Heart rate monitors, are they worth it?

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  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Worth every penny.

    I got a Polar FT4. I love it. I use it walking, hiking and during Aqua Zumba.

    When I first discussed getting one with my husband, he immediately said no. I was pretty disappointed. But later that day after he came home from work, he told me he did some research on HRM's and asked reddit their opinions, and he agreed it would definitely be a benefit to me. So I bought it that night. He likes to surprise me like that. LOL!

    But yeah, sooooooooooo worth it.
  • Danalynn39
    Danalynn39 Posts: 38
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    For sure. I was using the MFP counts for burned calories. It is different than what my Polar FT4 shows. And now I can totally see how much the lifting is burning too. I was only counting my calories for cardio. Now I can see from start of workout to finish. And it helps encourage me to do better.
  • rprobbins
    rprobbins Posts: 12
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    Worth every penny... I own 2 of the Chest Strap HRM's which are great if you use your phon to link it up... I often find that if I had a big lunch and a snack and say I have 200 calories left, I know how many calories I have to burn for the RIGHT to eat a dinner and I always make sure I leave extra...

    I would say for the $60 it costs (Polar H7 HRM) and a food scale for $20 you need both of these to get to the real truth on what you eat and what your bruning while working out...
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    For sure. I was using the MFP counts for burned calories. It is different than what my Polar FT4 shows. And now I can totally see how much the lifting is burning too. I was only counting my calories for cardio. Now I can see from start of workout to finish. And it helps encourage me to do better.

    A HRM is not accurate for lifting.

    http://www.sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_experts.asp?q=75
  • NomadicFlame
    NomadicFlame Posts: 74
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    I would not do Insanity without an HRM.

    Before I had one, I was getting "chest pains" as I pushed it... I did not know why. I bought and HRM and set it up and discovered it was because I was pushing beyond the 100% HR I was supposed to try to stay under. With the HR, I stay safe and I also stop slacking off. If I think "I can't do this! I'm dying!" and the HR says i'm being a wimp, I dig deeper! :)

    I dont count cals, but I do look at my HRM afterwards to get an idea of how hard I worked that session. If its under 600 cals, I know I was a slacker!
  • garciabnm
    garciabnm Posts: 138
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    I've lost 169 lbs without one. Never have i used one, never will i get one. If you follow a good diet plan, workout regularly,then I say , just save your money. But like the other guy said, whatever floats your boat,
  • sm1zzle
    sm1zzle Posts: 920 Member
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    Polar FT7 checking in.


    I love it.
  • NomadicFlame
    NomadicFlame Posts: 74
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    Oh and my HRM is a £20 ($30?) supermarket special. It works fine. Will only last a year or so unlike a Polar, but its cheap and effective.
  • recriger
    recriger Posts: 245 Member
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    I like mine for 2 reasons.

    On a day when I feel more tired than usual I can start to think that I'm working harder than normal. A quick glance at the monitor shows if that is true or not. I know a good day for me (for example) is a pace that keeps me between 165 and 170. If on one day I start to feel like I am dragging i can look down and see where I am at. If it reads 150 bpm or even the other way at 180 It is a reminder to check other things like my form or my breathing. I have problems with my knees and lower back, so form is real important, and at times I can get lost in the music or something and not realize poor form until it is too late and then I hurt the rest of the day.

    The other reason is that it is a good tool. But a tool alone. Just like your digital scale at home, neither is 100% accurate. But if you are a tad OCD like me it is good to have an actual number to write down when tracking my improvement rather than a "feeling" of doing better or worse. If the same running course burns fewer calories on the monitor when measured a couple weeks apart, then I have a good indicator of my improvement. Of course that only works while we are building and improving. We can also then compare different courses for which one does require more exertion over another. I don't remember moment to moment things like direction or altitude change. So It can help me decide on an easier or more difficult course as I get ready to leave the house.
  • JamericanBoy
    JamericanBoy Posts: 484 Member
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    Absopositively.
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,606 Member
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    I don't really see the point, but whatever floats your boat.
    SIGH. how do you explain to a man with abs like that that some of us have to use every weapon available?
  • Canisha305
    Canisha305 Posts: 1 Member
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    YES! I'm early in this journey. But, it is one of the best tools that I have purchased. Highly recommend the Polar FT4.
  • eidc
    eidc Posts: 79 Member
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    thank you person who posted this...I was just asking my MFP friends the exact same thing and decided I would have a look at the forums and there was you question!!! Thanks to all of you who responded!!
  • ctooch99
    ctooch99 Posts: 459 Member
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    I don't really know how accurate the "science" is behind HRM's, but I find it to be a really useful tool and this is why: for no other reason than (for me) it is a real time indicator of whether I am dogging it or having a good workout. And I can strictly tell that just by where my heart rate is at different point of my workout.

    So for example, I do P90X - if I am not hitting 160-165 on the HRM after Jump Knee Tucks, then I know I am dogging it, or (lately), my body is adapting and it might be time to introduce some new workout routines to the mix.

    I don't think the calorie count is necessarily accurate, but it is a good base line to incorporate into my MFP daily numbers to keep myself on track...
  • beachgirl172723
    beachgirl172723 Posts: 151 Member
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    Emperor's New Clothes.

    I know if I've worked out hard by being drenched in sweat. I don't eat the exercise calories back cause I want to lose weight, I'd rather spend the money on an awesome pair of running shoes.
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,606 Member
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    on a serious note, my HRM has made me increase my activity. I strapped in when I was shoveling snow last winter.... finished my driveway,, checked the monitor and I didn't burn enough calories to make me feel good, so I did my neighbor's driveway too. I was just gonna clear him a path to get to the mail box but ended up doing his whole drive and the total was a really good calorie burn. For t hose of us , what's our word, less-motivated people....kinda lazy..... it helps..... (I've also started cutting the grass on his back hill because of my HRM...)
  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
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    I used my HRM today for the first time in 6 months. Sure it tells me my heart rate, but I'm not that impressed by it.

    What I do love is my FitBit - I wear it all day every day.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    I just bought one myself but only because I saw the one I now use. If you are in the UK every now and then Lidl and Aldi sell them at incredible prices.

    I got the crivit from Lidl for £12.99 and even after a few days I wouldn't want to do without it. I measured mine against the readings on gym equipment and it gave readings within 1 or 2 BPM for my heart rate at all levels and the calorie burn reading was almost spot on as well.

    It has shown me that walking calories in particular on MFP are way over estimted
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Worth every penny... I own 2 of the Chest Strap HRM's which are great if you use your phon to link it up... I often find that if I had a big lunch and a snack and say I have 200 calories left, I know how many calories I have to burn for the RIGHT to eat a dinner and I always make sure I leave extra...

    Hahah. Same here. Sometimes I don't feel like doing Monday night Zumba but with being so close to being successful in my calorie goal for the day if I just attend, I go to EARN my dinner and work as hard as I need to so I get that burn

    If you're a numbers person, it's definitely a cool gadget. No guesses, you just know the actual numbers and can make the necessary equations work out. I love checking my heart rate after a particularly challenging sequence and seeing it in the high 180s or low 190s :D
  • james6998
    james6998 Posts: 743 Member
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    I hear nothing but good things about them, honestly its not within our budget to get one at this time but its on my WANT list thats for sure.

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