Heart Rate Monitor Watch

my1lastchance
my1lastchance Posts: 25 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I am been looking into a HRM watch and I've read a bunch of posts on MFP about which one is best. Most agreed that the Polar FT4 was the perfect fit of quality and price...but I have a few questions.

Can you wear HRM watches 24/7 or are they suppose to be put on before your exercises and taken off afterwards?? If you do wear it 24/7, will it correctly tell you all the calories burned throughout a day?

Replies

  • jennlee80
    jennlee80 Posts: 142 Member
    I just bought the Polar FT7 and LOVE IT!
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
    I wear my Suunto most of the day just as a watch. The HRM only kicks in when you activate it. Even if you have the chest strap in you still activate your exercise program. I don't think it is designed to track all cals during the day......
  • foofey
    foofey Posts: 1 Member
    I bought the Polar F11 years ago, and I LOVE IT. I had to get a new waist strap a few months ago, but the watch still works well. Sometimes I wear the monitor all day to see how many cals I burn, and it often motivates me to kick it up a notch and burn more cals.
  • mommiedawn
    mommiedawn Posts: 53 Member
    interested in the answer to replying to tag thread
    i've got a gift card that my husband got for my birthday and i want to get something

    i'm considering the omron pedometer with the software to track results
    also thought of the fit bit

    i want a lot of data because the more i track the less I can lie to myself and the better i'll do

    but i'm wondering if i need two devices to get all that i want
    i'm not much of an exerciser at this point, just a lot of walking, some stairs running.....so what i really want to know is how much i am moving in a day, track that and work to increase it....having heart rate data would be good too, to see how it gets better over time and maybe work in a zone but that's not my big focus right now....

    so anyway i'm confused!
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    The Polar HRM range are not designed to be worn all day to track ordinary calories burned. They are primarily to track cals burned through periods of exercise. The body buggs (sp?) would be more accurate for tracking all day cals burned.

    My polar doesn't come off my wrist but the strap is only used during exercise.
  • cesctheman
    cesctheman Posts: 139 Member
    I Have the polar ft4 and only attach the chest strap and use it to excercise but you can wear it all day like a normal watch.
  • lovinglife71
    lovinglife71 Posts: 65 Member
    I just purchased the Timex T5G981, I love it, went through two before this one and had to take them back, it also has a chest strap. It is very accurate, I've compared it two several machines at the gym and also compared it to mfp and it is pretty accurate. I went with this one, cause it was only $45, for the money to me it is a very nice Hrm. As long as you have it in heart rate monitor mode, it's calculating, so It doesn't just pick up and start when you heart rate rises. I turn it on when Im fixing to exercise!
  • hgellings
    hgellings Posts: 295 Member
    I have the polar FT4 and LOVE it so far!!!! :)
  • my1lastchance
    my1lastchance Posts: 25 Member
    I am a newbie with HRM so don't get upset with my dumb questions but does the HRM only calculate calories burned when wearing the chest strap?? Also doesn't it look weird underneath your clothes and completely noticeable?

    Do they make HRM that you wear just like a watch without the chest strap, if so are they accurate? I'm really interested because I feel that the machines at the gym and calories on MFP aren't correct. But it could be that I don't burn as much as I think I do.
  • Cletc
    Cletc Posts: 352 Member
    I use Garmin Forerunner 305. But it's just for exercising
    :-). Great features though !
    /Frances
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    I am a newbie with HRM so don't get upset with my dumb questions but does the HRM only calculate calories burned when wearing the chest strap?? Also doesn't it look weird underneath your clothes and completely noticeable?

    Do they make HRM that you wear just like a watch without the chest strap, if so are they accurate? I'm really interested because I feel that the machines at the gym and calories on MFP aren't correct. But it could be that I don't burn as much as I think I do.

    You can get HRM's without chest straps but they are NOT accurate.
    It depends on what clothing you are wearing but mostly no one would know you have it on. You are correct the machines at the gym would not be correct unless it is programmed to your weight, height, age etc. The calories on MFP are only estimates again not accurate.
  • Minnie_Moo
    Minnie_Moo Posts: 239 Member
    Don't know if this will help you any but...........Here is a link that was posted in another thread with a lot of information on HRM's. Also, I would suggest getting one with a chest strap as they are better to calculate an accurate HR.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472


    I purchased a Polar FT40 about 3 weeks ago and I :heart: it.

    The FT-40 has the Polar Fitness test which measures your aerobic fitness at rest and tells you your progress.
  • cjjones007
    cjjones007 Posts: 602 Member
    I Have the polar ft4 and only attach the chest strap and use it to excercise but you can wear it all day like a normal watch.

    x2 - wouldn't live without mine
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