Fitness Trackers: How do you use the data? Favorite features / settings?

youdoyou2016

I recently purchased a refurbished Garmin Viviosmart HR. Works fine, but no instructions or info included in the package. Basically, I just charged it, put it on, and scroll through the screens every so often.

I was just going to start digging around to understand the basic set up for it -- the underlying premise, if you will -- when I thought I'd ask about this here, too. For example, I have a calorie goal; the watch tells me that so far this morning (6:30 AM), I've burned 407 calories; the app says I've burned 31 active calories and have 1230 calories remaining (haven't eaten yet).

Specifically, what is the formula it's using to get this information?

More generally, how do you use your trackers? What data do you use / settings to you appreciate? How does it help you in your goals? What is it good for, in your experience?

I know I'm asking specifically about the Garmin, but my guess is that these trackers all work essentially the same. (Obviously, I could be wrong here ... but I'm assuming we have the ability to track the same information more or less. It's how to use it that interests me.)

(I'm still losing weight but close to maintenance, if that matters.)

Machka9

The only fitness tracker like thing I use is Strava, and the most important features are distance and elevation.

FreyasRebirth

I have the same. I'm not sure of the formula but it uses your height, weight, age, activity levels, ect to get a calorie burn estimate. I don't think mine really matches MFP but I've been using it to import my steps and let MFP adjust my calorie goal. I really want to get into the habit of getting my 150 intensity minutes per week for the heart health benefits. I love getting the feedback that I'm actually *doing* something. Maybe if I use it long enough I can see trends in my resting heart rate.

Tacklewasher

Do you have a Garmin Connect account? It allows for easier set up and putting in your personal info.

https://connect.garmin.com

youdoyou2016

Tacklewasher wrote: »

Do you have a Garmin Connect account? It allows for easier set up and putting in your personal info.

https://connect.garmin.com

Yes, I do have the account. I use another, different Garmin for running.

Was just wondering how people use all the data it provides. So far, I see flights of steps climbed, number of steps taken, etc. I don't really care about all that, actually.

Why have it keep track of you heart rate ALL DAY, for example? What does that information provide someone over time?

Maybe "maintenance" is not the right place to ask the question, but I thought I've read previously about people figuring out maintenance calories based on this data ... and all sorts of other stuff.

powered85

I have a Fenix3 and mostly track calories and steps but come race season I'll be really tracking heart rate and times during runs. (I don't have the built in hrm model).

I actually have calorie adjustments to MFP outside recorded exercises turned off. Garmin uses a different BMR formula than MFP so I find its most accurate to just send over things like brisk walking and running calories so i know days i need to eat more as a result of those activities.

Slade366

All day heart rate is a fantastic measure of your cardiovascular health. When I first bought the watch in August my average resting heart rate was 60. After intense cardio training since then, my resting heart rate is now at about 45, and my improvements in stamina show.

l911jnt

I just bought the same one and have had it a week. Honestly, I wonder how much of it is accurate because I have a hard time believing that I burn as many calories as it says I do. Its not outrageous or anything but seems a little high when I use the "walking" setting. I like the tracker but if its not accurate it defeats the purpose of having it for me. I know the step counter is off because it picks up some steps while I am driving and I know the stair step counter is off too. Just makes me wonder how accurate the rest of it is. Drives me crazy.

mavisjones58

I have a Fitbit Blaze. I started out with a Fitbit Flex which stopped charging but I was ready to up grade anyway just because I'm a gadgets kind of gal. Granted I've not used all of the bells and whistles of the the Blaze but my favorite features as compared to the Flex are 1) it has a watch. I had quit wearing a watch but was finding myself really needing a watch, again. 2) the reminders to get up and move 3) the timer / stopwatch feature, which comes in handy for my job. I'm a chemist and often need to time experiments. Now I don't have to wonder all over the lab looking for a timer. 4) I also like the heart rate feature. When compared to my blood pressure monitor, I've found the heart rate feature to be very accurate.

30kgin2017

I have a fitbit surge. I wanted it because I wanted the non-connected GPS. I had planned to buy headphone with internal memory. In reality they took way longer to come out (I was eyeing the Bragi ones) and by the time they did I had other things I needed to spend my money on.

I have no idea if the calorie burn is right, when I did track calories I also had an underactive thyroid. I havent returned to cal counting since being on medication (it took 18mths to get to a normal range).

