Measuring your heart rate

This topic contains 10 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Couscous 10 years, 10 months ago.

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

vivski

4:46 pm
11 Feb 14
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About one day after buying a heart rate monitor, (the Alpha Mio which does not require a chest band but is just as accurate), I spotted a mention of the Instant Heart Rate app for Android phones. This is free so I installed it and it looks as if it is as accurate as my Alpha Mio.

There is also a free version for iPhones.

Viv

ali43

5:08 pm
11 Feb 14
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Thanks for the tip off Viv. I’m installing it now.

Ali

vivski

5:08 pm
11 Feb 14
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I forgot to say that in order to get a reading of your pulse rate you need to place your finger over the camera lens and wait up to 20 seconds for the program to complete its procedure, although the pulse rate is displayed after about 10 seconds.

Smeeagain

5:57 pm
11 Feb 14
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What kind of resting heart rate are folks getting?

I’m overweight (BMI over 35)male, 48, not active other than a walk each day, and need to lose 100 pounds but was really pleased with resting HR of 57

Smee

ali43

7:11 pm
11 Feb 14
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Hi Smeeagain,

I’m 43, overweight category and resting heart rate of 48. Happy with that given the girth of my waistline!

Ali

vivski

7:19 pm
11 Feb 14
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I’m 67, have reduced my weight from 77 kilos in January 2010 to 64 kg in July 2012 and am now down to 59 kg by restricting my calorie intake and increasing the amount walking I do per day. My resting heart rate is 51, with which I am very happy.
Viv

ali43

7:36 pm
11 Feb 14
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Wow Viv, you have done very well with your weight loss. I was around 77 kg in October 2013, I’m now around 73kg and seem to have hit a plateau. I’d love to get to 61kg. Have you had to dramatically restrict your calories to get to 59kg?

Ali

macloud

10:08 pm
15 Feb 14
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Male, 68, here. BMI 27. Generally, when I bother to check, my ‘resting’ heart rate is around 54-56 beats/min.

Unsure TBH whether or not this is good or not so good. Anyone know for sure ?

vivski

11:00 pm
15 Feb 14
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Ali,

It was a combination of counting calories and increasing the amount of exercise I took. For the last 10 years or more of my working life the only exercise I took was a couple of cycle rides per week.

When I decided to do something about my weight I started checking labels on food to see how many calories they contained. I was most disconcerted to see that some of the desserts I had been consuming contained hundreds of calories so now I don’t eat them. I also cut down on sugar gradually so I haven’t added any to anything for several years now.

Now that I am at an acceptable weight I do not bother to count calories, just check labels to make sure nothing is loaded with calories, but I do allow myself some treats occasionally, on the understanding that I will stop this if my weight rises to 60kg.

The combination of reducing my calorie intake to about 2000 per day, and increasing my exercise to 6 or 7 hours walking per week, plus one cycle ride had the desired effect, although it was very slow going. I am just a few kilograms above the minimum weight I wanted to go down to, so I am happy, especially as I am no longer classed as obese.

vivski

11:02 pm
15 Feb 14
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macloud,

Your resting heart rate is good, mine is about 50, but anything below 60 is probably very satisfactory.

Viv

Couscous

11:21 pm
15 Feb 14
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HI ALL, the heart rate issue is interesting but usually misleading when we all give an example. For example, at 8.00am today 40 mins after I had woken my heart rate was 51 bpm. (I am a 65 yr old male ). Yet on another day my heart rate at a similar time can be around 65 bpm. Yes it is an indication of fitness and health but take it in context for each individual. I wish you all good health and success with the 5:2 lifestyle.