Heart Rate Monitors?

Sporty98

Hello All!

I currently use the Polar FT4. But, I am looking into a Heart Rate Monitor that will track my calories burned overnight, and has a few more "bells and whistles".....Does anyone have any info or opinions on HRMs?

I've thought about the FitBit, the Body Bugg, and the Nike Fuel......Any thoughts?

I am not unhappy with the Polar. I am just interested in charting some of the other things going on in my health, and wondered if a more detailed HRM would help.
Thanks!

dad106

There is no HRM that is meant to be worn overnight or at rest.. All HRM's are meant to be worn during exercise only. If you want something that has that capability then you will need to invest in a Body Bugg/Body Media Fit... Fit bit from what I hear is just a glorified pedometer.

If you want a better HRM, then you should look into one that takes into consideration VO2max. Polar FT40 and FT60 have that option...and both are great HRM's.

junyr

Silly question here, but why can't you just put the HRM on, then go to sleep rather than workout? It may not tell you your calories but you'd still be able to get the heart rate data saved for viewing in the morning wouldn't you?

dad106

Silly question here, but why can't you just put the HRM on, then go to sleep rather than workout? It may not tell you your calories but you'd still be able to get the heart rate data saved for viewing in the morning wouldn't you?

It wouldn't though.. If you just wear an HRM over night without turning it on, it won't tell you jack.... except what your heart rate is when you wake up. If you were to turn it on it wouldn't tell you anything except what your max and average heart rate was.. and depending on what OP wants to know, it may not be enough.

Plus if you read the OP, she wants something to tell her calories burned over night.. which HRM's can't do, as their formula for estimating calories is made to use oxygen uptake(from perceived exertion during exercise) and then spit out an estimation.

Sporty98

Silly question here, but why can't you just put the HRM on, then go to sleep rather than workout? It may not tell you your calories but you'd still be able to get the heart rate data saved for viewing in the morning wouldn't you?

It wouldn't though.. If you just wear an HRM over night without turning it on, it won't tell you jack.... except what your heart rate is when you wake up. If you were to turn it on it wouldn't tell you anything except what your max and average heart rate was.. and depending on what OP wants to know, it may not be enough.

Plus if you read the OP, she wants something to tell her calories burned over night.. which HRM's can't do, as their formula for estimating calories is made to use oxygen uptake(from perceived exertion during exercise) and then spit out an estimation.

Correct.....I guess I am wondering what's going on with my metabolism overnight. Isn't there a HRM that tells you when you are burning the most calories? I guess I'm thinking about what they use on the Biggest Loser (the Body Bugg, I think) that gives the trainers a chart telling them when the person is burning most and consuming most calories.

I am feeling like I am doing all I can during the day....But, I'm not sleeping well. I am wondering if my metabolism is out of whack due to lack of sleep, hormones, whatever. And just thought maybe I could try to figure it out myself using a HRM.

Thanks everyone!

dad106

Silly question here, but why can't you just put the HRM on, then go to sleep rather than workout? It may not tell you your calories but you'd still be able to get the heart rate data saved for viewing in the morning wouldn't you?

It wouldn't though.. If you just wear an HRM over night without turning it on, it won't tell you jack.... except what your heart rate is when you wake up. If you were to turn it on it wouldn't tell you anything except what your max and average heart rate was.. and depending on what OP wants to know, it may not be enough.

Plus if you read the OP, she wants something to tell her calories burned over night.. which HRM's can't do, as their formula for estimating calories is made to use oxygen uptake(from perceived exertion during exercise) and then spit out an estimation.

Correct.....I guess I am wondering what's going on with my metabolism overnight. Isn't there a HRM that tells you when you are burning the most calories? I guess I'm thinking about what they use on the Biggest Loser (the Body Bugg, I think) that gives the trainers a chart telling them when the person is burning most and consuming most calories.

I am feeling like I am doing all I can during the day....But, I'm not sleeping well. I am wondering if my metabolism is out of whack due to lack of sleep, hormones, whatever. And just thought maybe I could try to figure it out myself using a HRM.

Thanks everyone!

Bodybugg is not an HRM though.... It's a totally different ball park that you pay for monthly.. an HRM, you buy it once and you are done.

Bodybugg you wear on your arm all day(and during sleeping I think) to get total calories burned. Sleep can affect weight loss but I don't think it affects metabolism... Hormones may affect it, but again they may not.. it all depends on the person.

I'd talk to your doc if I were you instead of trying to figure this out on your own.

zafferFL

You don't need a heart rate monitor to give you this information. There are plenty of BMR calculators on the internet that will give you just as good an estimate as the inaccurate heart rate monitor would.