Fitbit or HRM

Joramaisi3

I have a heart rate monitor with a strap and it tells me how many calories I burn and my heart rate. I’ve been reading a lot about fitbits but don’t like the idea of wearing a Fitbit all day everyday as I love to wear my watches and bracelets.

I just wanted to know the difference and what most recommends and why? Thanks:)

JaydedMiss

for what its worth my fitbit is a gorgeous accessory, not just stuck with the ugly black plastic band.

meleileen

Depending on the model, you can get some cute bands. I have a flex 2 and love it, but haven’t looked into new bands yet, but it’s not huge like some of the more expensive fitbits. I see lots of people with fitbits mixed in with their bracelets....I think it’s neat. Fitbit motivates me to keep moving, plus you can compete with friends who have Fitbit which is cool (I never win lol). Hrm is great for workouts and super accurate, but not for everyday moving, in my opinion. My flex 2 is very basic, but inexpensive. It’s all about preference. Plus, mine keeps track of my sleep (which I had no clue was as bad as it is) and monthly cycle (dreaded count down).

AnnPT77

Not to be too snarky, but:

The Fitbit gives you an estimate of all-day calorie burn based on research studies, formulas, statistical estimates, and some limited input about your personal characteristics (weight, age, stride length, etc.) plus measurement of the device's movements and (for some models) your heart rate.

The HRM gives you an estimate of exercise-time calorie burn based on research studies, formulas, statistical estimates, and some limited input about your personal characteristics (weight, age, max heart rate, etc.) plus measurement of your heart rate.

Either one is still giving you an estimate of calorie burn, not a measurement of it. Either one will need to be validated by experience. Either one will overestimate calories for some people and underestimate them for others, or overestimate calories for some activities and underestimate them for others.

Devices in general tend to be better at estimating calories from statistically more predictable sources like walking, running or steady state cardio, and worse at estimating calories from things like weight training or interval training. Devices that let you indicate the activity you're doing may be somewhat more accurate than devices that don't.

Personally, I don't use a Fitbit because I do almost no step-based activities. I use a HRM mainly for guidance about training intensity, but use its calorie estimates for activity where it's my best source (steady state cardio, or close to it). I use other calorie estimates for activities where HR is an unreliable proxy, like weight training. I use the HRM as an input (but not gospel) for estimating calories when there's another useful but not gospel source (machine, activity-specific online calculator, etc.). I make it a point to use a HRM that lets me input my actual resting and tested max heart rates, because age-based estimates are inaccurate for me.

It's all estimates. Which works best for an individual is going to come down to goals, preferences, and the nature of one's activities.

Joramaisi3

Not snarky at all. Thanks for the feedback.

Ming777

AnnPT77 wrote: »

It's all estimates. Which works best for an individual is going to come down to goals, preferences, and the nature of one's activities.

This is what I wanted to hear! I used this app a few years ago and tried to enter their exercise estimates, but for me they were totally off.
I don’t want to buy or wear any monitors, so I’m just skipping entering my exercise entirely.
I guess the proof is in the pudding: if I loose weight I’m exercising enough.
The thing that’s unsatisfying is that the more food measuring I do, the more it feels like this could actually be a science. Without accurate exercise measurement it can’t be though, right?

AnnPT77

Ming777 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

It's all estimates. Which works best for an individual is going to come down to goals, preferences, and the nature of one's activities.

This is what I wanted to hear! I used this app a few years ago and tried to enter their exercise estimates, but for me they were totally off.
I don’t want to buy or wear any monitors, so I’m just skipping entering my exercise entirely.
I guess the proof is in the pudding: if I loose weight I’m exercising enough.
The thing that’s unsatisfying is that the more food measuring I do, the more it feels like this could actually be a science. Without accurate exercise measurement it can’t be though, right?

If you lose weight, you're in a calorie deficit, via exercise or eating. (If you lose weight too fast, you're eating too little for your exercise.) If you're adequately fit, you're exercising enough.

Food measuring isn't accurate, either: One apple is sweeter than the next, home food scales are imprecise, and that sort of thing, so it's an approximation. We're meticulous to make it as close as the unavoidable errors allow.

Exercise is the same: Estimating it as accurately as we can is the best approximation. Zero calories estimated for exercise is always and inherently incorrect - pretty much the only estimate 100% guaranteed to be incorrect.

And yes, it's science. Keeping the estimates as close as circumstances permit makes it slightly better science.

Treating it more like science is completely optional, but I like it - more fun.

Best wishes!

sijomial

Ming777 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

It's all estimates. Which works best for an individual is going to come down to goals, preferences, and the nature of one's activities.

This is what I wanted to hear! I used this app a few years ago and tried to enter their exercise estimates, but for me they were totally off.
I don’t want to buy or wear any monitors, so I’m just skipping entering my exercise entirely.
I guess the proof is in the pudding: if I loose weight I’m exercising enough.
The thing that’s unsatisfying is that the more food measuring I do, the more it feels like this could actually be a science. Without accurate exercise measurement it can’t be though, right?

@Ming777

The alternative is to chose better ways to estimate your exercise calories rather than using the database here.
Depending on what your exercise actually is the database could be a good choice or an awful choice. For some exercise it can be simple to estimate, it might use some technology but it might not.

There's every chance that all the estimates you are using: BMR, activity multiplier selected, food intake and the exercise estimates (you aren't using) are all inaccurate.

Personally I think it's a mistake to not learn estimate your exercise reasonably (reasonable is good enough), when you get to goal you will have to take it into account because your body does.

swimmchick87

I like that my fitbit encourages me to move more even when I'm not doing dedicated exercise. For example, today was an off day for me for the gym, but I still got 12,000 steps mostly just from marching in place while I was watching TV. Before having the fitbit, I would have just said, "Oh today's a rest day" and been a complete couch potato.

For me it's an easy way to burn some extra calories. I've found that I'm more comfortable eating at least 1400 calories, rather than the 1200 that mfp gives me, and my fitbit helps me "earn" those extra calories without feeling like a big burden. At my job, I also have really active days and then days where I'm mostly sitting around in meetings all day. Fitbit helped me recognize what a big difference those days make and I make sure to walk extra on those days.

If I'm wearing a really nice outfit for a night out or something and don't want the look of the fitbit on my wrist, I put it in my wristlet or pocket if I have one. It still counts steps that way.

I think the trap you just have to avoid is making sure you commit to using the fitbit every day to help you walk more, rather than using it as just a fun tool for when you know you're going to be walking a lot. I know a shocking number of people who purposefully don't wear the fitbit on days they know they're not going to be doing a lot of walking, and will only put it on for days when they know they're going to be active. That pretty much ruins the entire point!

I personally think a HRM might be better for someone who spends tons of time in the gym doing dedicated exercise every day whereas a fitbit makes more sense for someone who just wants to move more. I only spend about 2 hours per week doing dedicated workouts, and they are more strength based. I find I burn out with anything more than that. So the fitbit makes more sense for me- maybe not so much for someone spending 2 hours per day in the gym.

Joramaisi3

Swimm,
Very nicely put. I work from home but I do go to gym at least an hour a day 5-6x a week plus I walk with my kids after dinner and beinf it’s summer we’re walking downtown, zoo, amusement parks, etc. I think working from home I can sit at the computer for hours so maybe a Fitbit would remind me to get up, take a break and move.

I love how you say if your going out you put it in your purse so it still counts your steps. Great idea.