Activity Tracker AND Heart Rate Monitors
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Bluuzplayer
Posts: 6 Member
Is anyone using an activity tracker for steps, causal movements then using an HRM for your "real" workouts? I use Pacer for steps but when I work out it takes stops accounting for any calories I may have burned earlier in the day. I'm not trying to count them twice, just keep the credit for what I might have already done.
I was considering a Jawbone Up or Fitbit to wear throughout the day then removing that and using my Polar HRM when I actually work out. Does that sound like it makes sense?
Thoughts?
I was considering a Jawbone Up or Fitbit to wear throughout the day then removing that and using my Polar HRM when I actually work out. Does that sound like it makes sense?
Thoughts?
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Replies
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I would be interested to see the responses to this as I am considering doing something similar. A lot of my workouts are not accurately measured by my Heart rate monitor as I like to lift and do a lot of yoga and unless I'm doing pure cardio I know the HRM is not a reliable source of information.0
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I have both a Fitbit for every day activity and a Polar F4 for my workouts0
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I did this, Fitbit throughout the day and HRM for workouts. Eventually I stopped caring about calorie burns during workouts and stopped wearing my HRM. I love my fitbit though. I lost mine and ordered a replacement almost immediately0
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I have a fitbit and a polar f4. I use the HRM for all my workouts and wear the fitbit during the same time but when you enter your exercise in MFP, it asks for the time you did that exercise then overrides (on the fitbit website) what fitbit thinks you did during that window.
I have to say, I know most people love their fitbit but put me in the camp that doesn't. I really am only wearing it to count steps and encourage me to get off my butt during the day but I think it's calorie burn calculations are way off. I used to wear a body media and found that to be much more accurate. I just got tired of the funky tan lines and all the questions about what it was since it's not discreet like my fitbit.0 -
I spent $120 on Polar FT7 and have now worn it for the last 11 cardio sessions at the gym. The heart rate on Polar FT7 and the elliptical machine's own handle bar measurement were almost exactly same. Like maybe 1 or 2 beat per minute difference. Calories again surprisingly the elliptical machine was within 5% of the Polar FT7. And it was 5% under not over so actually it kind of works better if weight loss is your goal.
For all practical purposes buying the Polar FT7 heart rate monitor has been a waste of money. I have stopped wearing the Polar HRM now and just use the machine at the gym.0 -
Check out a Garmin Vivofit. Does both.0
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I have both a Fitbit for every day activity and a Polar F4 for my workouts0
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I wear my Fitbit 24/7 (for nearly two years now!). I use my HRM during cardio workouts. I still wear the Fitbit to get the step count, but by logging my exercise via MFP, it syncs with the Fitbit and corrects the calorie burn on both sites. They work well together.
@holisheet: my experience using the calorie burn of the machine is very different. A machine gives me considerably more calories burned than my HRM. Additionally, I nearly never use machines, so a HRM is my best bet for tracking calories burned in group exercise classes or running.0 -
I've got a Garmin Vivofit. It's an activity tracker that comes with a HRM strap. I keep it on all day so it tracks steps, calories etc and then measures activity through the HRM. It also tracks sleep.
So it tracks steps taken during a workout as well as during the whole day - I wasn't sure I liked that feature to start with, but now I really do. If you're aiming for 10,000 steps, you don't have to discount the steps taken during 'formal' exercise. All movement is some sort of exercise and contributes to the 10,000. Most days I'm around 11-12,000 steps or as high as 15,000 on my HIIT days.
Anyway, I really like it, it tells me when I'm in deep sleep and when I'm restless, how many calories I burn in 24 hours, including sleep, how many steps, heart rate during exercise. And it's waterproof.
And no, I'm not a Garmin employee! I just like it.0 -
Just to clarify, PrimalGirl, you don't wear the HRM strap all day too, do you?
I'm looking into the Garmin Vivofit mainly because you don't have to keep charging it, and I like that you can read your progress right there on the band rather than having to synch it to see where you're at in reaching your goals, but Im pretty sure they don't suggest you wearing that strap 24/7.0 -
Is anyone using an activity tracker for steps, causal movements then using an HRM for your "real" workouts? I use Pacer for steps but when I work out it takes stops accounting for any calories I may have burned earlier in the day. I'm not trying to count them twice, just keep the credit for what I might have already done.
