Fitness Trackers. Are they worth the hype?

EvgeniZyntx

TR0berts wrote: »

jhall260 wrote: »

TR0berts wrote: »

There is no possible way for a fitness tracker to accurately calculate how much work you've done (which is equivalent to how much energy you've expended) over the course of a day (or any time period). As such, I find them to be not worth the expense.

Why not? When it's measuring your HR and activity levels it can be pretty close.

I have a Fitbit Charge HR and I love it. I compared it to my chest HR monitor for both runs and spin class and they were within 5% of each other. Close enough.

It measures my activity level through out the day, if I'm up and moving around more it gives me more calories, if I'm a lazy bum it takes them away.

I don't have a problem with it not accurately counting steps. It does not do it when I am driving, typing or stuff of that nature.

I have also calibrated it to my stride lengths.

It can measure non step based activities fine, it records my spin sessions or bike trainer sessions just fine.

I love it, looking at the HR data especially if I am doing interval work is very interesting. It is also a lot more comfortable then a chest HR monitor.

It's because your heart rate doesn't equate to how much work you're doing. There are only loose correlations between the two. The more your body adapts to something, the lower your heart rate will be when you do it. That's a big part of why they are useless during strength training. First time you squat 225 lbs? Your heartrate will likely be through the roof. After several times of squatting more than 225? Your heart rate won't rise nearly as much. Yet it still took the same amount of energy (Calories) to lift the same amount of weight.

Yes and no.

Correct in stating loosely correlated.

The major reason they aren't useful during weight training is not HR adaptation it's that HR doesn't correspond to oxygen use due exercise. Any properly executed squat/press will induce ITC pressure changes that affect HR directly and have little to do with O2 consumption.

Also neuromuscular adaptation during training reduces the amount of calories used for the same amount of work. It takes the same amount of work and mechanical energy to move a weight but not the same amount of calories. Metabolic calories do not correspond 1:1 to energy calorie units in that the body is not a constantly efficient mechanical system. For example thermal efficiency (amount of energy lost to heat) varies over effort and training.

Back to the OPs question on fitness trackers: Are they worth it?

Depends on expectations. If you are looking for a device that will give you a perfect evaluation of the calorie consumed during the day - no, they are not accurate.

Are they sufficiently accurate to give you some level of adjustment to your MFP activity and allow for modifications to your calorie consumed? Apparently, yes.

Are they a good indicator of activity level and have they demonstrated success in getting people to be more motivated to move more? Yes.

It really depends how you use them. My friends and I do weekly challenges with the fitbit. When I particiapte I certainly double the amount of activity that I carry out versus when I don't.

It's a reasonable habit forming or supporting tool in that sense. Is it worth $100 to me? Heck yeah - I've given 5-6 to people. My 70+ father has been using one without a failed day and actively walks every day for 7000 steps for over 4 years.
It's helped him tremendously. Worthy investment.

On the other hand, the one I gave my brother is lost or sitting in a drawer.

They are incredibly successful because they provide a simple constant reminder to be more active. If you use them for that, great.

My own testing found my fitbit to be close to what I consider to be me TDEE. So I'm also ok with the actual burn calcs.

If you are very active already and don't need a numerical motivator to keep you going get, they are probably useless.

Sued0nim

Heart rate does not equal calorie burn

pinkiezoom

I have the jawbone UP, i only paid £40.00 for it, and i must admit it keeps me motivated. The steps seem pretty accurate, and typing/drying my hair etc def doesnt add any steps, as i have mine set to vibrate every 30 mins if i have not moved, i have an office job, so means i get up and walk around the block, not much, but more than i was doing. As for cals burned, i dont know how accurate it is, but i dont eat my cals back, so its more just an interesting stat thing for me. The sleep thing, again not sure how accurate it is, but i just like the data in general. It hooks up to MFP which is handy so no need to log food twice etc. I wish it had a HRM built in, but as i didnt want to pay too much in case it added no value to my weight loss, i guess i cant have everything lol.
I like mine, it def makes me more aware of how lazy i am being

kportwood85

I had the Fitbit One when I started trying to lose weight. It definitely motivated me to move more, and opened my eyes to how little I actually walked. I still have the one, but a recently discovered medical condition means my doctor told me not to work out. I asked why, and he said I shouldn't get my heart rate too high. So, I got the Charge HR, and now I keep working out, I just keep on eye on my HR and take breaks a bit more often. Plus, same condition means I drop things a lot, I like that my HR has caller ID and I don't have to rush to see who is calling.

