Heart Rate Monitors

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okcmomto3
okcmomto3 Posts: 97 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Which ones are best? I want one to tell me how many calories I have burned..
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  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Polar.. FT4 or FT7. If you feel like getting fancy, FT40 and FT60 are also good.

    Stay away from Timex...Very inflated calorie burn.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    i have a timex and i find the calorie burn to be very accurate.
  • okcmomto3
    okcmomto3 Posts: 97 Member
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    Thanks!
  • HealthyWayorNoWay
    HealthyWayorNoWay Posts: 83 Member
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    If your looking for an inexpensive one than I would suggest:Pyle Sports PHRM38 Heart Rate Monitor Watch with 3D Walking/Running Sensor
    I have it and I love it!!
    here's the link to buy it:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RQWYDO/ref=oh_o00_s00_i02_details
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    i have a timex and i find the calorie burn to be very accurate.

    For males yes.. Since it does not allow you enter gender when setting it up, it assumes you are a male. For females that would be a problem and give us an inflated calorie burn.

    When I had a Timex it told me I burned 580 calories walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes.. Um no, I think not. Got my Polar, did the same workout and burned between 200-300 calories.. big difference.
  • okcmomto3
    okcmomto3 Posts: 97 Member
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    Yeah, I have to go inexpensive if I go with any at all.
  • myshell26
    myshell26 Posts: 113
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    I have a Garmin FR60 and love it!
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
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    I looooooooove my Polar FT4
  • laurae
    laurae Posts: 115 Member
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    I have a Timex as well. I do wonder if the calorie burn is inflated, but I also think I had my maximum heart rate set too low. I recalculated it doing the two sub-max tests that the booklet which came with my monitor mentioned (Sally Edwards is the author) and set it higher and now my calorie burns seem more realistic. Be sure to get a monitor that you can change the batteries yourself. Also, one that allows you to input your own personal maximum heart rate. Some monitors just use the standard 220 - Age = MHR calculation, and that is not accurate. Mine would be 173 that way, but just this morning I saw 175 on my monitor.
  • lvnspoonful
    lvnspoonful Posts: 391 Member
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    I looooooooove my Polar FT4

    Me too!!!!!
  • ybodwen
    ybodwen Posts: 342 Member
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    I agree with the comments about Timex- I find it way too generous and I gave mine to my husband who loves it. Good for men, not women.

    Listening out for recommendations of what to try next :)
  • Rheatheylia
    Rheatheylia Posts: 53 Member
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    I looooooooove my Polar FT4

    Me too!!!!!

    Me three! I love that the watch is very pretty so I can wear it as my regular watch, and it works great!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I have a Timex as well. I do wonder if the calorie burn is inflated, but I also think I had my maximum heart rate set too low. I recalculated it doing the two sub-max tests that the booklet which came with my monitor mentioned (Sally Edwards is the author) and set it higher and now my calorie burns seem more realistic. Be sure to get a monitor that you can change the batteries yourself. Also, one that allows you to input your own personal maximum heart rate. Some monitors just use the standard 220 - Age = MHR calculation, and that is not accurate. Mine would be 173 that way, but just this morning I saw 175 on my monitor.

    Going over your max HR does not mean it's wrong.. I go over mine all the time... Do you think your heart stops beating just because it reaches what your max HR should be?

    Yes, the timex is inflated because as I stated above, you can't input gender.. so it assumes you are a male, and thus gives you the calorie burn of one. You can adjust it all you want, but it will still give you a higher then normal calorie burn.

    For accuracy, you need one that takes all info.. age, weight, height, gender and a chest strap.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
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    i have a timex and i find the calorie burn to be very accurate.

    How do you know its accurate!??!
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    i have a timex and i find the calorie burn to be very accurate.

    How do you know its accurate!??!

    you're right, i don't know if its 100% accurate, but that can be said about all heart rate monitors. they take the information you enter, such as age, height, weight, hair color, maximum heart rate, education, etc, and merely estimate how many calories you've burned over time based on your heart rate.

    between the HRM, exercise, calorie deficiency, healthier food, and kick *kitten* attitude, i'm losing weight, and being awesome while doing it.
  • tangal88
    tangal88 Posts: 689
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    Polar.. FT4 or FT7. If you feel like getting fancy, FT40 and FT60 are also good.

    Stay away from Timex...Very inflated calorie burn.

    My exact experience with a Timex with a chest strap also.

    I am a shorter women, my model did not allow gender entry. Only weight.

    It usually overestimated cal burn by about 200 cal per hour.

    It was about $40, highly rated positive on Amazon.

    Switched to a Polar FT7

    Cal burn is less, across the board. But I feel more accurate, for me.

    Amazon.com has a pretty good price. But still more expensive then the Timex.
  • reaolliemama
    reaolliemama Posts: 489 Member
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    I have a MP3 player with a chest strap HRM that my husband bought me at best buy I think it's by sportline. I find it to be accurate and enjoy it. I HATE wearing a watch!
  • okcmomto3
    okcmomto3 Posts: 97 Member
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    HealthyWayorN Are you able to put your weight into this one?
  • WowieGarcia
    WowieGarcia Posts: 68
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    I had a Timex and now I have a Garmin Forerunner 305.

    Comparing the two, yes it seems that the Timex does inflate calories burned. Ran 5K with the Timex and it said I burned almost 500 cal. Ran the same 5K route with the Forerunner, and the highest calorie burn I got was 296.

    This is not to say though that I did not lose weight with the Timex.

    The Timex I got for $89 at Amazon.ca last spring.
    This December, I got the ForeRunner for $139, Amazon.ca

    The Forerunner is really huge and you may not like it for it's size. But it also has features that helps me with my running that I cannot get with the Timex.
  • reaolliemama
    reaolliemama Posts: 489 Member
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    mine did allow me to input gender

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