Heart Rate Monitors

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GoingToLoseIt
GoingToLoseIt Posts: 171
in Health and Weight Loss
I've read several posts in which people talk about using the HRM. I have never seen one of these, but am interested in getting one, as it sounds like it's a helpful way to track calories burned. Can anyone tell me a little about what it actually does, or suggest a good place to get one? Thanks!

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  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    It measures the electrical impulses put out by your heart. Good ones will take into account your heart rate, age, sex, weight, height, VO2 Max, and some even ask for body fat % and other statistics (don't worry if you don' tknow all these, many of them are optional).

    they use all these numbers to calculate your caloric burn rate during exercise (and even during rest if you so choose). It's a good way to track your calories, much more accurate than (for instance) the MFP website. There is still margin for error with any indirect calorie measurement, but these devices are far more accurate than estimating using averages (like this and many other websites).

    The best measurement, of course, is still to go have a metabolic test done in a lab, but short of doing that, this is probably your best option. Some of the better machines at the gym will work with your HRM and give you really good results, but usually the machines take less numbers and therefore produce less accurate results (each machine is different)

    One thing to remember when buying one, you almost always want to go with the kind that has a chest strap, as the rest just estimate your heart rate, where these ones actually record it (body buggs and similiar devices also directly measure heart rate). A good rule of thumb is, if it cost less than $50 american, it's probably not a very good device.
  • alynwilliams
    alynwilliams Posts: 1
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    I loved mine, I would reccomend a Polar one. Just make sure the heart rate band has a replaceable battery. Some do not, so when the battery goes dead you have to buy a whole new band. Target.com has them that come with a watch that tracks everything for about $100.
  • MPH2
    MPH2 Posts: 36 Member
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    http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/SubCategory_10052_10551_400043_-1_400007_400007
  • lildebbie
    lildebbie Posts: 2,068 Member
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    I am looking into buying a Polar 6, i am hoping that is a good one.
  • GoingToLoseIt
    GoingToLoseIt Posts: 171
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    Thank you all very much - this was very helpful! I will start looking for one today :smile:
  • tigersgirl
    tigersgirl Posts: 66 Member
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    I found one on the website onedaydeals.com for 19.99 and it stated the original price was 199.99. dont know how true that was but i think it works good as I am still getting used to it.
  • angelaspring
    angelaspring Posts: 16
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    is the polar watch better than the mio? i am looking into purchasing something also. I priced out the body bugg but that is a little too expensive for me. I dont really want it to go over $100.
  • greeneyedgirl829
    greeneyedgirl829 Posts: 335
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    I absolutely love my Polar F6 :love: It tracks every thing I could ever need, it's user friendly and accurate. I've heard the F4 is good too, depends on how much you want to spend. However, I got my F6 from amazon, brand new for just under $89. I love amazon, normally the F6 is $120 in stores.
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
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    I have a Reebok Precision and I love mine. I paud $20 for it on buy.com, it was special they had...Ive seen it a few times on there since then.
  • angelaspring
    angelaspring Posts: 16
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    I absolutely love my Polar F6 :love: It tracks every thing I could ever need, it's user friendly and accurate. I've heard the F4 is good too, depends on how much you want to spend. However, I got my F6 from amazon, brand new for just under $89. I love amazon, normally the F6 is $120 in stores.

    Thank you! i actually have a $30 gift certificate there so i am going to have to find it!
  • vctkell
    vctkell Posts: 41
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    Just got mu Polar F6 last week and have used it 3 times so far. I like the fact it keeps up with your heart rate with out having to remember to push a button each time. It took me a little while to figure out how to up load the data to my computer but once you figure it out it is great. If you have any issues just give a hollar and I am sure someone here will be glad to help.
    45 min step class 435 cals burned, I think MFP showed 416 cals burned.
    Zumba tomorrow !!
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    I've been wondering - and would love to hear from HRM users who have exercised both with and without the unit.....

    My main reason for buying one would be to get a solid estimate of how many calories I'm burning during exercise. Has anyone been truly surprised or shocked to see what the HRM calculates, vs. an estimate from entering exercise minutes on this site?

    Guess I'm wanting to validate that it would be worth spending the extra $$. I found the Polar f6 at sears, and am thinking I should start saving my quarters. :)
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
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    I've been wondering - and would love to hear from HRM users who have exercised both with and without the unit.....