I like the HR monitor. I can see that medication has an effect on my HR, both resting and during exercise is higher and I can actually push myself harder where as before If i did I ran out of puff really quickly.

I've been slowing working towards increasing my step count. So I use that feature to look back on and compare.

Active minutes I dont use as much as I used to. I only record cardio activity and ignore weightlifting. It sometimes picks up my weekly shopping as cycling.

LOVE the alarm! Use this daily and its great if you dont want to wake your partner when you get up.

Tacklewasher

I have a VivoActive HR.

I do mostly cardio so I use it to give me a rough guide as to my calorie burn. I also have a polar chest strap and the two are very close when on the treadmill. I only use the strap so I can easily watch my HR while jogging, I don't have it linked.

But I can do a lot more with mine than with the VSHR (had one, wife now uses it just as a step tracker). I can track activities (without it doubling counting calories), it has built in GPS for better distance accuracy outside and I can download golf courses to it (have not used it yet as I got it after golf season here).

I ignore the stairs and set my goal at 0. I don't have enough in my world to do any meaningful # of stairs. The intensity minutes are kind of all over the place for me. I can mark where I parked my truck with it.

NorthCascades

youdoyou2016 wrote: »

More generally, how do you use your trackers? What data do you use / settings to you appreciate? How does it help you in your goals? What is it good for, in your experience?

Here's something I just started to appreciate - it tracks stride length when I ski. I'm using my own muscle power, no lift or anything. I'll push off against the snow, and, the better my strength and technique and gear are, the farther I'll glide. I just figured out how to record this for skiing, and I wish I'd had that data when I bought my skis. I compared them based on how I felt, but this would have been helpful too.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1583992367

Another thing I like about mine is that it automatically tracks the highest 20 minute average power output every time I ride my bike, and lets me know when I've improved in this regard. When it tells me I have, I go and update my FTP to 95 % of whatever number it gave me. Much easier and less disruptive than having to do manual testing regularly.

Also, the "map" view. I skied the Mountain Loop yesterday, I forgot to load waypoints, and it was bothering me not to have them.

Really like having a barometric altimeter. Besides it being more accurate than GPS, it's great for predicting short-term weather changes outside of cell coverage.

I thought the "smart notifications" (getting texts and stuff on your wrist) would be a gimmick, but it turns out this is really useful.

mrsd1969

So I have a Fitbit HR, I wear it all the time and have linked it to MFP. This means my food diary is transferred and it works out my CICO. I used it to lose weight and set it at a 1000 calories deficit which meant I lost 2lbs per week... and I did. After losing 50lbs I set to maintenance but found with no cal deficit I was gaining slowly. So I now set to a 250 deficit.
I use it to track my exercise classes and to understand my calorific burn.
After watching my heart rate for a year I can also tell when I am coming down with the a cold or a sickness bug a few days before I get it as my heart rate rises dramatically.
Love it and wouldn't be without it now.

runboettcherrun

youdoyou2016 wrote: »

I recently purchased a refurbished Garmin Viviosmart HR. Works fine, but no instructions or info included in the package. Basically, I just charged it, put it on, and scroll through the screens every so often.

I was just going to start digging around to understand the basic set up for it -- the underlying premise, if you will -- when I thought I'd ask about this here, too. For example, I have a calorie goal; the watch tells me that so far this morning (6:30 AM), I've burned 407 calories; the app says I've burned 31 active calories and have 1230 calories remaining (haven't eaten yet).

Specifically, what is the formula it's using to get this information?

More generally, how do you use your trackers? What data do you use / settings to you appreciate? How does it help you in your goals? What is it good for, in your experience?

I know I'm asking specifically about the Garmin, but my guess is that these trackers all work essentially the same. (Obviously, I could be wrong here ... but I'm assuming we have the ability to track the same information more or less. It's how to use it that interests me.)

(I'm still losing weight but close to maintenance, if that matters.)

I have a Garmin Viovit 3rd generation and i love it! I love knowing how many steps i have achieved...it pushes me to keep walking and reach my goals. But that is all i use it for. and the fact that it is a watch too.

2Luverly

LikeTacklewasher above - I have a Garmin Vivoactive HR. I got it just after Christmas and I LOOOOOOOVE IT.

I use the step counter (seems extremely accurate), and use the Walking and Indoor Walking activity functions thus far. I like that it has a GPS and takes note of changes in elevation while I complete an activity. I like watching my pace and track improvements with timing per "laps" day over day or week over week.

