Quantified Self and Self Tracking

sbeneli

Hi all!

I'm just wondering how many people do other Quantified Self activities beyond just recording their activities and food on MFP? I use an app on my iPhone every morning as soon as I wake up to record my resting heart rate and Runtastic to keep track of my walking (aiming for 600 miles over the course of the year beyond what I would do around the house).

I'm growing more and more interested in devices that people use to help them measure these things. The one I'm most interested in is the Amiigo ([http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/239460/emal/685070]), which is a wrist band similar to the Fitbit Flex or Nike Fuel. It goes beyond the pedometer functions: it has a wristband and a shoe clip so you can more accurately measure walking/biking/running, it has a sensor to record the overall motion so that it can identify if you just went for a run, or a swim, or were lifting weights. It can check your skin temperature and your pulse to record the calories you are actually burning. It's totally waterproof and will sync with the newer iPhones and Android phones. I've seen on their page a lot of people asking for MFP integration and I hope that this happens. It will have an API and SDK so others can use the data in their own applications. My only downsides is that I have to wait until it's released in June, and that as of yet it doesn't record sleep (but they are planning to add it into the software).

All in all, it seems like a winner. I was really after a BodyMedia band but I didn't want to have to pay a monthly fee. These guys have confirmed that there won't be one to use theirs.

What about you? What do you measure and what do you use to do it?

kristin8881

I am doing self-tracking. Right now I am using a fitbit and a garmin fr70 heart rate monitor, as well as apps like myfitnesspal (obviously) and runkeeper. I am experimenting with mood trackers as well, though I haven't found one I like. By the end of the year I hope to begin with biometrics, like what is provided through 23andMe or Inside tracker. PH measurers sound intriguing as well.

I am tracking running pace, distance, sleep, calories, fat/protein/carbs, and weight. Over time, I want to be able to analyze what dietary needs I have - does particular food make me more likely to feel a certain way, or slow me down, etc. What is the effect of sleep, wakings, etc. and other health indicators particularly activity and diet. Once I have tracked enough for long enough, I hope to have data such that I can identify slight health changes, determine if they were triggered by any obvious changes in my diet, sleep, or other metrics.

My son (who is 4) has a particularly stomach ailment, which could be linked to diet and/or a migraine related issue. He also has very sensitive skin. Once I get used to self-tracking to the point that it is second nature, I hope to also begin to self-track for him. For example, is a particular food triggering his stomach issues, or a rash.

We are all so busy these days, and so out of touch with our bodies, and the health care system (at least in the U.S.) in my experience is largely disconnected and focused on symptom treatment within a 10-15 minute office visit that we as individuals need to take control of our health and well-being and I firmly believe having the data can be an immensely important.

Mr_Knight

I track all food and exercise. For running, I track heart rate and GPS (distance/pace). For cycling, I track heart rate, GPS and cadence/speed/power (bike is decked out with an array of sensors). For weightlifting I track, well, weights. I track daily/morning resting heart rate, weight, and body fat percent. I track weekly body measurements.

I don't bother with FitBit (etc) because it generates only secondary data - when it (or a competing device) adds GPS tracking, then it can be more useful, as that's primary data.

I would love to do a daily blood test (full lipid profile, all the usual markers) but that's just not practical yet, at least not for me.

kristin8881

I agree that gadgets like the fitbit are limited. For me, however, I have trouble sticking with tracking unless it's fun. For me, having a new gadget is fun, so it helps me stick with it. Long term its usefulness will be limiting - in terms of real tracking only the sleep info is particularly useful, but I like gadgets.

Thanks for the tip on amiigo. Looks awesome. When looking into heart rate monitors, it was very frustrating because so many only integrated with the ios, not android which is what I use. I settled on the garmin fr70, which is generally fine thus far.