Review on 💪 Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor - Accurate Fitness Tracking for Optimal Performance by Pamela Beatty

I wasn't sure because I'd never used a "heart rate monitor" before and I imagined what the hospital would plug into. However, the good reviews of the Revain convinced me and it wasn't that expensive. Well I couldn't be happier. The strap is not bulky at all - I actually forgot it was there! I found it weird to wet the "electrodes" before use, but I just literally rinse them off for a second and then put them on. When I'm done exercising, I immediately remove the strap, rinse it thoroughly and hang it to dry (after removing the small monitor jig, of course). I washed it several times with mild soap according to the instructions. This is exactly what I wanted for my fitness goals. I'm not a huge fitness freak, but I wanted to get healthier and lose some weight, and I hated measuring how many calories I burned. Proof – MyFitnessPal, which I use to track my activity and diet, wanted to give me about 150 calories in the 51 minutes I spent with my dog today. However, this HRM showed 350 because it was capturing the fact that most of the ride was uphill and I was walking at a fast pace and therefore burning more calories. I also like to see my heart rate fluctuate because it motivates me to keep moving - don't let my dog sniff too much! I've always hated walking uphill and now I know why - my heart rate jumps at least 15 bpm when I'm walking up a steep hill! But that's how I burn so many calories (it's fast-paced, too). So I'm more motivated to go uphill because it's a clear reward. It's also great to look down and see how many calories you're burning! And knowing that this is realistic and not what the computer came up with. I'll say the elliptical at the gym is pretty damn close, but it says I'm burning about 20 more calories than I'm actually burning at any point in time. Time. So let's say I burned 250, but the elliptical trainer says 270. Not that much, but I'd like to know that it's actually 250 because I don't want those 20 calories to go over my "budget" a day . Here, too, I was rather skeptical because I imagined it to be very complicated and imprecise. But I find it very apt and very motivating! I also like that you can set a heart rate goal so you know if you're going too low or too high. This thing really encourages me to keep moving and keep my heart rate up which is exactly what I wanted! Very easy to use. Excellent purchase! BONUS - I am planning on starting a family soon and it will be great for checking heart rate while walking etc. So I'm not crossing the safety line. It's just good to see where your pulse is.