How can I keep track of calories burned?

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  • Natural
    Natural Posts: 461 Member
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    They are quite expensive from what I can see. Any other ways to track it?

    not. my first one cost 24.00$ - it was good enough. bought it off of ebay. schwinn brand
  • Marlene10025
    Marlene10025 Posts: 15
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    I have a "middle of the road" heart rate monitor by Timex... and LOVE it. It helps me know if I'm staying in my target heart rate. It also shows me exactly how many calories I'm burning. I don't go to the gym without it! I HIGHLY recommend one!
  • phillips9366
    phillips9366 Posts: 19 Member
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    I find heart rate monitors a way to take something simple (excercise) and make it complicated, gear intensive, and more expensive than it needs to be. So, if you're like me and are not a total perfectionist on your counting, try using this site: http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx.

    Periodically throughout your workout check your heartrate. Take the average beats per minute for the workout and enter it in along with the other stats the program requires, and voila, you have an estimate that is pretty close to reality. When in doubt, i round down on the bpm. It works for me as I've lost 26 lbs in 3 months (along with obsessing on the caloric balance using myfitnesspal :wink: ).

    Good luck! It's worth the effort!
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,250 Member
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    I have a Polar FT4 HRM, and I LOVE it!! It gives an accurate account of what you're burning. I think everyone should buy one!

    I have one of these too but the battery died and it says not to replace it yourself but I can't FIND someone who will :sad:

    I think it says that because ideally, it needs to be resealed. However, people have replaced them themselves, but if you do, it is not advisable to swim with it on because it will not be resealed.

    The Polar FT4 is self-change batteries:

    http://www.heartratemonitor.co.uk/polar_ft4_heart_rate_monitor.html
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    wow, i love how the poor girl asked for cheap alternatives to measure her calories burned and everybody is going on and on about their HRM. Seriously?

    Anyways @ OP: click on Exercise on top of your MFP page, click on database, enter dancing and you're going to see some different options.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    wow, i love how the poor girl asked for cheap alternatives to measure her calories burned and everybody is going on and on about their HRM. Seriously?

    Anyways @ OP: click on Exercise on top of your MFP page, click on database, enter dancing and you're going to see some different options.

    Cheap is a relative term. Cheap compared to what? Donald Trump may find a Bentley to be cheap to his budget.

    To the OP, I understand that you are a college student but what is most important, your health and accuracy of your caloric burn or finding something that "kinda" works? Ask yourself that question before you spend or hopefully decide to save.
  • amymarie8709
    amymarie8709 Posts: 329 Member
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    I found one for $40 with chest strap at ShopKo. :) Good luck!

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