How reliant have you become on fitness tech?

jls1leather9497

HINT: If you are responding to this thread from a treadmill or a gym, you are more dependent than you.wanted to admit. 🤔

Phirrgus

tbright1965 wrote: »

Phirrgus wrote: »

jls1leather9497 wrote: »

Phirrgus wrote: »

Home gym homie lol. For exactly the reason you state. I hate waiting, oh and I'm not giving my bank account info to get a membership. That's a thing around here now. Nope.

Yup, that data collection stuff is out of control. My sons hair cutting place was full one day so I called some others
Found one that claimed they took 'walk ins' AND had an opening right now. So I said we be there in 10. AFTER we got there the girl is right there, the empty chair is right there, but they wanted name, address, and phone # "for the computer".
Uh... no, you dont need ANY of that to cut the boys hair. When they saw we REALLY ARE going to leave, some other gal ran.over, said she'd do it. She got a nice tip too ... but not a phone number.

Oh it's ridiculous. I bought a pair of shoes the other day and the cashier all but argued for a phone number to plug in. Not going to happen lol.

867-5309

I like that song lol

ritzvin

Tacklewasher wrote: »

Steff46 wrote: »

I have it set for the 4 minute run and 1 minute walk. Sometimes it turns into a 5 minute walk

I found out you can set it for a lot more than the simple run/walk program with a downloadable .fit file.

http://8020endurance.com/8020-workout-library/

I actually have the old obsoleted Garmin software on my computer, because they overly simplified the workout creator on the web-based software. The interval repeats can be programmed not just for a certain number of times, but to loop to a total distance or time (which is something I often use, partially in case I accidentally hit the lap button) - the connect website doesn't have that option, but the watches support it and the old software has it.

ritzvin

I hate street running without music, so my phone (Pandora or Spotify) is always with me (along with my training watch).

Also-
Definitely have to put in the + category: Not crashing because Garmin cued you to the sharp right turn coming up at the bottom of the hill in a large group of riders.

heybales

ritzvin wrote: »

Tacklewasher wrote: »

Steff46 wrote: »

I have it set for the 4 minute run and 1 minute walk. Sometimes it turns into a 5 minute walk

I found out you can set it for a lot more than the simple run/walk program with a downloadable .fit file.

http://8020endurance.com/8020-workout-library/

I actually have the old obsoleted Garmin software on my computer, because they overly simplified the workout creator on the web-based software. The interval repeats can be programmed not just for a certain number of times, but to loop to a total distance or time (which is something I often use, partially in case I accidentally hit the lap button) - the connect website doesn't have that option, but the watches support it and the old software has it.

I've used the Sportstrack software with the Garmin plugin to do the same thing, get all those options.
Though I do think the old Garmin program still allowed a few additional things.

But mine kept getting into a fit and not connecting to the device, with the required response to hard-reset it. Uh no, not with all the tweaked settings.

CharlieCharlie007

I need my phone. I use it to track my workouts using ''REP COUNT'' the timer for rest period, spotify for music, Netflix for cardio,and all the other stuff. Do not use it to track calories. I do what I do.

clicketykeys

heybales wrote: »

clicketykeys wrote: »

My "smartwatch" has a stopwatch function and counts steps, and that's it. It'll estimate distance based on number of steps, but I've noticed that a "mile" can be anything from 1750 to 2200 steps. I'm curious how it figures that. It does seem to be pretty consistent when I've compared it to the readout on a treadmill.

The park near my house claims that 3 times around its perimeter is one mile, but my stepcounter claims that it takes nearly 4 laps to get to a mile. I'm not sure which to believe!

If it's like the activity trackers (and the chipset that is cheap and used has this as built in function), it's using accelerometer to read impact and hang time of each step, compared to a set stride length and mass - to calculate what that step distance must have been.

Thanks, that's super helpful! I've been curious about it for some time.

To your park path - got hills?

Because that will foul up the estimate - it sees shorter stride and lighter impact going up hill and figures less distance. Even though down could balance it out - different inclines can make it not match too.
Try walking the other direction and see.

If there's an "uphill," it's VERY mild.

Treadmills need to be calibrated - I've never found a gym that said they did it at required intervals, maybe when a belt got replaced, but even then sometimes not. So comparison to treadmill isn't as good as say a school track of known distance, if you figure out which marks to use for say a mile on a metric track.

True, but I've been to different locations and gotten consistent results. I may have to try out the track, though, and see what results I get!

anthocyanina

I'm addicted to all the data my Garmin gives, however I would certainly still exercise without it.

heybales

Well, it could also be that when the device is adjusting for each step, calculating it's distance, it's ability to remain accurate within the range falls off near the edges of the range.

Meaning, you'd hopefully have the stride length set for the midpoint pace for the majority of the day (maybe 1.5 to 1.8 mph) - not the grocery store shuffle stride, not the serious exercise stride.

That way the vast majority of the day has best chance of best accuracy - and it may lose accuracy a bit the further you move away from that mid-point pace, like at grocery store or when walking the path. But the % wrong and the small amount of time in the scheme of a day isn't any big deal. (unless trying to get accurate distance at exercise pace)

Now - does it actually have a setting for stride length for you to change?
All the trackers have a stride length, most start with a default based on gender and height - and most allow you to change it, even if you can't view what it is currently.
But some don't allow you to change it.

So when you do a track walk - attempt that slow pace that will seem awkward probably, and see how the distance compares then.

