HRM and Fitbit?

katkins73

I have a Polar F7 which I love but I keep reading about the Fitbit Flex and am so tempted to buy one as I think it would be super-motivating as I walk a fair bit to try and incorporate exercise into my regular day. I think it would also be handy as some of my walks are to the train station on my way to uni and the like and then my HRM strap stays on for hours and gets uncomfortable. I do have some questions though. First of all is it anywhere near as accurate as a HRM? Do I take it off for other exercise like the 30Day Shred or HIIT workouts? I don't want to double dip or whatever it is Also this probably is a dumb question but what exactæy does it mean by it links with MFP? Do I need some special device or setting? I am so not techy and don't really understand this stuff! I am presuming I don't literally just wear it and then it magically passes my info on to MFP!

Thank you in advance :flowerforyou:

katkins73

Oops, I think I have posted this on the wrong board, sorry!

12bfree

My wife and I have both been using Fitbet flex for the the past four months.

....."links with MFP?" .......All you need to do is touch the sync button on MFP and the information is automatically logged.

"Do I need some special device or setting?".......You will need a smart phone, tablet or lap top to download the Fitbit app.

I've never had a HRM but I would think a good HRM is more accurate,

My wife and I don't "eat back" calories so we use ours to measure trends and help us determine when it's time to adjust our daily caloric intake.

katkins73

Thank you very much It sounds quite simple, I am very tempted

newfie026

I have the regular fitbit that only track steps. I wear it all the time except when I jog, go on the treadmill or do another kind of workout. I also have a Polar FT4. I use it when I jog and when I do a workout for the first time to gauge calorie burn and monitor my heart rate during the effort. I'm satisfied and I actually eat back most of my calories so the link I have between my fitbit and MFP helps alot. I like that when I walk more I can eat back those calories too. I'm not on a diet, I just want to be fit. I've lost 48lbs in 13 months and I didn't deprive myself at all..

Sevio

I use both. I wear my Fitbit all day and when I am doing my exercise DVDs, Treadmill, Arc Trainer I wear the Polar FT4 to track the time and calorie burn. I then go into MFP and Log it (start time, minutes, calorie burn) this actually overrides my Fitbit on their website. So far its been working out.
I have already lost a bunch of weight so I more so am looking to firm and lean up; not so much drop huge weight loss.

kothmia

I use my HRM when I'm at the gym, to help me quantify my exertion. Setting up the fitbit (which I LOVE!) to sync with MFP is really easy. I'd say the thing to keep in mind is that a HRM and a fitbit have different purposes. The HRM is to monitor your heart rate (duh) and let you know how fast your heart is really beating. You can do all kinds of stuff with that information, but you know all of that, or you wouldn't have bought one.

A fitbit is more of a pedometer on steroids. It tracks your steps (and sleep, and stairs, and the dashboard has some other nifty widgets on it that let you track other things)

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1083130-fitbit-vs-polar is a thread from last summer that details a little more on this

Masq

I have been using a fitbit for about 2 years now. I have the Ultra which is like the current 'One'. I like this style, because I can clip it to the center of my bra and no one even knows I have it on. I work at a computer all day and I don't really like stuff on my wrists, so the Flex or Force really aren't for me. It's personal preference. My mom and my husband both have the Force, because they like to be able to see their steps on the device itself. With the Flex you have to look at your smart phone or computer to see what you've done. The Force also has a clock, so it is a replacement for wearing a watch.

The new fitbits do automatically sync to your phone or computer. For the force, there is a little dongle that you plug into the USB of your computer that allows them to sync. I'm only guessing that they have bluetooth to sync to a smartphone.

When you log your exercise on MFP, such as running, aerobics, weightlifting.... when you enter the time and minutes, your fitbit will not count that twice. I wear my fitbit when I exercise....so if I forget to log the exercise, it will still be recorded by the fitbit.
I also have a polar HRM that I wear when I exercise as I do believe that it is more accurate for calorie burn because it takes into account the zones that your heart rate is in for your height/weight.

The sleep tracking is neat, but mine is pretty boring because I sleep like a rock most of the time.

I really like the fitbit and will replace it when it dies.....it's starting to wear out after 2 years

Edit Added:
The only thing you need to be careful of is the 'fitbit' adjustment that will show up during the day. It will give you 'exercise' calories throughout the day. I don't ever trust these calories because it's a projection that I think is based on your previous day's steps and workouts..... so I have been burned by this before. Thinking I had extra calories and then at the end of the day the fitbit adjusts it back to zero based on what I really did that day. So, don't count on those, unless you really did some extra exercise.

newfie026

I think I'll try that today. I forgot to take it off one day when I was on the treadmill and you're right, if the times are accurate it does override the fitbit.

katkins73

Thank you all so much and thanks for the link to the other thread Kothmia I definitely see the advantages of both the HRM and Fitbit and definitely want one because I think it would motivate me to ghet more steps in during the day and I love the thought of all those charts and badges :laugh: I think I will wait a whille though as I have a few other things I need to buy and am going on a mini holiday soon. I have 3 months off over the summer but I think the Fitbiot will be ideal when I go back to uni as that is when I struggle to be more active.