The surge!
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mmgavitt
Posts: 82 Member
I'm very excited I get mine tomorrow!
This will be my first fitbit device. I was the previous owner of a body media arm band but I hate how it got bought out by jawbone and they dropped the core2, or at least it seems they have. So when I got the email about getting the surge add pay off a limited release I jumped at the chance. Any one else already have it or also ordered it?
This will be my first fitbit device. I was the previous owner of a body media arm band but I hate how it got bought out by jawbone and they dropped the core2, or at least it seems they have. So when I got the email about getting the surge add pay off a limited release I jumped at the chance. Any one else already have it or also ordered it?
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WHAT?!?! How did you get one already?! I am jelly!!!
I got the email for the ChargeHR but not anything for the Surge.0 -
Hey, how did that happen? I got the ChargeHR email too but the small was already sold out. I'm anxious to hear about the constant HR monitoring and how it relates to tracking calories. Seems iffy to me. Or, am I mistaken and the HR monitoring only happens when the elevated HR is constant? Can't wait to read reviews.
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I signed up for the email asking to be notified when it was available, got an email, ordered. Got delivered today
Very excited! And Sodakat, I think it's supposed to be constant as in every couple seconds but more frequently when you enter exercise mode. 0 -
When did you get the email?0
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I got my email on Friday but didn't order because they were only releasing the color black and when I go to the link now you can't purchase so the limited supply must be gone.0
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Got mine today!!! So amazing, but i will start testing it and upload a review in a week!0
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I only got the email for the Charge HR. And I got it today and I'm really liking it. When I went to the website I thought they were all sold out, but customer service assured me I would get one. Came in the mail today in black - but that's ok. I have 45 days to decide if I love it or want to exchange it for the plum - hmmmm we'll see.0
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Hey, how did that happen? I got the ChargeHR email too but the small was already sold out. I'm anxious to hear about the constant HR monitoring and how it relates to tracking calories. Seems iffy to me. Or, am I mistaken and the HR monitoring only happens when the elevated HR is constant? Can't wait to read reviews.
It says it's constant all day - doesn't say it's accurate. As the method they use isn't, especially so as HR goes higher.
It'll probably be like the other trackers that use the HR just for signs of stress, elevated for long periods with no corresponding movement, ect. Get enough data, maybe something useful can be discerned from it.
Considering the speed/mass/time formula method of calorie burn is more accurate than HRM actually, and that is Polar with probably best in class calorie burn HR based calculations that I doubt greatly they are going to license to Fitbit, I really hope they don't attempt to.
I'm sure they aren't ready to pay for good studies for their own formula.0 -
I also got mine today. So far I love it! I did have a few glitchy problems but restarting it once fixed everything. I haven't had time to test all the features yet and am pumped to try them all out. I live in Wisconsin and just got a gym membership so the GPS won't be as useful to me until summer when I go hiking (Google Devil's Lake, it's beautiful!) but I am VERY excited about the HR monitor. I absolutely hate chest straps.fedegarino wrote: »Got mine today!!! So amazing, but i will start testing it and upload a review in a week!
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codycsweet wrote: »I got my email on Friday but didn't order because they were only releasing the color black and when I go to the link now you can't purchase so the limited supply must be gone.
I haven't seen anything but the black either, on their FB page they said they ran out of their limited supply so you are correct.
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Hey, how did that happen? I got the ChargeHR email too but the small was already sold out. I'm anxious to hear about the constant HR monitoring and how it relates to tracking calories. Seems iffy to me. Or, am I mistaken and the HR monitoring only happens when the elevated HR is constant? Can't wait to read reviews.
It says it's constant all day - doesn't say it's accurate. As the method they use isn't, especially so as HR goes higher.
It'll probably be like the other trackers that use the HR just for signs of stress, elevated for long periods with no corresponding movement, ect. Get enough data, maybe something useful can be discerned from it.
Considering the speed/mass/time formula method of calorie burn is more accurate than HRM actually, and that is Polar with probably best in class calorie burn HR based calculations that I doubt greatly they are going to license to Fitbit, I really hope they don't attempt to.
I'm sure they aren't ready to pay for good studies for their own formula.
True that the optical reader does have it's flaws. But when you enter a workout it takes more readings. In the every day more it does it every second or every 5 and then in the work out it's either every second or 5 times a second (to lazy to look it up right now).
