Technology motivators (HRM, watches, fitbit). What one to choose?
bbontheb
Posts: 718 Member
Yes, I am searched but can't quite find a comparison thread.
I would like something to help motivate me. I like numbers, comparing-probably would like to have a better idea of my new working out calorie burns etc...I'm totally new to exercise,and nutrition...and am totally overwhelmed by all the choices.
Is there a device that will help with say HRM and step counting?
Any suggestions (or ones to stay away from) welcome
I would like something to help motivate me. I like numbers, comparing-probably would like to have a better idea of my new working out calorie burns etc...I'm totally new to exercise,and nutrition...and am totally overwhelmed by all the choices.
Is there a device that will help with say HRM and step counting?
Any suggestions (or ones to stay away from) welcome
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Replies
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Ok this is easy to sort out
What do you want to measure? Your general activity level, walking maybe jogging across the day?
Or quick bursts of steady state cardio eg jogging, cycling etc0 -
I know my activity level pretty much sucks but I'm starting and finally proud of starting...slow but steady. I think I like a more accurate account for calories burned-is that possible? I'm mostly doing some home exercising for now but would like to start hiking and bike riding a bit (my family loves to bike but I'm too out of shape). So, I guess mostly for quick bursts of activity
Thanks for your help!0 -
If you want something all round, products like the Fitbit Charge HR monitor general activity and exercise, IIRC.
For just activity/steps, I like the Fitbit (One, Flex, one of the more basic models).
For just exercise, an HRM is good, not so clued up on those but there are ones that are better for distance (eg knowing the miles you've run as well as burn), others are just heart rate... I see a lot of people who like Polar for HRMs but like I said, not really my area
I have a Fitbit Flex as my main exercise is walking, I've been wearing it solidly the last 3-4 months and I think it's great and helps a lot for tracking calorie burns as well as comparing activity level, motivating me to hit higher targets. I eat nearly all of the gained calories and am losing 1-1.5lb/week, aiming for a deficit of 500cals a day.0 -
I know my activity level pretty much sucks but I'm starting and finally proud of starting...slow but steady. I think I like a more accurate account for calories burned-is that possible? I'm mostly doing some home exercising for now but would like to start hiking and bike riding a bit (my family loves to bike but I'm too out of shape). So, I guess mostly for quick bursts of activity
Thanks for your help!
Fitbit zip as it's mainly step based, anything non step based you can just log in MFP using their database but halve the calories .you'd have to enter them by time started and stopped so it overwrites any steps during that time
For bike rides I think you can wear it in your sock
It is a step tracker and gives a fairly good daily activity that links directly into MFP (as do lots)
That's what I'd do anyway0 -
I like my jawbone, as it tracks sleep as well as activities. BUT even if it didn't do that, I would like it for no other reason that when I sit on my butt to long, it buzzes me off of it!0
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I started with a fitbit flex and downgraded to a zip so I could wear it in my bra / in my pocket
I wear it every single day and I eat back everything
I use a Polar FT4 HRM to map my gym workouts but am careful with the numbers because I do a steady-state cardio, weights and calisthenics (I don't think you need this yet)0 -
I have a FitBit One and a Polar FT4
I wear my FitBit 24/7 clipped to my bra (or on a pocket). It measures step based activities and stairs. The nice thing about not wearing it on my wrist...it doesn't confuse arm movements with anything. This tells me my activity level and does a decent job for step based workouts. I can sync it to MFP and get adjustments for more (or less) active days. It tracks sleep and I can set an alarm. It doesn't buzz me off for lack of movement (would be nice). The website for FitBit is free (many, but not all are).
My Polar (several years old) is better at recording steady state cardio than FitBit....if I did an intense and lengthy workout....I could use this to adjust calories. If your cardio is not step based, you might look for a HRM component with your tracker. HRMs are not designed for yoga, strength, Hiit, circuit, etc...so they won't be terribly accurate there.0 -
I have both the Fitbit One and the Garmin Vivoactive. I love them both. I also own the Fitbit Aria smart scale, which I also love. I highly recommend going either Fitbit or Garmin, depending on your needs. However, I've also heard good things about Polar too, I'm just not familiar with it since I don't own a Polar device. So, I personally suggest looking at Fitbit, Garmin, and Polar devices.
