Best Fitness Accessory to Buy?

greeneyessmile
greeneyessmile Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi there, I was wondering if I could get some advice on the best accessory to invest in. I'm not talking cute running shoes or tops, etc. I mean what are the merits to investing in heart rate watches and the like.

I'm on the path to becoming more fit and healthy and I've been going to the gym for the last 2 months and seeing okay results - but my brother has just gotten me a gift card for Sport Chek for my birthday and I want to spend it on something that will really help my progress and make a difference in my routine.

Any help on the matter is greatly appreciated! :)
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Replies

  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    I would probably say a heart rate monitor if you are in to running, cycling, or any other steady state cardio. Just know going in that they are just estimations, and they are very unreliable for anything other than steady state cardio.
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
    Ditto on the HRM- I'm obsessed with mine for workouts! It's a great motivator to see how many cals you are burning while you work out. I have the Polar FT4 an it's been great!
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    FitBit, hands down. Unless you are looking to train for something like a race, the FitBit will do a great job of tracking the calories out side of the equation, and likely much more accurately than a heart rate moniter can.
  • Annalisa_87
    Annalisa_87 Posts: 56 Member
    Does an Ipod count. If it does then an Ipod, becuas enothings more motivating then listening to music and that nike+ app has been great.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    FitBit, hands down. Unless you are looking to train for something like a race, the FitBit will do a great job of tracking the calories out side of the equation, and likely much more accurately than a heart rate moniter can.

    I used to think that way, but the more and more people I see that are stalled on weight loss using those, it makes me hesitant to recommend one. That being said, I haven't used one so I don't really know. Just seems they overcalculate for everyone. I absolutely could be wrong though.

    In reality, I don't think either really matter all that much.
  • LizzieS232
    LizzieS232 Posts: 9
    A heart rate monitor. Especially if you do cardio stuff, it gives you a much better indication of how many calories you're burning etc. If you're measuring out your food, you should be measuring your exercise well too! Some will work out your optimum hr for burning etc as well :) A useful bit of kit, and you can get them for a lot less money than things like FitBit.
  • wink212
    wink212 Posts: 46 Member
    Ditto on the HRM- I'm obsessed with mine for workouts! It's a great motivator to see how many cals you are burning while you work out. I have the Polar FT4 an it's been great!


    Do you feel the polar is pretty acurate? I just bought a polar RS100 and used it for the first time this morning. It said 420 burned for 40 minutes of circuit training. Does that sound right?
  • alexis831
    alexis831 Posts: 469 Member
    FITBIT! I rarely break out my HRM but my fitbit is on me 24/7. I also did both one day to test the fitbits acuracy and it was really really close to what the HRM said anyway.
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
    Ditto on the HRM- I'm obsessed with mine for workouts! It's a great motivator to see how many cals you are burning while you work out. I have the Polar FT4 an it's been great!


    Do you feel the polar is pretty acurate? I just bought a polar RS100 and used it for the first time this morning. It said 420 burned for 40 minutes of circuit training. Does that sound right?

    I do! It's pretty consistent - when I don't work as hard the cals are a bit less etc. And I don't feel like it overestimates - I burn about 200-240 cals walking at a high incline for 30 min. I'm not sure about circuit training, but I think you are only supposed to use it for steady cardio, not weights etc.
  • greeneyessmile
    greeneyessmile Posts: 5
    Hmmm ok, I was already looking at the FitBit because it seems interesting.

    For those of you that do use it - do you find it awkward to wear every day? Also, can you wear it other places other than your wrist? I work in a corporate environment and it might seem out of place to wear.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    a good set of variable dumbbells would be the thing I'd get

    You can do pretty much every exercise with them, you can strip them and use them for sit ups, chin ups etc, can do squats, burpees, thrusters,m renagades

    You can add them to some many home exercises etc
  • fitprincess4333
    fitprincess4333 Posts: 10
    Fitbit One - LOVE mine - it motivates me to keep moving. Best investment I made. (Wear it on my bra - I had the Flex and returned it after 2 days, decided I did not want it on my wrist 24/7)
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    FitBit, hands down. Unless you are looking to train for something like a race, the FitBit will do a great job of tracking the calories out side of the equation, and likely much more accurately than a heart rate moniter can.

