Heart rate monitors

Txnurse97

I know it's been posted before, but asking again...what heart rate monitor do you use and why do you like it? Think I'm going to get one this week as an early Christmas present!

Falling_star

i was thinking of getting one of these but i have an ocasional extra beat will it show a true reading?

mrandolph69

I have the Polar FT7 and love it. I also splurged and bought a device called the Flowlink. It attaches to your computer and when you put your FT7 on it the info is automatically uploaded to PolarPersonalFitness.com where tracking the data is easier than on the FT7 alone. Both were about $150 together, although I think you could get them cheaper at Amazon or similar sites.

The FT7 does average HR, maximum HR, time of workout and calories burned. That is all I really wanted when I bought it. I'm not sure what the others do so I can't say if others do more than mine. I would say to go to a place like HeartRateMonitors.com (where I bought mine) and compare the features listed.

The main thing getting a HRM did for me was to show me how horrendously far off MFP seems to be in predicting calories burned (2 to 2.5 times what my FT7 says I burned.) This can be a serious problem for people who try to eat their workout calories back since they are probably eating more than they actually burned.

sagetracey

I've just started with a Bodymedia Fit and find it really useful as it measures calories burnt, steps, sleep and other things. It's not an HRM but has a good reputation online. I didn't get the display option so have to plug it in to the computer to read data

spottedlee

The main thing getting a HRM did for me was to show me how horrendously far off MFP seems to be in predicting calories burned (2 to 2.5 times what my FT7 says I burned.) This can be a serious problem for people who try to eat their workout calories back since they are probably eating more than they actually burned.

I am curious,, can you explain how the HRM determine calories burned? I am still confused about it. 2 to 2.5 times is alot! Now I am worried but I live on very limited income (social security) and can not afford a fancy monitor. Can you suggest one that is low cost yet works very well?

Lee

Txnurse97

Bump

misscristie

I use a Polar FT4. It's a very affordable, very basic model. I got it at Target for about 40-50 bucks. You program it with your information - Age, weight, height? Can't remember exactly what, but that determines what your target range is for maximum calorie burn. Based on what your heartrate is, it uses a math formula to determine many calories you're burning. I doubt it's 100% accurate, but like the previous poster said, mine is usually half of what MFP and the Zumba calories website whatever said. Also, the more fit you get (which MFP doesn't know that your heart is getting stronger, your lung capacity is increasing, etc) the lower your burn will be with the same activities. MFP simply can't account for that.

As someone who *GASP* doesn't usually eat my exercise calories back UNLESS I'm actually hungry, it's probably less of an issue for me. I just use it as a barometer of my fitness/*kitten* kicking level. If you do eat your exercise calories back, I think an HRM is a must have.