Fitbit vs HRM?

Alright so I'm thinking about getting a fitbit or an HRM. I want be able to more accurately measure the calories I burn on my elliptical and the calories I burn at work. I'm a meat cutter at a grocery store so I have to do a lot of stocking, washing dishes, cleaning of saws, cutting, moving around to help customers and moving quickly to close up in time and sometimes we get busy. So I'd like to know which one would be better to use to calculate my calories on the elliptical and at work.

Thanks!

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,430 MFP Moderator
    FITBIT or body media... HRM are only accurate for intense cardio
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    HRM is more accurate, but it a little intrusive IMO.

    Fitbit is a decent choice for getting an idea of your general activity level, like while you are working. If you can swing it financially, get both and use the fitbit all the time and the HRM for workouts.
  • trackercasey76
    trackercasey76 Posts: 781 Member
    I love my Fitbit it takes all the thinking out of logging exercise.
  • HRM (chest) most accurate!
  • HRM is more accurate, but it a little intrusive IMO.

    Fitbit is a decent choice for getting an idea of your general activity level, like while you are working. If you can swing it financially, get both and use the fitbit all the time and the HRM for workouts.

    Great answer
  • BlueJess7
    BlueJess7 Posts: 23 Member
    I want you to know that I tried them both and each one has it's pros and cons. A HRM is great and extremely accurate for calculating calories burned while exercising but not so much for your daily life, in your case for work. The fitbit is great for calculating calories burned at work and going about life in general but not very accurate while exercising. The fitbit was very off the point with my exercise calories. I hear a lot of people have both but in my case I returned the fitbit because I was more interested in my exercise calories. So keep this in mind and best of luck!
  • elishazf
    elishazf Posts: 332 Member
    Yeah I was thinking about getting both, but wearing my HRM for work since there are times when I have to move around quickly like if I"m running behind or the counter's full.
  • RunFarLiveHappy
    RunFarLiveHappy Posts: 805 Member
    In my opinion your calories burned at work should be factored in as your activity level not as exercise, but either way I would go the HRM route. Best investment I've ever made in this journey (rather, thanks Hubby for the best b-day present lol)!! You can use the HRM to get an average of what you burn at work to determine what your calorie burn actually is in an average day. That would help you set a very realistic calorie goal with deficit. I wear my HRM for 12 hours a day once a month to reevaluate how much I actually burn in a day not including workouts to establish activity level and calorie intake goal. Good luck with your decision!!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,430 MFP Moderator
    HRM is more accurate, but it a little intrusive IMO.

    Fitbit is a decent choice for getting an idea of your general activity level, like while you are working. If you can swing it financially, get both and use the fitbit all the time and the HRM for workouts.

    Great answer

    It's true for workouts, but you can not wear a HRM all day. It's wildly inaccurate for daily use.


    But supposidly a body media is more accurate than the FITBIT but you have to pay $7 a month to see the charts and stuff.
  • elishazf
    elishazf Posts: 332 Member
    I want you to know that I tried them both and each one has it's pros and cons. A HRM is great and extremely accurate for calculating calories burned while exercising but not so much for your daily life, in your case for work. The fitbit is great for calculating calories burned at work and going about life in general but not very accurate while exercising. The fitbit was very off the point with my exercise calories. I hear a lot of people have both but in my case I returned the fitbit because I was more interested in my exercise calories. So keep this in mind and best of luck!

    Yeah I read on the website that you can use it when you're on the elliptical or running
  • elishazf
    elishazf Posts: 332 Member
    In my opinion your calories burned at work should be factored in as your activity level not as exercise, but either way I would go the HRM route. Best investment I've ever made in this journey (rather, thanks Hubby for the best b-day present lol)!! You can use the HRM to get an average of what you burn at work to determine what your calorie burn actually is in an average day. That would help you set a very realistic calorie goal with deficit. I wear my HRM for 12 hours a day once a month to reevaluate how much I actually burn in a day not including workouts to establish activity level and calorie intake goal. Good luck with your decision!!

    I thought it was inaccurate if you wore it for too long though