Fitbit or HRM which is better?

snowmanluv
snowmanluv Posts: 200 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Heard some people get a Fitbit while some are currently using a HRM. I am trying to decided between the two. Will a HRM measure calories burned during weight lifting? Will it measure calories just walking around? What's the difference between the 2 and which do you use?

Replies

  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,202 Member
    :flowerforyou: HRM is good for counting calories and heart rate for single workouts including weight lifting.

    :flowerforyou: FitBit is something you carry all the time and get calories burned and other information 24 hours a day.
  • corderdeb
    corderdeb Posts: 57 Member
    They do different things. What are you looking for?

    Fitbit is an "over grown" pedometer (at lease the zip is). Mine measures steps walked and distance. I think some of the newer models also do stair counts.
  • corderdeb
    corderdeb Posts: 57 Member
    I will say I move more now that I can see how my day is going - especially on the days I don't exercise. My goal is 5000 steps a day (2.5 miles). I think the default is 10000 a day.
  • mdelcott
    mdelcott Posts: 529 Member
    I vote for HRM I hate having to wear something all day. I had the body media arm band for a bit last year and hated the fact of wearing it 23 hours a day, I know the fitbit is smaller and more discrete but its the fact of having constant monitoring, thats not really living in my OP.
  • rassha01
    rassha01 Posts: 534 Member
    I use both, well actually a fuelband but the same concept as the fitbit. The HRM is used to determine cardiovascular activity during strenuous workouts and it gives a more approximate calorie burn while exercising. The fitbit measures how active you were throughout the day and how well you sleep.

    Most will say that a HRM will not accurately record calories for a weight lifting workout but I use it anyways and think it is close relative to running.
  • snowmanluv
    snowmanluv Posts: 200 Member
    Thank you so much. I ran a test earlier to the treadmill. My treadmill was calibrated for a different person who weighs 100 pounds more than I do. So my calories that I have been keeping track probably weren't so accurate before. I wanted something to track the "burn" from the treadmill but also track a "burn" for weight lifting. Occasionally, I will also do plyometrics or callenstinics for 10-15 minutes to get the total burn up. I really didn't have a way to measure that.
  • RawCarrots
    RawCarrots Posts: 204 Member
    AFAIK from here neither will accurate measure calories from lifting.

    They are different things. HRM is great for measuring workouts, FitBit is great for tracking overall activity over the day (plus sleep and other things) My exercise is mainly walking, I've compared the FitBit and HRM at the start and they were pretty close so I only use the fitbit now. Fitbit is pretty accurate for walking and running, but not so much for other ones (rowing for example) It really depends on what you are looking for and what exercise you do.

    If I have to pick one, my choice is without a doubt the fitbit, I have the One and has been brilliant help, it really motivates me to be more active. It's amazing how the little activity adds up during the day :-)
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
    I've had a Fitbit for over a year and I wouldn't live without it. It does not tell you your heart rate. It will give you a calorie burn based on your personal data, the amount of steps & the intensity of the steps (how fast you're moving). I currently have the Flex because I like the convenience of not taking it off, but the One is also an excellent product.
  • megginanderson
    megginanderson Posts: 276 Member
    my new HRM is coming tomorrow! Its going to measure calories burned as well as the %of fat i am burning and TELL me when to pick up the pace!!
    I cant wait to test it, i will let you know feedback.
    Its this model - http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Ft40F-Womens-Heart-Monitor/dp/B004AH299O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371586916&sr=8-1&keywords=polar+ft40
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    I prefer my fitbit. I didn't want to remember to put on a heart rate monitor every time I took a walk, or every time I picked up a box or received a shipment at work...

    My fitbit monitors distance, steps, how many flights of stairs I do, and sleep patterns. Also how much I burn daily just by being alive, sitting, and breathing. So as long as I stay under that, I should lose weight.

    And since getting my fitbit the weight started coming off again! MFP was measuring my calories burned WAAAY high, it said about 300 a day, when I was barely burning 100. Now I have a better understanding and the weight is flying off again.

    ETA: it's a fitbit "one" :)
  • lorigem
    lorigem Posts: 446 Member
    I have an HRM but prefer my Bodymedia arm band. And it's really cool to see the "after burn" you get after weight lifting. During a session, I only burn about 200 calories...but the after burn is what's really cool :)

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