Reddit reviews Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor (Purple/Pink)

Polar FT4, available on Amazon, has worked really well for me, very reliable, accurate, and gives you a lot of good information, like calories burned. I've recommended it to a few friends at work, and they are all really happy with it, too.

It's right at $60.

http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O

I had an FT1 but found that the strap was uncomfortable, so personally, I'd recommend spending the extra $16 on the FT4. It also has a few extra features, and since you can replace the battery on the strap yourself, it'll save you some money in the long-run.

Can confirm, I have no clue where MFP gets some of those exercise numbers. Then again, even the machines at the gym are hilariously generous.

I use this HRM by Polar: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005M1P85O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The only fitness tracker I have is my Polar Watch. It comes with a HR monitor with electrodes on the band and with that I think it's pretty accurate. I've been using it recently to track my runs and how much calories I'm burning on them. I don't have any cons other than the band moving a bit when I'm using it (have to tuck it under my sports bra). Other than that, it's one of my favorite Christmas gifts and it's nice looking at all the data it tracks (HR, calories, time, etc).

Edit: Amazon Link to the one I have. It's the Polar FT4

Polar makes a bluetooth heart rate monitor that supposedly works with MapMyRun amazon.

Personally I use the Polar FT4 around $65 on amazon. It's lasted for about three years now through a bunch of rowing workouts and I don't have any complaints. Not a huge deal to wear the extra watch and I believe they have a separate system if you want to import the data into a program or something.

HEY GUYS I made a new myfitnesspal profile, add me @90days_lex if you don't mind I could REALLY use the support.

Gadgets: When I proved to myself that I wanted to do Insanity (April '14) and got through the first month of workouts, I rewarded myself (and/or bribed? I guess? haha I respond well to self-bribes :D) with a Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor to keep track of my progress. It's been a lifesaver and one of the biggest factors in my continued fitness journey since I use the calorie count to push myself during workouts where I know I'd otherwise slack off.

Yesterday ended up not being great. I've been binging a lot at night and it's completely destroying my progress. I'm not really sure what to do though - I've been trying IF so I can give into my cravings and binge at night and be okay but that doesn't make me feel great... spacing out my meals doesn't seem to work for me well either. Maybe it's just adjusting to Paleo, or maybe I'm just letting myself slip and am not being disciplined enough? Either way it's a major bummer. I want to do my best over the next week and a half or so. I just need a few really good days to get back on track and I know I'm capable of doing that. I did hit 3L of water though so that's good. I'm super-upping my water consumption for the next week or so while I start this new workout program, then I'll drop back down to 2L. Just constantly feeling thirsty and it's probably from too much sodium.


Today:

☑ P90X3 Day 3 [Yoga X] 83 kcal burnt [mfp estimate; forgot hrm --]

☑ Classes

☑ Sign up for MPRE - deadline today!

☑ Look into group project

☒ Scope out Fitness Center at apartment, Walk (at least 30 mins) - fail. I get really anxious about using fitness centers and gyms and stuff, even at my apartment because it's small and I don't want to show up and there be someone else there etcetc... might start waking up early to get a walk in? I don't know. Bah.

☑ Take care of bf's dog <3

☑ Read some Divergent

☐ Drink 3L water: ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☐ ☐

☐ Burn 2000 calories this week! [0,676/2,000] - I need to do the fitness center thing -- P90X3 isn't burning enough calories and I don't want to work hard for 30 minutes and be a lazy blob the rest of the day...

☑ Days without soda: 3

Sprint 3 Goals (8/20-9/23)

☐ Eat Paleo/Primal 90%+ & MFP Log

☒ Finish another round of Insanity (End date: 9/27) burnt out

☑ Read 1 Novel

☐ Keep up with school reading

☐ Meditation Program: Practicing Mindfulness

☐ Get in good shape for Halloween! [50 days]

If you're going to eat back your calories, I'd do so by using a more reliable measurement of burned calories, because MFP definitely overestimates. Check out a Polar Heart Rate Monitor - they're cheaper than FitBits and work great for tracking your actual calories burned since they measure your heart rate instead of steps. I got mine on Amazon for $60 :).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005M1P85O?cache=e1a8d7198a0db8cdd898272a374d7ad7&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1413469020&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2

I know this isn't what you're asking for, but I'd like to suggest something that I have.

I use a Polar FT4 heart rate monitor instead of a FitBit. It's much, much cheaper. And since it reads your heart rate, it calculates your calories burned (with your sex, age, weight, height) based on how hard you're actually working.

Website estimates are always iffy in my opinion. Like, what counts as "moderate" or "vigorous" if you change your intensity all through your workout? Tracking your heart rate removes a lot of the guesswork.

Heart rate monitors aren't great for stuff like weight lifting, but they're awesome to have for a spin class or any sort of cardio workout.

I'd suggest finding out what kind of monitor is compatible with and go with that.

I got this one.
It's very no-frills. I don't always use the watch/display part, but I just wear the chest band and then look at the readout on the treadmill at the gym.

If I was going to buy one now that I have a smartphone that would work with it, I'd get this one that's just the chest band.

I've been wanting one of these. I started going to the gym in May and I think it would be cool to see my progress and how many calories I burn in a workout.

I need one of these haha. I sell things on ebay and I need a reliable scale to calculate postage so I don't overpay :)

C'mon...gimme.

You both look like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day :D

Does she have a heart rate monitor? She wouldn't wear it all the time, but while she works out, definitely. I bought a Polar HRM and I love it. I do cardio dance workouts on YouTube as well as some yoga. I don't use it for yoga (although I could, technically), but I love it with my cardio.

A good heart rate monitor is definitely worth the investment. I have a Polar ft4. It's basic but does all the things I need it to do. http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346439437&sr=8-1&keywords=polar+ft4

this the one?

bought my girl this one last year. works well easy to use. only comparison i have to this is a cheap complicated one so i am no expert.

http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=lp_3407971_1_1?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1417467243&sr=1-1

I have this one and I love it. It's a bit pricey but I got it with my amazon rewards points. It keeps track of your heart rate, calories and time. It's very easy to use and you can go back and see your previous sessions. The only downside is wearing that strap, but I've actually consistently had to make is smaller which is awesome.

> Our workouts can range from 200 calories to over 1000, and we might do 1 or two a day. It ends up being a ton of estimating

From what you're saying, it sounds like you're more concerned about what you're burning during the exercise than what you're doing through out the day. To that, I'd say take a look at the FT4 or the FT7. Both of these come with a chest strap and a "watch" to monitor your heart rate. If you ever go indoors to a machine, most machines will pick up your device and show your stats on the screen. You can plug your stats into both, both will let you know when you're out of your heart rate range, and they will take a lot of guess work out of your workouts.

Annnnd here we go again

:)

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http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=lp_3407971_1_4?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1464187709&sr=1-4

About $50.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just spend like $100 and get a polar heart-rate monitor. I use it for every workout and sometimes the calories on the machine/mfp can be as large as a 100 calorie difference! I got this one and love it: http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=sr_1_1?

Just a quick recommendation, I use the LoseIt app (Free), android or apple. You can add in your workout, duration and it will track kcal for you. Also will let you bar-code scan the foods you take in and give you an idea of how much you take in and what your weekly looks like. So it does macros and tracks your workouts. I also use that in conjunction with a Polar FT4 Hope that might help.