Heart rate monitors (HRM) are not only for the likes of Lance Armstrong and marathon runners. In recent years, HRM technology has advanced to amazing heights, allowing the average person access to a tool for whatever level he/she may be at. An HRM can be just the tool you are looking for to optimize your weight loss program, and target your fitness goals.

What You Need

First, you must determine your needs. Take out a piece of paper and pen and list your goals (weight loss, faster pace, lower resting heart rate, increase cardiovascular fitness, etc.). Also make note of the type of exercises you perform.

The reason to do this is that there are hundreds of HRM’s on the market. It benefits you as a customer to research brands and models extensively before choosing the right monitor for you. There are HRM’s for swimmers, runners, walkers, small people, large people, and everything in between.

Also consider money. How much are you willing to spend? How much can you afford to spend? You can find HRM’s for as little as $40 (which may not have all the accuracy and features you want) to as much as $200. Amazon.com offers gently used HRM’s for reasonable prices. A used monitor may be a good option for a beginner or someone without a lot of money. After you can better determine your needs, you can sell yours for a new one which may be a better fit.

What an HRM does

Basically, a heart rate monitor measures your heart’s beats per minute. A chest strap is worn under clothing and sports bras close to the heart. It transmits to a watch-like device which records your heart beat. Nearly all HRM’s come with a program which determines your maximum heart rate, and an alarm (auditory or visual) to let you know when you are exceeding that rate.

Other features a beginner may want to look for are calories burned, stopwatch and/or timer, water resistance, owner replacement battery (so you don’t need to send it to the manufacturer), and average heart rate data.

More advanced (and pricier) monitors offer features that would be useful to more advanced fitness levels and specified training programs. Some of these features include GPS calculators for distance and speed, pace alerts, nighttime features (visual display).

If you are a beginner, just stick with the basics on a lower priced model; however, if you enjoy all the bells and whistles and can afford it, a fancy HRM can add lots of motivating variety to your workout.