Heart Rate Monitors

MissPiggyWiggy

Hi

Do you use a heart rate monitor? was thinking of buying one to help lose weight. You thoughts and what one i should buy. Looking for one that has app to record my reports x

kerriotto

I just got a Garmin FR70. It was awesome to use yesterday in my workout to see what my heart rate was to make sure I was staying in the fat burning zone. Also, I know it's a reputable brand so i'm assuming I can count on the calories burned number it gave me (which, by the way, was almost twice what MFP estimated).
I chose this one over the Polar brand because it synchs wirelessly with my computer and I can log my workouts.

DavPul

No, I don't use one. No, I don't recommend you get one. You can get in great shape by tracking your food and monitoring your scale. HRMs can be a distraction that gets in your way.

Copaiba

I like my HRM to help me keep track of calories burned. The whole reason I log on MFP is so I dont have to do math in my head all the time while I eat a variety of things; I hate doing math all the time. Its just a nice reward after working out to know that I've "earned" a caloric reward without jeopardizing my weight loss goals.

Keto_T

I like my Polar FT4. It tells me calorie burns and heart rate in real time so i can adjust as needed.

BeyondThePixels

I love my Heart Rate Monitor, highly recommend Polar FT4, does the job and pretty accurate. Keeps me motivated, especially on days when I feel like stopping mid run. I can see how much I've burned and it keeps me motivated to keep going.

ChrisR0se

I use one but not for any reason other than it pushes me farther. I don't care about target heart rates...honestly I'm usually sweating and panting so much I know I'm working! I like it cause it gives me a calorie burn so if I'm at 700 calories burned, I find ill usually do more just to get that number higher or when I do the same workout I try to up my intensity to "beat" my last burn....so is it necessary...not at all but I personal benefit from a competitive standpoint. .

neverstray

I bought one and feel like it was a waste of money. MFP is amazingly accurate. I know, everyone says its not. I've tested it many different ways, and for me MFP is right on.

kali31337

I use my Polar Ft60 everyday. I find that it's more accurate for me than MFP. I love mine and wouldn't want to workout without it!

Tlove1111

I have the Polar FT4. Works for me. Keeps me motivated when I see what I'm burning

donmcc

I purchased mine at sports authority .. nothing fancy just a chest strap with the watch. What I do wear is a ModyMedia monitor 24/7 which I love. it tracks eveything

april_mesk

I had problems with Polar right from start. I may have to check out Garmin. It is a bit if a distraction, though. Maybe I just didn't have the right one. Using one with Kettlebells gets in way.

AmandaW01

I've got a Garmin 410 and love it - I use it to track my runs, but also as a HRM and its brilliant - I love being able to track these things, and find the MFP isn't accurate for me.

sijomial

I really like my Polar FT7. Use it for consistency (machine and MFP estimates all over the place for me), motivation (set myself calorie targets) and also for specific heart rate zone training.

zentha1384

For me using the calories on machines were WAY off. MFP was even worse. For the same time on my stationary bike my HRM says ~300 calories burned, the machine says ~450 (it is estimating off average body weight and I'm still a LONG ways from that), MFP says ~550. So for me it is a great tool.

That said, if you are losing weight at a healthy pace without one, I would say don't bother. If you are struggling to lose weight it could help you. Actuate measurements of a calories in and calories out can be the difference between losing weight, maintaining or in extreme cases gaining.

I have a friend who was under estimating the food the she ate, and over estimates the calories burned (Claimed she was walking at 5 mph constantly at work for her entire shift for calories burned over 1500), she put herself at a higher level of activity and counted all her exercise/work (double counting calories). She ate back most her calories, and she was surprised and frustrated when she gained weight. I tried to explain why but she wasn't ready to hear.

If you do get one the Polar FT4 is a good model, and you can get it cheap on Bodytronics.com

NaughtyForties

I recently bought a Polar FT7 it records cals burnt, length of workout, % of heart rate etc. Truth be told I was using MFP burns which I knew were nonsense.

Typically I'd burn over a 1000 cals using MFP, as soon as I used the HRM my burns dropped by 40%. Now when I burn 1000 cals at least I know it's closer to the truth. Having said that all HRM are estimating but it's a better estimate (if there is such a thing).

louiselebeau

bump

RLeighP

I have a Pyle and I love it. The machines and MFP are never accurate, and I hate estimating. It helps also to see that the working out is paying off, in that my resting heart rate is getting lower.

Though, I'm looking into a FitBit or a BodyMedia Fit. HRM are really meant to be used just for exercise, and I want to see what I'm burning during an average day.

tarakizer

I have two Polar FT7s, one for at home and one for at work since I was working out at both locations and wanted to keep track. Well both stopped working after I had lost a lot of weight. I just didn't have enough fat where the chest straps goes. I have plenty of fat elsewhere, but I am skin and bones on my ribs. Polar had me get a different chest strap, but that didn't work either. Both work great on my husband, so I know they are still functional. Anyway, through research I ended up getting a Scosche. It works great. It's on my arm and has about the same HR that the Polar did before it stopped working.

fishermanmatt

I really like mime. It's a Polar FT80. While I agree it can be distracting while working out, I find the motivation it provides more than makes up for it. I think that a large part of the reason MFP works for me is because I can geek out on the numbers and see the results. My HRM is just an extension of that. I can see actively see the data that says I've burned xxx amount of calories or that I've kept my heart rate in a specific zone for a specific amount of time. I can go into the gym with a specific goal (either calories burned or a specific time in a specific rate) and work to make it happen.

Tlove1111

My best friend has the ePulse2 and swears by it. I may switch to this one as well because you don't have to wear the chest strap and it has great reviews! Here's the link:

http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/e-pulse.html?gclid=CMX2_sDy97QCFcaiPAodnG0AHg

april_mesk

I have a Polar FT60. I do use it but, it definitely jipps me on calorie burn and comes up with those stupid "00". I have researched all on this with mine. Changed batteries out, changed straps out. I didn't account for all calories tonight, I know this. Drives me nuts. Although, I still continue to use it. I am going to look into these others. I love the features of the watch but, it makes me crazy. There is not one workout that I do where it doesn't give me the "00" and it has been doing this all along.