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Gadgets? Yes/No - Debate

xDesertxRatx
xDesertxRatx Posts: 80 Member
in Debate Club
I see lots of people with wrist bands on or looking at watches or checking pedometers. You get the drift. But are they more of a hindrance than be of any use?

I am from the camp that does not use any gadgets for fitness. Apart from the Garmin (basic one) on my bike for logging rides i do not own or use any gadgets.

Now i am not talking about apps for phones as we already know they can be pretty useful. But the Fitbit craze we have here in the UK for instance. I am not convinced they can be accurate and for me can give you a false idea of your fitness.

So community, what do we think?
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Replies

  • VeganRaptor
    VeganRaptor Posts: 164 Member
    I have a cheapo Mi Band :smile: I use it because it's cheap and gives me a step estimate which helps me be more active (at least in theory)! I've found it has also helped me with my sleep hygiene :)
  • mommarnurse
    mommarnurse Posts: 515 Member
    I have a Garmin watch. One just for running. All I need to know is distance, pace, and calories burned. It does its job :)
  • not_my_first_rodeo
    not_my_first_rodeo Posts: 311 Member
    I'm not sure I see how a Fitbit is any differently than this website or the MFP app where I log my calories or for that matter, a food scale. If anything it's easier since once I got the step adjustment right, it does what it's supposed to do. Whereas here I have to weigh most everything I consume, find the correct entry in the database, etc. I have a Fitbit One. It's usually clipped to my bra. It syncs with an app on my phone. I do check this periodically so that I can see if I need to get in more stairs or steps or whatever, but otherwise, it's not like I'm constantly checking it.

    That's as high tech as it gets for me. I am old enough to remember the little booklets where you would have to look up calories and then constantly do the math. Heaven help you if you had anything that wasn't in those booklets. I am positive you can lose weight without the benefit of MFP and Fitbit, but this is working for me. Not going to change that now.

  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I have a $15 pedometer. I do walk more when I wear it and check it occasionally.
    I don't think a gadget like a fitbit is necessary. If someone likes it and finds it helpful then good for them. It is their money.
    I think they can be accurate enough to help people increase their fitness.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Science says they aren't helpful for weight loss.

    http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2553448
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    xDesertxRatx wrote: »
    I see lots of people with wrist bands on or looking at watches or checking pedometers. You get the drift. But are they more of a hindrance than be of any use?

    I am from the camp that does not use any gadgets for fitness. Apart from the Garmin (basic one) on my bike for logging rides i do not own or use any gadgets.

    Now i am not talking about apps for phones as we already know they can be pretty useful. But the Fitbit craze we have here in the UK for instance. I am not convinced they can be accurate and for me can give you a false idea of your fitness.

    So community, what do we think?

    This isn't really a debate because there are no facts to debate. It's purely a matter of opinion. Some people are motivated by the data, the reminders to get up and move, the goals to try to attain each day, etc. Those same things drive other people crazy and would be detrimental to their efforts.

    My wife tried a Fitbit and hated it. She's not a data person nor is she a gadget person. She doesn't even like using MFP to log/track her calories, she'd rather just keep rough running counts in her head. She's also not an exerciser, so workout tracking is of no use to her whatsoever. They're not a hindrance per se, but for her, gadgets are just useless.

    In contrast, I'm a gadget person and I love numbers/data - the more the better. I've worn an Apple Watch for 14 months and have found it extremely useful. I like the Move, Exercise and Stand goals for each day, they motivate me to get up off my butt almost like having a coach. I also have a Garmin Edge 520 computer on my bike, which I pair with a HRM strap. I have a wi-fi scale which uploads my weight every morning to several different apps/sites for tracking/trend analysis. I find all of them useful and beneficial. OTOH, I've tried several iPhone apps for tracking my weight workouts and have hated every one of them, I prefer to use a spiral notebook and a pen to log/track my lifting.

    ^This.

    If it's not your thing, don't use one.

    If it suits you, have at it.

    I like using one. Do I take it as gospel? Sort of. It's a loose TDEE calculator for me. I allow wiggle room with it, and I've done well allowing some breathing room for there to be a margin of error in both my logging and its accounting for my activity.

    I like being competitive with myself. Having the data my Fitbit gives me allows me to see what I've done and keep improving on it.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited November 2016
    Whats to debate? Are they necessary for weight loss? No.. I predict that devices drive the same people just as crazy as the calorie counting can.. Some use the devices and apps as necessary tools to aid in their efforts, some could care less. Heck some do not even want to weigh their food on a gadget.

    Not techy? not into wearable devices? do not get one.

