Polar HRM: Everything you ever wanted to know

Alrighty. So I got my NEW Polar today, and thought it was about time to do a little review, since heart rate monitor talk comes up so often.
My stats...Bought my first monitor in October of 2010, a Polar FT7. Im a woman (cause yes, the HRM is different for men and women and I was at basically my MFP starting weight. I was working out pretty regularly, but since I went by the calories on the machines (HUGLY over-estimated ) I really wasn't losing any weight at all. Well, that all changed within my first week of having the monitor, I just graduated to a fancier model, 15 pounds lighter! and I KNOW that change would not have happened without some motivation. My burn goal went from 200-300 per workout to 500 and about 3500/week!

Nitty gritty details: the FT7 ($100ish on BestBuy.com or sim retailer) is great. it has a chest strap (that you dampen prior to wearing) with a receiver that snaps in and a watch-like viewer. It tells you basically when you are in "fat burn" or "fitness" (although, according to a lot that I have read lately, that is all kinda a bunch of you know what...and I don't pay too much attention, staying mostly in fitness, which is a higher HR and losing plenty of fat that way). You enter all your personal stats (height, weight, age) etc. And then once you press start you can scroll through Time and Time elapsed, HR, the HR chart that shows your fitness zone, and calories burned. Pretty basic. easy to scroll, easy to use the backlight. If your gym is like mine it synchs right into most of the machines (treadmill, elip, stat bike) so you can see your HR without staring at your wrist. I also have used it during circuit training, dancing, yoga, pilates, swimming and hiking. The only general issues I have with the performance of the HRM is making sure I have accurate contact between my chest and the chest strap. if you do not dampen prior to wearing, or if you lose some contact (like in yoga and swimming) it will go into "check transmitter" mode. Only other major downside to this model??? the battery is either irreplaceable, or you need o send it to the manufacturer.

So today I graduated to a Polar FT60 ($180-325, depending on who has the best deal.Mine was cheaper cause BesBuy was having a sale). I got it because...well for one it had STELLAR reviews everywhere....a rarity. and it has WAY more menu options. Your workout is shown in three zones, and depending on if you want to lose weight, increase, or maximize your fitness level, it tells you how long to be in each zone...honestly I kinda don't care as much about this feature. Its cool because you get a little personal guidance, but maybe not super necessary, The coolest feature ever?! its GPS compatible. You can get distance and speed right there in your scroll menu. which is AWESOME if you're training for an event, or just want to get accurate mileage and speed for personal reasons.
Downsides to this model: the GPS transmitter is BIG.but on the upside it is light weight and its yet another thing strapped to your body along with the watch and chest strap. If that annoys you, it might not be the best option. Also I guess you need to get away from tall buildings and trees to get accurate signals, SO not an issue here in the desert but something to consider. The other downside to the FT60? It has quite a large menu to scroll through while you are working out. It shows HR, zones, speed, distance, time etc. usually when I am running I stick it on HR and leave it at that because scrolling through is too annoying (best for interval management) and the buttons are also kinda flat and low, making them a little tricky. HUGE upside to this model? It has a user replaceable battery. Its sleeker and nicer looking than the FT7 (big time) and it has way more options for training.

Bottom line? A heart rate monitor can radically change your workout routine. It is great for every level of fitness-interested person from walker to athlete. You will get a more accurate calorie burn count than any machine will tell you. You can wear it in or out of the gym. If you feel like you need a little extra push, this might be the thing for you! check it out! (btw, completely NOT affiliated, just a consumer)

Please let me know if you have any other questions I might be able to help answer!!