to HRM or not to HRM - that is the question! ??

tamheath

Do you or don't you? Am considering getting an HRM. I have about 15 pounds to lose. Most of my workouts include a Zumba class, a pilates class, and then a couple of DVDs I do at home. Obviously, I have no idea as to the true amount of calories I'm burning. Do I need to? Do you love yours and couldn't live without it? Or - as I've kind of thought - as long as I'm doing the work, does it really matter exactly how many calories I'm burning? Would love your educated opinions! :flowerforyou:

angebean

Can't wait to hear the responses. I'm contemplating the same.

mzenzer

Not really a question, they are an invaluable tool and will change the way you workout and eat. Get one.

lukybug

I had been working out without one and was curious to know about my calorie burns. I broke down and got one. I'm so glad I did. I was estimating my burns about 50 cals under for each workout. I haven't done Zumba with mine yet, but I'm gathering I'm around the 700 or 800 mark for an hour. I do Insanity every day and I have found that with my HRM, I'm able to push myself even harder just to get to that next level. Like if I'm really close to burning 400 calories, I'll push it just so I surpass it. Without the HRM, I know I wasn't maxing it out. Plus I can see my heart rate too which helps because beforehand, I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest. In all actuality, I was in my target heart range but not maxing it out there either. I'm a very black and white person. If I can see it, it seems more real to me. So I guess, I'm glad I got my HRM.

I purchased the Polar FT4 off Amazon and I love it!

Jrak1980

I love mine, I got the Polar FT4. Sometimes I do the same video, but I don't burn the same calories every time due to the intensity. I would get one!

bosanka

I worked out long time without it- was doing " ok "
than i got one - hed it for a few weeks - wasn't happy with it- and returned it- decided to work out without it- thought " just a waste of money- you don't need it - as long as you " know " you worked out- that's all that counts.
Well - after a year i decided to get one again - but this time i thought- pay the amount and get that polar- that everyone is talking about- so i bought that polar ft 7 - yes i did pay 100 $ .. but i don't mind - it is a huge difference.

Why i like it ? for all the reasons allready mentioned above.. i can see my heart level - am i really working that hard or i think i'm working that hard ?
also - i make my self do something i normally wouldn't do- like jumping jacks or jump rope - just to get that heart rate up again.. fast
I think my new HRM and i deff. have a future together- he is a keeper

DeepSeaDoc_Wife

Get it! Best tool to have to lose weight, improve fitness or train. I can not praise my Polar FT6 enough. Love love love.

bree1609

I absoluetly love mine. It has completely changed the way I work out. Now I know for sure what I'm burning and whether or not it's enough to maintain my calorie goal. I recommend getting one!

NoAdditives

If you're exercising and losing weight I don't think you really need one.

DawnOf1969

Absolutely cannot live without mine. Keeps me in my "zone" and beeps at me when I start slacking. Invaluable for knowing what I truly burned. My actual burn never ever matches the machines or this database. DO IT! Love my polar F6 like it's my child lol

Kath15

I have a Polar FT7 which I bought over the Summer. I love it and always wear it when exercising. It cost me around $100, but I do not in the least bit regret spending the money. If you can afford one, you should definitely go for it!

Sporty98

I don't have one either....but am thinking of getting one to drop the last 10 lbs. BUT, I can honestly tell when I'm kicking butt in my work-out....Like this morning, doing the Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism DVD, the sweat was POURING off me! I guess I'd like to get one just to be sure about the calories.....even though I know that if I'm losing weight, then my work-outs and healthy eating is working!

flattsfan22

Ditto to everything everyone else said. I couldn't live without my Polar Ft7...,.oh and definitely make sure you get one with a chest strap and one that does not interfere with the signals of other HRM's if you work out in a gym where other people wear them. The chest strap will make it more accurate in reading your heart rate. I couldn't live without mine

kwaters7

hey - personal choice i think.. It will help not over-estimating calories for sure (the calculators often over-estimate on MFP etc in my experience). They are good to check that you're not over-working or alternatively 'dogging it'.

