Heart rate monitors are great for motivation—one glance and I know whether or not I’m sweating it hard enough. I’m not a big fan of chest straps, though—they always feel a little uncomfortable jammed up under the band of my underwire sports bra. But the tiny buttons on most fingertip monitors can make them tricky to use. So I was intrigued by New Balance’s new watch-style HRT Fit, which only requires that you touch the face to get a reading.

Let me say straight out that this is the simplest-to-use monitor I’ve seen. In addition to only needing to put two fingers on it to get my heart rate, it was easy to program, and the instructions were mostly clear (though somewhat sparse).

There’s more: The HRT Fit also shows the length of my workout and calories burned, plus has a countdown timer. (A more expensive version, the HRT Fit +, adds a pedometer so you can measure distance.) And the heart rate display itself also tells what percentage that number is of my maximum heart rate, so it’s easy to see if I’m “in the zone.” (Which, by the way, is between 65% and 75% of my max, according to the American Council on Exercise.)

Two drawbacks, though: First, I had to stand pretty still for my heart rate to register—not ideal during a (moving!) workout. Second, the calorie burn tracker is based only on age and gender, not weight, so it’s not as accurate as it could be.

Still, would I recommend the HRT Fit to someone who’s new to heart rate monitors or doesn’t train seriously enough to require the constant feedback of a chest strap version? In a heartbeat.

Product: New Balance HRT Fit Heart Rate Monitor

Category: Gear

Pros: It’s easy to use, only requires a touch to read your heart rate, and boasts some useful extras.

Cons: It has trouble reading your rate when you’re moving, and the calorie counter doesn’t account for weight.

Cost: $50 in Komen pink or blue at REI.com

Extra tip: Choose the pink Komen version and 5% of the purchase price will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research and education.

Previous posts by Su Reid-St. John:

Trying to brighten up your smile? We have just the thing for you. From whiter teeth to prettier lips, this beauty kit will give you an even more gorgeous grin. View the slideshow.

Trying to brighten up your smile? We have just the thing for you. From whiter teeth to prettier lips, this beauty kit will give you an even more gorgeous grin. View the slideshow.

The March issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology includes an encouraging study for women who have depression during their pregnancies. The study suggests that acupuncture treatments, when specifically geared toward helping depression, may have a positive effect.

As many as one in five women suffers from depression during pregnancy, and I learned firsthand from the roller coaster of emotions I experienced during my pregnancies.

I was plagued by sleeplessness, nausea, and general discomfort at exactly the time I should have been celebrating the good fortune of multiple healthy pregnancies after age 35. Once I sought acupuncture treatments, though, I discovered that by relieving the worst of my pain, nausea, and sleeplessness, I began to enjoy the imminent arrival of my child.

To better understand how a series of needles placed on my body could possibly make me happy, I spoke with Michael Shpak, a board-certified licensed acupuncturist who was trained by two former midwives.

“In pregnancy, the woman’s body is taxed and burdened—her blood-sugar balance, thyroid function, and adrenal function can be altered, and she can be anemic,” he explains.

In other words, your body bears the burden of what Shpak calls “two physiologies”—yours and the baby’s.

In addition to this physical taxation, there are psychological ramifications in the transition to becoming a mother. And not all of that is a celebration, according to Shpak.

How does it work?
“Persistent pregnancy-induced discomforts respond beautifully and reliably to both the systemic and local effects of acupuncture,” says Shpak.

Acupuncture affects the central nervous system, which controls the brain and spinal cord. Studies have shown that it can work both locally, where it can reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and ease pain, as well as globally, in that it can directly influence brain chemistry through the release of endorphins.

Endorphins are released along with cortisol, the hormone involved in your reaction to stress and anxiety. “The combination of these neurotransmitters and hormones helps to balance those four physical functions—blood-sugar balance, thyroid function, adrenal function, and anemia,” says Shpak.

Research has also shown that acupuncture activates the nucleus accumbens, or pleasure center of the brain, which may explain the link between acupuncture and relieving depression.

Which is safer: pill or needle?

The March issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology includes an encouraging study for women who have depression during their pregnancies. The study suggests that acupuncture treatments, when specifically geared toward helping depression, may have a positive effect.

As many as one in five women suffers from depression during pregnancy, and I learned firsthand from the roller coaster of emotions I experienced during my pregnancies.

I was plagued by sleeplessness, nausea, and general discomfort at exactly the time I should have been celebrating the good fortune of multiple healthy pregnancies after age 35. Once I sought acupuncture treatments, though, I discovered that by relieving the worst of my pain, nausea, and sleeplessness, I began to enjoy the imminent arrival of my child.

To better understand how a series of needles placed on my body could possibly make me happy, I spoke with Michael Shpak, a board-certified licensed acupuncturist who was trained by two former midwives.

“In pregnancy, the woman’s body is taxed and burdened—her blood-sugar balance, thyroid function, and adrenal function can be altered, and she can be anemic,” he explains.

In other words, your body bears the burden of what Shpak calls “two physiologies”—yours and the baby’s.

In addition to this physical taxation, there are psychological ramifications in the transition to becoming a mother. And not all of that is a celebration, according to Shpak.

How does it work?
“Persistent pregnancy-induced discomforts respond beautifully and reliably to both the systemic and local effects of acupuncture,” says Shpak.

Acupuncture affects the central nervous system, which controls the brain and spinal cord. Studies have shown that it can work both locally, where it can reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and ease pain, as well as globally, in that it can directly influence brain chemistry through the release of endorphins.

Endorphins are released along with cortisol, the hormone involved in your reaction to stress and anxiety. “The combination of these neurotransmitters and hormones helps to balance those four physical functions—blood-sugar balance, thyroid function, adrenal function, and anemia,” says Shpak.

Research has also shown that acupuncture activates the nucleus accumbens, or pleasure center of the brain, which may explain the link between acupuncture and relieving depression.

Which is safer: pill or needle?