.
To the rescue, the Garmin HRM. I freely admit that I need this device to keep me honest and motivated. Actually, since I started using it, I have tried to do all runs outdoors--the weather is nicer and no temptation to cheat. This morning, however, I ran 5 miles, .5 incline, averaging speed of 7.5, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the calories on my Garmin were pretty close to the treadmill calories. Most equipment overestimates the calories burned by a long shot.
What is my point? If I use the treadmill as the machine expects I should--without stopping and without holding on even with my pinky finger--the calories burned display will be pretty accurate. (FYI, both the treadmill and Garmin are programmed with my age and weight.)
No comments:
Post a Comment