Sorry--just a few more HRM questions

MIM49

For those of you who answered my previous questions regarding Polar HRM--thank you. I now understand that the Polar FT4 & FT7 both use a chest strap to pick up the HR and the watch is a "receiver" for the information. You can upload the info for the FT7 if you buy the accessory (Flowlink) but this doesn't work for the FT4. Just a couple of additional questions. For those of you that use a HRM--do you only wear it for actual workouts or do you keep it on all day to get a total of daily calories burned? I would like to see how many calories I actually burn ALL DAY--not just working out. My workouts consist of home DVDs (Leslie Sansome--walking, and Cindy Kozacek--body strength) I am getting an elliptical for Christmas. I live too far from a gym for a membership and don't walk outside because of weather (can't tolerate heat and humidity). I would like to track calories from the time I am up in the morning until I go to bed at night. Is this feasible with the Polar FT7? A couple of people mentioned Sportline Duos. I looked these up and it appears Sportline has HRM watches that do not require a chest strap and claim they are EKG accurate. Are these, though, basically pedometers? Would they work as well as the Polar for tracking all day activity for calorie burn? I am so confused and conflicted on which to buy.

MinnieInMaine

I'm not sure about the Sportline or other HRMS but those Polar models are not designed for all day use. I believe this is due to the calculations only being accurate if your heart rate is above 100... For all day readings, you need a FitBit or BodyBugg or something similar. I'm pretty sure the HRMS that are watch only can only take your heart rate accurately when you touch parts of the watch but as I said, I don't know anything about that particular model you're looking at. The good thing about chest straps is that they pick up the heart rate the entire time they're engaged whereas most of the watch only models are estimating based on the times you touch the watch for readings.

MIM49

I'm not sure about the Sportline or other HRMS but those Polar models are not designed for all day use. I believe this is due to the calculations only being accurate if your heart rate is above 100... For all day readings, you need a FitBit or BodyBugg or something similar. I'm pretty sure the HRMS that are watch only can only take your heart rate accurately when you touch parts of the watch but as I said, I don't know anything about that particular model you're looking at. The good thing about chest straps is that they pick up the heart rate the entire time they're engaged whereas most of the watch only models are estimating based on the times you touch the watch for readings.

Thank you. So it seems the Polar will give a better overall picture of accuracy. But it now sounds if I want to get a total, all day accounting that I will also need a Fitbit, too (I don't want BodyBugg or one like it because my understanding is that it requires a monthly subscription $$.)