Fitbit or HRM Watch?

SJCon

You will probably want both. The Fit bit is great and helps with motivation since it keeps prompting you and gives badges etc. and may even cause you to act weird like one post was talking about. Paceing instead of just sitting, take stairs instead of elevator, etc. If you get to where you are doing serious resistance, cycling, etc. you would want the accuracy of a HRM. So I say both but would take fitbit first.

alikatnz

I use both - and if I could have only one, I'd pick my Polar FT7 HRM. The HRM is way more accurate and will give you a much longer lasting benefit!


The fitbit is great, but I only use it as a motivational tool to climb more stairs, walk further etc and I take my calories from working out from my HRM. I find it is good for recording incidental exercise (like parking the car in the furtherest spot possible and walking to the shops kind of thing)

jasonheyd

The Fitbit is just a pedometer. The website adds some value to it but basically that's all it is. You can't really depend on the calories it says you burn either. If you want a lot of run or use the treadmill, you might get a lot of use from it. Otherwise, stick with your HRM. Sportline is a good watch.

Fitbit's a bit more than a pedometer. The website provides meal/calorie tracking, but that's redundant if you're using MFP.

Beyond the MFP meal/calorie tracking, Fitbit also estimates stairs climbed, but it's based on an altimeter, not really "steps up a staircase." It's always been pretty accurate in buildings... Just be aware that a long walk up a hill will show up as stairs climbed). Fitbit also has the ability to track restlessness during sleep, although I don't personally find much value in that piece.

Another advantage is that Fitbit provides some calorie burn estimation based on activity level, rather than just number of steps. The key word there's estimation, of course, but it seems to be fairly accurate for me. An good HRM will probably be more accurate for tracking calorie burn during jogging/running (but it's still going to be an estimate).

With all of that that said, there are some pedometers out there that provide similar functionality these days, so Fitbit's not the only way to go, but the integration with MFP and other tools is really nice.

And, like I said above, I find it to be most valuable as a way to link activity level into MFP. I also use Digifit and the Compendium of Physical Activity for estimating calorie burn of non-aerobic exercise (e.g. weight lifting), and Fitbit lets me tie all of that into MFP.

Qskim

The Fitbit is just a pedometer. The website adds some value to it but basically that's all it is. You can't really depend on the calories it says you burn either. If you want a lot of run or use the treadmill, you might get a lot of use from it. Otherwise, stick with your HRM. Sportline is a good watch.

Fitbit's a bit more than a pedometer. The website provides meal/calorie tracking, but that's redundant if you're using MFP.

Beyond the MFP meal/calorie tracking, Fitbit also estimates stairs climbed, but it's based on an altimeter, not really "steps up a staircase." It's always been pretty accurate in buildings... Just be aware that a long walk up a hill will show up as stairs climbed). Fitbit also has the ability to track restlessness during sleep, although I don't personally find much value in that piece.

Another advantage is that Fitbit provides some calorie burn estimation based on activity level, rather than just number of steps. The key word there's estimation, of course, but it seems to be fairly accurate for me. An good HRM will probably be more accurate for tracking calorie burn during jogging/running (but it's still going to be an estimate).

With all of that that said, there are some pedometers out there that provide similar functionality these days, so Fitbit's not the only way to go, but the integration with MFP and other tools is really nice.

And, like I said above, I find it to be most valuable as a way to link activity level into MFP. I also use Digifit and the Compendium of Physical Activity for estimating calorie burn of non-aerobic exercise (e.g. weight lifting), and Fitbit lets me tie all of that into MFP.

This....I don't have a HRM though so I time workouts and log the time through MFP which will then override the timed activity on the fitbit site (you don't have to touch that, they work with each other...other than your initial log of exercise on MFP). I do this because fitbit won't catch the burn quotient by itself (eg for weights) but having said that, sometimes I am surprised how close the MFP data is on exercise to what fitbit has given me before I override it.

Ive just realised I don't have to eat the all the activity that fitbit gives me only the exercise if I want to. Do other users do this?

myoldself2011

Don't have Fitbit, but I have a HRM. I've had my Polar FT4 for a week now and I love it. I've used it to work out, yes more cardio based, and when I cut the grass. I was a little concerned about the chest strap, but after reading numerous reviews that people hardly felt it, I went for it. You do not feel the chest strap. I wear it comfortably under my sports bra/tops and most times I forget I have it on until I take off my top.

Just remember to update your weight, to make sure what ever device you decide to get is providing accurate results.

smokinjackd

The Fitbit is just a pedometer. The website adds some value to it but basically that's all it is. You can't really depend on the calories it says you burn either. If you want a lot of run or use the treadmill, you might get a lot of use from it. Otherwise, stick with your HRM. Sportline is a good watch.

