Heart rate monitor

24

Replies

  • steadfastlove17
    steadfastlove17 Posts: 1
    Thanks everyone, I have been considering the FT4 for while now, this confirms by decision to get one!
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Your link does not work...

    I see good weight loss results using the numbers on my Polar FT4 and unless I see otherwise I guess I'll stay ignorant and believe the manufactureer of the device (crazy, I know).
    Edited the post .

    If you want to believe that the person replying to your email is the manufacturer and that they knew all about the physics and math involved, and you want to go against all the information that polar has publicly available showing that the math in their watches is indeed based on cardio, you go right ahead.

    Not to say that using one won't work, everything is going to be based on averages. If the averages you are calculating on your food is inaccurate, you'll still show progress. And that's likely considering from what I've seen people burn far more calories then they think they do. There's people on here who think an acceptable non-diet calorie intake for a tall adult male is 1200 calories.
  • gtreyger
    gtreyger Posts: 25
    Keep in mind that heart rate monitors are more accurate for pure cardio only burns, not so much anything else.

    People keep telling me that too so I sent an email to Polar and asked them if it was true. This is their response:

    Dear Jen,

    Thank you contacting Polar Customer Care, we apologize for the delayed response, Polar has received an influx of e-mails recently.

    Calories are calculated by heart rate data and user information (age, weight, height, gender). Therefore your calories would be accurate no matter how you were exercising.

    As long as the transmitter strap is wet, snug around your sternum and you are seeing accurate heart rate data on your watch, your watch will calculate your calories accurately.

    If you have any more questions or concerns please feel free to contact us directly using the link below. We have representatives available via Livechat, E-mail and our toll free line Monday-Friday 9am-5:15pm EST.

    http://www.polarusa.com/us-en

    Thank you for training with Polar!

    Katherine
    Polar Customer Care
    POLAR ELECTRO INC.
    thats nice and all, except it's blatantly not true. Once you understand how HRM's calculation works (hint oxygen/heartbeat) you see how things like anaerobic activity (hint: does not use oxygen) make your HRM completely useless for anything other than steady state cardio.

    Here's another hint: heart rate monitors do not measure oxygen. They measure the number of times the heart beats. Based on other pertinent data (weight, age, sex, height), it figures out APPROXIMATE number of calories burned per heart beat. Using simple multiplication, they multiply the number of heartbeats by the approximate number of calories burned per heart beat. Really, it is just that simple. It doesn't matter what exercise you're doing. As long as you have a heartbeat, you're burning calories. The higher your heartbeat, the higher the burn.
  • Lightbulb1088
    Lightbulb1088 Posts: 189 Member
    I got a Fit Bit to keep track of my cals burnt and I love it. I've had mine since Dec 7 2012. It helps to see the cals burnt for the day and it is helping me to burn more. It gives me a daily report and it lets you know when you reach goals and levels.
  • hottiebikerchick
    hottiebikerchick Posts: 187 Member
    assuming you are female, I like my New Balance N4- comfortable chest strap, very accurate, I wear it anytime I am going to do cardio of any kind that I normally wouldnt have done that day...so NOT for a trip to the grocery store, but Definitely a long day at an amusement park with all day walking, or mowing the lawn or raking leaves, etc... I dont count things like house cleaning or doing laundry...LOL
  • barbaratrollman
    barbaratrollman Posts: 317 Member
    :-/ This stuff is getting way more complicated than I have time to figure out. :(
    Here I thought that the calories burned from my Polar FT7 were more accurate than the MFP calculated exercise calories based on minutes doing an exercise activity. I've been very much relying on those figures.
    I'm pretty disappointed that I may have been entering wrong amounts all this time.

    Is there a way to just subtract a percentage from the total the HRM calculates for a rough estimate and call it good?
    Or, just changing my age on the HRM to get a bit more accurate result?
    I don't want to have to be a math wiz to do this. I don't care if it is a perfect science...just that it gives me figure that isn't grossly inaccurate.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Keep in mind that heart rate monitors are more accurate for pure cardio only burns, not so much anything else.

