HRMs helpful?

concord2016

Hello all! I am considering buying a hrm but am hesitant to do so because of the hefty price tag attached. For those of you who use them, how helpful have you found them in counting calories? Are there any models you would recommend?

nenshali

I bought a polar HRM FT4 a few days/weeks ago and I've used them for nearly all of my workouts since then.
I found it quite helpful. The calculations I got from apps for my calorie burn wasn't even that accurate, but it also showed me the progress I made. Unfortunately, this means - my body got more efficient and therefore I am burning less kcal for the same amount of exercise.

In general, I can recommend the polar watches, I find them extremely easy to use, they are comfortable, the quality is good and all in all there isn't much I could complain about.
But after all, it's more like a toy.. It's helpful, yes, but I don't think it's absolutely necessary to have one.
You still burn your kcal, not more, not less. It's just helpful to know how much you burned, sometimes it's motivating and well, you can plan your meals more accurately

MeanderingMammal

An HRM is not intended to count calories, but it will extrapolate an estimate of calorie consumption based on various inputs that you provide it, like age, gender, bodyfat along with the HR that it monitors. They're intended as a training tool, rather than as a calorie counter.

All that said, the approximation can be pretty accurate for some activities, predominantly steady paced CV work like running, cycling, rowing etc. Much less useful where heart rate is transitioning regularly, so interval running, resistance training, CV classes and the like.

The usefulness depends on the type of training that you do, but if you're only interested in it as a calorie counter, it's probably not that useful to you.

kwedman488

I have a polar ft7 an it is wonderful. You input your age, sex, height, and weight, so it can accurately track your calorie burns by the percentage of your heart rate (percentage of your max which is calculated by age). I use it every day. I've had it for a year and only had to change the battery on the band and watch once, just a couple weeks ago. If you want to be accurate, I highly recommend it. They can go through some tough *kitten*; I'm not easy on my equipment in the slightest. Another bonus is te ft7 is water proof so if you go swimming you're good to go.

Eric_DeCastro

depends on the work out you will be using it for. also a Polar FT7 can be had for $70. not heafty at all. the GPS enabled ones are in the 150-250 starting prices. and they go on up. but to me, those are priceless. I'm going to be getting a Garmin forrunner 210.

Hornsby

As long as you are using it for steady state cardio you should be relatively accurate if you buy one. Anything else, not at all. Just remember they are just another estimation tool just like any of the ones you find online, or MFPs, etc only they have a little more info to go off of. Elevated HR does not equal burning more calories which is why it is just an estimate.

jlahorn

I thought mine was really neat at first and was using it regularly. Over time, I realized I burn basically the same amount of calories doing the same activities every time and dealing with washing the strap became more annoyance than I wanted to deal with for the value I was getting out of it.

Really, my biggest issue was that even with regular washings in laundry soap, or baking soda and vinegar, or even dish soap or the washing machine, the band just reeked all the time, and I don't usually smell bad when I sweat. (I'm weird that way). It was even making my sports bras start to smell.

I still wear it occasionally, but usually only if I'm going to be doing something outside of my normal routine. Always smells fine when I put it on. An hour later, it's revolting. Maybe it's my body chemistry. *shrug*

Ready2Rock206

Eh... I have the Polar Ft4 - easy to use, wasn't too expensive. I can't even tell you the last time I've used it. I'm not a cardio bunny though - so don't have much use for it.

Eric_DeCastro

I thought mine was really neat at first and was using it regularly. Over time, I realized I burn basically the same amount of calories doing the same activities every time and dealing with washing the strap became more annoyance than I wanted to deal with for the value I was getting out of it.

Really, my biggest issue was that even with regular washings in laundry soap, or baking soda and vinegar, or even dish soap or the washing machine, the band just reeked all the time, and I don't usually smell bad when I sweat. (I'm weird that way). It was even making my sports bras start to smell.

I still wear it occasionally, but usually only if I'm going to be doing something outside of my normal routine. Always smells fine when I put it on. An hour later, it's revolting. Maybe it's my body chemistry. *shrug*

it's not just you. I don't normally smell and when I do I just smell like i had been outside all day, but with t he strap i smell like a wet rag. I have two straps and wash them and rotate them regularly. I don't know why they smell so bad.

tycho_mx

I thought mine was really neat at first and was using it regularly. Over time, I realized I burn basically the same amount of calories doing the same activities every time and dealing with washing the strap became more annoyance than I wanted to deal with for the value I was getting out of it.

Really, my biggest issue was that even with regular washings in laundry soap, or baking soda and vinegar, or even dish soap or the washing machine, the band just reeked all the time, and I don't usually smell bad when I sweat. (I'm weird that way). It was even making my sports bras start to smell.

I still wear it occasionally, but usually only if I'm going to be doing something outside of my normal routine. Always smells fine when I put it on. An hour later, it's revolting. Maybe it's my body chemistry. *shrug*

it's not just you. I don't normally smell and when I do I just smell like i had been outside all day, but with t he strap i smell like a wet rag. I have two straps and wash them and rotate them regularly. I don't know why they smell so bad.

I shower with mine after every workout. It helps.

caitconquersweight

It's really helped me. MFP was waaaaaaay overestimating how many calories I burned during my workouts. I have the Polar FT4, it was $63 on Amazon. I feel it's worth it, since I use it 3-5 times a week.

Eric_DeCastro

I thought mine was really neat at first and was using it regularly. Over time, I realized I burn basically the same amount of calories doing the same activities every time and dealing with washing the strap became more annoyance than I wanted to deal with for the value I was getting out of it.

Really, my biggest issue was that even with regular washings in laundry soap, or baking soda and vinegar, or even dish soap or the washing machine, the band just reeked all the time, and I don't usually smell bad when I sweat. (I'm weird that way). It was even making my sports bras start to smell.

