fitbit? hrm? fill me in!!!

twonkieone
twonkieone Posts: 132
in Fitness and Exercise
hey all! been here for a month - and a regular gym rat - but have never used a tool to help me out. have 5 kids - so the $100 is a bit much if not vital for a fitbit (school supplies win this paycheck :happy: ) looking for suggestions on what and where to get a hrm/fitbit and general info on how you use it. know i'll be bombarded within an hour - sending out thanks now!!!

Replies

  • jimzisa
    jimzisa Posts: 19 Member
    You're a teacher, right? Call your health insurance carrier - union, state sponsored or otherwise - and ask about cardio care programs they may sponsor. My insurer started giving HRMs away for free to members who would pledge to log food and exercise, much like you're doing now on this site. The insurance companies use this information for demographics and tracking purposes and the ides of giving something like an inexpensive HRM for free is common, at least with the Blue Cross plans in my home state, North Carolina.
  • LadyHappyfish
    LadyHappyfish Posts: 23 Member
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulse-Sonic-K920D-Heart-Monitor/dp/B005560PU4/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t
    cheap and does the job fitbit has issues.
    I hear the best are the polar 4 , 7 or 60 models not sure why and out of my price range.

    good luck
  • craftykat12
    craftykat12 Posts: 50 Member
    fitbit was the best $100 I ever spent, found out the reason I was always tired every morning when I got up, I don't sleep well, only 3-4 hours per night, so I would save a little money each payday till you have the money, you won't be sorry.
  • emmie0622
    emmie0622 Posts: 167 Member
    Fitbit - absolutely love it!
  • tltincher
    tltincher Posts: 107 Member
    hey all! been here for a month - and a regular gym rat - but have never used a tool to help me out. have 5 kids - so the $100 is a bit much if not vital for a fitbit (school supplies win this paycheck :happy: ) looking for suggestions on what and where to get a hrm/fitbit and general info on how you use it. know i'll be bombarded within an hour - sending out thanks now!!!


    I'm in the same boat...just don't have it in the budget right now. So, I found this formula for calories burned using your average heart rate (posted below). I don't know how accurate it is though, would be nice to find someone with a Fitbit that could calculate for accuracy.

    [(weight x 0.0574) + (age x 0.074) + (average heart rate x 0.4472) -- 20.4022] / 4.184
  • 603d
    603d Posts: 11 Member
    I have a scosche hrm - they're only $50 now (used to be $130) and no complaints so far. Of course, I've only been using it two days. I have a fitbit as well that I've been using for months. I love the fitbit for my general daily tasks/work, but the HRM is more accurate for actual workout calories burned.
  • andreachirillo
    andreachirillo Posts: 52 Member
    bump for later
  • plantgrrl
    plantgrrl Posts: 436 Member
    I bought my Polar FT7 refurb for $45 on nobetterdeal.com. It works great, had everything it was supposed to in the box and I LOVE it!
  • rhonniema
    rhonniema Posts: 522 Member
    I have both.
    The fitbit for daily steps & the HRM for exercise.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    A fitbit and an HRM are two entirely different beasts. I love my fitbit and wear it all the time except when showering or swimming. I have learned a lot about my activity levels throughout the day and my sleep activity, setting goals to improve each. My fitbit motivates me to get a greater percent of my total awake time in the active zone at the end of each day.

    An HRM is useful for determining calorie burns for a specific exercise session. I don't have one because for the moment most of my planned exercise is on my treadmill, which has a heart rate monitor and an accurate computer for inputting my weight. I use those numbers for my calorie burn and think it's probably pretty accurate. This winter I plan to bike more, so I might invest in an inexpensive HRM.

    But the bottom line is, at least for me, my fitbit was worth every penny. It motivates me to take the stairs, park farther away, make extra trips to the school office, walk around my classroom, dance around the bedroom during the news, and just move, move move. I love checking my numbers from time to time during the day and trying to outdo the day before.
  • wendybrat75
    wendybrat75 Posts: 52 Member
    I have the Polar FT7 HRM. I bought it on bodytronics.com for around 75.00. I'm very pleased with it.
  • PayneAS
    PayneAS Posts: 669 Member
    I have the FitBit and a Polar FT7. Best $200 I've spent. I love using my HRM for workouts (for accuracy you need a HRM with a strap) and the rest of the time I wear my FitBit to encourage me to keep moving and for some extra calories here and there depending on how active I am that day. If you have to choose one, decide between motivation (FitBit) and accurate calorie count during workouts (Polar FT4 or FT7). Budget it, it is worth every penny.
  • sjv1966
    sjv1966 Posts: 121 Member
    If you have a smart phone you can probably find a free app that will count steps and do other things that the fitbit does. I had a fitbit and di like it but accidentally put it in the washing machine after having it a month. I don't want to spend ANOTHER $100 so I am sticking with Accupedo which is a free android app.
  • mmreed
    mmreed Posts: 436 Member
    polar ft7 here too LOVE IT

    i have a fitbit but dont use it - it doesnt really give aa representation of calorie burn for gym folks. Its mean more as a step counnter and somewhat overall sedintary level tracker.

    the polar gives accurate data fo your workout.
  • twonkieone
    twonkieone Posts: 132
    You're a teacher, right? Call your health insurance carrier - union, state sponsored or otherwise - and ask about cardio care programs they may sponsor. My insurer started giving HRMs away for free to members who would pledge to log food and exercise, much like you're doing now on this site. The insurance companies use this information for demographics and tracking purposes and the ides of giving something like an inexpensive HRM for free is common, at least with the Blue Cross plans in my home state, North Carolina.

    i honestly never thought of that - genius!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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