    People keep telling me that too so I sent an email to Polar and asked them if it was true. This is their response:

    Dear Jen,

    Thank you contacting Polar Customer Care, we apologize for the delayed response, Polar has received an influx of e-mails recently.

    Calories are calculated by heart rate data and user information (age, weight, height, gender). Therefore your calories would be accurate no matter how you were exercising.

    As long as the transmitter strap is wet, snug around your sternum and you are seeing accurate heart rate data on your watch, your watch will calculate your calories accurately.

    If you have any more questions or concerns please feel free to contact us directly using the link below. We have representatives available via Livechat, E-mail and our toll free line Monday-Friday 9am-5:15pm EST.

    http://www.polarusa.com/us-en

    Thank you for training with Polar!

    Katherine
    Polar Customer Care
    POLAR ELECTRO INC.
    thats nice and all, except it's blatantly not true. Once you understand how HRM's calculation works (hint oxygen/heartbeat) you see how things like anaerobic activity (hint: does not use oxygen) make your HRM completely useless for anything other than steady state cardio.

    Here's another hint: heart rate monitors do not measure oxygen. They measure the number of times the heart beats. Based on other pertinent data (weight, age, sex, height), it figures out APPROXIMATE number of calories burned per heart beat. Using simple multiplication, they multiply the number of heartbeats by the approximate number of calories burned per heart beat. Really, it is just that simple. It doesn't matter what exercise you're doing. As long as you have a heartbeat, you're burning calories. The higher your heartbeat, the higher the burn.
    Alright, my heart rate is all kinds of F-ed up. I'm currently waiting EKG and blood test results. My resting rate was over healthy peoples exercising rate. I assure you, I was getting fat and not a calorie burning machine. My heart rate went down with exercise, and I assure you I lost more weight when I exercised. I could be sleeping and my hr could be through the roof. It is not equivalent when sweating my *kitten* off at the gym, even though my heart rate could be lower then when I'm lying down sometimes. Heart rate does not equal a particular calorie burn. It all depends on what you're doing. Sleeping does not equal running from zombies and I've had the same heart rate while playing zombie run as I've had just waking up.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    Myself and everyone I know had nothing but trouble with polars. I have the Garmin FR70 and I love it! Have to use a little HRM gel with it for lighter activities... But it's really great!
  • MissesForrester
    MissesForrester Posts: 66 Member
    BUMP
  • hatethegame
    hatethegame Posts: 267 Member
    Polar FT4 is a good value. I got one about 3 months ago and like it. Has all the features you need to track calories burned.
  • qasim91
    qasim91 Posts: 25
    I've been thinking of getting one as well and considering the comments here, may go for a polar.
  • HSingMomto7Kids
    HSingMomto7Kids Posts: 345 Member
    I got mine at bodytronics.com made by Polar. Then check www.retailmenot.com for a coupon code. I searched for prices and this was the cheapest price I found for myself. Good Luck!! Love my HRM!!
  • gtreyger
    gtreyger Posts: 25
    Keep in mind that heart rate monitors are more accurate for pure cardio only burns, not so much anything else.

    People keep telling me that too so I sent an email to Polar and asked them if it was true. This is their response:

    Dear Jen,

    Thank you contacting Polar Customer Care, we apologize for the delayed response, Polar has received an influx of e-mails recently.

    Calories are calculated by heart rate data and user information (age, weight, height, gender). Therefore your calories would be accurate no matter how you were exercising.

    As long as the transmitter strap is wet, snug around your sternum and you are seeing accurate heart rate data on your watch, your watch will calculate your calories accurately.

    If you have any more questions or concerns please feel free to contact us directly using the link below. We have representatives available via Livechat, E-mail and our toll free line Monday-Friday 9am-5:15pm EST.

    http://www.polarusa.com/us-en

    Thank you for training with Polar!

