HRM vs FitBit Advice PLEASE

ashesfromfire
ashesfromfire Posts: 867 Member
edited January 7 in Health and Weight Loss
First - sorry if this is a beat to death topic, but I want some opinions
For christmas I got a tv and wii that I have no use or desire for and am going to return them - they were bought on the gifter's best buy credit card so I can only get store credit for them - luckily - they sell heart rate monitors! Yay! But they also sell FitBits - but, um, I'm actually not entirely sure what a FitBit is - so please feel free to explain it to me :blushing:
Thanks y'all

If any of you are REALLY overzealous here's a link to the products they offer:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Health-Fitness/Fitness-Watches-Electronics/pcmcat208400050005.c?id=pcmcat208400050005

Replies

  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,150 Member
    A Fitbit is a fancy pedometer. The calorie burn it shows you is based on the info you give to the website (height, weight, gender, age) to get your BMR and adds on calories based on what you burn during the whole day. It's more of a gadget to push you to get moving. I love my Fitbit, but if you want something to track your heart rate while exercising, get an HRM.
  • WRXymama
    WRXymama Posts: 342 Member
    A Fitbit is a fancy pedometer. The calorie burn it shows you is based on the info you give to the website (height, weight, gender, age) to get your BMR and adds on calories based on what you burn during the whole day. It's more of a gadget to push you to get moving. I love my Fitbit, but if you want something to track your heart rate while exercising, get an HRM.

    Spot on! I was struggling betweet the two as well, however ultimately chose to ask Santa for a FitBit. I recieved FitBit "One" and very happy with it. I "personally" found it most appealing to me to see how many calories I am burning and my activity. Others prefer the HRM more..for example my obsvervation were those that were REALLY working out, and found they got the most of their workout being able to monitor resting rate/max rate. I would say neither one is a wrong choice, just whatever suits you the best. Good luck with your inner toy struggle lol ;)
  • PayneAS
    PayneAS Posts: 669 Member
    If you need/want motivation to move more than the FitBit is right for you.

    HRMs are used only for certain workouts where they will do what they do best and give you the most accurate calorie burn.

    I personally own both and love them for their different features.

    Both are about $100 so considering that you are trading in a Wii and a TV, it seems like you should be able to get enough store credit for both. Unless you had plans for the rest.
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,218 Member
    I have both a HRM and a Fitbit and both are useful. But for me, hands down, I prefer the Fitbit. While exercising is very important, I burn more calories in the 15 hours I'm awake but not exercising than in the 40 minutes or so that I'm on the elliptical. The Fitbit is very good at tracking this non-exercise activity. I move more because I'm now aware of how active I am (or am not) and I push myself a little more.

    One of my health goals in 2013 is to sleep more and the Fitbit helps me track my sleep patterns.

    One thing to consider, Fitbit can't really track exercise or calories burned from weightlifting. It's more appropriate for cardio people.
  • xMissy6x
    xMissy6x Posts: 347 Member
    I too have both a polar and fitbit one. To me fitbit was a better investment.
  • compumomma
    compumomma Posts: 24 Member
    I use both. Since I am trying to work up to a half marathon the HRM helps me stay in a zone for longer endurance. The FitBit is used to track all my other activity.
  • kkimpel
    kkimpel Posts: 303 Member
    I totally love my Fitbit. The tracker is encouraging and I love keeping my average steps up. It also tracks my climb, which makes my hiking up the mountain fun to see that I climbed 76 flights of stairs. Over the summer I almost touched the moon (jk)..

    It is easy, no fuss and fits right in my bra. I also have the watch one, with the strap for my heart and blah blah.. but it all had to be set up and I have no time for such stuff. My boyfriend bought it and he uses it.. (when he goes for a walk once in a blue moon)
  • HeidiHoMom
    HeidiHoMom Posts: 1,393 Member
    Love my fitbit!
  • ashesfromfire
    ashesfromfire Posts: 867 Member
    bump
  • corneredbycorn
    corneredbycorn Posts: 267 Member
    I've only had my FitBit for a couple of days, but I love, love, love it. I'm so much more motivated to just move, not just exercise, but move as often as I can (like, right now, I'm marching in place while typing this, rather than sitting on the couch like I would have done pre-FB) just to help me get to the suggested 10,000 steps a day. You get a little pie chart each day for how much time you spend active and sedentary. The sedentary selection is grey and it's really annoying to see that filing up half of your pie (or more!). I don't see the novelty of it wearing off any time soon either because it's just so easy to clip on, sync, and review. I have found myself forgetting I'm even wearing it the majority of the time.
  • LuciaLongIsland
    LuciaLongIsland Posts: 815 Member
    First - sorry if this is a beat to death topic, but I want some opinions
    For christmas I got a tv and wii that I have no use or desire for and am going to return them - they were bought on the gifter's best buy credit card so I can only get store credit for them - luckily - they sell heart rate monitors! Yay! But they also sell FitBits - but, um, I'm actually not entirely sure what a FitBit is - so please feel free to explain it to me :blushing:
    Thanks y'all

    If any of you are REALLY overzealous here's a link to the products they offer:
    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Health-Fitness/Fitness-Watches-Electronics/pcmcat208400050005.c?id=pcmcat208400050005

    Why are you returning the Wii. The Just Dance games are awesome!
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