new to this game

tito_diaz

hello! allow myself to introduce my......self. im tito and have recently entered a weighloss challenge, that being said i have never really dieted the way i am now. this app makes it fun because it shows me how much im intaking and using (sorta) is there an easier way to just type in "gym" time? i was thinking of wearing a heartrate monitor to see what kind of calories i was actually burning? anyone else doing this? i also like to hike and would like to put an acurrate number on my diary

Nhh2012

I usually look it up. Fitnessmagazine.com has a counter that you can enter in what you did and for how long and it gives you the calories burned. I wanted to get one of those cal counters too-I know the one that they use on biggest loser is sold at best buy. Best wishes with your weight loss.

nixirain

I love my HRM! I have a Polar ft4 I got it from bodytronics.com for like 60 bucks. Best thing I have done so far. MFP over estimates my burns most of the time, but I have heard people say that they burn more than what MFP says.

kantone999

For hiking, hop in the car and drive around the block. Most blocks where I live are 1 mile (quarter mile each leg). Then walk it and see how long it takes. If you walk 1 mile in 15 minutes, that's 4 mph. Look up walking 4 mph and MFP will calculate your burn.

After you have a baseline, you can count steps in a tenth or quarter mile and pretty much roughly figure out how far you've hiked, even if the trails aren't marked.

SteveHunt113

I lot of folks ware a heart rate monitor (HRM). I think there are a lot who don't as well. Having one takes the guess work out of how many calories you burned ... mostly. It will always be a guess, but something that is monitoring your body is better than something that is guessing at your effort.

Something to note: A heart rate monitor is not good and determining calories burned during heavy lifting. When it comes to traditional weight training, it is very difficult to get an accurate number. The exception is circuit and HIIT training.

tito_diaz

Thanks for all the responses!!! I agree that heavy weight lifting will not be good for trying to calculate the calories I was more concerned with the hikes in going on and the bike rides I bought a bowflex heart rate monitor this afternoon. It came with a chest strap and it was on sale for 49 from 129. Sounded like a good deal lol

SteveHunt113

I'm sure the HRM will work perfectly for what you are doing! I've not heard any reviews about the Bowflex HRM. Let us know how it works!

tito_diaz

Will do! I plan on using it tomorrow

tito_diaz

So I ended up getting a bowflex hrm with chest strap for 49 bucks. It works good and I lost 7lbs my first week here! Woohooooooo 5 more weeks to go!

manda1002

hahahahahahhhahahaha

just needed to thank you for the austin powers reference. i know what i'll be watching on the treadmill tonight.

good luck on achieving your goals!!

tito_diaz

thanks! And to you......the same!