Are accessories worth the purchase?

aBlueCrayon

I've seen watches/bracelets advertised in many places that promise to help keep you motivated by counting and displaying things such as calories burned, distanced traveled, heart rate, as well as to even become synced to your phone.

I have a syncope which acts up when I decide to push myself physically, so I try to keep my workouts in a contained setting by attending the gym. I was drawn to the watch by the option that some of them have to monitor heart rates. I am hoping people will be able to tell me if these watches actually help at all in motivating and/or pushing people? If so or if not, why?

Thank you!

DukeMaxwell

I owned a fitbit bracelet for about a week and then returned it. I work at a desk mostly and don't go running, so my step count is rather low. When I go to the gym I do free weights and machines, which aren't tracked by these gadgets. The heart rate monitor is the only thing that would work for me but only the most expensive ones offer this feature.
Depending on your lifestyle you might be better off if you invest in a good heart rate monitor with a chest strap instead of one of the trackers.

Hope this helps
-Duke

DaveAkeman

I think it really, really depends on your personality. Being an engineer, I am a numbers person, and am motivated by seeing charts and graphs and data, data, data. If this is you, then anything that will help you collect data will likely help you achieve your goal. If, on the other hand, you are motivated by seeing slight changes in the mirror, then you probably don't need the watch.

I do not have a watch; I collect walking and running data with a smartphone I keep in my pocket at all times. I would like to get a watch to add some heart rate data, but I don't think it's necessary.

I have often said, however, that if you want to change something, all you have to do is MEASURE it. To eat better, you don't have to commit to fewer calories; you just have to commit to writing down what you eat. Magically, you will be eating better. The same goes for exercise. All you have to do is wear a pedometer, and you will magically start walking more.

kuranda10

I have a FitBit Charge HR. Is it perfect? Nope. Does it keep me moving? Oh yes it does.

I am in challenges with friends and you'd be surprised how many trips it takes to put away the laundry when you are only 300 steps away from winning. My husband is overseas and he also has one. we know when we've been sitting in front of the computer all day and can "poke" each other.
So, if you are a data type and/or competitve, it may work out for you.

fatjon73

DaveAkeman wrote: »

I think it really, really depends on your personality. Being an engineer, I am a numbers person, and am motivated by seeing charts and graphs and data, data, data. If this is you, then anything that will help you collect data will likely help you achieve your goal. If, on the other hand, you are motivated by seeing slight changes in the mirror, then you probably don't need the watch.

I do not have a watch; I collect walking and running data with a smartphone I keep in my pocket at all times. I would like to get a watch to add some heart rate data, but I don't think it's necessary.

I have often said, however, that if you want to change something, all you have to do is MEASURE it. To eat better, you don't have to commit to fewer calories; you just have to commit to writing down what you eat. Magically, you will be eating better. The same goes for exercise. All you have to do is wear a pedometer, and you will magically start walking more.

This all the way for me.......I too am an Engineer......and the Data is key....it has made me less neurotic about the scales too......I can see what I need in the Fitbit dashboard and other parts....I also have the premium side to Fitbit...for the benchmarking....which is good to see your not as lazy as thought...or maybe you are and it pushes you further.....

There are challenges too......on the phone app only......and they can get you going....wanting to beat people...(especially Yank / Aussies that are always below you on your FL....;).............

I have a charge HR btw......I now have a desk job...recently promoted from shop floor......so now my goal is to keep up with past weeks activity levels....so its making me do extra...outside my normal routine......

kuranda10

HA! You, Mr desk job ... Watch me catch up!

OP, see what I mean about being competitive? I have challenges on many continents ;-)

SezxyStef

I have one, Jawbone up, and work at a desk and get in 8k steps on average before any exercise.

It does track my workouts through an activity timer.

I agree with most of the above....numbers are key and it's fun to beat yourself and have team members to compete with.

mzbek24

It motivated me for a good few months to have a fitbit, but now I don't use it really... I find little point in counting my steps, I have a watch with a hrm for my workouts to help me log more accurately, and that's all I need. I motivate myself, though it is occasionally nice to see large calorie burns etc on it, but that motivated me more when I was larger and first got it. Now, it's just like "Meh that same activity was once burning a few hundred more calories lol"

SezxyStef

mzbek24 wrote: »

It motivated me for a good few months to have a fitbit, but now I don't use it really... I find little point in counting my steps, I have a watch with a hrm for my workouts to help me log more accurately, and that's all I need. I motivate myself, though it is occasionally nice to see large calorie burns etc on it, but that motivated me more when I was larger and first got it. Now, it's just like "Meh that same activity was once burning a few hundred more calories lol"

doesn't fitbit do more than that?

CandiceMcD

I have the Fit Bit Zip which is the cheapest version. Just attach it to my belt. I bought a strap to put it in too, if I need it to. I have a desk job, but joined a group challenge with other ladies from work yesterday and managed 15K steps yesterday. Challenge some coworkers and you will be walking circles around your house.

pedidiva

I like the Aria scale. It enters my weight into MFP. The fitbit is nice. I knew that my job was extremely sedentary, but when I saw how few steps I logged in daily, it was a reality check.

DaveAkeman

pedidiva wrote: »

I like the Aria scale. It enters my weight into MFP. The fitbit is nice. I knew that my job was extremely sedentary, but when I saw how few steps I logged in daily, it was a reality check.

I just got an Aria scale a couple weeks ago. Mostly got it for my wife, but I like the BF measurement, too. I had been doing hydrostatic weighing. The BF measurements seem to be fairly in-line with the hydrostatic weighing, but I haven't done hydrostatic weighing in several weeks, so I can't be certain. I'll find out in a month or so when I go back. (At $40 a pop, you can't do hydrostatic weighing TOO often!) I'm a little disappointed in the measurement repeatability. It's at least as good as any other electronic scale out there. Probably better. But I've been using a mechanical beam balance scale, and repeatability on the Aria isn't as good as that. I've been averaging about a quarter pound a day, and on the beam balance, if I am careful to measure at the same time every day (early morning), I can SEE a quarter pound every day. On bad days I can see less; on good days I can see more. On the Aria, the measurement is not quite as repeatable, and I can't quite see the quarter pound each day, or differentiate between good days and bad days. Except for the beam balance, though, the Aria takes a firm second place in the lineup of all the scales I've ever used.