    Katherine
    Polar Customer Care
    POLAR ELECTRO INC.
    thats nice and all, except it's blatantly not true. Once you understand how HRM's calculation works (hint oxygen/heartbeat) you see how things like anaerobic activity (hint: does not use oxygen) make your HRM completely useless for anything other than steady state cardio.

    Here's another hint: heart rate monitors do not measure oxygen. They measure the number of times the heart beats. Based on other pertinent data (weight, age, sex, height), it figures out APPROXIMATE number of calories burned per heart beat. Using simple multiplication, they multiply the number of heartbeats by the approximate number of calories burned per heart beat. Really, it is just that simple. It doesn't matter what exercise you're doing. As long as you have a heartbeat, you're burning calories. The higher your heartbeat, the higher the burn.
    Alright, my heart rate is all kinds of F-ed up. I'm currently waiting EKG and blood test results. My resting rate was over healthy peoples exercising rate. I assure you, I was getting fat and not a calorie burning machine. My heart rate went down with exercise, and I assure you I lost more weight when I exercised. I could be sleeping and my hr could be through the roof. It is not equivalent when sweating my *kitten* off at the gym, even though my heart rate could be lower then when I'm lying down sometimes. Heart rate does not equal a particular calorie burn. It all depends on what you're doing. Sleeping does not equal running from zombies and I've had the same heart rate while playing zombie run as I've had just waking up.
    You gained weight because you ate more calories than you burned. You lost weight because you ate less calories than you burned. Weight loss happens in the kitchen, fitness happens in the gym. You don't have to take my word for it! Feel free to do your own research or experiments! I'm just trying to save you some time. And yes, if you're sleeping in bed, weighing in at 250lbs, and your HR is 110 bpm, you're burning the same amount of calories as if you were on a treadmill, at 250lbs, keeping your HR at 110 bpm. The problem is that if your resting HR is 110, there is no way in hell you'll be on a treadmill, with 110 bpm. Apples to apples, oranges to oranges.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Keep in mind that heart rate monitors are more accurate for pure cardio only burns, not so much anything else.

    People keep telling me that too so I sent an email to Polar and asked them if it was true. This is their response:

    Dear Jen,

    Thank you contacting Polar Customer Care, we apologize for the delayed response, Polar has received an influx of e-mails recently.

    Calories are calculated by heart rate data and user information (age, weight, height, gender). Therefore your calories would be accurate no matter how you were exercising.

    As long as the transmitter strap is wet, snug around your sternum and you are seeing accurate heart rate data on your watch, your watch will calculate your calories accurately.

    If you have any more questions or concerns please feel free to contact us directly using the link below. We have representatives available via Livechat, E-mail and our toll free line Monday-Friday 9am-5:15pm EST.

    http://www.polarusa.com/us-en

    Thank you for training with Polar!

    Katherine
    Polar Customer Care
    POLAR ELECTRO INC.
    thats nice and all, except it's blatantly not true. Once you understand how HRM's calculation works (hint oxygen/heartbeat) you see how things like anaerobic activity (hint: does not use oxygen) make your HRM completely useless for anything other than steady state cardio.

