heart rate monitors that track calories

I bought a Polar F7 in February and have really enjoyed it. Though, I will say the calories burned that MFP suggests when I enter the activity and duration is usually pretty similar to what my HRM tells me.

It's helped me a lot with my running... I could never figure out why I had such poor stamina. With the HRM I'm able to keep myself within the suggested target zone, and I'm able to run further distances because I don't get winded so quickly.

Hope that helps, good luck!

Because I didn't want a chest strap, I bought a wrist style one. I regretted it after getting a little more serious and wanting better info. (It didn't track calories or give you a continuous HR readout)

I went today and bought a Polar FT40 that includes a strap and I love it already. It will do a fitness test on you that will help it be a little more accurate with your tracking. It was a little pricey ($159 less $25 coupon)

It is also very simple to set up and use.

Just my $.02

thanks for the info! That definately helps, although do women use the chest strap? I do a variety of workouts (InSanity, hiking, running, yoga, strength training, playing outdoors w/ my kids and dogs etc.) I figured that the HRM would give me a better understanding what I am burning.

Because I didn't want a chest strap, I bought a wrist style one. I regretted it after getting a little more serious and wanting better info. (It didn't track calories or give you a continuous HR readout)

I went today and bought a Polar FT40 that includes a strap and I love it already. It will do a fitness test on you that will help it be a little more accurate with your tracking. It was a little pricey ($159 less $25 coupon)

It is also very simple to set up and use.

Just my $.02

thanks for the info! That definately helps, although do women use the chest strap? I do a variety of workouts (InSanity, hiking, running, yoga, strength training, playing outdoors w/ my kids and dogs etc.) I figured that the HRM would give me a better understanding what I am burning.

I have a Polar F6 and use the strap. I was wary at first thinking it would bother me but I rarely ever feel it under my sports bra.
Amazon.com has millions of reviews for various HRM's if you want to take a look. Consistently the Polar brand gets the best reviews.

I bought the Polar F11 a couple years ago and love mine. Depending on what exercises I'm doing MFP is usually close. However, when running outside it's harder to gauge your intensity and speed so I've found the HRM is much more accurate for that kind of exercise. I bought the Buh-Bump cream for my HRM and I know have no issues with the HRM losing my heart rate even when my heart rate isn't so high.

If you can save and invest in an HRM with a chest strap I think you will be much happier and a lot closer to knowing what your calorie burn is.

Hope this helps.

I've gone back and forth on wanting to get one.

I'd love to know how many calories I'm actually burning instead of estimating. But, is it really worth the money? Its more just to satisfy my curiousity.

I estimate my calories consumed in a lot of areas. I think I'm pretty close, but use a lot of estimates. I also eat what I want. I will restrain myself on days I'm really bad. MFP has also made me think about calories in food more so that helps keep me in check.

Overall, it just won't do me much good. Between using estimates and just not depriving myself - and choosing sleep over exercise a lot - buying one is not worth the cost, FOR ME.

Just evaluate why you want one, how accurate you are with everything else, and your priorities. If it will truly help you - go for it. If not, as in my case, don't.

When you get a HRM make sure you get one with the chest strap. I look at 3 numbers when I get done working out my average HR, Max HR and how many calories I burned. I can look at my calories burned and tell if I worked harder this time then I did the last time I did a workout. Some days I get it done but not with as much intensity. I run with a group every Thursday some days feel harder then others I can look at my calorie count and see if this week was a better workout then last or even a month ago. One of the things I have noticed is my times have come down and my calorie count is a little lower. I have lost weight and my body is more efficient

I started out with the polar brand and recently switched to a Garmin. They both have HR straps, I switched to the Garmin to get the GPS function. For HRM I would stick with the Polar. If you search through the archives you will see that recommended over and over.

Because I didn't want a chest strap, I bought a wrist style one. I regretted it after getting a little more serious and wanting better info. (It didn't track calories or give you a continuous HR readout)

I went today and bought a Polar FT40 that includes a strap and I love it already. It will do a fitness test on you that will help it be a little more accurate with your tracking. It was a little pricey ($159 less $25 coupon)

It is also very simple to set up and use.

Just my $.02

thanks for the info! That definately helps, although do women use the chest strap? I do a variety of workouts (InSanity, hiking, running, yoga, strength training, playing outdoors w/ my kids and dogs etc.) I figured that the HRM would give me a better understanding what I am burning.

I have a Polar F6 and use the strap. I was wary at first thinking it would bother me but I rarely ever feel it under my sports bra.
Amazon.com has millions of reviews for various HRM's if you want to take a look. Consistently the Polar brand gets the best reviews.

I have a polar F6 too and love it. You dont even feel the chest strap while working out.
However, read this:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472

I have one with a chest strap and I love it. The calories burned here on MFP are not accurate per your particular specs...meaning if I put in the same exercise as you do, for the same amount of time, I am 178 pounds and you are 150, you'll way overestimate what you are burning based on the information I put in. And the machines at the gym tend to add about 20% more calories burned than what you actually burn. So based on this information, you can get a hrm and have fairly accurate info at your fingertips. For example my elliptical at the gym will tell me my heart rate is at 143, and it's really at 136 according to my HRM. So when I didn't know what I was doing, I would overestimate calories burned, overeat, and not lose weight or inches. Then I gave up.