    I used to think that way, but the more and more people I see that are stalled on weight loss using those, it makes me hesitant to recommend one. That being said, I haven't used one so I don't really know. Just seems they overcalculate for everyone. I absolutely could be wrong though.

    In reality, I don't think either really matter all that much.

    My Fitbit actually under-estimates my caloric need. I never stalled on weight loss, and have managed to keep the 66 pounds I lost off for over two years.

    I personally found a tracking device (like Fitbit or BodyMedia) to be far more useful and accurate than a HRM. I actually gave my HRM away to someone on my friend list because I just wasn't using it.
  • Thimbelinda
    Thimbelinda Posts: 34 Member
    I have the fitbit one. I like that it is a clip style and can wear it on my clothing. It helps motivate me to move more throughout the day, not just during workouts. Some people have a skin reaction to the fitbit force. Check their website for more info about the sensitivity.
  • jigsawxyouth
    jigsawxyouth Posts: 308 Member
    FitBit, hands down. Unless you are looking to train for something like a race, the FitBit will do a great job of tracking the calories out side of the equation, and likely much more accurately than a heart rate moniter can.

    I used to think that way, but the more and more people I see that are stalled on weight loss using those, it makes me hesitant to recommend one. That being said, I haven't used one so I don't really know. Just seems they overcalculate for everyone. I absolutely could be wrong though.

    In reality, I don't think either really matter all that much.
    I currently use a FitBit and still use a HRM sometimes when I do my cardio. That way I know what I should enter when it comes to logging my activity. I tried logging my activity using only the FitBit app, but it was always under what it should have been, trying to log only by MFP standards wasn't really correct either, so the HRM really pin points it. Having the FitBit synced with MFP works out very well when I go for walks on my breaks (I don't bother logging those) but MFP will deduct the calories burned. It's worth checking out.

    The customer service has been really great, as well. It's a fun little gadget for working out!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    a squat rack.

    and Dana Lynn Bailey- but I'm not sure I can afford that.
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    - a pull-up bar.
  • jigsawxyouth
    jigsawxyouth Posts: 308 Member
    Hmmm ok, I was already looking at the FitBit because it seems interesting.

    For those of you that do use it - do you find it awkward to wear every day? Also, can you wear it other places other than your wrist? I work in a corporate environment and it might seem out of place to wear.

    I use the Flex, and wearing it on my wrist, it looks just like a very slim watch or bracelet. I upgraded from the One, which I wore clipped to my bra, so, no one would even see it... and it's pretty small.
    The Zip, which is the basic FitBit is a little bigger than a quarter. and can also be clipped anywhere.
  • Of_Monsters_and_Meat
    Of_Monsters_and_Meat Posts: 1,022 Member
    My next fitness related purchase will be a new set of blue tooth sports headphones.
  • Gdmerrit1
    Gdmerrit1 Posts: 4
    Fitbit, Sony Sport MP3 Player, Treadmill
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    a squat rack.

    and Dana Lynn Bailey- but I'm not sure I can afford that.


    You beat me to it.

    As such, I'll say: power cage (or similar).
  • LadyThanata
    LadyThanata Posts: 91 Member
    Ditto on the HRM- I'm obsessed with mine for workouts! It's a great motivator to see how many cals you are burning while you work out. I have the Polar FT4 an it's been great!

    I have the same one in Pink- its great! I use it every day when I run, or spin!

    But when I started I started with a fitbit flex- Many people might think this is a waste- but for me, it motivated me to walk...long healthy strolls. I made a point every weekend in the start to go to NYC and randomly walk everywhere. Then when i started losing weight, I invested in the Polar FT4. Its a great investment but you can buy it for 61.00 on Amazon... so you might want to use your gift card for something you can't buy cheaper off of amazon.


