Heart Rate Monitors & Nike Fuel Band

I got a Polar FT60 after I lost my first 10 pounds as a a reward. That was back around May of this year. It is a little over $100 new but you can find one on ebay for cheaper and usually still in the box. I like mine because it keeps a pretty accurate calorie burn and also provides some other features like a fitness test for your heart. I just like the extra feedback. I was using the eliptical at the gym and it would interface with the machine without any input but I have since started running a local trail. Probably I will find myself back on the machines at the gym during the late fall and winter since I won't have as much daylight though.

The Nike fuelband is not a HRM, so it's incredibly inaccurate as far as that goes. It's an OK motivational tool, especially if you have friends that also use it because of the competitiveness that it fosters. But you're not going to get hard numbers off of it with regard to calories or steps. It'll still give you those and i'm not sure how accurate they are not having anything to compare it with.

My wife and I use it mostly for the fuel number which is nike's attempt to create a common baseline for people of different abilities/physiques. for example myself and my wife. She's 4' 10" and 100 pounds now (yay MFP) and i'm 5' 10" and 250 (still working on it) if we go by calories burned between her and me -- I will skunk her because i'm a bigger machine that takes more fuel to accomplish what she can do with far less. But both of us doing similar exercise will come up with approximate fuel numbers.

I'd recommend the polar FT4 too... I too got mine off of Amazon. It's basic, but it does what I need it to. I love it! I can't workout without it. Actually, I won't work out without it. If I didn't have it, i wouldn't know what exercises were actually getting my heart rate up. Also, I like to keep in my fat burning zone and this little watch will let me set my zone.

I have the FT7 and love it! There are only a couple of differences between that and the FT4, but they were things I really wanted, like storage of 100 workout records. I had an F4 before that and it was also great. I'm a diehard Polar fan

I have the Polar FT40. I love it!!! It tells me how many calories I burned, my heart rate, fitness test, % of calories burned from fat. Its simple and its Awesome!!!! I also like the cool women design, and the watch is white!! Which most HRM are black.
Hope this helps

I also have the Polar FT4 and I love it!! Have had it about 1.5 years and since losing the weight I need to purchase a smaller size so thinking I may do the FT7 this go round. I have yet to meet someone with a Polar who was not happy
I've not heard of the Nike band.

We have 2 FT7 is my family and 1 FT4. I definitely like the Polar line but have had issues with the chest band and sent it in for a warranty replacement. They told me I needed to hand wash with soap after every use and 1x week in the washing machine (btw, workout 6-7x per week). I wasn't quite doing that much maintenance and started to get crazy readings on the HRM.

After the band was replaced I didn't have any problems until a mud run a few weeks back. The start/stop button just stopped working. Granted, the HRM wasn't designed to be dunked in mud but I would've thought it was a bit more water resistant.

Bottom line: good watch but NOT indestructible and wash your chest band.

PS - I'm wearing my FT7 in my avatar : )

a HRM and FuelBand are two completely different products.

HRM will give you a reading of how many calories are burned.

FuelBand you just accumulate "fuel" - it's an arbitrary number. Does a good job if what you want to do is maintain a baseline of activity. Be aware that vibration throws it off - so if you mow the lawn you'll have higher numbers than if you walk around the yard.

When I was looking to buy a HRM, I was overwhelmed and confused by so many different heart rate monitors. I watched dozens of videos and read many reviews, I finally decided on the Polar FT60 - I love it! I got mine from Bodytronics.com. It was $127 and free shipping. So well worth the money.

Thanks for everyones input. I too am looking for a HRM so this thread has been very helpful!!!!!

Hello Jenny,
I have a Garmin FR60 sports watch and HRM. I like it a lot. It cost @ $90.00 when I got it. I also got the foot pod to track my miles/cadence, but that cost another $50.00. I like the Garmin because it tracks my calories, provides a virtual trainer and has a website to record all of your information. Hope this helps. Good Luck

The human body is not an industrial machine where you put in fuel expecting an output. It is more of a sophisticated computer to which you give signals and it responds by becoming more efficient. As you upgrade your own system with a good good structured exercise programme and healthy food your body becomes more efficient at using energy stores that weren't needed in the first place (fat). Hence the notion of the 'calorie' has questionable basis. Monitor calorie intake as a guide by all means so you learn how to control portions and turn off hunger signals but don't obsess about them and high intensity work which may burn out your motherboard.