Heart rate monitors, are they worth it?

lima013

Worth it!!!
I have the Polar FT7 and I Love it !!

hedgiie

though i don't use mine when i workout but i would say yes, it's recommended.

laineybz

I love mine! Wear it working out, swimming, walking. Have the FT4 and would recommend.

ratherbeskiing

100% WORTH IT.

Binkie1955

I'm not a calorie counter, i'm a low carber so I don't spend time 'burning' calories so I can eat them back and all that calorie nonsense I see on this site. however, I do use a heartrate monitor, chest and wrist strap, this is wifi'd to a treadmill at my gym. It's useful I guess. I also have a blood pressure monitor for home use. that said, my feeling is that the best gauge of health, from what I've read are two things, the 'resting' pulse rate - you want your resting pulse rate low, say below 60. mine's about 55 so apparently good. and the second one is your pulse pressure, the difference between the Diastolic and the systolic. Above 40 is good, mine is 57. so according to everything I've read my heart isn't working hard (resting pulse rate) and when it pumps, it puts out plenty of pressure. i'm 58 and take no cardio meds whatsoever. I just run and swim. you're pretty young may not be worth worrying about but if you're training for something, probably worth a look. they're cheap. key is to keep records so you can notice a change.

evviamarshall

I used to workout without one. I would log my time in MFP and thought I was burning so many calories. A friend on here bought one and posted about it, and that got me thinking maybe I should get one. I got a Polar FT4 and since I've been using it I now know what I'm really burning and let me tell ya it ain't what MFP was telling me. I recommend that if anybody is serious about working out that they get a heart rate monitor to measure their calorie burn because I was confused about why I wasn't losing weight and then realized its because MFP was overstating my calories and I was eating back cals I never really lost. Do it! Do it! Do it!

rachelmaria33

love mine! All my friends keep investing in different new gadgets, but I'll stick with my HRM thank you very much! Easy to use, durable, and motivating!!!

Kimsied

To me they are one of the most important tools for weight loss along with a food scale.

Agreed about the food scale! I know a lot of people are resistant to using one, but I honestly think it is both easier and more accurate than measuring portions in cups and spoons. It isn't necessarily and either or though, since a decent food scale really should not be that expensive.

I am a big fan of my heart rate monitor. The calorie burn estimates it gives me are almost always much lower than the estimates MFP gives me for the same activity. So for me using an HRM would make me less likely to overestimate calorie burn than generic calculators like MFP. I agree the about taking the calorie burn from an HRM with a bit of caution though. They do have a margin or error and a lot of it depends on your settings. It can be difficult to get the settings most precise since some of it is using factors we don't easily know. For example, mine factors in Vo2Max and Maximum heart rate--from playing with it I know whatever entered in those settings makes a big difference to the calorie burn estimate. But it is pretty hard to really know your real vo2max and actual maximum heart rate without expensive tests. I am using estimates from self administered fitness tests and it seems okay but there is no doubt some room for error. When I first got mine, I really didn't know how important these factors were to my device so I just programed my basic stats. There can be a bit of a learning curve to getting the best use out of one, and I hate to say it but some of the cheaper ones are less accurate even if easier to use. Some don't even factor in gender and weight. A good one doesn't need to be expensive as you can sometimes find good sales if you shop around and some of the most expensive have more features than you might likely use though. But they are not magic and all-knowing with calorie burn. Just saying...

Where they really come into their best element is as a training tool. For building and improving fitness, keeping track of your basic HRM stats for each workout may show improvements in fitness and also when it is time to step things up a bit more. The exact same workout done the same way should become easier in time and this will be reflected in your heart rate and calorie burn estimate. Also it can help you focus on training at the right intensity for whatever your goals are--that is what they were originally made for at least the ones worn exercising. And a lot of people find it helps motivate them to make their best effort every workout. That is priceless if it effect you that way.

ValerieMartini2Olives

From my workout today.

getitamb

To me they are one of the most important tools for weight loss along with a food scale.

If you are overestimating your calories burned, and eating back those calories, you could be eating maintenance and wonder why you aren't losing.

definitely get one!

Another vote for this one!!