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.

Benefits

Investing in and using a heart rate monitor provides many good benefits, regardless of fitness level. Just a few of the paybacks are discussed here.

Accuracy

Did you know that taking your pulse manually is inaccurate? In fact, this method provides only an estimate of your performance. During exercise, many people stop to take their pulse, usually for ten seconds. The combined acts of reducing activity in order to perform the task and even the pressure of your finger on your artery can alter results and give you a wrong reading. Cardio machine estimates which rely on heat can also be very inaccurate.

A monitor records every heart beat throughout exercise. The HRM will give you an accurate reading at all times so that there is no reason to pause your routine often in order to judge your performance. You will save time and have an accurate representation of your cardio fitness level.

Keeps the Body Working Aerobically

It’s a familiar story. Person makes New Year’s Resolution; person buys running/walking/fitness shoes; person goes to gym and exercises; person feels good, feels the burn; person cannot walk for an entire week afterward; person gives up on Resolution.

Beginners tend to make the mistake of doing too much too soon, damaging or injuring their bodies. It is a vicious cycle, making a new fitness program difficult to stick with. A heart rate monitor can help beginners exercise at an optimal rate, improving fitness while protecting the body from over-training.

When you exercise consistently at 85% of your maximum heart rate and above (very easy to do), your body produces lactic acid. Lactic acid builds in your muscles, making them less efficient. Your body is expending more energy for less result, you are working anaerobically. Your risk of injury and over-training fatigue are much higher. A monitor will help to keep you within a good aerobic range.

Beginners also make the mistake of under-training. They may not be working hard enough to attain their fitness and weight-loss goals. Results are slow to come if they come at all. For a lot of people, especially those not used to exercise, judging the correct level is difficult. Hardness of breathing is not an accurate indicator. A person could be breathing heavily, and still be working slightly below the optimal level to increase health benefits.

If you’re an advanced fitness buff, don’t make the mistake of believing you are immune to over- or under-training. In fact, I find that the more experienced a person believes himself to be; the more likely he is to make mistakes. So if you find that you are not achieving results with your program or you are experiencing decreased effects, a HRM could be the answer.

Goal Setting

Because a heart rate monitor records all of your heart beats and at what level you are working, you are better able to determine your current fitness level and set higher and higher goals. The HRM will monitor your progress, and this feedback can be highly motivating. Your HRM should come with an instruction manual which will clearly explain how to record your progress.

So whether you want to increase your cardiovascular fitness or train for a triathlon, a heart rate monitor has all the tools you need. Many HRM’s (as well as gym cardio machines) have a fitness test. This is a useful tool to tract where you are and where you are going in terms of heart fitness.

The HRM has the ability to record your progress precisely, keeping track of targets that you have attained. An HRM gives immediate feedback, a powerful motivator to nearly everyone. If you can see your improvement, you will be more likely to keep working.

Weight Loss

Many HRM’s carry a feature that counts calories burned based on your personal data and your heart beat throughout the day. Even if you just want a more accurate representation of calories burned during a particular activity, a monitor can help you. This is my favorite feature on my HRM.

Calorie expenditure formulas and machine counts can be off by as much as 100 calories. If you know more precisely how many calories you burn during a day, you will be able to get the most out of your weight loss program. You will know exactly how many calories to eat in order to lose pounds.

In my opinion, anything that keeps me motivated is a good investment. Whether you have new socks, a new fitness magazine, or heart rate monitor, whatever keeps you going is worth the money. Giving yourself a treat every month or so is a great way to reward yourself. A heart rate monitor is a much healthier and goal-oriented reward than a three-tier chocolate cake. Besides, it will last much longer.

External Links:

• Heart Rate Monitors USA - Compare, get information, and buy heart rate monitors.
• Amazon - Find good prices on used heart rate monitors.