Do I need a HRM or tracker thing of some kind?

snow00774
snow00774 Posts: 62
in Getting Started
I keep reading about almost everyone on here having monitors and fitbits and things - do I need them if I'm not an athlete in training etc.?

How do you find these things help you? Does it matter if I know I took 8000 steps or not?

Probably sounds like a dumb question, but genuinely wondering how these will help over just watching cals and exercising without knowing my HR and whatever FB tracks?

Replies

  • Natmarie73
    Natmarie73 Posts: 287 Member
    I use a Suunto heart rate monitor that tracks my heart rate (obviously) and calories burnt in conjunction with the Map My Run app so I know more accurately how many calories I burn on a run, or during a gym workout, bike ride, walking etc etc which I log. Before I got my HRM I was grossly overestimating calories burnt and therefore eating back too many calories each day.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    How do you find these things help you? Does it matter if I know I took 8000 steps or not?

    it may matter whether you took 8000 steps or not, the gadgets provide a way of measuring and managing your activity. If you know you walked 2 miles to work and back then it wouldn't help, if you're around the house it's handy to know if you've been sitting a lot and only done 1200 steps vs been active and clocked up 6,000.
  • JCLondonUK
    JCLondonUK Posts: 159
    I was very doubtful about them too, like you, but I'm so glad I got both a HRM and a fitbit (which I was especially sceptical about, thinking it was just an overpriced pedometer). But I'm so glad I did! I now have a much more accurate measure of my activity levels and calories burned, and (weirdly) I find the fitbit really motivates me to move more. Those two, combined with this site, are an enormous help, and I'm so glad I found out about them.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    I don't use one and don't plan on it...

    HRM with chest straps are good for steady state cardio...

    The wrist strap ones aren't that accurate....

    So depending on the workout and what kind and if it's set up correctly will define if it's useful...

    There are some that sync here but I find they confuse people more then anything...
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    I have a Polar HRM with chest strap. I have found that it made me a little too competitive with my workouts and now only use it when working out at home and in situations where it's impossible to calculate my workout burn but I don't use it on machines and such. I don't eat back my workout calories so it doesn't really matter but it always felt like when I was wearing it I was trying to beat my best burn instead of just enjoying the workout. They are handy to have but cumbersome to constantly wear. IMO
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    I don't have one....

    I would say if you don't have a food scale, then invest in that first....

    That will prolly be more important in the long run.....just my opinion

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