I don't think they are perfect, I just like the general info, and like someone else said, the trends over time. I liked watching my average step count slowly climb over the last couple years from about 3,000 a day to about 11,000 a day. I don't eat back all my exercise calories. Worth it? For me, definitely. IMO, paying X amount to have the motivation to lose 40 pounds was worth it. Plus, I like competing against myself. I took an 8 hr road trip last week, and when I got to the hotel, I took laps around the room just to make sure I got that extra 1,000 steps. For others? Maybe so, maybe not. Depends on what you want to use it for. I know I could have chosen to move more, but, 3 years ago I would have SWORN to you I never sat still. Now I know that I was wrong, and my house is tiny so walking from one room to the next doesn't actually count for much.

husseycd

randomtai wrote: »

evileen99 wrote: »

TR0berts wrote: »

There is no possible way for a fitness tracker to accurately calculate how much work you've done (which is equivalent to how much energy you've expended) over the course of a day (or any time period). As such, I find them to be not worth the expense.

I have a BodyMedia Fit (which, sadly, is no longer made since the company was bought by Jawbone) and it looks at sweat production, heat production, and heat flux along with an accelerometer. It was shown in clinical studies to be within 5% of body box measurements, which is the gold standard for metabolic studies.

This for me too... I love my BodyMedia FIT and I hope the UP3 will be just as accurate.

I also love my BodyMedia, but hate wearing it. My work recently gave us a Vivofit and I bought a heart rate monitor to compliment it. I find the Vivofit pretty worthless. I used the BodyMedia for many months to get a good baseline of what I burn and have always based my calories on those numbers, so I'm pretty confident with their accuracy. Maybe it's the type of exercise I do, but the Vivofit is always about 200-300 calories less than the BodyMedia and it's sleep tracking is worthless.

I'm a gadget girl and love numbers, so I do like fitness trackers. I'm hoping the UP3 is as good as the BodyMedia. A friend has a Microsoft Band, and loves it, but those pretty much sold out right away or I'd consider it.

I will say, I do love the watch function of the Vivofit, and that it can sync with a heart rate monitor (not that they do me much good), but that's about it.

jessicaerickson1

Studies prove the Fitbit is the most inaccurate fitness band giving people many more steps than they take. Your iPhone is probably more accurate.

JenniferInCt wrote: »

Ive had my Fitbit Charge HR for a couple weeks or so. I was debating even getting one but now i cant imagine not having it! My Iphones health app was decent, but i never realized how off the steps would be. I used to get like 8,000 steps a day and think how the heck do people do 10,000? With my Fitbit, i can see now that i take 12,000-16,000! Such a difference! As far as accuracy, it matches my treadmill EXACTLY in calories and heart rate, slightly off in distance (although we all know the treadmills probably not the most accurate anyways). My step count seems exact when i try to test it. Never gives false steps for driving, shoveling, etc. When i measure my heart rate myself (counting radial pulse), its pretty darn accurate. I enjoy the sleep function, but its really not necessary. Lol but i am obsessed with checking how i slept amd tracking hours.

If you want one, get it! If not, dont. Im the type of person who loves any tool i can add to my diet/exercise lifestyle, as it helps keep me motivated. I assume the calories are probably overrated, so i just never eat more than 1/2 back from fitbits step adjustment, sometimes even none. Its a great motivator!

evileen99

husseycd wrote: »

randomtai wrote: »

evileen99 wrote: »

TR0berts wrote: »

There is no possible way for a fitness tracker to accurately calculate how much work you've done (which is equivalent to how much energy you've expended) over the course of a day (or any time period). As such, I find them to be not worth the expense.

I have a BodyMedia Fit (which, sadly, is no longer made since the company was bought by Jawbone) and it looks at sweat production, heat production, and heat flux along with an accelerometer. It was shown in clinical studies to be within 5% of body box measurements, which is the gold standard for metabolic studies.

This for me too... I love my BodyMedia FIT and I hope the UP3 will be just as accurate.

I also love my BodyMedia, but hate wearing it.

I'm assuming by your profile pic that you're a woman....you can put the Fit on your side, over a rib, under your bra band and it will still work. I think it underestimates the calories a little bit, but that's okay with me.