Heart Rate Monitors?

bigblondewolf
bigblondewolf Posts: 268 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi All :)

I'm looking for a heart rate monitor with some specific abilities and figured what better place to ask than here?

I was looking into buying a Fitbit Flex band for it's 24/7 monitoring purposes and because the data handily goes to an app to track it, but I've been told they're not all that reliable in counting your calories burned as they're basically a pedometer.

Are there any heart rate monitors out there with the same advantages that I can wear all day and will track my calories burned and send the data to a connected app?

Thanks so much!

Replies

  • Philp0718
    Philp0718 Posts: 136 Member
    I'm looking at the BodyMedia Fit - but haven't 100% decided and made a purchase yet. :\
  • sm1zzle
    sm1zzle Posts: 920 Member
    Polar FT7
  • Aeramis13
    Aeramis13 Posts: 135 Member
    Polar FT7

    Agreed. A Polar FT7 is pretty darn accurate and easy to use. I love mine! it doesn't do the all day thing, but IMHO that really isn't necessary at all.
  • TheWorstHorse
    TheWorstHorse Posts: 185
    Heart rate monitors calculate calories burned using heart rate data that is correlated with oxygen usage which estimates work energy consumed (in kilocalories). That correlation is only significant when the heart rate is roughly sixty percent or more of the maximum heart rate and at steady state. No heart rate monitor will do a good job of estimating calories burned during activities at less than this minimum or if the heart is not beating in roughly steady state, i.e. it doesn't do a good job when one is walking, sitting, weightlifting, etc. So you can't count on a HRM to help you track calories during "sub-cardio workout".

    There are a number of people here that know more about this than me. I am sure they will weigh in. And if you use the search function here, you will find a number of interesting and helpful threads on HRMs, how they work and so on.
  • Skipmeister
    Skipmeister Posts: 5
    Friend recently picked up the Garmin VivoFit and strap that goes with it and loves it. If I were to purchase one right now, that is the one I would be looking at because it does all the normal 'pedometer' style things as well with the strap it captures HRM. It synchs wirelessly to the cloud (app and website) and I believe syncs with MFP from there. http://sites.garmin.com/vivo/ has some good information and screen captures and I'd be curious what others thought about it! :)

    Right now I'm on the edge about needing another HRM, but somewhat waiting to see what Apple announces this year since the rumours are around some type of health integration...

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