Interest in HR monitor, but not sure what they're for

I have interest in a good heart rate monitor, but with a few requirements:

1) must show a constant read of my heart rate, I don't want to have to push a button to see it

2) show me calories burnt for 24/7 activities - are they only supposed to be used during workouts? I want something to tell me how much I'm burning throughout the day too, like a body bugg

3) no chest strap, please?

Do any heart rate monitors even fit this description? I'm interested in other folk's experiances with these gadgets. Do you find them accurate?

If you want a bodybugg....why not just buy one?

Heart Rate monitors are designed for use during workouts only. As far as I know, they're not very accurate in tracking your calorie burn throughout the day. The most accurate have chest straps - what's your opposition to them?

I have a polar HRM and LOVE it. It tracks my heart rate (and I can get a reading without pressing any buttons - it's just there). It also tracks calories burned, stores your workouts and target heart rate. It has a chest strap that is fairly comfortable.

As far as I know, bodybugg is the only one that tracks burn 24-7. As katydid said, most HRMs, including Polar are meant only for workouts.

What brand of Polar HRM do you have?? there are sooooooooo many out there, i have been looking at the polar F6 or F4??? any suggestions would be appreciated

thanks

I have a polar F11 have had it for over 3 years and no problems.  If you want one that gives constant heart rate you'll have to use a strap- all others that I am aware of without the straps just give you an "estimate" based on your HR at the time you put your finger on the monitor.  The straps are not noticable or uncomfortable.  There have been many times I've totally forgotten I was wearing it until I got ready for bed. 

If you want 24/7 cal burn you'll have to do the body bugg but thats expensive IMHO-- Also if you want the best calorie count estimates you need a hrm that is programmable with your vital stats ( age,sex,wght, hght) and as the F11 has the VO2 test.  My calorie burn can vary week to week based on what my VO2 level is the last time I tested.  If I am stressed or lack of sleep or not working out as well as I should my fitness level drops and also my calorie burn for the same type of workouts. 

I recommend going to the polar website and shopping around - if you can't afford more than the F6 then do that one cause I think you'll find you'll outgrow the F4.

You are describing a bodybugg since no heart rate monitor does the 24/7 thing.  However I don't know if a bodybugg meets your other criteria.

Oh, and no heart rate monitor gives you a constant readout without a chest strap either.

Edit:  To your title, a heart rate monitor is a training aid for athletes.

thanks for the info i will look at the F11, i can afford to spend a little more as i am saving by working out in my basement faithfully for past 3 months, no more gym memberships and the guilt of not being able to use them. i live ~25 miles out in the country and it's not practical for me to drive in the AM then come home and then go to work, i guess i could have hubby take our 3 year old in to preschool etc but it's a lot of $$$ for gas etc. so i am looking for a monitor as i am celebrating my goal of working out faithfully and losing 12 pounds

Let me give you a long answer why HR monitors are used and why you would want one.

The body is much more efficient working aerobically (9x if I remember right), than anaerobicaly. The nice thing is, if you can figure out where aerobic workouts switch to anaerobic, you can be more efficient in using up your energy, as long as you stay aerobic.

There is an easy way to figure that point using an expensive test ( I think it is called a Cybex test). It's generally a heart stress test where you run on a treadmill and breath through a tube that measures incomming and outgoing CO2 levels, and monitors Heart Rate (HR) with it simultaneously. One of the great things that comes out of the test is that once CO2 levels start spiking, that is the point when you go anaerobic. Look at the HR at that moment of the switch,  basically that number tells you the moment your workout turns anaerobic, according to your HR.

The cheaper way to do that without going through the stress test, is to gradually workout, constantly monitoring your HR and pay attention to when your breathing patterns start changing, to when you start having to hyperventilate, which really means over breathing (you breath harder to expell the increased amount of CO2 that your body is producing because you are now anaerobic and less efficient, up until that point your body was able to handle the amount of CO2 production, and you were still aerobic). That is the hard part, recognizing when your breathing changes. If you are pretty good at telling when you are breathing harder, then look at your HR at that moment. This is your Aerobic/Anarobic switch point. As long as you workout UNDER this rate, you are staying aerobic, and will burn calories more efficiently. For those that are unconditioned, this switch point is fairly low (for example, 45-55% of the maximum rate that your heart can beat. Percentages are for illustration purposes only and not actual)

The other great thing is, that switch point gets higher the more conditioned you are. Which means that the more you work out, the more your body becomes efficient, and will gradually get used to harder and harder workouts, still being aerobic.

Professional athletes have a aerobic/anaerobic so high that they can do a great amount of physical work, and still remain aerobic. Their switch point may be as high as 75-80% of their Max HR.

So this is the purpose of a heart rate monitor, to let you know hard you are working, and where you need to be to stay aerobic.