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Friday 13 January 2012

Heart Rate Monitor/Calorie Counter

I don't really go in much for gadgets or appliances.  So I am very surprised to find that I have
a) bought a heart rate monitor, and
b) LOVE my heart rate monitor.

One of the challenges of the 12wbt is to workout 6 days per week.  On 5 of these days you expend 500 calories and on 1 you crank it up to 1000.  So a heart rate monitor which also shows you how many calories of energy you have used up is a fantastic tool.

I must also say that I was so impressed with Polar, the heart rate monitor people.  I ordered mine on a Monday evening and it was delivered on Wednesday morning - so quick!  They also gave 12wbt members a very generous discount which was fantastic.. 

But crikey - you have to do a fair bit to shift 500 calories.  Today I did a Jillian Michaels 30 day shred workout (180 odd calories burnt) then went for a 4km walk/run to bring me up to the 500 calories... Phew.  That's not mucking around.  I am beginning to understand just how much hard physical work there is involved in working food off.  This will definitely help to check what goes in.

Armed with my new toy, I am so up for counting calories expended as I exercise.  I've learnt something already, and the 12wbt pre-season has not even started yet!

5 comments:

  1. Woo...well done. I'm a bit in love with my new polar watch too :D

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  2. but doesn'tit make you realise how much you need to do to shift the calories!

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    1. I've only just seen this, sorry....I have actually been tricked into a false sense of security...went for a 40 min walk/ 2 very short jogs included the other day (took my 9 year old who complained the whole way) and I managed to burn 290 calories and then another 70 calories when I got home. I was actually thinking this was pretty good....But I am sooo overweight, I think the first month the calories will burn off quickly

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  3. It's fantastic isn't it. I remember getting my first Polar HRM to. Not only, as you said, makes you realise how much work it takes to burn to get to the magic number, but also makes you think twice about putting something in your mouth! A store bough muffin easily equals one hour of hard workout in my case! - dhits77

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