I was considering a Jawbone Up or Fitbit to wear throughout the day then removing that and using my Polar HRM when I actually work out. Does that sound like it makes sense?
Thoughts?
Your over thinking everything way too much IMO.
Pick 1 and stick to it.
I have a fitbit but don't like how it counts normal walking around calories as calories burned... I don't eat these back cause my body is use to my day to day activities. What I do use it for is to be more active...that's pretty much it.
HRM is good and all but then the next question is "how accurate is yours" just pick a method and follow that... doesn't have to be exact. You can use the machines calorie burn estimates and pop those into MFP and your done for the day and just saved a **** ton of money on HRM's and step counters. It's following 1 method and not jumping around to 2-3 methods to try and track your calories burned.
Brad0 -
Yes, Fitbit flex for steps, Suunto T1C for workouts0
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Lots of good input!0
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I am in love with my Polar FT7. I don't want to be stuck to a machine. I step it up to meet my goal.0
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I spent $120 on Polar FT7 and have now worn it for the last 11 cardio sessions at the gym. The heart rate on Polar FT7 and the elliptical machine's own handle bar measurement were almost exactly same. Like maybe 1 or 2 beat per minute difference. Calories again surprisingly the elliptical machine was within 5% of the Polar FT7. And it was 5% under not over so actually it kind of works better if weight loss is your goal.
For all practical purposes buying the Polar FT7 heart rate monitor has been a waste of money. I have stopped wearing the Polar HRM now and just use the machine at the gym.
If I am understanding correctly. What you think is the machine being accurate is actually your HRM synching with the machine. Most machines will pick up your HRM. Normally most cardio machines give you a higher calorie burn then what you are actually getting.
To reply to the post I have a FitBit "One" and I love it I have had it for a year and a half now. I also have a Polar FT4. I am not using the HRM at the moment. I had a baby in April and am just going by what FitBit gives me, once I get closer to my goal I may start using them both again if need be.0 -
I use the Jawbone UP. I have just figured out how to use it....properly. It has a stop watch function that you start when you work out and stop when your done it measures steps while working out then within the app you tell it what exercise you do, and the intensity and it then calculates the calories that you burned. (you can also add exercise without the stop watch function) and if you have them synced correctly it will add the adjustment to MFP.
It took me a while to figure out how to sync and record everything when I got the jawbone.... but know that I got it.... I like it....most days lol0 -
Garmin Vivofit does both and battery is good for a year.0
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@bluuzplayer: Since you are already in the polar ecosystem I suggest you look at the Polar Loop activity monitor. I use a garmin hrm and a fitbit which is fine but eventually I'm getting a Vivofit for the integration on garmin connect.
Affordable solution that does both is the Garmin FR15.0 -
I currently have a Jawbone UP24 and am looking at HRM's as I don't like the way it is integrating with MFP nor do I trust the burns it is calculating. I am trying to decide whether to go with just a bluetooth enabled strap like the Polar HT7 or to go with a strap/watch type combo so that I can actively see the heart rate as I'm working out. My phone does not stay within arm's reach on most cardio exercises.
Very interested in the responses to this thread.0 -
I spent $120 on Polar FT7 and have now worn it for the last 11 cardio sessions at the gym. The heart rate on Polar FT7 and the elliptical machine's own handle bar measurement were almost exactly same. Like maybe 1 or 2 beat per minute difference. Calories again surprisingly the elliptical machine was within 5% of the Polar FT7. And it was 5% under not over so actually it kind of works better if weight loss is your goal.
For all practical purposes buying the Polar FT7 heart rate monitor has been a waste of money. I have stopped wearing the Polar HRM now and just use the machine at the gym.
Ummmm, NO! Your Polar FT7 with HRM strap automatically pairs with your gym equipment and transmits its heart rate data to the machine you're using (and sometimes to the adjacent machine someone else is using - lol). The reason the machine display doesn't exactly match the readout of your FT7 is due to the machine display's refresh rate.0
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