After posting several Polar FT60. Both have worked perfectly for my training objectives, however are they necessary?
Do you really need a fitness watch?
If you’re working out occasionally, a fitness watch is probably unnecessary. However, if you’re goal is to lose weight, train harder, improve fitness levels and you need a little motivation, it’s definitely a worthwhile investment.
After using for so many years, I’m completely addicted to my Polar watch. It’s extremely difficult to really push myself during any type of workout unless I am monitoring my heart rate and caloric expenditure. The Polar FT60 tracks both the energy/cal expenditure including the % of fat, in one exercise session and the accumulated calories of multiple sessions during the week or a month.
My personal goal is to train at a min of 85% of my target heart rate on most days and burn between 300-500 calories per workout. Recently I began paying attention to the % of fat being burned during my workouts. Turns out the harder I trained, the lower the percentage of fat burned. Good to know. I’ll definitely be incorporating more low intensity sessions during the week.
Tracking calories really matter?
Yes! Have you heard the saying – Calories in = calories out? You’re body needs a balance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure. Just like over or under eating can kill your metabolism, over exercising can manipulate your hormones, cause injury and potentially weight gain. Tracking calories and exercising within your target heart rate zone are the main reasons using a heart rate monitor device is so helpful.
Think about your current fitness goals. Is it difficult to lose weight, unsure if you’re training in your target heart rate or just need a little motivation? A fitness watch could be worth using.
Sassy Tips: When using a Polar watch be sure to wash and/or rinse the H1 heart rate sensor after each workout (elastic band and plastic monitor). Wash the band with laundry often. Rinse both pieces with plain water BEFORE working out to help detect your heart rate. If the watch is not detecting your heart rate, chances are it needs more water. I made this mistake thinking the battery needed to be replaced.
Do you use a fitness watch or activity tracker to monitor workouts?