i had a Polar F11 but dont use it anymore - hated strapping up. My experience is I instinctively know how hard i'm working now allied with the experience of using an HRM. If you are calorie counting closely, it will help you hit your target more closely. My only thought was after a while, i really enjoyed the exercise and never bothered whether I was burning 1,2,5, 7or 900 cals in a workout. It was easy to tell afterwards how hard i'd worked and have stopped using the scales and use the mirror and bodyfat measurements instead. The calorie counting part of the HRM made the exercise feel more like a means to an end - so i could eat extra afterwards.

So - yes, they're good and work for some, but i never fell in love with mine if truth be told and gave it away even though it cost me £100 or so... Good luck with the weight loss and just try and focus on the lifestyle change and everything else will take care of itself - especially maintenance...

ginnyroxx

i rely on mine to give me a pretty close estimate of my calorie burn so that i know how to properly refuel my body.

i never miss a workout w/o it and if i do, i cry. lol

potluck965

I think it may serve its best purpose when you are getting down towards your goal. As someone else said, if you are losing weight at the rate you expect then it isn't necessary.

I consider it a fine tuning device. I am within 5 pounds of my goal (although I may reset that downwards again) and I really need to have fairly accurate totals. It's getting a lot tougher for me to lose and I need all the help I can get.

I just got mine a week or so ago and found it very revealing.

Before anyone gets an HRM, though, I think a food scale is a more important purchase. JMHO.

DawnOf1969

Before anyone gets an HRM, though, I think a food scale is a more important purchase. JMHO.

I don't know about more important, but I do agree that it's very important.

BoresEasily

Why i like it ? for all the reasons allready mentioned above.. i can see my heart level - am i really working that hard or i think i'm working that hard ?
also - i make my self do something i normally wouldn't do- like jumping jacks or jump rope - just to get that heart rate up again.. fast
I think my new HRM and i deff. have a future together- he is a keeper

Exactly what she said. If my heart rate is too low I'll start running/sprinting in place. I know if I'm working hard and it's not that I'm not working hard it's that my HR adapts to what I'm doing so I may be pushing just as hard but without the HR I won't realise that it's not having the same effect as before. Especially if I'm doing any kind of steady-state cardio I just can't seem to get my HR to climb without upping the intensity with intervals and things.

HRM is only good for showing you what you burn during a cardio workout. It is ineffective for anything else, so there's little point wearing it around the house, while you're doing cleaning or while you're weight lifting or anything like that.

TrainingWithTonya

I have one. I use it once in a blue moon. Honestly, I've used it more this year in my exercise physiology program to test heart rates without having to take a manual pulse then I've used it for my workouts in the 3 years I've had it. It can be a great tool if you aren't taking anything that effects your heart rate. However, if you take medication for heart issues, asthma, a cold, or just drink coffee, it's useless. Any of those things will either depress your heart rate or give you an unnaturally high heart rate that isn't indicative of what you are actually burning for exercise. So, I only use mine when I haven't had to use my asthma inhaler for at least 3 days and I haven't had a Pepsi for at least 3 days. Since caffeine opens the airways and I have to be so high carb because of other issues, I drink a lot of Pepsi, so it is rare I use my HRM.

tamheath

Lots of great info - thanks to all!

rs1177

I love my HRM!!! I got mine in early November as a birthday gift from my husband. I would not want to exercise without it!!! I am sometimes tempted to just wear it all day! I have also found out that I am burning way more calories than I orginallly thought. I also like that I can check my heart rate while I"m working out and then push myself when I know it should be up higher.

I would highly recommed it!!

DawnOf1969

HRM is only good for showing you what you burn during a cardio workout. It is ineffective for anything else, so there's little point wearing it around the house, while you're doing cleaning or while you're weight lifting or anything like that.

Exactly. I never ever log any house cleaning or grocery shopping, etc. I only log what I intentionally do as exercise.