wrist calorie and heart rate monitors

fearlessfatty
fearlessfatty Posts: 206 Member
edited September 20 in Fitness and Exercise
so i've seen threads regarding heart rate monitors but am hoping for some specific experiences - has anyone tried or heard good things about wrist calorie counters? possibly around $50 (kinda cheap but hoping the product will still be somewhat accurate) . . . if people suggest only chest straps that's great too - happy for any advice!

Replies

  • AndreeT
    AndreeT Posts: 191
    Ha! I was just doing some searches online for some...nothing yet. Bumping this to see responses. Thanks for posting this question!
  • shellshalla
    shellshalla Posts: 263 Member
    I have been wondering the same thing. I can't really afford to spend alot on one right now.
  • jmb1510
    jmb1510 Posts: 45 Member
    I have use both and I hated the wrist calculator. I had to stop exercising and get my sweaty fingers on the right spot and sometimes it would read and sometimes it wouldn't. I had a pretty nice one, too. I have never had a problem with my chest strap monitor and it was not expensive. It doesn't tell me my caloires, but it does tell me time exercised and average heart rate and then I use a website, http://www.triathlontrainingblog.com/calculators/calories-burned-calculator-based-on-average-heart-rate/, to calculate calories burned.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    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
  • Vonne
    Vonne Posts: 33
    I have the wrist one probably around $60. I like it, I was just going to research today if it really calculates your calories burned higher than it actually is because I'm hearing that on here. Don't know if I helped much...
  • SuzieQT
    SuzieQT Posts: 188 Member
    The one I have can be used either way. Right now the battery is dead in my chest strap and I will be going to the store this afternoon to buy a new one after only having used it twice without it. I run/walk for most of my exercise and trying to run and put your fingers on the right place and get it to actually read takes a lot of unnecessary effort and slowing down at times. I hate it. The chest strap is so much easier for me. I just strap it on and start the timer and go. I think the main difference (don't quote me on this because I'm not positive) between the two is that using the chest strap keeps an instantaneous record of your heart rate while just using your fingers uses an average between the times you put your fingers on it. (If that's true it could really screw you up if you went from a slow pace to a fast pace and it won't read.) If its the price that you're worried about check out the ones that Walmart carries. They have at least one that's under $90 that I know of. That's where I got mine and I really like it. Hope this helps!
  • fearlessfatty
    fearlessfatty Posts: 206 Member
    thank you so much everyone - i really appreciate your blog about HRM azdak - it helped me understand what exactly i'm measuring - and i suppose that overall i nede to just watch my inches vanish and my clothes fit better to really see a difference. i appreciate all the advice and references to different models or brands but i think, esp after reading the blog azdak posted, that i'll just continue with the estimates on this site when i log my exercise and make a more concerted effort on my food intake - which is usually the culprit in any weight gain! lol - thanks so so much everyone!!!
  • amarti24
    amarti24 Posts: 19 Member
    One thing I have found out with this site is it (unlike other sites) over estimates calories burned. My watch, which is specific to me, has me burning less calories.

    On a whole HRM are really great. Not so much to tell you how many calories you are burning but to keep your workouts in check. Making sure you are not over exerting yourself, it can sometimes display problems with your heart, keeps my asthma in check, etc. I have a cheap one from Polar and I love it. F4 if you choose to look it up
  • fearlessfatty
    fearlessfatty Posts: 206 Member
    thanks amarti - i'll def look it up!!
  • perrim
    perrim Posts: 117
    I'm also in the midst of research to buy a new heart rate monitor and here's what I've concluded:

    The ones without the chest strap are not very accurate and you kind of have to stop what you're doing to check your heart rate...they don't keep a constant monitor of your heart rate, so it's impossible for the calorie burn # to be accurate.

    Chest straps are a bit of extra work, but worth it and it sounds like Polar is the best and most reliable brand. The chest straps sound like they've gotten more comfortable. Only downside is that you have to send back most models to get the battery replaced. I think there's a newer (more expensive one) that came out that you don't have to send back to Polar for a new battery.

    I've owned Polars in the past and never used them long enough to need a new battery! But I'm 99% sure I'm going with another Polar in the next week or so (maybe this weekend!).
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