Your Cheeky Health Freak

Q: My question is two parts. 1) Do you recommend working out with a heart rate monitor? I don’t feel like the monitors on the machines are very accurate, and have heard that it’s optimal to work out in a specific zone, depending on your goal (mine is currently to burn fat, but I also want to work on cardio conditioning). What are some of the pros and cons of working out with a monitor? And 2) If you do recommend working out with a HR monitor, can you recommend any specific brands? I looked at some at Fleet Feet, but they are so expensive. I’m on a pretty tight budget!

KZ: Tight budgets are the norm these days, so it’s important to figure out what’s a priority and spend your cash accordingly. If you’re looking to stay in your fat burning zone – then a heart rate monitor is a must. You can set the watch-like device to beep whenever you are working too hard or not hard enough and adjust your workout accordingly.

Heart rate monitors start at about $50 and can top out at hundreds. I use the PolarF4 model – it’s pink and I got it on Ebay for 99 bucks. The most important features for me were: a light (for dark spin classes), easy to figure out (I can be a dunce with gadgets) and a calorie burning function (I quickly realized I wasn’t working hard enough during kick-boxing).

For someone who wants to target cardio conditioning – a monitor is ideal because it will tell you exactly how long your heart takes to get back to its resting rate after a quick burst of exercise. FYI – the faster the numbers drop, the better shape you’re in.

Cons? It’s far too easy to become addicted to the number of calories you’re burning (or not burning). I have a friend who won’t leave the gym until he’s reached a 2000 calorie burn.

In my humble opinion, heart rate monitors are a must – and your workouts will never be the same.

KZ’s Bite of the Week: Full Bars. I stumbled upon these at CVS one morning when I needed a snack to tide me over, and it actually worked. The chocolate flavor tastes just like Coco Krispies.