You can use your average heart rate to estimate the calories that you burn during a bicycle ride. An estimation of calorie expenditure will allow you to manage your weight loss program. This procedure will require a heart monitor that records your heart rate while riding your bike. You'll also need to know your weight and VO2 max value.
Step 1
Weigh yourself in pounds with a set of scales and record your weight.
Step 2
Wear your heart monitor and begin riding your bicycle. Record your heart rate once it rises above 90 beats per minute (bpm.) Continue cycling but ensure that your heart rate doesn't rise above 150 bpm. Stop recording your heart rate after the cycling session before your heart rate drops below 90 bpm.
Step 3
Estimate your VO2 max. This is your oxygen consumption rate while exercising at maximum effort. This is given by the equation (D -- 505) / 49.2 where D is the maximum distance in yards that you can run in 12 minutes. If you can run 2,000 yards in 12 minutes, then your VO2 max is (2,000 -- 505) / 49.2 = 30.4.
Step 4
Establish your calorie expenditure if you're female. This is given by the equation C = (0.274 x A + 0.0468 x W + 0.380 x V + 0.450 x H -- 59.3954) x T / 4.184. C is your calorie expenditure, A is your age in years, W is your weight in pounds, V is your VO2 max, H is your average heart rate, and T is the duration of your exercise session in minutes.
Step 5
Estimate your calorie expenditure if you're male. This is given by the equation C = (0.271 x A + 0.179 x W + 0.404 x V + 0.634 x H -- 95.7735) x T / 4.184. Assume you're a 31-year-old male who weighs 150 pounds. Your VO2 max is 30.4, your average heart rate during the bike ride was 134, and your bike riding session lasted 30 minutes. You burned (0.271 x 31 + 0.179 x 150 + 0.404 x 30.4 + 0.634 x 134 -- 95.7735) x 30 / 4.184 = 263 calories on that bike ride.
Things You'll Need
- Scales
- Stopwatch
- Heart monitor
- Calculator
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