    I just asked my self if I could train for my next half marathon without one and the answer is yes now I Don't want to though. I need it for various functions, It takes the need for me to walk around with a note book, pen and pencil and even my phone around at all times during times of exercise. It makes training so much easier for me.. I do like to see sleep, step counting, and my running data, etc.. it helps me perform better.
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,787 Member
    I love my Fitbit Zip. It motivates me, it helps me keep a reasonably accurate log of my activity, and it's cute. I don't think gadgets are necessary, but I do think they can be helpful.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    I like my fitbit, but I don't assume the numbers are accurate. I tend to look at trends instead of single instances, so taking 10000 steps in a day translates to a general level of activity not actual steps. If I take 7000 steps the next day I know I've moved less, 12000 and I've moved more. If I look at daily steps over 30 days and I see the line is more or less straight I'm confident I'm maintaining a steady rate of activity. not that I'm actually taking that number of steps.
  • ibboykin
    ibboykin Posts: 97 Member
    I have never joined a gym....I drive by one a few years back.
    I do recognize that activity is healthy, regardless of how mild or extreme and that being sedentary is not healthy.
    I would never gone out and bought any type of pedometer.....however, thru my work we are enrolled in the Humana vitality program and I was able to get a Fitbit Charge HR for free with my vitality bucks. Then I upgraded to a surge.
    I am a competitive person and all the various group and individual challenges keep me up and moving. I no longer just lounge around on weekends and I can tell a difference. In short, it helps keep me motivated to be healthier.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    i like my fitbit one. i joined challenges this year to get me moving more. bit of competition helped
    i never check the calories it says i have burnt.
    but as someone else said, if you dont like them you dont have to have one.
  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
    I bought a Misfit Shine a few years ago, but once it popped out of the band for the final annoying time and was lost for good, I wasn't sad at all (apart from the waste of over $100). That had the cute factor but the accompanying app was dodgy to start with and got worse as they "updated" it.

    Then my lovely husband bought me an Apple Watch for Christmas 2014 and I've worn it just about every day - so that's coming up towards 2 years. I really like the fitness options on there - having immediate feedback on my wrist as to how active I am has been really useful, it does get me up and moving at least once an hour on in-office days and I like being able to look back at the months (and years now!) of coloured circles on my phone to see when I've been most and least active.

    I'm not currently logging my food on MFP, but when I did, I found the Apple Watch syncing worked well almost all the time and the cals were pretty accurate for me - in other words if I logged accurately and "ate back" my exercise cals I could lose weight steadily and pretty easily.

    I agree with just about everyone else though - they are a fun gadget and if you like them, go for it, if not, of course they aren't needed.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    I played some trial and error with mine and found that I need to eat ~100 calories less than its adjustment to lose at my expected rate. Very similar to playing with a TDEE calculator to adjust for your individual TDEE.

    However even if I didn't use it for that, it still encourages me to be more active. Why would that be a bad thing?

    Where people go wrong is if they assume it's 100% accurate for everyone and don't make adjustments to make it accurate for them. Or they still don't pay attention to their food and expect to lose weight because they're walking more (they might, but also might not).

    It's a tool. If you're going to use it effectively, you need to understand it's limitations.
  • llbrixon
    llbrixon Posts: 964 Member
    I debated a long time whether to get a Fitbit.... I kept putting it off and researching more. That has been over 9 months or so. I still have not bought one. I love gadgets.... don't get me wrong.

    I am already using "Map my Walk," for my cell, and this app works great......why do I need something else that will do the same thing?
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    The one thing I've noticed is people getting too "dependent" and freaking out if their Fitbit doesn't jibe with MFP or some such thing. If having a Fitbit motivates someone, that's awesome. I use my smart phone with Map My Hike to keep track of my distance, elevation gained, and calories burned realizing that those numbers aren't precise. S Health gives me steps throughout the day, when I remember to have my phone with me. I even use a ski app that tells me how many runs I've skied in a day along with vertical feet and an estimate of calories burned. Fun stuff, but not necessary for my fitness. Getting my a** moving is what works for me.
  • Grammytryingtogetfit
    Grammytryingtogetfit Posts: 672 Member
    I have had my vivoactive hr for a little over a week and I LOVE it!!! I have seen a lot of differences in the machines at the gym, map my fitness and this. I know nothing is perfect, but feel this one is the one for me. I like that I can track and see reports with it. It actually keeps me moving and pushing forward.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    I have an optical sensor HR wristband that I like, when I can get it to work properly (sweat screws up the sensors, so it's a no-go in the heat). It helped me determine my ballpark max HR - hard to count beats while sprinting.

    I don't really use it for training, more for seeing progress over the long term. Seeing my HR come down on the same run, similar pace after X months (and taking temperature into account) is nice. I will sometimes use it to verify that I'm starting to work too hard, though feeling like I'm starting to breathe faster is usually plenty of indication.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    xDesertxRatx wrote: »
    I see lots of people with wrist bands on or looking at watches or checking pedometers. You get the drift. But are they more of a hindrance than be of any use?

    I am from the camp that does not use any gadgets for fitness. Apart from the Garmin (basic one) on my bike for logging rides i do not own or use any gadgets.

    Now i am not talking about apps for phones as we already know they can be pretty useful. But the Fitbit craze we have here in the UK for instance. I am not convinced they can be accurate and for me can give you a false idea of your fitness.