And who really cares if the every day is a bit off. It did calculate my resting heart rate within 1 beat of my manual count. After walking around tonight (I'm a 3rd shifter) I did a brisk walk just to get it up a bit and took my pulse and it was only a 2 beats off my manual count. I will be sure to update once I do some more vigorous exercise soon and will be doing manual checks throughout to compare.
But it kind of sounds like you are a polar fan anyways which is no biggy, and I'm not so we will probably never agree on which is better. It really just depends on what you are using it for. I just don't find any of the polar devices to be great for all day and I personally just really hate chest straps. I'm also not a super fit athlete and don't need something that accurate. Just a nudge to make sure I don't tell myself I'm working harder than I am. And I like the integration with myfitnesspal.
Truth be told I really did not need the surge but it looked to sweet to pass up and I do like the smart watch features. Additionally, going into nursing and needing to wear a watch was another huge plus, I don't want to be wearing something on both wrists and it's inconvenient for how many times I need to wash my hands!0 -
Sorry, one more thing for now. I really like that they have different activities programed in to track activities better. I had the bodymedia arm band for a long time and it was not very accurate for anything lower body that wasn't walking or running (like spinning, biking, and even sometime problems on the elliptical). While I have not tried all the modes it does make me hopeful.0
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But it kind of sounds like you are a polar fan anyways which is no biggy, and I'm not so we will probably never agree on which is better. It really just depends on what you are using it for. I just don't find any of the polar devices to be great for all day and I personally just really hate chest straps. I'm also not a super fit athlete and don't need something that accurate. Just a nudge to make sure I don't tell myself I'm working harder than I am. And I like the integration with myfitnesspal.
Actually no, I think they are overpriced and stupid marketing to purposely block features in their firmware just to sell a HRM about $10-20 cheaper.
But I also recognize from researching studies that they have done a lot of their own which are proprietary, and they have funded a lot of others whose results several other companies can use.
But I also recognize how these things work from research and difference between marketing speak and actual science.
And your comment about all day use is exactly one of the points I already see people mis-understanding on the new Fitbits - "my calorie burn will be more accurate with all day HR readings".
Basic flaw that HR under the aerobic exercise zone has very little to do with the calorie burn being done, so wearing any HRM all day is misuse if hoping for better calorie burn estimate, and I know Fitbit won't do that either.
Now that is very interesting they have different activities planned in.
Because that has been the major goal of all the device types, study with BodyMedia device showed up how inaccurate it is outside walking and running slow. But when BM provided new firmware with different formula for biking and fast running, ect, those estimates were very close to measured calorie burn.
So it looks like Fitbit has improved that first, giving ability to select the activity, so the better formula can be applied during that time.
Now that is excellent.
And I think the purpose of the HRM during exercise will indeed be to help folks confirm they aren't doing it too easy. Though the VAM could have been used even better for that now that I think about it, if they'd done the math instantly and displayed it somehow. Hmmmm.....
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I never said that the heart rate was better for all day (but re-reading what I wrote I can see how it can be read that way). I just meant that polar has no device that I would want to wear all day while fitbit does and it's nice that I have 1 device for both all day tracking (steps) and workouts. I used to have the body media arm band but I hated how tight I'd have to wear the strap and that didn't have HR capabilities to I used the strap on the treadmill or elliptical to keep my accountable and not be a baby about it. The polar items are great for intense work outs and long runs but the fitbit helps me through the day with the steps and stairs (which I didn't think the stairs would be a big motivator but it is actually kind of fun to hit the goal) and the work outs to just gauge my activity level. I went for a short walk on a break last night to test out the GPS and it was pretty spot on. I was impressed with how fast it was able to pick up the signal as well (this was literally a 10 minute walk and a short trial). The speed of the signal being picked up was what I found most impressive.
I honestly don't care if it tracks my HR all day but it just kind of cool to see it. I got in a little argument the other night and it was kind of cool to see how high my pulse got just from going back and forth with that person. It would be nice if they gave us the ability to turn certain things off (like the bluetooth) when not needed to preserve the battery.
I always had problems with my BM device if it wasn't walking or running but it was mainly on the elliptical. I assumed it was because I wasn't picking my feet up off the ground for an activity but I could be wrong, I didn't look into it much since I didn't use the elliptical unless it was winter, cold, and the treadmills were in use.
I have no idea what you mean by VAM.0 -
VAM is that Very Active Minute designation, calorie burn of some activity 6 x your resting calorie burn. Shows up on FB Dashboard.
Some people do the elliptical very smooth and using all their leg muscles, much like spinning, but standing all the time. Hard for steps to register then.
