Let's start a mythbusters thread...

[Jachut 487]

Everyone's fat burning heart rate zone is the same 210 - age, etc etc

Wrong again. That formula is completely inaccurate. Fit people can burn more fat at much higher heart rates.

The talk or exertion test is more accurate. Even if your heart rate is 177 if you can talk (not necessarily hold an entire conversation!) and you're not killing yourself and you can do it for 1/2 an hour, then you're not working "too hard".

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I had a resting metabolic test at my doctor's office to find that out.

I was hooked up to a computer, my nose was closed off with closepin like things, and I had to breathe in and out into a tube.

It told me that just sitting around breathing, I burn 1000 calories.

That was when I dropped my calories to 800 a day, even though I exercise.

Do you really think those elliptikill machines are accurate when they tell us our heart rate and calories being burned? There are many machines at my gym and I use a different one all the time.

I do the same thing all the time, alternating the resistance, and one machine will tell me one thing, and the other machine will tell me something different. I have concluded that they aren't accurate.

My birthday is next week and I asked for a heart rate monitor. I want to be sure I am getting it up enough. Right now I take my pulse, but it's kind of hard to do while on the elliptikill or the stair master. It's not that hard to take it on the treadmill if I am walking not running.

[travelgirl 3]

Elliptikill... now that's funny...

A machine cannot determine how many calories you've burned, because it does not know your height, weight, age, etc, so I don't know why it's even included in most of them. Maybe it makes people feel better to see SOMETHING.

[Jachut 487]

Actually ellipticals over and above ALL cardio machines are notoriously inaccurate, they overstate calories burned substantially.

I've read about it before, its something to do with how you're not actually moving forward but the machine assumes you are kind of thing.

Anyway, sad to say, you dont hop on the elliptical and burn 800 calories in half an hour.

[giveyouthemoon 4]

How about the myth that since Lapbanding is reversable, means it's not "permanent". As in what was said to me by a RNY'er..."oh, it's a shame you didn't choose a permanent solution..." What?

And how about that Lapbanding (or any bariatric surgery) is "taking the easy way out". Ugh. This has been one of the hardest things I've ever done.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I hate that! There has been nothing easy about this what so ever.

Being on liquids for 4 weeks after surgery was far from easy.

Throwing up something that has never given me trouble before, and continuing to throw up for hours afterwards is certainly not easy either.

I have sometimes said the band runs my life. Sometimes it does. It definitely is part of the decision as to what restaurant I choose when someone wants to go to dinner.

[Wheetsin 714]

You know what? I wish I could work out on an elliptical because it kicks my ass and I know it would be an awesome routine. But there's just something about it. I can't straighten my legs. Well, I shouldn't say "I can't"... maybe I could with enough practice, but even after the guy adjusted it for my height, I still felt like I couldn't do it. That makes me feel like I'm just doing these uncoordinated one-legged hops the entire time, and my thighs last for about 3 mins and then I'm d-u-n.

[jillrn 0]

I think it is amazing people think they know anything about losing weight. Biochemistry is very complex and there are many things we think we know, and many things we know we do not know. In a hundred years we will think we know something totally different. Personally I think there is not much we can say is totally fact vs myth. Working in the medical field for almost 20 years I have seen this over and over and over again.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Wheestin, I think that's strange. I go to the gym and people of all ages and sizes use it. The brand they have there are Preecor.

I wonder why that machine is giving you problems. Mine is kind of like walking and peddling at the same time.

[kagoscuba 0]

Life Fitness machines know your weight, because you input your weight while you are working out. Even if the machine was off by 25%+-, it'd be better than not having any idea at all. The machine calculates by weight, level you put the machine at, exertion, and time you spend on it. It's probably a lot more accurate than static exercise calorie tables I've seen.

[Longhorn 1]

Life Fitness machines know your weight, because you input your weight while you are working out. Even if the machine was off by 25%+-, it'd be better than not having any idea at all. The machine calculates by weight, level you put the machine at, exertion, and time you spend on it. It's probably a lot more accurate than static exercise calorie tables I've seen.

My elliptical and recumbent bikes also allow me to input my age. I've checked the pulse shown on my machines with my pulse shown on a heart rate monitor and it was amazing how close they were. However, I do agree that the formula for determining how high your rate should be does not apply to me. My heart rate jumps up very quickly -- if I exercised at the suggested rate for burning fat, I'd barely be moving! My husband, on the other hand, has to really push to get his heart rate up.

[Jazlady 1]

Someone called me a 'cheater' because I'm not losing weight the 'hard way'.

Well, excuse me. I tried it that way. This is not cheating anything. It is harder at times. It's no fun to PB in a restaurant, not drink Diet Coke anymore and still have to watch what I eat and exercise!

That was such an insult!

[kagoscuba 0]

I feel ya'! My best friend and best man insulted me today. After I told him I had lost 37 pounds in a month, he said, and I quote, "You told me the band wasn't really working for you yet (true), so you've lost all of this weight through diet and exercise, and you paid for this surgery? You are such a dumba$$." If he wasn't in a different state, I might have had to go throw down with him. It'd be time for an a$$-kicking and bubble-gum chewing contest, and I'm all out of bubble-gum. What an a-hole thing to say.

[nina874 48]

PMSL kago, dya want me to post you some gum? Yup the guy is an ass , but you will get the get the last laugh on the beach next year..... :eek:

Ninaxx

[travelgirl 3]

I think the mythbuster's thread has been hijacked!