Heart Rate Monitors/Calorie tracker

Options
oh_its_leesha
oh_its_leesha Posts: 13 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone!

I really don't post on here a lot but i was just curious. What would you suggest as a good HRM/ Calorie Counter to use? I see a lot of people use the Polar watch. But honestly i don't have Polar watch money, and is that brand the only good brand out there? Thanks in advance for the responses!
«13

Replies

  • mundaycarroll
    mundaycarroll Posts: 64 Member
    Options
    I am also curious about this. I have been researching heart rate monitors/calorie trackers for a while now but would love to hear every one elses' thoughts about them.
  • oh_its_leesha
    oh_its_leesha Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    BUMP
  • fool4greys
    fool4greys Posts: 10
    Options
    I am also looking for a monitor that would track how many calories I burn at the gym each day. Most I have found seem to work with an iphone (which I do not have).

    Does anyone know of a monitor/tracker that would work with a Nokia windows phone?
  • sadie_baby
    sadie_baby Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    I had a fitbit flex that I loved. Only problem was it fell off my wrist without me even knowing.
  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
    Options
    i can't recommend one but i can tell you i am not completely satisfied with my polar 7. the interface is clunky (i really hate those buttons) and its already glitchy after 2 years. i barely trust its readings now.

    i hear good things about gamins - gonna look into getting one of those.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Options
    What type of activities are you wanting this for? HRMs are for monitoring HR during training and provide calorie burn estimates (emphasis on estimates) and will only be relatively accurate for steady state cardio (running, cycling, elliptical). They are not accurate for things such as strength training, HIIT...etc.
  • PayneAS
    PayneAS Posts: 669 Member
    Options
    Hey everyone!

    I really don't post on here a lot but i was just curious. What would you suggest as a good HRM/ Calorie Counter to use? I see a lot of people use the Polar watch. But honestly i don't have Polar watch money, and is that brand the only good brand out there? Thanks in advance for the responses!

    The FT4 was only $60 last I looked. If that's out of your price range then you get into buying HRMs that aren't accurate because they don't come with a strap to measure your Heart Rate. My FitBit One is great, but also in the Polar range. I'd suggest saving up or looking on Ebay/Amazon for a used one.
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
    Options
    It depends on what you want it for. If you want something that also had GPS tracking, then you're talking some cash....whether you go with Polar or Garmin (I have both the FT60 which has an optional GPS tracker that I never got and the Garmin 310XT - both are very comparable for HR tracking and cals burned).

    If you just want it to monitor during non-GPS workouts, then Polar is definitely the way to go. There are plenty of lower models that work just as well as the more advanced ones and won't break the bank. I recommend you get something that has a soft strap (vs a "molded" strap) for two reasons (1) it is WAY more comfortable, and (2) you can change the battery yourself.

    heartratemonitorsusa.com has some great prices and free shipping (sometimes even free 2-day shipping) on HRMs - that is where I've gotten all 3 of my Polars (and my mom's Polar and my BIL's Polar). I would have gotten my Garmin from here too, but wound up getting it gently used from a fellow Tri Club member :smile:


    ETA - just remember that no matter what you get, the calorie burn calc's are just estimations (and are most "accurate" for steady state cardio). If you have a high working HR, your cals burned will be over-estimated. If you have a low working HR, your cals burned will be under-estimated. It is also incredibly important that you properly set up the user profile, and remember to update your weight as you lose. :smile:
  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
    Options
    I use a Polar FT4, and I did get it for about $60. It's been great for me to use while going on runs and I've had it for about a year so far. Definitely worth the money to me. As someone else mentioned though, it's only for exercise, not a general tracker.

