FitBit verses HRM

SmexAppeal

I am in the market to purchase a device that will let me know how many calories I burn, and if I am in my target heart rate while I work out. For this, would it be best I get a FitBit or a Heart Rate Monitor? I think I'm leaning towards HRM...
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

LittleElephant

Bump! Been wondering the exact same thing myself.

raindancer

Fitbit is a great pedometer and sleep tracker. I have never had a HRM.

billsica

HRM, the fit bit as far as I know will not tell you your heart rate.

Brandy108

I have both and I love both. Fitbit won't properly track your exercise unless you're running because it really only counts your steps. Well, the workouts I do include a lot of upper body movements and my heart rate is extremely elevated but my fitbit doesn't know that and seems to think I'm just standing still.
However, I don't intend to wear my HRM 24hrs a day so I love my fitbit to track how many steps I take in a day and about how active I am.
So I use my fitbit 24hrs a day and then add in my HRM just for my workouts. I know it's more expensive that way but it's also much more accurate. I love both!

ClascyParra

I have the FitBit and while its decent for steady rate cardio (treadmill or elliptical) it doesn't do heart rate. I am actually looking to upgrade to a HRM since my fitbit doesnt 'read' several machines that I use (AMT machine and Stepmill) nor does it adjust during weight training.

mrscewinters

Agreed. I own the Fitbit and it does not give heart rate on it. I still love it though. Bonus calories make me happy!!

dipsl19

HRM. your heart rate is the best thing to track how many calories you burned. anything else is just guessing.

Fitness4Paul

I have both. For what you want to do I think the HRM will be better. I don't wear my fitbit during exercise. I wear my HRM and log my cardio activity with the calorie burn. I wear my fitbit during the day. It will correct my calorie burn for my activity level i.e. sedentary. If i really have a sedentary day in the office it doesn't change anything. But if I'm away from my desk and I move around alot it will adjust my activity level accordingly. I'd also wear it if I went for a walk of just playing with the kids whereas the HRM I use specifically for planned cardio exercise or weight training to monitor my heart during workouts.

sfoster3171982

fitbit does have it but with the premium which is 49 bucks a year.

wowbagger42

I have both and I love both. Fitbit won't properly track your exercise unless you're running because it really only counts your steps. Well, the workouts I do include a lot of upper body movements and my heart rate is extremely elevated but my fitbit doesn't know that and seems to think I'm just standing still.
However, I don't intend to wear my HRM 24hrs a day so I love my fitbit to track how many steps I take in a day and about how active I am.
So I use my fitbit 24hrs a day and then add in my HRM just for my workouts. I know it's more expensive that way but it's also much more accurate. I love both!

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A Fitbit, while I never owned one, seems to be an all around convenient tool to judge your activity for the whole day. HRM will give you near precise readings on how many calories you're actually burning while sweating during a workout. Both have their pros and cons (Fitbit not giving heart rate... Doubt an HRM would be good for the whole day, since it may dry out.)

I'm reading about a new device you put around your arm, which supposedly gauges activity by the heat you're throwing off... not sure about that one, though.

WinterBlue

HRM all the way. I had the fitbit..while it can be discreet and convenient for counting steps ..the concept was a bit different for me. with the fitbit it was like if I sat around all day and didn't move I would burn like 1400 calories for the day...however I have also owned a body bugg and know that my seated all day burn is closer to 1800. so it was way off...with the HRM once you have an estimated baseline you can use the calories burned during exercises to gauge a better idea of what your TDEE is.

FitLink

I am in the market to purchase a device that will let me know how many calories I burn, and if I am in my target heart rate while I work out. For this, would it be best I get a FitBit or a Heart Rate Monitor? I think I'm leaning towards HRM...
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

FitBit will not tell you if you are in your target heart rate. That said, I wear my FitBit all the time and I set my activity level to sedentary and let it determine my calories out. It works well for me. I can't wear an HRM all the time. I see them as different tools for different purposes.

smartincoles

I started with just the Fitbit and ended up also getting an HRM. I do what previous posters have said - I keep the Fitbit on all day to help keep track of my steps and flights of stairs, and it also serves as a reminder to me to get up every once in a while since I have a desk job. I use the HRM for workouts to give me a more accurate measure of what I'm doing then the Fitbit gives. Also, I like that the Fitbit can be used to monitor sleep quality.

SmexAppeal

Thanks everyone for your help. I think it may be best to just get both as I would love to know what I burn just being out and about, at work, playing with my son. But I definitely want the HRM for my workouts because I think I am burning more than I log. At least the massive amounts of sweat and shortness of breath give me that impression. All of your advice is greatly appreciated!!

mpeugh28

I got a MIO watch for Christmas and I love it. I give me my heart rate and calories burned. My son bought it at target for 59.00.

LordBezoar

DW and I have FitBits that we wear all the time--except for when we are working out, then we wear our HRMs. One piece of advice, though, I suggest putting yourself on the sedentary activity level here on MFP and then eat back your FitBit Calories. I had mine on lightly active for a while and I am pretty sure that I was getting extra Calories each day and as such, did not lose. Once I put myself at sedentary and made sure to eat my fitbit Calories, I started losing again.

mrshoneybear1014

I just recently purchased the garmin forerunner 405cx and it's great! i bought the footpod along with it. I sometimes walk outside, bike outside, and most of the time I am in the gym so this model is great to calculate calories both inside and outside. It also is GPS enabled so you can track yourself on a map and garmin has a great website where you can see all of your data.

Dare2Believe

I got a MIO watch for Christmas and I love it. I give me my heart rate and calories burned. My son bought it at target for 59.00.

This. I love mine!

firefly171717

HRM, the fit bit as far as I know will not tell you your heart rate.

It wont, I have a garmin and I love it :-) HRM all the way

Lizerra

I have checked both out and the fitbit is right for me. It is small and convenient. I love mine!

treese6

I have both and like them both. I use my HRM only when I am working out and like the others I use my Fitbit all the time. I even have program called CardioTrainer on my phone and I use it too. I like to compare all the numbers to get an idea of how many calories I burn.

Burlesque12

Bump ... I want to know too