It sounds to me like you want an activity tracker (that counts steps, distance, calories) with a heart rate monitor option. Depending on your lifestyle and your needs, here are my recommendations:
Do you want to wear your device all day long and have it track your activity all day long? Or do you just want to use it for workouts? If you want to wear your device all day long and want one that's small and can hide under normal work clothes (and if you're willing to forgo the HRM), I'd suggest going with the Fitbit zip. It's only $60 and it tracks your steps, activity, distance, and calories all day long, but it doesn't have a HRM. If you want the same thing as the Zip, but slightly smaller and with a sleep and stair tracker too, go with the Fitbit One ($100, also with no HRM option). If you want to use your device only to analyze your workouts and runs, I'd suggest a running watch with a compatible chest strap HRM. Garmin and Polar make several good models of those type of sports watches. If you want an all day activity tracker with a HRM and you don't care if the device is clearly visible when you wear it, I'd suggest one of the wrist band devices that comes with a HRM option. The Fitbit Charge (w/ HRM) is about $150. Garmin's Vivofit, Vivofit 2, and Vivosmart all have HRM options and are all in the $150-$200 range.
Do you want a built-in HRM that measures your heart rate at your wrist? Or do you want a device that comes with a compatible heart rate monitor chest strap? The chest strap is a little more uncomfortable, but it's also a lot more accurate. So if accuracy is really important to you and you really only care to use the HRM for your workouts only, I'd suggest a device with a chest strap HRM. The Garmin Vivofit, Vivofit 2, and Vivosmart all have HRM chest straps. Other companies probably have similar products too, but I really like Garmin's products. If you don't like the chest strap and prefer the built-in HRM and if you want your heart rate tracked all day long, I'd suggest the Fitbit Charge HR. Fitbit makes great products, in my opinion, but a warning: I've read reviews saying that the devices with built-in HRMs have problems with accuracy when they're used for more strenuous workouts (like running or anything where you sweat a lot). I'd suggest taking this into consideration and reading some reviews on the Fitbit Charge HR first.
Finally, if you're willing to spend some more money and want a really sweet and hip device, you can always go the smart watch option. There's the Fitbit Surge (includes all day activity tracking and everything in the Fitbit One, a built-in HRM, GPS, cycling, plus it connects to your phone). That's about $250. There's also the Garmin Vivoactive, which I own and love. It does all day activity tracking; sleep tracking; analyzes running, cycling, swimming, and golf; has GPS; comes with a compatible chest strap HRM; and it connects to your phone. The Vivoactive is $300 with the HRM. You can also consider and look into the Apple Watch Sport. I believe those have built-in HRMs and activity tracking plus a bunch of other techy Apple stuff, but I can't remember. I believe they're around $300-$350.
Based on my understanding of your needs and what you want, I'd recommend for you either the Fitbit Charge HR or one of the Garmin wristband models w/ the HRM chest strap (Garmin Vivofit, Vivofit 2, or Vivosmart). I hope I helped! If you have more questions, feel free to ask and I'll try my best to help! 0 -
jumblejups wrote: »If you want something all round, products like the Fitbit Charge HR monitor general activity and exercise, IIRC.
For just activity/steps, I like the Fitbit (One, Flex, one of the more basic models).
I have a Fitbit Flex as my main exercise is walking, I've been wearing it solidly the last 3-4 months and I think it's great and helps a lot for tracking calorie burns as well as comparing activity level, motivating me to hit higher targets. I eat nearly all of the gained calories and am losing 1-1.5lb/week, aiming for a deficit of 500cals a day.
Totally support the statement. I have Fitbit Flex as well, does a great job keeping me aware of my calories, steps, activity overall, as well as sleep quality. The presentation of data is outstanding and clear. Flex series doesn't measure the heart rate, which is of minor importance to me, personally, as I am quite satisfied with estimation of heart rate by manual measuring (fingers,carotid artery,10 seconds)
However, there is Fitbit Charge HR - a bit more pricey alternative to Flex, which offers, among other functions, Heart Rate measurement. Another series (pricey one) Fitbit Surge allows to track distance via GPS and generally is better for those focusing on cardio such as swimming, running and cycling.
That being said, Fitbit devices are not only leaders among user preference and rating, but being actually a high-end product also offer a decent price as compared to other devices from popular brands.