    My main reason for buying one would be to get a solid estimate of how many calories I'm burning during exercise. Has anyone been truly surprised or shocked to see what the HRM calculates, vs. an estimate from entering exercise minutes on this site?

    Guess I'm wanting to validate that it would be worth spending the extra $$. I found the Polar f6 at sears, and am thinking I should start saving my quarters. :)

    I think it does make a difference, not just in numbers on the machine vs. the HRM, but there are some days I use the HRM and I think I'm busting my *kitten* and my heart rate isn't reflecting that...and on some days I feel like I'm barely doing anything and my hart rate is up there. With a HRM, you always know where you're at.
  • lina1131
    lina1131 Posts: 2,246 Member
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    I have the Mio and bought it on Amazon for around $50. It does what it needs to do but i'm not happy with the fact that I have to check my heart rate every couple of minutes by putting two fingers on the watch so that it can calculate. It was pretty disruptive to my workout at first, but not I can do it without a problem while i'm jogging.

    I do want to invest in an F6 soon. If I would have known back then, I would have waited and gotten a better one.

    HRM are definitely worth it!

    I find that my calories burned are always more than what MFP shows by the minutes of my workout. I burn at least 50 more calories, if not more!
  • greeneyedgirl829
    greeneyedgirl829 Posts: 335
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    I've been wondering - and would love to hear from HRM users who have exercised both with and without the unit.....

    My main reason for buying one would be to get a solid estimate of how many calories I'm burning during exercise. Has anyone been truly surprised or shocked to see what the HRM calculates, vs. an estimate from entering exercise minutes on this site?

    Guess I'm wanting to validate that it would be worth spending the extra $$. I found the Polar f6 at sears, and am thinking I should start saving my quarters. :)

    I find that it does make a BIG difference. I love using the elliptical, and using it before I got my Polar HRM I would burn (according to the machine) about 300 calories. Using my HRM for the first time, same pace, same amount of time, I learned that I was actually burning around 700! Same for the treadmill and all that.
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
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    I've been wondering - and would love to hear from HRM users who have exercised both with and without the unit.....

    My main reason for buying one would be to get a solid estimate of how many calories I'm burning during exercise. Has anyone been truly surprised or shocked to see what the HRM calculates, vs. an estimate from entering exercise minutes on this site?

    Guess I'm wanting to validate that it would be worth spending the extra $$. I found the Polar f6 at sears, and am thinking I should start saving my quarters. :)

    I find that it does make a BIG difference. I love using the elliptical, and using it before I got my Polar HRM I would burn (according to the machine) about 300 calories. Using my HRM for the first time, same pace, same amount of time, I learned that I was actually burning around 700! Same for the treadmill and all that.

    Holy cow! That makes a big difference .... I'm curious if I would see similar results... thank you for sharing that.
  • shutter_bug7783
    shutter_bug7783 Posts: 34
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    I have a Polar F6 monitor. I've had it for about a year now. I LOVE IT! I couldn't imagine working out without it! It's especially helpful when doing body pump or other finess class where a machine is not used. I know how much I burn in the workout and I don't have to guess. I enjoy trying to beat (or match) my previous weeks' calorie burn. Or see the difference in calorie burn from one body pump class to the next. I also like seeing the percentage of fat burned in each work out.

    I haven't had any problems with it and it did take a few minutes to figure how all the functions worked, but once I did it was super easy. It does utilize a chest strap, but I never notice it's there.

    It's definitely worth the money. Even if you have to save up for it.
  • daved71
    daved71 Posts: 65 Member
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    I am looking for a monitor that I could wear all day to track what my calorie count is. I am also looking to see what my heart rate would be ice skating and cycling. Is there a monitor that you could use without the chest strap?
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
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    I have a reebok XT which is similar to the Proform. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It works perfectly and I have had no problems with it at all. I got it for $40 in Ebay.

    I ALWAYS see a huge difference in what the machine says I am burning vs what my HRM says so I think it's a great tool to use.
  • faymom
    faymom Posts: 11 Member
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    I bought myPolar f11 last xmas for myself from Santa. I love it. It is a great way to learn how your body is working, hard, easy, etc. I just replaced the battery this week and have forgotten to put it in my gym bag so have really not used it for the past two weeks. Because I am aware of my heart rate and ability to talk at certain levels of exertion, I am able to estimate pretty accurately how many calories and how hard I am working. I wash my band (minus the detachable unit) in soapy warm water at the gym and occasionally in the wash machine at home. Highly recommend one. Havent synced with computer as I have an apple only.

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