HRM vs fitbit force?

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wvtracyann
wvtracyann Posts: 106 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am using a HRM now when I go to the gym but I see a lot of posts about the fitbit force and other wearable trackers. What is the best in your opinion to calculate calories burned for an accurate count or what are the benefits of what you chose?

Thanks!

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  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    A HRM is good for an estimate of calories burned in a discrete, cardio workout. A Fitbit is good for estimating the calories you burn in the other 23 hours of the day, or all 24 if your workout is steps-based (running, walking, dancing, etc.)
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    A HRM is good for an estimate of calories burned in a discrete, cardio workout. A Fitbit is good for estimating the calories you burn in the other 23 hours of the day, or all 24 if your workout is steps-based (running, walking, dancing, etc.)

    This. It really depends on what you want to use it for as to which one would be best for you to use. They're 2 totally different things.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    That's like saying apples vs oranges...they're both fruit, but completely different. A HRM is valuable in giving you an estimation of your calorie burn during an aerobic event...it is even more valuable if you like to work in various HR zones for fitness goals and performance goals.

    A fitbit is valuable if you need to know how many calorie you're burning in a 24 hour period of time...it is basically a fancy pedometer and I suppose it can be beneficial to individuals who really don't understand how their body's burn calories and think they need to eat like birdies to lose weight. Personally, I was able to determine my calorie requirements through a bit of trial and error and saved myself a chunk of change...though I did consider one of these when I started out because I had zero clue about the human body's calorie requirements and where those requirements were derived from.
  • wvtracyann
    wvtracyann Posts: 106 Member
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    I own a heart hate monitor now a F7 Polar I use it only when I go to the gym. I am just curious when I am cleaning, running around with my 5 yr old, playing with him when we are shopping just other things during life that happen that I wouldnt' wear the HRM for I am looking at buying the Force but still using the polar for my time at the gym does this make better sense?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I own a heart hate monitor now a F7 Polar I use it only when I go to the gym. I am just curious when I am cleaning, running around with my 5 yr old, playing with him when we are shopping just other things during life that happen that I wouldnt' wear the HRM for I am looking at buying the Force but still using the polar for my time at the gym does this make better sense?

    If you truly need to see that you're burning XXXX calories in your day to day then that makes sense and it'll probably be worth it for you...for me, a little trial and error resulted in me figuring out that on average I burn rougly 2,750 calories per day (what I require to maintain my weight) with all of my activity...so this wouldn't make sense for me because all it's going to do is tell me something I already know give or take a few calories.

    For some people, this can be a real eye opener...a lot of people just don't believe they burn so many calories in a day even if they're not doing tons of exercise...a lot of people really have no concept of what their calorie requirements are...so the fitbit can be a positive in that RE.
  • wvtracyann
    wvtracyann Posts: 106 Member
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    I am on a fitness program through my insurance I go to the gym 4-5 times a week spending at least 1-2 hours at each time they have me on a 1200 calorie diet and a personal trainer that creates a workout for me to follow. I am just wondering if honestly its enough. I mean I been at this hard core for 2 1/2 months now I have a desk job so there is a lot of time durning the day that I am not active but I am usually pretty active when I get home. I have certian goals with them I have to meet and I am easily motovated to be more active so I was thinking with this it would be a good addtion to that. The program through my insurance is a 2 year program so this is not just a small attempt to lose weight I wasn't super overweight to begin with 5'4 157 I am currently 144 so an average of 1.3 pounds a week I want this to be a lifestyle change not something I do for a year and then quit I am just hoping having somthing like this would help me to program or teach myself on what I need to do to stay there to see just how active I am or how active I need to be.

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