However, for a total heart rate control freak it is better to get a separate HR meter. Some people out there critique Fitbit HR for not measuring heart rate precisely to the beat, forgetting that it is a sports device, not a medical equpment. 0 -
If you can't motivate yourself, no amount of tech savy dangly bits hanging off you, costing an arm and/or a leg (and a bonus first child, too) - nothing "tech" is gonna motivate you if you can't already get motivated on your own. You'd just be wasting your hard-earned cash, right?
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The problem with the surge and charge HR is that they are too inaccurate for sports such as running and cycling. They lag during activities, give inaccurate readings ... saying they aren't medical devices is nothing more than making excuses for a HR device that simply doesn't deliver.0
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I recently started using the Microsoft Band. At $200, it's in the middle of the pack for price, and has a really good sensor package (accelerometer, HR, galvanic skin response, GPS, sleep monitoring, UV, etc). I've found the pedometer reasonably accurate, and the HR is quite good for a wrist device. The run/walk and bike options will use the gps to log distance, location and pace.
I use a Windows phone, but it's supported on iOS and Android, too. MS has a good app that's on all of the platforms and it is linked with MFP. It also has a lot of non-fitness features.
It does have few drawbacks: the fit on the wrist is not as good as it could be, the screen orientation is a bit awkward to read, and it's not exactly a fashion piece. It's good idea to try one on and wear for a few minutes to see how it feels to you. Some of these things I hope MS will address in a next generation device. However, I'm quite happy with it overall.0 -
juliesilklashes wrote: »Another series (pricey one) Fitbit Surge allows to track distance via GPS and generally is better for those focusing on cardio such as swimming, running and cycling.
I'm quoting only to clarify and not confuse the OP. The Fitbit Surge seems like a great product. It has a built-in HRM, a GPS, measures all-day activity, sleep, running, and even cycling. But IT IS NOT FOR SWIMMING. It doesn't measure/analyze swim workouts. It's not even swim proof. The specs on Fitbit's website even say so. Fitbit is a fantastic company and they make great devices. I own two myself. But if someone wanted to use their device for swimming workouts too, I would not recommend any of Fitbit's products. Fitbit doesn't specialize in measuring swim workouts and none of their products are swim proof. But if you don't care about the swimming, then Fitbit's great! 0 -
brianpperkins wrote: »The problem with the surge and charge HR is that they are too inaccurate for sports such as running and cycling. They lag during activities, give inaccurate readings ... saying they aren't medical devices is nothing more than making excuses for a HR device that simply doesn't deliver.
This is because Fitbit specializes in general all-day activity tracking. If all-day steps, calories, etc. is mainly what someone wants, then Fitbit is great. But other companies such as Garmin and Polar specialize more in measuring and analyzing sports workouts, such as running, cycling, and swimming. If that's primarily what you want/need, then Fitbit is not for you and Garmin or Polar would be better. It all depends on your needs.
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SergeantSausage wrote: »If you can't motivate yourself, no amount of tech savy dangly bits hanging off you, costing an arm and/or a leg (and a bonus first child, too) - nothing "tech" is gonna motivate you if you can't already get motivated on your own. You'd just be wasting your hard-earned cash, right?
Wrong. It depends on the person. These devices really do motivate some people and end up changing their lives. (It did for me.) But others...not so much lol.
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PrettyPearl88 wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »The problem with the surge and charge HR is that they are too inaccurate for sports such as running and cycling. They lag during activities, give inaccurate readings ... saying they aren't medical devices is nothing more than making excuses for a HR device that simply doesn't deliver.
This is because Fitbit specializes in general all-day activity tracking. If all-day steps, calories, etc. is mainly what someone wants, then Fitbit is great. But other companies such as Garmin and Polar specialize more in measuring and analyzing sports workouts, such as running, cycling, and swimming. If that's primarily what you want/need, then Fitbit is not for you and Garmin or Polar would be better. It all depends on your needs.
Sadly, Fitbit is marketing their inherently inaccurate devices as usable for tracking exercise ... especially the Surge. They are fine activity trackers ... the Surge is a decent GPS ... they can be ok pulse checkers at rest ... they are worthless for HR during exercise. The same is true for most wrist mounted HR devices ... including the looser fitting bands from Garmin.