The treadmill being right for comparison to path could be difference between treadmill walking and outdoor too.

scarlett_k

I wear a Garmin watch because I enjoy looking at the graphs and getting a green tick when I surpass my goals. Also useful to have a watch instead of having to bring my phone with me on every walk.

thelandkraken

I find that the technology I have has really helped me in getting active and sticking with the gym. I have a wearable (a garmin) and it's definitely helped me see how much I'm moving and be motivated to move more. But much more important (from my perspective) is the waterproof mp3 player I own. I have severe mental health difficulties and the noise/bustle of the gym or pool can be really overwhelming and frightening to me. Having my own music while I swim or work out helps to "isolate" me in my own little bubble, making it much more bearable. I know I'm an outlier there, but I really do owe my tech a lot.

fishgutzy

I swim a lot. The number one excuse I hear from others for not trying push themselves in swimming is that they'd get bored.
When I swim, the only tech I have is my Garmin. No music player. Just the meditation of counting strokes.
They only time my phone isn't in a locker when I'm exercising is when I'm making my own spin class. I have a 60 minute spin playlist.

Get unplugged. Life is good. Think of the workout as a form of meditation, time to decompress from the constant stimulus of the day.

Djproulx

When I'm in a long training build before races, I am extremely data driven. My garmin watch, HRM and power meter tracking everything from swim yards to bike power output to run mileage, pace, HR zone, etc. All of it is synced and uploaded to a tracking program for analysis.

In the off season, when I'm not in training mode, I don't track anything, including number of steps daily. I just love getting outside and enjoying the scenery while doing those same activities. No data needed.

Psychgrrl

My Garmin Vivoactive 2 died today. Went out and bought a Vivo3 because I don’t want to lose my step streak. About a month away from meeting my 10,000 steps a day goal for two years! Wasn’t going to ruin my streak.

If my fitness tracker didn’t record it, it doesn’t count.

h7463

Polar H7 fan here. I'm using it for any type workout, including swimming. I also own a Fitbit, because hubby thought I'd like one. It's been a battery sucker on my old phone, so I retired it after just 2 days. I don't track all day, only for training, anyway. I since upgraded the phone, but I'm sticking with my Polar.

newmeadow

I just do walking. And I'm not fit. If I wanted to get serious about getting fit, I would up the intensity and duration of the walking.

Then I'd graduate myself to calisthenics and yoga eventually, using body weight as resistance - hypothetically speaking.

I have a growing disdain for electronics and tech with each passing day.

Playing on MFP, using a Garmin for driving directions and whatever my work needs me to use a computer for are the limits to my relationship with tech/electronics.

shaumom

If it works for the individual - and by that I mean that it helps them succeed, they don't find themselves obsessing in an unhealthy way over what the tech is recording, and they don't spend more money than they can afford on it - then I think any amount of tech is not too much.

I don't have any tech but my phone to play music and my computer to be on this account. That's it, and that works for me. But I know folks who get a lot out of their tech, so that works for them, and is just as valid.

Ziaki

I have a Polar Heart Rate Monitor and the battery in the watch just died. I only ever used it for actual cardio so I could plug in those calories burned and eat some of them back.

I HATE guessing my calories burned because because estimates can be so so off.

I'll never get one of those fitness watches though. I know so many people that have them and just have this weird delusion that just owning one is going to make them lose weight. I'm a waitress and some of the other girls will say. "Oh I got 3000 steps in today at work!"

Like, ok cool. But that's all within your normal routine that your body is used to. How much of a work out have you gotten outside of your normal routine? Oh btw there's like 500 calories in that ranch you just dumped on your salad . . .

AnnPT77

Ziaki wrote: »

I have a Polar Heart Rate Monitor and the battery in the watch just died. I only ever used it for actual cardio so I could plug in those calories burned and eat some of them back.

I HATE guessing my calories burned because because estimates can be so so off.

I'll never get one of those fitness watches though. I know so many people that have them and just have this weird delusion that just owning one is going to make them lose weight. I'm a waitress and some of the other girls will say. "Oh I got 3000 steps in today at work!"

Like, ok cool. But that's all within your normal routine that your body is used to. How much of a work out have you gotten outside of your normal routine? Oh btw there's like 500 calories in that ranch you just dumped on your salad . . .

I went from a Polar HRM for exercise sessions only, to a Garmin Vivoactive 3, worn all day. I like it. It has some amusingly silly ideas, but I recognize them as that.

The change didn't make me any more (or less) illogical, neurotic, or deluded than I ever was. It's a tool, not a tecnological overlord.

Don't worry. If you get one, you'll be fine.

But if you don't want one, you can still buy a basic HRM (or just new battery?), or wear a tracker only during exercise.

Bry_Fitness70

Ziaki wrote: »

I have a Polar Heart Rate Monitor and the battery in the watch just died. I only ever used it for actual cardio so I could plug in those calories burned and eat some of them back.

I HATE guessing my calories burned because because estimates can be so so off.

I'll never get one of those fitness watches though. I know so many people that have them and just have this weird delusion that just owning one is going to make them lose weight. I'm a waitress and some of the other girls will say. "Oh I got 3000 steps in today at work!"

Like, ok cool. But that's all within your normal routine that your body is used to. How much of a work out have you gotten outside of your normal routine? Oh btw there's like 500 calories in that ranch you just dumped on your salad . . .

Wearing a fitness tracker and being mindful of your activity is actually showing interest in staying active - how is that a bad thing? Steps-based fitness isn't the perfect option, but it is far better than doing nothing.