    So community, what do we think?

    Your Garmin (I'm guessing it's an Edge unit) is a gadget!

    You're a cyclist, so it's a type of gadget that's relevant to you as a cyclist. In the same way that a Vivifit or Fitbit is relevant to someone who's a walker. Or a map and compass are relevant to a hiker.

    You realize that your Garmin isn't perfectly accurate, right? But it's good enough for all practical purposes.

    How are they a hindrance, and to such a degree that they're rendered useless?
  • xDesertxRatx
    xDesertxRatx Posts: 80 Member
    @NorthCascades

    Yes it is a Edge (£50 from Aldi) and is a gadget. But it's not for fitness as such and just logs my routes or distances like a SatNav would. Didn't say i didn't like gadgets, just don't see the need in fitness ones. I am a PC gamer so trust me i have gadgets galore.

    I am a hiker as well. Was a ML in the army and still do the Brecons, 3 peaks etc. But..big but..i use map and compass only..nothing else. My routes are logged in my record which i always kept as did my course in 1984.

    The Garmin is actually very accurate when checked on the route to work which i cycle in the summer and drive in winter and SatNav says same distance.

    The hinderance part i refer to is for some and talking about my ex here..they were her life and the tantrums when she couldn't find it or left it somewhre was unbelievable. It detracted from what she was trying to achieve..that's what i meant by that comment.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited November 2016
    xDesertxRatx wrote: »
    I see lots of people with wrist bands on or looking at watches or checking pedometers. You get the drift. But are they more of a hindrance than be of any use?

    I am from the camp that does not use any gadgets for fitness. Apart from the Garmin (basic one) on my bike for logging rides i do not own or use any gadgets.

    Now i am not talking about apps for phones as we already know they can be pretty useful. But the Fitbit craze we have here in the UK for instance. I am not convinced they can be accurate and for me can give you a false idea of your fitness.

    So community, what do we think?

    Well...that's a gadget. I use gadgets that are applicable to me and I would include apps like strava that I use to log my rides and set goals, etc...I would also include my HRM...I can't really afford a power meter, nor am I that serious about things to save up for one, so I use my HRM for training purposes.

    For some people, a Fitbit (which is just a fancy pants pedometer) can be a valuable tool to show how active or inactive they may be...a lot of people actually have a great deal of difficult estimating their activity level; a lot of people underestimate their activity and a lot of people underestimate their activity...I think it can also help some people get motivated to move more when they have something attached to them that basically says you haven't done crap all day. I think they are fairly accurate for just general activity...walking and doing your daily...not so much for more vigorous exercise. For me personally, this particular gadget would be a waste of money.
  • xDesertxRatx
    xDesertxRatx Posts: 80 Member
    @cwolfman13 Please read what i put..It's not for logging fitness. It's useful for me to no how long it takes to get to places so i can guage what time to leave the house. That's about all it gets used for. I don't even sync it with Garmin connect. When i go swimming i use the clock to see how long it's taken to do 100 lengths so guess that's a gadget as well...lol.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited November 2016
    xDesertxRatx wrote: »
    @cwolfman13 Please read what i put..It's not for logging fitness. It's useful for me to no how long it takes to get to places so i can guage what time to leave the house. That's about all it gets used for. I don't even sync it with Garmin connect. When i go swimming i use the clock to see how long it's taken to do 100 lengths so guess that's a gadget as well...lol.

    So you're just using it in a different manner...I would presume most cyclists would use their garmin to monitor fitness and I don't think that's strange or anything...seem kind of like a waste of a good gadget to just monitor how long it takes you to get from A to B...a cheap watch can do that.

    Personally I don't look at a Fitbit or pedometer for monitoring fitness...it's for monitoring general activity...like I said, it would be a waste for me...but for people who are otherwise sedentary it might get them moving more.

    Also, I'm not super serious trying to podium or anything, but I do participate in numerous cycling events throughout the year and "gadgets" like my strava app and my HRM help me train better so that I'm prepared for said events...so I guess I don't see that as a "craze" or anything.
    The hinderance part i refer to is for some and talking about my ex here..they were her life and the tantrums when she couldn't find it or left it somewhre was unbelievable. It detracted from what she was trying to achieve..that's what i meant by that comment.

    And I guess I don't get this...I don't think this has so much to do with the gadget as it does some kind of behavioral, possible OCD issue. I misplace my HRM a couple times...I still went out and did my ride...
  • xDesertxRatx
    xDesertxRatx Posts: 80 Member
    [quote="cwolfman13;38120088"

    Also, I'm not super serious trying to podium or anything, but I do participate in numerous cycling events throughout the year and "gadgets" like my strava app and my HRM help me train better so that I'm prepared for said events...so I guess I don't see that as a "craze" or anything.
    .[/quote]

    I did the Great Weston Ride last year. 54 miles. I programmed the route on that one and put details on Strava as the event organisers were asking us if we could send them some data. Call me a hypocrit but i thought it would be nice to help them out..lol

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