Some do it like a stepping machine, so very definite impacts can be seen, sometimes both feet.
But even if both steps seen, formula is for walking, not elliptical.
And that is exactly the type of activity the HRM would be useful for, since there are so many variables available, and no studies giving a decent formula for calorie burn.
I knew you weren't talking about wearing a HRM all day, that's why I referenced what others are already saying, or what they attempted to do with HRM with chest strap.
There are 3 other activity trackers out (at least when I checked about 3-4 months ago) that track HR all day, and I got behind scenes on one of them, and they said the first few months was trying to find something to do with all the HR data from all day gathering, to get something useful out of it. I don't recall all the things they came up with, but sleep quality was one, other stress related HR increases, and after workout recovery time as to fitness level, resting HR in general, and of course as Fitbit will do with HR, guessing some HR zones to workout to.
I dropped BM too after it never showed increased effort in running, and my biggest calorie burn was easy session of chain-sawing a tree down and into logs. I'd already started leaving it off during workouts, since that was only way to allow manually logging a better calorie burn estimate. At least Fitbit makes it easy to replace.0 -
I also got the Surge on limited release. I really like it for everything except sleep-related stuff -- it is awkward to wear at night, and the silent alarm only wakes me up 50% of the time in the morning. If anyone is looking to add friends here or on Fitbit for challenges, let me know.0
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I am hanging on for the Surge, they didn't do do a prerelease in the UK sadly, I'm hoping the early 2015 replies I've seen mean it's coming out for the new year revolutions people make.
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I want to hear how fitbit and myfitnesspal sync with each other and what it does to adjust the calorie target I've set and how easy it is to add exercise (such as an elliptical or weight training) so it is added to MFP automatically. Let me know!0
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I want to hear how fitbit and myfitnesspal sync with each other and what it does to adjust the calorie target I've set and how easy it is to add exercise (such as an elliptical or weight training) so it is added to MFP automatically. Let me know!
Fitbit after a device sync or on regular basis (30 min?, don't recall) syncs over your daily burn up to that point (or estimated if you have Calorie Estimation enabled and haven't synced lately) and your steps.
MFP takes that daily burn to that point, does some math to estimate what the whole day's burn would be, and subtracts it from it's own estimate of daily burn based on BMR, and non-exercise activity level you selected.
The difference is added (or subtracted) from your eating goal. Which was of course based on that non-exercise daily maintenance estimate minus a deficit.
If you manually log a non-step based workout on MFP, that syncs over and replaces whatever calorie burn Fitbit estimated for that time, and then the above takes place.
Except MFP takes the Fitbit burn minus the non-exercise daily maintenance and the exercise it now knows about.
Example.
Your BMR 1600, sedentary selected on MFP, so non-exercise daily burn 2000. 1 lb weekly loss for 500 cal deficit.
2000 - 500 = 1500 eating goal on non-exercise days.
Fitbit is synced at noon, and reports to MFP 1100 calories burned.
MFP sees 12 hrs at 1100, so 24 hrs is 2200 calories for the day.
Fitbit based daily estimate 2200 - 2000 MFP estimate = 200 positive calorie adjustment.
Eating goal 1500 + 200 adj = 1700 eating goal to a 2200 daily burn, so 500 cal deficit still.
That 200 cal increase could have been exercise, or just increased daily activity, or combo.
Now after work you log a 1 hr swimming workout on MFP of 300 cal at 5 pm. That syncs over to Fitbit, and replaces the estimated calorie burn it had, which was nothing but sleeping burn.
Fitbit now reports to MFP at 6pm 1883 calorie burn.
MFP sees 18 hrs at 1883, so 24 looks to be 2511.
Fitbit daily estimate 2511 - 2000 MFP estimate - 300 exercise = 211 positive calorie adjustment.
Eating goal 1500 + 300 + 211 = 2011 eating goal to 2511 daily burn, 500 cal deficit.
As you keep syncing the accuracy keeps getting better too. Obviously the worst case would be syncing right before bed, when you can't do anything about the calorie adjustments and your eating level to keep it reasonable.
How easy to add exercise - either site go in to the exercise database and add an activity. Always note your start and duration time, which is required.
But there is no adding to MFP automatically - especially for non-step based workouts, like lifting where the HR during the workout is useless indicator of calorie burn. Elliptical may be better if you set the activity for that.
But that appears on Fitbit's site, not MFP.
MFP, as shown above, will merely show a calorie adjustment.
If you want your friends to know you worked out - just make a post about it. Check out my profile for example.
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