Another question about Heart rate monitors

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jcummings69
jcummings69 Posts: 183
in Fitness and Exercise
So I broke down today and bought a Mio heart rate monitor from Walmart. My purpose for the heart rate monitor is to track how many calories I burn during my exercises. This particular heart rate monitor doesn't continuously monitor heart rate (you have to press to buttons to get heart rate) so I'm not sure how it would accurately track my calories? Do most heart rate monitors continuously track heart rate? Should I return this one and get another??

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  • jcummings69
    jcummings69 Posts: 183
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    So I broke down today and bought a Mio heart rate monitor from Walmart. My purpose for the heart rate monitor is to track how many calories I burn during my exercises. This particular heart rate monitor doesn't continuously monitor heart rate (you have to press to buttons to get heart rate) so I'm not sure how it would accurately track my calories? Do most heart rate monitors continuously track heart rate? Should I return this one and get another??
  • GingerKid
    GingerKid Posts: 86
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    I have a Polar. It was given to me as an Xmas present. Yes, it continually monitors my heartrate. I workout primarily at the gym...so the one you're speaking of would be redundant...we can track our heartrates on the machines whenever we want to know what it is.

    I LOVE my heartrate monitor. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I find I burn way more calories than what the other online estimators say I do....maybe that's my problem?? :laugh:

    It depends on where you workout I think on whether or not you take it back. Honestly, checking your heartrate is easy w/o a device. Continuously..not so much!
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
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    As someone who has worked out most of my adult life, I thought I'd weigh in...

    - the continuous heart rate monitors are the way to go, I think, as you will have a visual reminder of when you get a bit lazy and dip in your efforts, and a warning when you are over doing in (I also have the Polar - it 's the one that corresponds to both a watch and my treadmill); after a few months of working out, you will start to just "know" where your heart rate is, and will probably be able to estimate withint a beat or so- I'm sure others out there know what I mean

    - my understanding is you want to try and work pretty hard, like 80% of your maximum heart rate, in order to most efficiently burn calories, and change metabolism (by heating the core, and working that hard for a period, you actually increase your caloric output for hours after the workout)

    - you can also interval train efficiently with a heart rate monitor, which will not only burn fat, but also increase cardiovascular endurance, and heart rate recovery (ideally you want your heart to recover very quickly from a sudden increase, e.g. from sprinting); you could do intervals of 70%, 85%, 70% or some combination of ranges from 65% to 85% (I once had a trainer who pushed me past 85%, but I wouldn't recommend it, and if you feel light headed, head achey, or nauseated, slow down)

    Good luck and enjoy the workouts!
    :flowerforyou:
  • tinnytibbs
    tinnytibbs Posts: 53
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    i would like one with out the chest strap....any recomendations?
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
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    Hey TinnyTibbs... I have the Polar with the chest strap - and LOVE it - I got it at Fitness Depot (in Toronto) and it is compatible with a watch (that comes with it) and my treadmill.

    Good luck with the quest!
    :smile:
  • GingerKid
    GingerKid Posts: 86
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    i would like one with out the chest strap....any recomendations?

    http://www.polar-usa.us/polar-f55.html

    That's the one I got for Xmas. I don't think you need to go super pricey though. I like the features this one has a lot. Cals burned, times in zones, etc. etc.

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