Heart Rate Monitors

jakejacobsen

I would like to get a heart rate monitor that will give me actual calories burned through out the day/ or workout. I don't like the seemingly exaggerated mfp calories and the machines being so different in calories burned. I also like to play racket ball and have no idea what I am actually burning. I also am a carpenter and some days are more exerting then others so I would like to tweak my calories. I also would prefer to not have to where a watch so a chest strap or arm band would be better.

Any one have one that they loved?hated?

erickirb

HRM's are only designed to give you calories burned during workout, not accurate for all day use as it assumes a certain oxygen uptake that occurs during cardio activity.

If you want to know cals burned all day you need either a Fitbit, or Boddybugg.

mrmanmeat

I would like to get a heart rate monitor that will give me actual calories burned through out the day/ or workout. I don't like the seemingly exaggerated mfp calories and the machines being so different in calories burned. I also like to play racket ball and have no idea what I am actually burning. I also am a carpenter and some days are more exerting then others so I would like to tweak my calories. I also would prefer to not have to where a watch so a chest strap or arm band would be better.

Any one have one that they loved?hated?

I have a Polar FT7 that I use all the time, when I'm working out. You shouldn't wear it ALL day. And you should only count the calories burned from exercise. Not daily things like walking to the car for work, taking out the trash or cleaning your house.

Southernsister

Im looking too...the ones I have had vvere not correct. i knovv vve all can't burn the same thing. I am going to friend you if that is okay and let me knovv vvhen you get one that vvorks.
''''''''Best of luck

corrieville

I use one from polar and love it!! I would suggest amazon because you can find them cheap. It was so helpful to me to know how much I really burn and I found that I burn less than what mfp suggests.

dsak

I have a Polar FT4 and it works just fine for me!!! It has a chest strap, so it's more accurate than those without. It provides me with my calories burned for a particular exercise, as well as how long I'm in my zone... average heart rate.... and max heart rate.

My heart rate apparently is slower than many people, so... I definitely needed to get one because MFP and machine calculations are so much higher than what I actually burn. Plus... what's nice about the Polar (and other brands may offer this as well... not sure)... is you input your height, weight, age and sex.... and it uses your specific data to calculate calories burned.

kayleeblue

I have the Polar F4 it's a watch and chest strap. I'm not sure that there is one with a chest strap that doesn't have a watch for the read out. I love mine.

catwrangler

TONS of reviews on the interwebs and MFP:

http://www.google.com/search?q=most+accurate+heart+rate+monitors&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=

Message Boards » Search — "accurate heart rate monitors"

ladybug1620

I love my Polar F6. The chest strap has the sensors, and the watch is what gives you the read outs. And as others stated, they aren't for all day use. Check into bodybugg if you want something for all day wear (and I believe that one is an arm band).

janetteluparia

I use this formula. It really helps me determine the difference between regular 30 minutes on the elliptical and when I do intensity or interval training. The biggest difference is always the heart rate average for me.

The Journal of Sports Sciences provides a calorie expenditure formula for each gender. Men use the following formula: Calories Burned = [(Age x 0.2017) -- (Weight x 0.09036) + (Heart Rate x 0.6309) -- 55.0969] x Time / 4.184. Women use the following formula: Calories Burned = [(Age x 0.074) -- (Weight x 0.05741) + (Heart Rate x 0.4472) -- 20.4022] x Time / 4.184

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/221621-formula-for-calories-burned-during-exercise/#ixzz1aUbyELT0

iuangina

I have the polar FT4. I like it a lot. I disagree with not counting calories burned for stuff like mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, walking the dog because those things burn calories at a pretty good rate. I know that when I was training for a marathon the coaches I worked with specifically said that "rest" days are days where you do no running, no cleaning, no dog walking, no lawn mowing because of how hard your body works doing those activities. That being said, I would change your activity level on MFP to account for all the things you do during your daily life and use the HRM only when you are exercising.

jennmoore3

I have a Polar FT4 and it works just fine for me!!! It has a chest strap, so it's more accurate than those without. It provides me with my calories burned for a particular exercise, as well as how long I'm in my zone... average heart rate.... and max heart rate.

My heart rate apparently is slower than many people, so... I definitely needed to get one because MFP and machine calculations are so much higher than what I actually burn. Plus... what's nice about the Polar (and other brands may offer this as well... not sure)... is you input your height, weight, age and sex.... and it uses your specific data to calculate calories burned.

I have the same one and love it!!! Ask me any questions you have about it. I also suggest you look like on Ebay or Amazon. They are cheaper and some are brand new!