    Here's another hint: heart rate monitors do not measure oxygen. They measure the number of times the heart beats. Based on other pertinent data (weight, age, sex, height), it figures out APPROXIMATE number of calories burned per heart beat. Using simple multiplication, they multiply the number of heartbeats by the approximate number of calories burned per heart beat. Really, it is just that simple. It doesn't matter what exercise you're doing. As long as you have a heartbeat, you're burning calories. The higher your heartbeat, the higher the burn.
    Alright, my heart rate is all kinds of F-ed up. I'm currently waiting EKG and blood test results. My resting rate was over healthy peoples exercising rate. I assure you, I was getting fat and not a calorie burning machine. My heart rate went down with exercise, and I assure you I lost more weight when I exercised. I could be sleeping and my hr could be through the roof. It is not equivalent when sweating my *kitten* off at the gym, even though my heart rate could be lower then when I'm lying down sometimes. Heart rate does not equal a particular calorie burn. It all depends on what you're doing. Sleeping does not equal running from zombies and I've had the same heart rate while playing zombie run as I've had just waking up.
    You gained weight because you ate more calories than you burned. You lost weight because you ate less calories than you burned. Weight loss happens in the kitchen, fitness happens in the gym. You don't have to take my word for it! Feel free to do your own research or experiments! I'm just trying to save you some time. And yes, if you're sleeping in bed, weighing in at 250lbs, and your HR is 110 bpm, you're burning the same amount of calories as if you were on a treadmill, at 250lbs, keeping your HR at 110 bpm. The problem is that if your resting HR is 110, there is no way in hell you'll be on a treadmill, with 110 bpm. Apples to apples, oranges to oranges.
    Well, at least you're getting some parts right lol. you're right that I was eating more then I burned. And I have no idea where you came up with the 250lb number.... And yes, there's many ways in hell to have the same heart rate. Welcome to my world. My hr spikes unexpectedly at weird times and stays there for long periods. Then other times it can be half normal and I can jump on the treadmill and run along happily putting my HR up to what it was earlier. Anyhow, if I were to use a heart rate calorie counter such as the below and punch in my heart rate I should have been burning about 8000 calories a day...yeah....no. At 120lbs...yeah...no, I was not eating that much.

    http://www.calories-calculator.net/Calories_Burned_By_Heart_Rate.html
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    And yes, if you're sleeping in bed, weighing in at 250lbs, and your HR is 110 bpm, you're burning the same amount of calories as if you were on a treadmill, at 250lbs, keeping your HR at 110 bpm

    This is absolutely 100% untrue.
  • CarmenSandiegoInVA
    CarmenSandiegoInVA Posts: 235 Member
    I use a Polar FT4. It's pretty good. Though I think I've graduated to a more professional one. I train really hard. But, it's a great consumer grade heart rate monitor.
  • phjorg
    phjorg Posts: 252 Member
    agreed. you have a severe misunderstanding on how caloeies are burned. muscles being used is what burns calories. not your heart.
    And yes, if you're sleeping in bed, weighing in at 250lbs, and your HR is 110 bpm, you're burning the same amount of calories as if you were on a treadmill, at 250lbs, keeping your HR at 110 bpm

    This is absolutely 100% untrue.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    In to learn more. I plan to buy a HRM later this month.
  • gtreyger
    gtreyger Posts: 25
    agreed. you have a severe misunderstanding on how caloeies are burned. muscles being used is what burns calories. not your heart.
    And yes, if you're sleeping in bed, weighing in at 250lbs, and your HR is 110 bpm, you're burning the same amount of calories as if you were on a treadmill, at 250lbs, keeping your HR at 110 bpm

    This is absolutely 100% untrue.
    Do you know that if you use your muscles, your heart rate will go up? HR is just a measurement of your exertion. If you're sleeping, and your HR is 110, you will not be walking with 110 bpm. It will be higher. Because you're exerting yourself more. And using your muscles.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    agreed. you have a severe misunderstanding on how caloeies are burned. muscles being used is what burns calories. not your heart.
    And yes, if you're sleeping in bed, weighing in at 250lbs, and your HR is 110 bpm, you're burning the same amount of calories as if you were on a treadmill, at 250lbs, keeping your HR at 110 bpm

    This is absolutely 100% untrue.
    Do you know that if you use your muscles, your heart rate will go up? HR is just a measurement of your exertion. If you're sleeping, and your HR is 110, you will not be walking with 110 bpm. It will be higher. Because you're exerting yourself more. And using your muscles.

    HR is not a measurement of your exertion. HR is affected by many factors totally unrelated to actual metabolism.

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