    My aunt has a Fitbit for general activity tracking (she doesn't do much for exercise outside of walking) and it's great for that. The Fitbit is more expensive though, at about $90.
  • acmcknight07
    acmcknight07 Posts: 4
    Options
    I use a Wahoo Tckr. I spent $60 for it on Amazon. It connects to your iPhone via bluetooth. It has its own app that tracks your heart rate, calories, path( if you're running), etc. The app syncs to MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun, and quite a few others. You can also add all kinds of different workouts. For instance I have a running workout, and walking workout, a gym workout, and a bicycling workout. It is not a watch however. It straps around your rib cage. I have enjoyed mine since I got it. I didn't think that MapMyRun was very accurate on my calories burned while I was running, turns out I was right. My Wahoo Tckr shows that I burn twice as many than MapMyRun does. Its a great tool to have.
  • Chrissie_R
    Chrissie_R Posts: 224 Member
    Options
    any with a chest strap that monitors your heart rate should work ok. I have a polarft4 and tho expensive it is well worth the money!! my sister has a cheaper version bought from a chemist for 1/4 of the price of mine and tho bulkier and 'cheap' looking it does the job
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Options
    HRMs are not activity trackers.
  • WandaWoman41
    WandaWoman41 Posts: 153 Member
    Options
    I have a Timex Fitness HRM with the chest strap which costs around $35 bucks. When comparing to gym machines, the heart rate is on point but the calories burned are higher on my hrm than the machine. I'm happy with it.
  • gonabfit
    gonabfit Posts: 711 Member
    Options
    I LOVE Polar brand and have a fit bit too. I use both. I only put on my HRM when I'm doing "designated" cardio OR goingto be cleaning my house for an hour or two. Other than that, I use my fitbit for general exercise and movements like walking around during the day and unexpected exercise. Between the two I think I have a good estimation.

    I'm happy with it.
  • lmr0528
    lmr0528 Posts: 427 Member
    Options
    I'm on my 2nd Polar montior.. it's honestly the only brand I've ever looked into. I used to have an FT4 and now I have an FT60 that I bought from Bodytronics.com for about $140 after tax & shipping. Love it!!
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    Options
    I got a Garmin Vivofit with HRM about a week ago and love it. It counts steps, and estimates a calorie burn, but the HRM is useful if go for a hike or a bike ride, since it gives a more accurate burn than just the pedometer.

    The wrist interface is more clunky than the fitbit, but it also gives the actual number of steps, time, date, steps to go until your goal and your heart rate when the HRM is paired and on.

    MFP does a fairly complex-looking calorie burn estimate adjustment between Garmin Connect and MFP based on what they both think you'll burn over a day, but the estimate looks pretty reasonable to me and better than MFP manual entries.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
    Options
    The problem with cheaper HRMs is the calorie burns given can be wildly out as I found using a Crane one. If you can't trust it then it's not worth having at all. I now have the FT4 for Zumba and Gym and also wear a FitBit One. If I had to choose one or the other it would definitely be the FitBit One though because it's your day round activity that makes most of a difference to your calorie requirement - not just the work out calories. I've also found the burn rates to be pretty similar so if I wasn't trying to hit certain zones I probably wouldn't bother with an HRM at all.
  • BrendaBK175
    BrendaBK175 Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    To be honest I got mine from Walmart for around $30. Its a wrist watch type for tracking heart rate and calories burned. Its been great. My fitness coach checked it out and said it was a good one. You don't always have to go with the expensive name brand ones. I use it for walking, treadmill and exercise tapes and have had good luck with it.
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    Options
    I use a Mio Alpha wrist HRM, linked through Bluetooth to the Digifit app on my iPhone (so GPS is also available). I only use it for exercise, not as a 24 hour a day HR tracker (you probably could with the right app).

    I think the Mio was around $200 at Christmas (may have gone down since), which is pricey, but since it is a wrist unit I use it way more than I did my Garmin chest strap HRM (plus it is also a watch). Also, it holds a charge really well, I only have to charge it every 3-4 days.
  • SapitoGuapo
    SapitoGuapo Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    Polar makes excellent HRM's, they've got different models varying in prices and feature. They are paired with a chest strap which improves accuracy of course. I've had my Polar FT4 for a couple years and I'd say it provided a fairly accurate account of calorie burn when I was doing my workouts (Insanity & Spin)

    Definitely worth the investment if you want to track stats for the sake of monitoring your calorie burn accurately during workouts.

Categories