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POLAR OWNCAL CALORIE COUNTING FEATURE
Basic principle
 Polar heart rate monitors with OwnCal feature show the cumulative energy expenditure of an individual on the display during exercise and total kilocalories of current exercise session after exercise as well as save accumulated
kilo Calories. The energy expenditure assessment is based on gender, body weight and heart rate. The value is expressed in kilocalories and the counting starts from the heart rate 100 bpm. This limit is set because the OwnCal feature has been created to calculate only exercise calories and heart rate values below 100 bpm in most individuals do not correspond to such a situation.
You can easily follow the effect of exercising displayed in real-time. The higher the heart rate, the faster the energy expenditure accumulation. Energy expenditure depends also on body weight; the heavier the weight the higher the energy expenditure. At the end of the exercise session the Polar M-Series shows not only the energy expenditure of that particular session but also the cumulative total energy expenditure value. Now you know how many kilocalories you consumed by exercising during a week, for example.
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Fat consumption
Reducing the amount of extra fat tissue in the body is an important target for those exercising for weight loss and weight management
purposes. The heart rate monitor calculates an estimation of fat consumption from total kilocalories expended during an exercise session. Fat consumption is expressed in percentages of the total energy expenditure with 5 % accuracy. The fat consumption calculation is based on the physiological interaction between exercise intensity and utilization of the energy sources during exercise. In this interaction the use of fat as an energy source is optimal (highest possible percentage) at the exercise intensity of about 50% maximal aerobic power, VO2max , and decreases thereafter. This "optimal point" corresponds close to the heart rate variability (HRV) plateau during exercise, which is a base for the OwnZone (the lower limit of OwnZone basic or the lower limit of the "light zone" of OwnZone advanced).
| In the Physical Activity and Health, a report of the Surgeon General (USA,1996) it is stated that activity leading to an increase in the daily expenditure of approximately 150 kcal/day, equivalent to about 1000 kcal/week, is associated with substantial health benefits. It is also stated that the activity for health benefits needs not to be vigorous. |
For weight loss purposes the recommended energy expenditure can be set to 300 kcal/ session. Conducted on most days of the week this will result 2000 kcal/week on a 70 kg person,
approximately the kilocalorie content of a 1 kg (or 2 pounds) fat (7000 kcal) in a month. The more the body weighs the higher the energy expenditure in a constant work. The higher the exercise intensity, the higher the heart rate, and the faster the calorie accumulation. However, at high exercise intensities the percentage of fat consumption of the total energy expenditure is less than at lower intensities. The intensity of exercise depends also on the amount of active muscle mass. Cross-country skiing and rowing typically are more intensive than walking or bicycling due to the upper body muscle mass activity needed. Brisk walk expends more calories than slow walk when done for equally long time.
Reference: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity and Health:
A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 1996, p. 147.
Additional reading: Kukkonen-Harjula K, Laukkanen R. Precision weight management. Polar Electro Oy. Third Edition in English, 1998.
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