Need advice on HRM's

amylary

I am needing advice on HRM's. I am so confused by all I have read and looked at because ther are so many. I am not an athlete. I want a cheap to reasonable priced one that will help me keep track of calories burned through out the day so that I can keep better track and more realistic in what I am actually burning . Any advice is a big help . wanting to start 30 day shred and would love to have a HRM to start with it . :flowerforyou:

maggieschuck

I found that the average cost of a HRM is $90. You can get things that track your step to help calculate calories but its not based on your personal info. To get a true reading of calories burned you need a device that goes off of your sex, age, weight and height. I got a Polar for the same reason. I do JM at home and had no idea how many calories I was burning. I want credit for all of my burned calories. i wear it to the gym and compare it to what the machine said. Its well worth the cost if you are going to exercising on a regular basis.

tinat1963

I have tried a couple of the wrist straps, the downfall to them is that they don't "automatically" read your heart rate, during the exercise, you have to hold an area for it to count your pulse, so it's technically an inaccurate average of what you are burning while you work out.

I have been looking at the ones with the chest strap. I actually plan on purchasing the polar ft4 (or 7) from REI. It's 89$, and you can take it back if you don't like it. It has a 5 star rating on reviews.

I hope this helps.

brocflores

I recently bought one at academy for 32.00 that's including tax. It has a light, times your workouts, has an alarm, and watch. I really like it a lot!!! Reasonable cost and gets the job done good luck!!

SweetTooth68

Just got the Polar FT4 for $79.99 on Amazon and so far it's fabulous and seems very accurate. It does 'blip' the whole time it's on, so I don't know how people wear them all day. That's probably something I just don't know how to turn off yet. I only want it for my actual work outs anyway.

tigertchr23

I have the Polar F7 - I got it for Christmas. It is really awesome! There are quite a few discussions on this board about different ones out there. Try using the search feature above. You will find out a lot of informative stuff.

Best wishes :flowerforyou:

TrainerRobin

Just remember that HRMs are only able to determine your HR and estimate calories burned DURING CARDIO EXERCISE. If you wear a HRM during resistance training or throughout the day during non-cardio exercise (where you're HR isn't at or over 70% of your HR max) then it won't be accurate.

For more info on new options before you buy, this might be helpful: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TrainerRobin/view/heart-rate-monitor-watches-something-to-consider-69776

Hope that's helpful. Enjoy your new toy!

SlimLittleMrs

Hi there, I have the polar ft4 and I absolutely love it!

tinat1963

I purchased the Ft4 monitor and I love it.
i had been doing the biggest looser power walk and was having success with loosing weight, but I switched to doing the old firm series, thinking the weights would hel me work harder.

With the "average" I had burned 435 calories using the old monitor, or the calculations on mfp.doing the firm, with the ft4, I only stayed in the zone 20 minutes of the 43 minute workout, and actually only burned 247 calories.

I switched back to the biggest looser walk, (I do walk 1, 3, then repeat 1), and I was burning more calories (can't remember), but my heart rate stayed int he zone 43 mnutes of the 54 minute workout.

So I am very happy with my purchase. I will still do the firm to help tone..... but If i want cardio, it will be the looser walk for me.