Anyone else have any experiance with heart rate monitors?
Hubby and I have them. Hubby is actually on #2- because he broke one.
Mine shows I range between 1500 cals (no workout) and 3000 cals (major workout) a day. In an hour at the gym I can burn 300-400 calories, and boost my metabolism for the whole day.
But basically I have to work really hard to burn any calories.
Hubby`s- on the other hand- shows that he is like a calorie burning monster.
If he is a slug all day- lays on the couch watching football or something- he`ll burn 2500 cals. With a good workout (500 cals in an hour) he`ll burn 5000 in a day. Then today he busted his butt all day at work- major- and burned 7000 cals.
But- even eating 1800-2400 cals a day- he is not losing weight like the calorie burn would suggest. I mean- he is losing- he lost 22 lbs in the last 4 months, but with a burn like that you`d think he`d lose more.
And it`s not the watch. This is #2- different watches even- and he burns the same.
Im stumped!! Anyone know anything about it???
Terry

I got one from wal-mart: you had to put your fingers on the watch head in order to get a heart rate. It was terrible. I couldn't use it and keep working out (I'd have to stop). Also, I tried taking my pulse in my neck, then I used the heart rate monitor, and it said that I had a hr of something like 200. It definately wasn't true, and I think I might have been having some kind of cardiac arrest if that was true.

Anyway, I'm not sure all heart rate monitors can be trusted.

I have a heart rate monitor and I love it to death! All heart rate monitors are definitely not created equally, you tend to get what you pay for. I have a polar one that was about $90 and it is very accurate heart rate wise and calories burned wise. It also give you dialy and weekly averages that are great, you can also look back at past weeks to compare and what not. I like the fact that it keeps me honest and if I slack off there is no way to convince myself otherwise when it says right there on my wrist.

I have the polar, and I love it too. His first one was a step up from mine, the second is a deluxe type one- cost more but has more options and high ratings. The heart rate is accurate, and the results on both are the same.
So maybe he DOES just burn that much a day- and his body is used to it? He does manual labor - always has- and never sits still. Maybe 3-5000 calories a day is his normal calorie burn?

so the heart rate monitor tells you how many calories you've burned?

Yes Okpik- It monitors your heartrate against your weight/age/sex and calculates your calories burned. Very helpful tool! I had no idea what I burn in a day- and I found out it wasnt much-lol.
Terry

where did you get yours?

I have a bodybugg. It doesen't doo heartrate but it does do calories. I think it is fairly accurate.

As for DH burning 7000 cals a day and not losing, I wouldguess something is off. have you switched to compare?

I burn like 1 cal a min at rest, about 600 cals for my 2 hours of activity and I still have to push for 2500 burned a day!

so I would suggest a switch and see if the monitor is working right.

Yep L144-this is his second monitor. He wore his friend`s a while and it read high too. So 3 monitors have read the same. (It`s 5000 he usually burns a day. 7000 was just one day, ) Maybe his body is just used to the high level of activity because of the work he does?Oh well. Just makes it hard because we don`t know what he needs to burn to lose now.
I like the heartrate option because I know when I am in the right zone for working out. I keep my heartrate between 125 and 165 for cardio/walking/running. I`m not supposed to let my heartrate get above 180.

Bodybuggs are supposed to be great. Do you put in your calories too? We log ours on sparkpeople.

OkPik- Dick`s Sporting Goods. They have alot of them on ebay too.

I have to FIGHT for 2500 a day good for him.
Yes BB has a food log componant to it. It took a while to get use to but it is working fine. One can set a program and it will tell you what you have to do to hit your goal, So I am 1lb a week eat 1600 cals a day and burn 2500, I look for a 900 cal a day deficit. SO if I know I can't work out, I might drop my intake and a day like today were I burned a few extra, I will geat a little more, but I only have to take it one day a t a atime and that really seems to be working for me.

Sounds like a good plan.
I try to burn 2500 to 3000 a day, and eat 1200-1500 cals a day.
Terry