Mainly, I keep track of my HR reads when I exercise...and look for any improvements in my resting HR as I get more fit. I have set my intensity minutes to equal 300 minutes for the week but tend to double that. I started stair climbing last week so the little data field for that keeps me motivated. I like the "move" function as well as it's a great reminder that i've sat on my *kitten* too long and I need to get up and move around a bit.

I intend on using my VAHR in the pool come summer to track laps/distance etc. Everything that can motivate me is what i need to keep going. I want to push myself just a little more than I did yesterday or last week and my VAHR has done this for me.

Nikion901

I just read somewhere else that one issue with activity trackers that read your heart rate is that it could identify an increased heart rate from something like being stressed out for exercise.

Tacklewasher

Nikion901 wrote: »

I just read somewhere else that one issue with activity trackers that read your heart rate is that it could identify an increased heart rate from something like being stressed out for exercise.

I was on a bumpy flight when my watch buzzed to say I had met my intensity minutes goal. Just happens sometime.

NorthCascades

Nikion901 wrote: »

I just read somewhere else that one issue with activity trackers that read your heart rate is that it could identify an increased heart rate from something like being stressed out for exercise.

That's not really an issue with activity trackers, it's an issue with the concept that your heart rate is (only) a fitness thing. Running will raise your heart rate, but so will caffeine. The problem isn't that these devices report an elevated heart rate, they should, if it's the truth. The problem is assuming what your heart rate means.

youdoyou2016

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I guess one thing I can start doing with the data is seeing the calories burned info (say the average per week) and the average calories in per week and the impact on weight (loss).

One weird thing I've noticed yesterday and today is that it's giving me credit for climbing stairs when I have barely been out of my living room. Barely off the couch, in fact. It also says I've achieved my intense activity goals after a long drive. (I wonder why it's doing the stairs thing?)

Does anyone know what your heart rate has to be for the device to consider it a "high intensity" activity?

NorthCascades

If your device uses a barometric altimeter to do its "stairs" feature, those can be fooled by changes in air pressure, which are usually associated with changing weather patterns. My "stairs" go crazy every time there's a winter storm.

youdoyou2016

NorthCascades wrote: »

If your device uses a barometric altimeter to do its "stairs" feature, those can be fooled by changes in air pressure, which are usually associated with changing weather patterns. My "stairs" go crazy every time there's a winter storm.

Oh, interesting. Thanks for this. It is unusually warm today -- should be in the 20's / 30's and it's close to 60. So maybe that's it.

ercarroll311

I use my Fitbit Charge HR2, previously had the Charge HR. I don't really need encouragement for steps, as a lot of people do who use it. I actually really like seeing calories burnt. I decided to very closely and accurately track my calories, weight fluctuation, and Fitbit readings for MONTHS (like, 6), to see how accurate this number was for when I transitioned to maintenance. I found it to be about 90% accurate (for me--everyone is different), which really helped me set a goal for maintenance calories. I stick to being about 10% under what it says I burn, and so far have been maintaining since October using this. It also helps encourage me to be more active, not in steps, but in a multitude of ways, to get my heart rate up. As others have mentioned, I like knowing how my resting heart rate changes. It also logs sleep, not sure which other trackers do that, but it's nice because it's such an important part of health that is outside the calorie world. I typically know if I haven't slept enough, but seeing it there encourages me to get to bed a little earlier the next night.

StaciMarie1974

Assuming it is like my Fitbit... I enter my stats into Fitbit, and thus it knows my BMR.

Your device uses one of two methods (probably) to determine calories for the day. a) it may look at past average total daily burn and assume today will be similar. Or b ) it may use activity/movement to determine what you've burned so far and then assume just BMR or RMR for the rest of the day. If a then there will be slight adjustments to your calorie goal if you are more or less active than usual. For b, your calorie goal will increase steadily thru the day as you move/burn calories.

_piaffe

I love my Charge HR. I spin a lot (8 classes a week on average). I track a specific "start" and "finish" moment and compare my performance. It keeps me honest - I know when I took it too easy. I've also become quite expert at predicted my avg HR in a class and avg total burn.

I know these numbers are not necessarily accurate. For me, the value is in comparing relative performance. I also have my fitbit settings underestimating performance generally (I tell it I'm older and shorter than I am).