Just not true, I have both and the Fitbit is remarkably accurate in comparison to the HRM. I have logged many different activities/ exercises and the results are close enough for me.

mfpcopine

They have different purposes. If you work out regularly and have to choose, I'd get a Heart Rate Monitor with a chest strap. But I have both.

Tennessee2019

The best thing about the fitbit is you forget you have it on.

I SO agree with this. I LOVE my Fitbit & think it is the best thing EVER when it comes to tracking your steps.

livelifebreath

I love the fitbit, and think its totally worth the investment. I don't have a HRM, but the fit bit is great. You don't even know your wearing it and it is very inspirational. It even says things across the LCD. I tried to live without, but I ended up not moving as much because my fit bit wasn't attached.

marijasmin

You will need both!

ladyluch99

I have both the FitBit and the Polar FT7 HRM. I love them both because they do different things. However, if I had to choose, it would be the FitBit because like a lot of others have said, you can wear it all the time. Ultimately they are both great tools to have. I got my FitBit first then later added the HRM. Hope this helps!

3foldchord

My mom is letting me use her HRM to see how it works. It is a Polar,,it uses a chest band and a watch. (I won't get it from her till the end of September.


MY Question...... Can I wear it all day to see what my BMR is? Like if I am havng a bad allergy day so just laze around all day watching Netflix, wearing the Polar device, would it tell me calories used all,day, being sedentary?

Ragoub

bump

jasonheyd

MY Question...... Can I wear it all day to see what my BMR is? Like if I am havng a bad allergy day so just laze around all day watching Netflix, wearing the Polar device, would it tell me calories used all,day, being sedentary?

Long time's passed, but just saw this when the thread was bumped...

In general, no, a typical HRM only works accurately for periods of consistently elevated heart rate... in other words, aerobic exercise. It won't be accurate (or at least not accurate) for low-intensity, inconsistent exercise like non-circuit resistance training and it won't accurately measure resting calories burned.

For something like that, check out BodyMedia: http://www.bodymedia.com/

fruitloop2

Sorry to intrude on the OP thread but for those of you that use both, do you take the fit bit off while you exercise (basically replacing your HRM with the fitbit)? I have a polar HRM (and love it by he way) but hb also been thinking of getting a fitbit to see/ monitor how many calories I burn in a day aside from exercise. Just wondering how that works if you use both.

leelu137

I love my fit bit!!! There is a new one coming out you can wear on your wrist so it won't get lost on clothing. I love that you get badges, can join challenges and I'm always trying to beat my highest daily steps.

I would like a HRM to measure my actual burn in pump class, lifting weights and spin class ect.

mfpcopine

If you can't afford a fitbit and a heart rate monitor with a chest strap (Polars have chest straps and a monitor that looks like a watch), it depends on your activity level. If you are not a vigorous exerciser, but want to ensure that you get in a minimal amount of activity, in fitbit's case, at least 10,000 steps a day, then buy a fitbit. If you are going to the gym or otherwise exercising rigorously and doing high intensity interval training (HIIT) and need a good reading of your heart response during cardio (which is all a HRM is designed for) get a HRM.

They're different tools. I have both. I've had a HRM of one sort or another (all Polars) for years, and someone gave me a fitbit, which is fun.

mfpcopine

Sorry to intrude on the OP thread but for those of you that use both, do you take the fit bit off while you exercise (basically replacing your HRM with the fitbit)? I have a polar HRM (and love it by he way) but hb also been thinking of getting a fitbit to see/ monitor how many calories I burn in a day aside from exercise. Just wondering how that works if you use both.

You can wear them both. I've never heard of any conflict in the technology.

With any tool, you have to take the calorie burn report with a grain of salt. I ignore them.

mfpcopine

My mom is letting me use her HRM to see how it works. It is a Polar,,it uses a chest band and a watch. (I won't get it from her till the end of September.


MY Question...... Can I wear it all day to see what my BMR is? Like if I am havng a bad allergy day so just laze around all day watching Netflix, wearing the Polar device, would it tell me calories used all,day, being sedentary?

You're supposed to wear a HRM only during cardio exercise. That's what it's made for. I've jokingly tried it as a biofeedback device or a crude lie detector. Its purpose is to tell you how hard your heart is working.

AmyMgetsfit

My plan is both. I just ordered the Polar FT7 HRM and will get the Fitbit Zip once I get the HRM all figured out and have used it. I didn't want to be too overwhelmed at once since I am not that tech savvy. Although the zip just increased about $10 in price on Amazon, I am not happy about that.