Gaining weight- Should I buy an HRM and or a food scale?

sherreystl1
sherreystl1 Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
HELP!!!! I started out losing 13 1/2 lbs in about 3 months. The first 7 1/2 was in one month! I just joined a gym about a month ago and I gained 2 lbs. I did lose .75% body fat and .75" in my waist. I have 15-20lbs to go. Should I get an HRM and or a food scale? I need to jump start my weight loss!

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I have a scale and no HRM..I wont ever own a HRM...

    But to be frank scales aren't that expensive...you could probably do both.

    As well that 2lbs is probably water weight from the new exerise.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Both.

    The scale is pretty inexpensive, but if you can afford a HRM, I think they're a good investment.
  • ImpishVanity
    ImpishVanity Posts: 224 Member
    The answer to your question is yes.

    Scales are cheap. I just bought a fairly nice one that does grams and ounces from amazon for like $20 or less. HRM isn't really necessary but it's not a bad investment if you have the cash for one.
  • Songbirdcw
    Songbirdcw Posts: 320 Member
    Both. A HRM is good for exercise, and I purchased mines over a year ago. You can get a nice food scale from Target or Walmart for $20 and under. Also, I recently bought the FitBit which tracks your steps and calories you burn throughout the day. It has really helped me manage my weight. It's especially good when snyced with MFP.
  • tequila09
    tequila09 Posts: 764 Member
    Yes to both! I weigh most everything just to be sure I log correctly. The hrm is great for tracking how many calories I burn during exercise and seeing where my heart rate is at.
  • gonefishin1282
    gonefishin1282 Posts: 44 Member
    The main benefit I've found with a HRM is to track calories burned. I used mine to also track my resting heart rate. It was actually motivation to start off at 92 and over the weeks watch it fall into the low seventies! A scale is a must....it is quick to use and makes a big difference on how much food you truly "think" you are eating!
  • tropicaltiger
    tropicaltiger Posts: 254
    i do way everything-i am truly into portion control-i use a fit bit-i don't know to much about hrm-i go to the gym 5 days aweek-i doo know besides working out it is what i eat-if you like you can add me
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    A food scale, no doubt. I use mine every day, multiple times a day.

    I like my heart rate monitor but it's far from essential for weight loss. These days I primarily use it for endurance training anyway; that's really its purpose. Remember that its calorie calculation is nothing more than a calculation based on an algorithm derived from averages, and if you deviate from the average, the calorie calculation still won't be correct. It's no magic anything, it's just a kinda fun, somewhat useful toy. I also have the fitbit and feel the same way about it. Though I love and wear it every damn day, it's a toy - a motivating, fun toy...far from essential.
  • daisyellow
    daisyellow Posts: 54 Member
    Cardio machines and MFP overestimates calories burned during a workout, so if you are eating back your calories, using a HRM is going to give you much more accurate information.

    When I first started logging calories burned/consumed, I didn't have a HRM and was actually overeating by accident. Whoopsie...
  • LCFulmer
    LCFulmer Posts: 183 Member
    BOTH... I use both everyday. The scale at home to get an accurate track of what/how much I'm eating; a HRM to get an accurate talley of calories burned. Neither one of them are very expensive.
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    In my opinion a food scale is more important than an HRM. I have a food scale that I used all the time, even now that I am on maintenance. I don't have a HRM because they are not very effective unless you do a lot of cardio, which I don't.

    I always used the readings given by the cardio machines at the gym and MFP for walking and strength training. I don't always eat all my exercises calories, so I am covered.
  • moseler
    moseler Posts: 224 Member
    Yes.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    A food scale. Because restricting calories is more important for weight loss than exercise. A heart rate monitor, however, is a great tool for tracking general cardio fitness and while doing intervals,although many machines have built in HRMs.

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