    Just my thoughts!
  • allbarrett
    allbarrett Posts: 159 Member
    I too work in a corporate environment, but the slate wristband for my Fitbit just looks like ...a watch? a "Lifestrong" bracelet? Name one of a hundred things people wear on their wrists. I've never worried about it.

    I only take my Fitbit off to shower (they say you can shower with it, but my experience determined this was wishful thinking).

    If you don't like the wristband, Fitbit (and many others) sell simple step counters that can be clipped discretely to a belt, inside a pocket or even to your underclothes. Just don't forget to take it off before you wash your clothes!

    I love my Fitbit, but don't kid yourself: it is just a toy. Sure, it will help you figure out how much you are moving around during the day (to a point anyway) but it isn't going to suddenly fix anything. It is a motivator and can help you calibrate exactly how active (or inactive) you are, but that is it. My next purchase is likely to be a smartwatch...all the functions of my fitbit AND a heart rate monitor AND it will run (some) apps. I'm not in a rush though, that isn't a "toy" price!
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    I'm also hooked on my Polar FT4 and find it pretty accurate. Weight loss hasn't stalled since I got it.
  • LadyThanata
    LadyThanata Posts: 91 Member
    I too work in a corporate environment, but the slate wristband for my Fitbit just looks like ...a watch? a "Lifestrong" bracelet? Name one of a hundred things people wear on their wrists. I've never worried about it.

    I only take my Fitbit off to shower (they say you can shower with it, but my experience determined this was wishful thinking).

    If you don't like the wristband, Fitbit (and many others) sell simple step counters that can be clipped discretely to a belt, inside a pocket or even to your underclothes. Just don't forget to take it off before you wash your clothes!

    I love my Fitbit, but don't kid yourself: it is just a toy. Sure, it will help you figure out how much you are moving around during the day (to a point anyway) but it isn't going to suddenly fix anything. It is a motivator and can help you calibrate exactly how active (or inactive) you are, but that is it. My next purchase is likely to be a smartwatch...all the functions of my fitbit AND a heart rate monitor AND it will run (some) apps. I'm not in a rush though, that isn't a "toy" price!

    I brought mine to Jamaica and went snorkeling twice daily ( included in all inclusive stay) and I've showered with it daily- Never had an issue... maybe yours was faulty?
  • rhondatime2chg
    rhondatime2chg Posts: 92 Member
    FITBIT! I rarely break out my HRM but my fitbit is on me 24/7. I also did both one day to test the fitbits acuracy and it was really really close to what the HRM said anyway.

    I agree with this. Unless I am doing something that the Fitbit won't track (like the Elliptical), I just wear my Fitbit and do not bother with my HRM anymore. When walking or running, the calories burned were very close between the two.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    a squat rack.

    and Dana Lynn Bailey- but I'm not sure I can afford that.


    You beat me to it.

    As such, I'll say: power cage (or similar).

    touche- power cage > squat rack.

    I hate squatting in the squat rack- I much prefer the power cage.
  • KimJohnsonsmile
    KimJohnsonsmile Posts: 222 Member
    Ditto on the HRM- I'm obsessed with mine for workouts! It's a great motivator to see how many cals you are burning while you work out. I have the Polar FT4 an it's been great!

    ^^^ Agree - I just bought the same one and LOVE it! I like watching the calorie burn count rise, and it motivates me to push even harder.
  • phyl303
    phyl303 Posts: 74 Member
    Hmmm ok, I was already looking at the FitBit because it seems interesting.

    For those of you that do use it - do you find it awkward to wear every day? Also, can you wear it other places other than your wrist? I work in a corporate environment and it might seem out of place to wear.

    That's why I bought the Fitbit One instead of the flex. I love that I can clip it on and no one sees it. My husband has a flex and I like that I have the readout; he only gets the five lights feedback unless he syncs.
  • workout_ninja
    workout_ninja Posts: 524 Member
    I would definitely say a heart rate monitor for steady cardio. Or if you are into running or walking, a garmin is a great investment

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