It does come down to what data one wants. Activity trackers are great for basic movement throughout the day. GPS for outdoor distance. A dedicated HR for tracking heart beats.0 -
PrettyPearl88 wrote: »SergeantSausage wrote: »If you can't motivate yourself, no amount of tech savy dangly bits hanging off you, costing an arm and/or a leg (and a bonus first child, too) - nothing "tech" is gonna motivate you if you can't already get motivated on your own. You'd just be wasting your hard-earned cash, right?
Wrong. It depends on the person. These devices really do motivate some people and end up changing their lives. (It did for me.) But others...not so much lol.
I guess ... as Dumbo needed his Magic Feather placebo so, too, do folks of same ilk need their tech data recording placebo ...
EDIT: The marketroids and vendorslime just love those folks. They're making BANK from you.
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brianpperkins wrote: »PrettyPearl88 wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »The problem with the surge and charge HR is that they are too inaccurate for sports such as running and cycling. They lag during activities, give inaccurate readings ... saying they aren't medical devices is nothing more than making excuses for a HR device that simply doesn't deliver.
This is because Fitbit specializes in general all-day activity tracking. If all-day steps, calories, etc. is mainly what someone wants, then Fitbit is great. But other companies such as Garmin and Polar specialize more in measuring and analyzing sports workouts, such as running, cycling, and swimming. If that's primarily what you want/need, then Fitbit is not for you and Garmin or Polar would be better. It all depends on your needs.
Sadly, Fitbit is marketing their inherently inaccurate devices as usable for tracking exercise ... especially the Surge. They are fine activity trackers ... the Surge is a decent GPS ... they can be ok pulse checkers at rest ... they are worthless for HR during exercise. The same is true for most wrist mounted HR devices ... including the looser fitting bands from Garmin.
It does come down to what data one wants. Activity trackers are great for basic movement throughout the day. GPS for outdoor distance. A dedicated HR for tracking heart beats.
I agree that Fitbit seems to advertise their devices for more than general activity tracking. They're not truly meant for intense sports workouts.
Also, the Garmin wristbands have chest strap HRMs, not built-in HRMs that measure at the wrist. The chest-strap HRMs are more accurate, it's the built-in wrist HRMs that give problems. That's why I went with my Garmin Vivoactive with the chest strap HRM. I love it so far!
It really does all come down to what the person wants to use the device for. And it's always best to do your research before purchasing a $150+ product lol!
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I have a Garmin Vivofit. I love it. It tracks my steps and sets daily goals, as well as weekly challenges with other people. It links with MFP and tracks sleep. It's water proof so I don't have to take it off and the battery lasts about a year. I purchased a heart rate monitor separately that also connects to it, so I can track jogging, etc.0
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I have a Fitbit Charge HR and I love it! It's really helped me stay on track.
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SergeantSausage wrote: »PrettyPearl88 wrote: »SergeantSausage wrote: »If you can't motivate yourself, no amount of tech savy dangly bits hanging off you, costing an arm and/or a leg (and a bonus first child, too) - nothing "tech" is gonna motivate you if you can't already get motivated on your own. You'd just be wasting your hard-earned cash, right?
Wrong. It depends on the person. These devices really do motivate some people and end up changing their lives. (It did for me.) But others...not so much lol.
I guess ... as Dumbo needed his Magic Feather placebo so, too, do folks of same ilk need their tech data recording placebo ...
EDIT: The marketroids and vendorslime just love those folks. They're making BANK from you.
Well technically, no one truly NEEDS these type of devices. They just help some people. The same way none of us (including you) truly NEED MyFitnessPal. You could always just save money by not paying for internet service and not owning a smart phone and just calculate your calories with a calculator every day. Buuuuut the internet and MFP help lol. So don't hate! :P
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I'm on the market for one of those not as much to motivate me do something but to measure my progress and give me milestones to race against. Unfortunately I haven't found my perfect one with compact form factor, decent battery, GPS, accurate HR, smart alarm, phone notifications, a screen showing progress and time and integration with something like IFTTT. All of those options are out there but they just don't seem to meet in one reliable device or are poorly implemented. Even dropping the HR doesn't help. Guess I'll just upgrade my smartphone to the model that handles GPS/battery better and wait for the next generation of wearables to hit the market.0
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