Heart Rate Monitors! Why? Which one? Advice Please!!!!

Charlea1981

Hello lovely people! I hope your all well and persevering!!!

I have a question about heart rate monitors!!!

I see many of you are recommending them, I believe because it will give me more of an accurate reading of the calories that I have burnt!!

Please excuse me but I'm not very technical so the thought of buying one daunts me lol!!

But I have a few questions please answer some or all if you can I would really appreciate it!!!

1. Which one should I get? ay particular make? model?
2. How do I find out what my Resting heart rate & my heart rate when exerted?
3. Do they all tell you how many calories I have burnt?
4. Why would buying one benefit me?
5. What difference/improvement have you found since buying one?

Thank you so much for your help, I look forward to your replies :-) Stay strong, positive and motivated!!!

Nigel99

I bought the Polar FT4, and have been very pleased with it since I started using it. Now I'm able to track calories burned more accurately, and just track them at all for things not in the database at MFP or online. I can see my heart rate, calories burned, and if I'm in the zone or not, and it keeps the stats in there once you start using it.

There are a number of brands/types out there, but it seems that Polar is highly recommended by many. My FT4 was around $70 on Amazon, and came with the chest strap. You will want one with a chest strap for best accuracy.

superstarcassie

Polar FT7 is awesome! I've had mine for a year and it has been the best investment in my health EVER. The strap does not have hard plastic on it so it is very comfortable. (verses other models.) Also, on this model of polar, you can change the batteries yourself. ( I haven't had to yet- and I use mine about 1-2 hrs. per day!) It lets you know if you are in fitness or fat burning zone. Of course, it also gives you the calories burned. Personally, I like to be in the fitness or 65-85% heart rate max. I just love it and think its a great tool for fitness.

lisapisa1

1. Which one should I get? ay particular make? model?
I have the Polar FT4 and love it. It's not super high tech so it's easy to use but does give a continous reading of heart rate/calories burned.

2. How do I find out what my Resting heart rate & my heart rate when exerted?
With the HRM you can just put it on and check your heart rate when you're lying down relaxed to get your resting. But with the HRM it will ask you to put in your stats (height/weight/age) and it will calculate your target HR zone.

3. Do they all tell you how many calories I have burnt?
No, you have to make sure the HRM you are buying indicates this as a function

4. Why would buying one benefit me?
I know buying one has benefited me because I do eat back my exercise calories so now I know I'm not overstating how much I'm burning by using the figures from the database. My next benefit ties into question 5....

5. What difference/improvement have you found since buying one?
I notice I push myself a lot harder when I know exactly where my HR is and how many calories I'm burning. You start to get an idea of how many calories you burn while running on a treadmill/doing a workout class etc...so on days I'm slacking off I see it in my numbers and I know I need to push myself harder.

xxquzme

I also have an FT4 and like it.It is more accurate when calculating cals burned and helping you stay in your heart rate zone. Thats all i have to say because most of these questions you can find just by researching on MFP or online like we all did. They sound like interview questions ( why would buying one benefit me ). We are not here to sell you a product. We are here for generalized support and to answer questions related to diet and fitness, not to save you time on research. If you need someone to push you into buying a product to help you on your journey, then maybe you need to reassess your commitment to a healthier you.

jfer1977

I'll answer the questions that I can.

I don't really know that much about all the devices out there. My husband was the one that did all the research. The best device he found for us is the bodybugg. It's the one they use on Biggest Loser. The bodybugg tells you how many calories you burn, how many steps you take and how much physical activity you do. If you get the digital display (I highly recommend it) you can see what you burn during exercise or anything else you want to see how much you're burning doing by setting the trip on it.

It has really helped me get more active and really know how many calories I need to be consuming in a day. I'll check my digital display throughout the day to make sure I'm on track. If I notice I'm not burning as many calories as I should be or my activity isn't very much I'll get up and moving around. Also, checking it has helped me know how many calories I can have and still have a great enough deficit to lose some of this unwanted fat. Since I got my bodybugg I've found that I burn more than what MFP tells me I do and I can have more calories than what MFP says I can.

As for it benefitting you, I personally think the bodybugg can benefit everyone with the knowledge it gives you. It helps you become aware of what you really do as far as activity and calorie burn go. I've been very surprised as to some things I have thought of as activity and high calorie burners that really aren't.

I hope this information helps you. Good luck.

nam14uk

Polar FT7 all the way! It has a chest strap which is really comfortable and the watch is sooooo easy to set up. It shows heart rate, calories burned, has a pause function and shows when you are working at fat burning or fitness.

Definitely buy one and you won't regret it. I should probably add that there are loads of options on the market but this one suited me. Have a look at them in a sports store which is what I did. I originally bought a different one first but didn't like it so I returned it. Just by glancing at it while in training makes me push harder and now I set myself a total cal burn for a session to aim for if I'm doing cardio.

When you set it up you tell it your age, gender and a couple of other bits which escape me at the moment. You then set your max heart rate which I read somewhere is worked out by deducting your age from 220. If you hit that max it beeps to tell you.

Very easy to clean - literally put it in the washing machine as normal once you've taken off the attachment at the front ofthe chest strap. In fact I usually forget I'm even wearing it. On a side note it has been so satisfying to reduce the size of the cheat strap over time as the weight has come off!

Couldn't recommend it highly enough!

Happy shopping and keep up with your fantastic progress!!!

TheNewJessieMae

1. Which one should I get? ay particular make? model?

*very cheap and good http://www.amazon.com/Timex-T5G971-Unisex-Personal-Monitor/dp/B000P8VWQS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298907916&sr=8-1

2. How do I find out what my Resting heart rate & my heart rate when exerted? I don't......... sorry.
3. Do they all tell you how many calories I have burnt? Not all.
4. Why would buying one benefit me? YES
5. What difference/improvement have you found since buying one? If I'm over so many cals......... I can watch it so I know when I'm back under!!

KarenBorter

Polar FT7

But whichever model you choose make sure you get one with a chest strap and user settings.

Charlea1981

Hey all!

Thank you all for your replies, Looks like I am going to have to do alot of research but you have all helped me with my decision, they are very expensive but I guess worth it in the end! I'm not very technical so I hope its worth me getting one! Pity there are no sales on them at the moment, none that I can find lol!!

Thanks again

Charlea