Heart Rate Monitors vs. Activity Monitors

laratacita
laratacita Posts: 53 Member
in Getting Started
As a reward for getting down to the weight I was when I came to Indiana, I bought a Polar FT4 from Best Buy. I had to do this best on limited information, but the heart rate monitor seemed like a better choice. True, it does not count steps, nor does it tell me how accurate it is, but it does give me a calorie count that is much more accurate for the exercises I do at the gym. It also gives me a more accurate count for the weekend walks. (My Fitness Pal's calorie numbers for walking actually are not far off for me.)

Now, while I've made my decision. I was tempted to get a Fitbit Flex. Despite searching the threads on this forum, I did not find a thread that actually contracted the pros and cons of each particular device. As far as I can tell, it depends mostly on the type of exercises a person wants to do. If I replace the bicycle that was stolen, and engage in my favorite outdoor activity, the heart rate monitor remains the better choice, I think.

I'm looking for others peoples thoughts and opinions on this. Both are tools that allow someone to stay motivated. Both give a person the statistics their looking for, but how should someone make the decision when buying an expensive tech gadget?

Replies

  • shrktank
    shrktank Posts: 3 Member
    I am new here and today my wife and I challenged each other to get in shape.

    To start I did some research sand ended up getting a Garmin Vivofit. I came with a HR monitor. It is a nice looking device and looks pretty good on the arm.

    Just strap is comfortable as well.

    The thing I like it sets a goal for you. So when you are first starting out it sets it based upon some critieria (assume age, weight,etc) As you meet the set goal, the goal starts increasing therefore challenging you to get going.

    Another thing it does is if you are idle for some time a red bar fills the top of the screen. This red bar gets longer and longer, hopefully to get you off the couch to do some activities.


    While it is only 1 day with it, I think I am going to enjoy it. You might want to check it out
  • vegwrangler
    vegwrangler Posts: 143 Member
    I love my Polar Loop. It tracks both activity/steps and is a heart rate monitor when paired with the chest strap. It does a decent job tracking sleep. Its even ok to wear in the shower/pool. Highly recommend!
  • sharonnj398
    sharonnj398 Posts: 189 Member
    I have a Nike Fuel Band. I already knew people with the product so I can compare my scores to theirs. I find I work harder for the virtual badges and trophies, besides thinking I can do a few hundred or a thousand more points.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Activity trackers show your TDEE—way more accurately than any online calculator.

    Heart rate monitors are only for burns during cardio workouts.

    You can use them both together, but if I had to pick one it'd be an activity tracker—hands down.

    MFP has a Fitbit Users group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    HRMs and activity trackers each have their role in helping you monitor your exercise and activity. I have a fitbit Ultra (discontinued and replace with the One) which I have been wearing every day for two years. It helps me push myself to be active all of the time outside of regular exercise. I prefer the clip on type rather than the wrist band because I don't want to wear a piece of plastic on my arm and because the torso type of tracker is generally considered more accurate. I use a Polar TF4 when I am doing a formal exercise activity: treadmill, fitness trampoline or water jogging.
  • prism1968
    prism1968 Posts: 121 Member
    I bought a Jawbone UP24 and sent it right back because it did NOT give me an accurate calorie burn during exercise...I bought a Polar FT60 and it is doing exactly what I want it to do (accurately record workout calories burned).
    If I fall into some extra money, I may go back to an activity tracker, but would probably go with the one Withings makes or the one by Basis. I can see the benefit of them, but for now, I needed an accurate calorie count more.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    i have a polar FT4, and while it's basic, it does keep track of my heart rate, which is what i wanted for now. i wish i had gotten the H7 or the FT60 by now, though, and hope to get one of them in the future.

    i got a fitbit one for my birthday about 3 weeks ago. it's a fun little gadget, and it can be motivating, but calorie burn is only accurate if your bodyfat falls right smack dab in the middle of average. also very annoying to try to remember to turn it off using drivebit or via the activity log during driving - and it ain't easy when you're doing errands and going on lots of tiny trips. gotta try and remember, though - my fitbit counted thousands of steps on our 45 minute trip to disneyland :-(

    i didn't get the flex, as it counts hand gestures as steps. and if you use a pedometer leash for your fitbit one or fitbit zip, you won't lose it even if it happens to come off. mine hasn't so far - it's got a very tight clip and stays on tight.
  • FFfitgirl
    FFfitgirl Posts: 369 Member
    I personally like activity trackers better then HRM.
    I have body bugg(basically the body media). Which I love!! I can see what my calorie burn for every minute of the day was. I can set ti see a different hour...say when I did a crossfit class. I can see the calorie burn spike during the run etc.
    I log my food here and it syncs with the bodybugg website. Then it auto matically adjusts what I should eat for my goals. It aso counts steps, sleep.
  • peejaygee1
    peejaygee1 Posts: 3,588 Member
    I have both. I use my Fitbit Flex wayyyy more than my Suunto M2 HRM. I love that my Fitbit gives me my TDEE for each day and records burns well for step-based activities. However, I still use my HRM for other non-step-based activities as it gives a better burn recording. If I were to choose one, I would pick my Fitbit over my HRM. But because they're used for different things they're really pretty impossible to compare. Sorry I couldn't help you more.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    but how should someone make the decision when buying an expensive tech gadget?

    Well depends on what you want the device to do.

    If you just want to know the calories you burn during cardio workouts, than get a HRM.
    If you want a better idea of how many calories you burn in a full 24hrs outside of exercise, than get an activity tracker.
    If you want a better idea of your TDEE, than using both devices together is a good choice or a device that does both (Basis for example).
  • laratacita
    laratacita Posts: 53 Member
    I want a combination of both and it sounds like the Samsung Gear or the Polar loop would have done it.

Categories