I have a FT60 and had a FT40 before that....definitely as I have got fitter I dont burn anywhere near as many calories so I definitely believe the calories burnt. I think its been a major tool for me in my weight loss
I for sure need to check the battery in mine as it's also more than a year old! I also tend to trust the numbers it's giving me. If I had a "good" workout ALL the time I'd have some issues with what it's saying, but I can tell when I slack off. I just don't feel "into" it when I'm working out, and the numbers show it with a lower calorie burn. I love it.
I bought a Polar F11 about 4 years ago. The other day I decided to take it out and get a new battery since it went dead. It's such a great motivator! I really wondered how many calories I was burning during workouts and it seems I burn more than I thought. It's good to know that my workout is in the right heart rate target for effectiveness too.
Wow..to be honest, I have just ignored the calorie part for the past year because I didn't believe it. Also, my target heart rate is like 105-150 and I just make sure I am somewhere in there. Maybe I need to research this some more. It sure doesn't take much to get me in the zone. I am to assume that is due to this fat around my middle?
I usually work at the top of my zone as I think the lower end of the zone is maybe a little NON challenging. Any way it goes I think the polars are a great way to keep yourself in check and make sure you're working hard enough.
I just did a little experiment with my hrm. I was sitting on the couch eating...so I looked and it was 88. Stood up, walked in the kitchen to put up the food and it went to 109 and then right away to 101. Finished cleaning and then sat back down to watch Dr. Oz and it goes down to 77.
Does this sound like my hrm is working correctly?
Also, if this thing tells us calorie burned, why shouldn't we wear it all day long? Even with not exercising.
I just did a little experiment with my hrm. I was sitting on the couch eating...so I looked and it was 88. Stood up, walked in the kitchen to put up the food and it went to 109 and then right away to 101. Finished cleaning and then sat back down to watch Dr. Oz and it goes down to 77.
Does this sound like my hrm is working correctly?
Also, if this thing tells us calorie burned, why shouldn't we wear it all day long? Even with not exercising.
Sounds right. Mine was at about 90 when I was just walking around the house. When I laid down on the couch for a few minutes resting it went down to 65.
I would only keep track of calories during exercise, not "daily" movement. Our daily calorie ranges account for general movement during the day, so I wouldn't deduct those calories again. It's interesting to see what the numbers say though.
Oh....I didn't really think about the daily calories being already considered. I need to research this more. I just started counting calories about 10 days ago!!
Here is one more for you: Several months ago I was working out and my hr was up pretty good...maybe 120. I bent over to grab my weights and glanced at my hrm again and it had lowered to 47!! That is what made me think my hrm was a piece of junk. But now I am thinking maybe the hrm lost the connection...kind of like it does when it goes to zero.
I seriously am over-thinking this...just need to get my you-know-what on my elliptical and GO!!!!!
So you thought about wearing it all day too. It just occurred to me this morning to do that
Do you still use the hrm to help you? I am new to this (day10 for me) and I realize I am not doing enough. I have done my exercise hit and miss and I sort of just guess at my calories.
May I ask mandalinn82 if you will tell me what you did at first?
I want to lose 20 pounds to be healthy....hitting the age where hearing about things like cholesterol, etc... and I am starting to think I can control some of this, you know?
I know I am eating less and I have lost a pound, but I know I need to get a SERIOUS PLAN in order to make this a lifestyle.
I think something to keep in mind too, as far as the bending over to get your weights thing, the band that goes around your middle (or whatever you wanna call it) has to be flat against the body to read the heart rate otherwise it won't be accurate. I would think while bending over it moved from the position it had previously been in and therefore showing an inaccurate heart rate.
I think that the polar is nothing more than a tool to help and not something to be looked at with 100% accuracy. It can't take into account all the variables etc.
It is seriously hot here and I just took a "stroll" outside. I knew better than to walk too fast in this weather. I even carried a bottle of water...which I never do.
This is all part of my experiment with my hrm, so please bear with me!! I walked 20 minutes (not quite a mile but close)....my hrm said I burned 130 calories....my avg hr was 119 and my high was 143...kind of high but I think the heat is why. I sat down for two minutes to check my recovery hr and it went down to 101. I am thinking my hrm is normal. I am also thinking as I get in better shape it will take more than a seriously slow stroll to get my hr up and burn 130 calories....LOL.
so I definitely believe the calories burnt. I think its been a major tool for me in my weight loss