I still wear it occasionally, but usually only if I'm going to be doing something outside of my normal routine. Always smells fine when I put it on. An hour later, it's revolting. Maybe it's my body chemistry. *shrug*

it's not just you. I don't normally smell and when I do I just smell like i had been outside all day, but with t he strap i smell like a wet rag. I have two straps and wash them and rotate them regularly. I don't know why they smell so bad.

I shower with mine after every workout. It helps.

same here, while one is drying I'm wearing the other one.

acpgee

Mine was helpful. I have a cheap Polar FT4.

My typical workout of 65 minutes on the elliptical with a target heart rate of 140 burns around 500 kcals according to the HRM. The machine says around 750, and MFP database says 882. If you don't want to spend the money, borrow one to figure out what percentage of the MFP number to use. If I forget to wear mine, I now take two thirds of the machine reading.

If you can't borrow one, try posting to estimate the percentage for whatever type of cardio you do. I would try to be as specific as possible with your height, weight, age, speed or target heart rate and see if you get useful responses.

tigersword

Waste of money in my opinion. Honestly, one of the least useful gadgets out there. Completely useless for most activities. They are only accurate for steady state cardio (meaning no intervals, or lifting, or anything else,) and even then they have, on average, a 20% margin of error. They can't be any more accurate than that, because heart rate really has no correlation with calorie burn, so it's like buying a calculator and expecting it to bake bread.

If you do feel you need some kind of gadget, I'd say go with a Fitbit, or Jawbone UP, or one of those other gadgets that are designed to estimate full day calorie burns while doing various activities. In general, they will be more accurate, and definitely more versatile and useful. Still, wholly unnecessary, imo.

brianpperkins

Waste of money in my opinion. Honestly, one of the least useful gadgets out there. Completely useless for most activities. They are only accurate for steady state cardio (meaning no intervals, or lifting, or anything else,) and even then they have, on average, a 20% margin of error. They can't be any more accurate than that, because heart rate really has no correlation with calorie burn, so it's like buying a calculator and expecting it to bake bread.

If you do feel you need some kind of gadget, I'd say go with a Fitbit, or Jawbone UP, or one of those other gadgets that are designed to estimate full day calorie burns while doing various activities. In general, they will be more accurate, and definitely more versatile and useful. Still, wholly unnecessary, imo.

Somebody should tell science that it is wrong about its proven linkage between heart rate and oxygen consumption allowing calculation of caloric burn during cardio exercise.

They are useless for calculating all day burns and expenditures during lifting. They provide better calculations (still estimates, but based on math and reduced number of unaccounted variables) than online estimates for cardio. They also provide information on cardio recovery rates following periods of exertion.

tigersword

Waste of money in my opinion. Honestly, one of the least useful gadgets out there. Completely useless for most activities. They are only accurate for steady state cardio (meaning no intervals, or lifting, or anything else,) and even then they have, on average, a 20% margin of error. They can't be any more accurate than that, because heart rate really has no correlation with calorie burn, so it's like buying a calculator and expecting it to bake bread.

If you do feel you need some kind of gadget, I'd say go with a Fitbit, or Jawbone UP, or one of those other gadgets that are designed to estimate full day calorie burns while doing various activities. In general, they will be more accurate, and definitely more versatile and useful. Still, wholly unnecessary, imo.

Somebody should tell science that it is wrong about its proven linkage between heart rate and oxygen consumption allowing calculation of caloric burn during cardio exercise.

They are useless for calculating all day burns and expenditures during lifting. They provide better calculations (still estimates, but based on math and reduced number of unaccounted variables) than online estimates for cardio. They also provide information on cardio recovery rates following periods of exertion.

The correlation between heart rate and calorie burn for steady state cardio is roughly 80%. Hence the 20% margin of error I stated. Really not that precise. As for the estimates, they use the exact same equations that all the websites use. I suppose they're useful for checking your heart rate, but I have fingers and know how to count, so that's irrelevant to me.

brianpperkins

Waste of money in my opinion. Honestly, one of the least useful gadgets out there. Completely useless for most activities. They are only accurate for steady state cardio (meaning no intervals, or lifting, or anything else,) and even then they have, on average, a 20% margin of error. They can't be any more accurate than that, because heart rate really has no correlation with calorie burn, so it's like buying a calculator and expecting it to bake bread.

If you do feel you need some kind of gadget, I'd say go with a Fitbit, or Jawbone UP, or one of those other gadgets that are designed to estimate full day calorie burns while doing various activities. In general, they will be more accurate, and definitely more versatile and useful. Still, wholly unnecessary, imo.

Somebody should tell science that it is wrong about its proven linkage between heart rate and oxygen consumption allowing calculation of caloric burn during cardio exercise.

They are useless for calculating all day burns and expenditures during lifting. They provide better calculations (still estimates, but based on math and reduced number of unaccounted variables) than online estimates for cardio. They also provide information on cardio recovery rates following periods of exertion.

The correlation between heart rate and calorie burn for steady state cardio is roughly 80%. Hence the 20% margin of error I stated. Really not that precise. As for the estimates, they use the exact same equations that all the websites use. I suppose they're useful for checking your heart rate, but I have fingers and know how to count, so that's irrelevant to me.

2 posts by you in this thread ... 2 posts that don't match scientific papers on the subject.

tigersword

I'd like to see those papers then.

concord2016

thank you everyone for your replies! reading them was very helpful

Shropshire1959

I have a polar ft7 an it is wonderful. You input your age, sex, height, and weight, so it can accurately track your calorie burns by the percentage of your heart rate (percentage of your max which is calculated by age)

Accurately? - I'd love to know how you know this from a device that only measures HR and uses this to Indirectly ESTIMATE energy expenditure.