Real acitivty monitors

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lazieats
lazieats Posts: 185 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Are there such things as real activity monitors? I do a lot of exercise that does not include stride length, such as dancing, yoga, and home improvement. I'm looking for something that will count calories burned throughout my day for motivation purposes. I've read that both FitBit and Jawbone are awesome pedometers that have great software but don't accurately calculate if you're not running or walking or any other activity that has a stride of some sort involved. I've looked at heart rate monitors, but they seem geared to only "exercise time" and some of them require wearing wet chest straps. That doesn't seem very practical for all day use. ("'Scuse me, gotta go wet my chest. Back in a sec!")
Does what I'm looking for actually exist? If so, will someone kindly point me toward it?
Thanks!

Replies

  • alexkirkp
    alexkirkp Posts: 26 Member
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    Most heart rate monitors work pretty well, you wouldn't have to worry about it. I have worn mine for 24 hour periods on a few occasions with out any issue. That said, you wouldn't want to wear one all day every day. Activity trackers are far from perfect, but they are the best things that we have with in reason right now. The extra motivation and the fact that they give you at least a rough idea of calories burned makes them useful in most situations out side of research.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    HRMs are only good at cardio estimations.

    Activity monitors will estimate all the things you listed except yoga. They don't use stride length, they use an accelerometer. You don't have to be moving through space. What you can't be is under resistance (yoga, weights, uphill hike) or on a vehicle like a bike. But dancing, housework, yard work, general motion-- they do ok with.
  • ThinkInOregon
    ThinkInOregon Posts: 283
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    I wear a BodyMedia LINK band. Has an accelerometer so captures exercise without a stride. Bluetooths to my computer and cell phone. I have compared it with energy burns with using my own pulse and it is pretty accurate. The only real error was about 6 weeks ago I drove to Central California with my convertible top down and it registered the 'sweating' as exercise. No choice in that, my A/C had decided to crap-out a couple days prior to leaving and I couldn't get it repaired in time.

    I have had mine for about 9 months and love it! I initially had the BodyMedia Core band, but sent it back for the better model.
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
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    I use a fitbit flex and just don't eat back my calories from exercises it doesn't track, but I don't do a lot of them and I figure it makes up for any errors that fitbit may make in counting random arm/wrist movements.

    I think the answer would be to get a fitbit or other activity monitor for everyday wear and use an HRM for workouts, but I don't have an HRM so I'm not exactly sure what's best.
  • twrobbel
    twrobbel Posts: 132 Member
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    I have a Fitbit and Bodymedia band. Both come out to pretty much the same exact calories burned- I have worn both at the same time. In addition, I purchased a low end wrist heart rate monitor/calorie burner so I can get an idea of what I burn in the pool. Interestingly enough when I have worn that and compared that to my Fitbit and Bodymedia (doing non pool activities)- again the calorie burned was the same (give or take 1-2 calories).

    Right now, I only use a Fitbit to wear all day long (Its summer, which means short sleeves- and I don't like the Bodymedia being so visible on my arm). I then use my HR monitor to track pool and zumba/aerobic type classes).
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I do fitbit and then log my lifting and other stuff on their site.

    But I've heard good things about Body Media Fit.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    I wear a BodyMedia LINK band. Has an accelerometer so captures exercise without a stride. Bluetooths to my computer and cell phone. I have compared it with energy burns with using my own pulse and it is pretty accurate. The only real error was about 6 weeks ago I drove to Central California with my convertible top down and it registered the 'sweating' as exercise. No choice in that, my A/C had decided to crap-out a couple days prior to leaving and I couldn't get it repaired in time.

    I have had mine for about 9 months and love it! I initially had the BodyMedia Core band, but sent it back for the better model.

    All of this and it captures my lifting calories well also.
  • lazieats
    lazieats Posts: 185 Member
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    Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate the information! You've all really helped me start sorting it all out. :drinker:

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