Heart Rate Monitors?

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SillaWinchester
SillaWinchester Posts: 363 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Common question, but I have to ask: What is the best Heart Rate Monitor, specifically for counting calories?

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  • Lesleycali
    Lesleycali Posts: 236 Member
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    I like my Polar FT4, no problems at all and not too bulky. I wear it running and doing video workouts.

    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407729798&sr=8-1&keywords=polar+4
  • marylynn85
    marylynn85 Posts: 496 Member
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    I like my Polar FT4, no problems at all and not too bulky. I wear it running and doing video workouts.

    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407729798&sr=8-1&keywords=polar+4

    I have the same one. I really like it.
  • SillaWinchester
    SillaWinchester Posts: 363 Member
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    Thank you guys! :)
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    My Polar FT7 is going great too.
  • astylla
    astylla Posts: 118 Member
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    I would personally recommend the Polar FT7. My husband got it for me and plans to buy one for himself soon. It's worked wonderfully through HIIT workouts , treadmill walks/runs and everything in between. Super easy to use, setup and change stats on as needed.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Common question, but I have to ask: What is the best Heart Rate Monitor, specifically for counting calories?

    HRMs don't count calories, they count heart beats.

    And then they guess at calories - usually poorly.
  • Redribbon73
    Redribbon73 Posts: 117 Member
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    I'll check out that link too!
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Common question, but I have to ask: What is the best Heart Rate Monitor, specifically for counting calories?

    To a large extent it depends on how you're using it. At an entry level the FT4 is solid, but treat with some caution if you're doing classes or following DVDs.

    An HRM measures your HR and uses that as aproxy for calorie expenditure. That depends on the HR pattern actually being a good proxy, which is limited in terms of usefulness. If you run, cycle, swim, row etc then it's going to be pretty reliable.
  • 123Allyxox
    123Allyxox Posts: 112 Member
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    I have the polar H4 and like it:) I had a cheap bluetooth one and I always had problems syncing it with my iPhone.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    I like my Polar FT4, no problems at all and not too bulky. I wear it running and doing video workouts.

    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407729798&sr=8-1&keywords=polar+4

    I have the same one. I really like it.

    This one^...........HRM's are good for steady state cardio ONLY
  • RheneeB
    RheneeB Posts: 461 Member
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    I spent an entire month researching heart rate monitors....didn't need anything to fancy but definitely wanted to get an accurate calories count and know if I was working out hard enough to get my heart rate into the fat burning zone. I finally decided on the Polar FT7 and ordered it off of Amazon.com for $64.99 - it is anywhere from $108.00 to $119.00 in stores. This morning was my first morning using it...it was very simple to use and understand!!
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    I like my Polar FT4, no problems at all and not too bulky. I wear it running and doing video workouts.

    http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407729798&sr=8-1&keywords=polar+4

    I have the same one. I really like it.

    This one^...........HRM's are good for steady state cardio ONLY

    Depends what you're using it for, if you're using it as an HRM then it's useful in all kinds of contexts. If you're using it as a calorie counter then frankly the approximations from a GPS tracker or MFP are just as good, given the range of potential errors in both calorie measurement and intake.

    With respect to calorie estimation, accuracy varies, it's not a binary condition. For steady state CV they're at their most accurate, in smooth transitional situations, for example a tempo or long interval session, they're slightly less accurate and for higher intensity intervals they're less accurate again. Where one is going anaerobic consistently, as in resistance training, dance cardio classes or a good hard high intensity intervals session then it's highly likely that the over-estimation is significant.
  • enzosmama
    enzosmama Posts: 134 Member
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    I got my Polar FT7 on Amazon about two years ago and I love it. I use it for swimming in addition to running, biking, etc.

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