Wearable Activity Trackers....

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EmmaleighM
EmmaleighM Posts: 32 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I would love to get everyone's opinions on which wearable activity tracker is your favorite and why. Also, I'm not sure if I should be looking for one with a heart rate monitor or not. And if so why it is more beneficial! Thanks!!!!
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  • Mjones23456
    Mjones23456 Posts: 57 Member
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    I have a Peak Basis and like to be able to track my activities related to the calories burned during the that time. The FITBIT with the HR monitor had been recalled or I would have purchased that one. It is smaller and syncs with MFP. It is nice to know just how many calories you really burn.
  • hhant
    hhant Posts: 9 Member
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    I have a fit bit charge and I love it. I have a few friends that have one so we do competitions with each other on the challenges. Gets you walking as no one likes being last!

    Also it syncs with MFP so I don't have to add it to my exercise.

    I don't have the heart rate monitor one but they are supposedly more accurate when it comes to how many calories you've burnt.
  • giggalz
    giggalz Posts: 54 Member
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    hmm well..I rely on my Bodymedia for what i've burned in the day..but...the past year i've just been constantly breaking out from wearing it (i've had it for two years..)..and honestly I dont see where its helped me lose weight..but i'm a slow loser anyway..I wear a fitbit..i was addicted to getting my steps in at the beginning..then I wasnt..but I was too attached to wearing it to stop..But i've now gotten back into making sure I have my 10k steps..so I rely on that for my steps. I also wear a polar heart rate monitor when I do my cardio..but not for weights..not sure why..just give myself a break from wearing it..I use to have a polar loop..i wore it for a month..but didnt like it one bit..to clunky..got in the way when i tried to type out things on my laptop..and it was just another pedometer to me..i didnt have the heart rate band to sync it with..
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    EmmaleighM wrote: »
    I would love to get everyone's opinions on which wearable activity tracker is your favorite and why. Also, I'm not sure if I should be looking for one with a heart rate monitor or not. And if so why it is more beneficial! Thanks!!!!

    You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

    Your Fitbit burn is TDEE (your maintenance calories)—way more accurate than any online calculator. Most Fitbits can track your sleep. And Fitbit challenges are great motivation—and fun.
  • Emil07
    Emil07 Posts: 37 Member
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    Definitely need to get one with a hr monitor if you want to correctly track how many calories u burn
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Emil07 wrote: »
    Definitely need to get one with a hr monitor if you want to correctly track how many calories u burn

    Not necessarily. I lost the weight & maintained for nine months with a Fitbit Flex—which doesn't have a heart rate monitor. TDEE is by definition the number of calories at which your weight will maintain. So my Fitbit burn = TDEE.

    The only way to test the accuracy is to trust your Fitbit for several weeks, then reevaluate your progress.

    Also, when you connect a Fitbit to MFP it adjusts your daily calorie goal to TDEE minus deficit. And you no longer have to log any step-based activity, since the Fitbit tracks it for you. I was shocked how many steps I get just doing laundry.
  • paf777
    paf777 Posts: 1 Member
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    I am using a Polar A300 which works well for me. It is an all day step tracker with a Bluetooth connected chest strap for workouts. I have used it for swimming, running, and elliptical machines. The results seem realistic and it transfers workout and step data to myfitnesspal. I also plan to use it for cycling, hiking and canoeing. It is waterproof. I had a Fitbit charge hr which I returned (thanks having purchased it through Amazon) because the step count was off by about 33% while walking. Probably a defective device but Fitbit support was not helpful and did not want to send a replacement.
  • ritterknitter
    ritterknitter Posts: 1 Member
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    I have a Garmin Vivofit, and it's great. It tracks steps, goal for steps (counts down how many more to go), how many miles, calories burned, sleep, and also has the time which is nice that it functions as a watch too. It also has a motivator bar- it's a little red bar on the screen of the vivofit that appears when you have been sitting for an hour or more. It then adds a bar every 15 minutes after. To make it go away, simply get up and move around a few minutes.
    It has the ability to track heart rate if you also have the monitor. It syncs with MFP and my iPhone, which then in turn syncs with MyPlate too.

    So far I like it- it's waterproof, comfortable and not lumpy or clunky.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    What do you want it to do? What types of activity do you want it to track/monitor? Do you want a watch or a "wearable"? Does it need to be water proof?
  • ejbronte
    ejbronte Posts: 867 Member
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    I like my Withings tracker, and I also have a pedometer on my Samsung Gear watch. Both nice.
  • SusanCotter21
    SusanCotter21 Posts: 26 Member
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    I used to have a Fitbit flex but just switched to a Withings Pulse and scale and absolutely love them.
  • superlauren11
    superlauren11 Posts: 20 Member
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    editorgrrl wrote: »
    Emil07 wrote: »
    Definitely need to get one with a hr monitor if you want to correctly track how many calories u burn

    Not necessarily. I lost the weight & maintained for nine months with a Fitbit Flex—which doesn't have a heart rate monitor. TDEE is by definition the number of calories at which your weight will maintain. So my Fitbit burn = TDEE.

    The only way to test the accuracy is to trust your Fitbit for several weeks, then reevaluate your progress.

    Also, when you connect a Fitbit to MFP it adjusts your daily calorie goal to TDEE minus deficit. And you no longer have to log any step-based activity, since the Fitbit tracks it for you. I was shocked how many steps I get just doing laundry.

    This. I love my flex.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    Depends on your activity. I have a Fitbit Flex more of a tracker to motivate me at work to ensure I'm taking breaks and getting up every hour or so. I use a Polar H7 and the associated smartphone app for run/bike/swim and cardio tracking. Some great information and interesting to track how your body becomes more efficient over time, burning fewer calories with the same effort. The Polar website is great if you're a data geek and get excited seeing your activity graphed. Also has a nice algorithm for resting days.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    Emil07 wrote: »
    Definitely need to get one with a hr monitor if you want to correctly track how many calories u burn

    Incorrect. Heart rate is not an accurate indicator of effort. The few studies that have been done on accuracy put BodyMedia at the top, and it uses galvanic skin response and temperature changes to assess effort. Too bad they quit making them. You can still find them here and there online.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    SnuggleSmacks wrote: »
    Heart rate is not an accurate indicator of effort. The few studies that have been done on accuracy put BodyMedia at the top, and it uses galvanic skin response and temperature changes to assess effort. Too bad they quit making them. You can still find them here and there online.

    I think Jawbone bought BodyMedia, and put some of its technology into the newest UP activity trackers.
  • bbontheb
    bbontheb Posts: 718 Member
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    Following because I would like someone to have a better approximate calorie burn for cardio, walking/hiking, maybe cycling :)
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    editorgrrl wrote: »
    SnuggleSmacks wrote: »
    Heart rate is not an accurate indicator of effort. The few studies that have been done on accuracy put BodyMedia at the top, and it uses galvanic skin response and temperature changes to assess effort. Too bad they quit making them. You can still find them here and there online.

    I think Jawbone bought BodyMedia, and put some of its technology into the newest UP activity trackers.

    Poorly, based on reviews. It's the UP3.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    bbontheb wrote: »
    Following because I would like someone to have a better approximate calorie burn for cardio, walking/hiking, maybe cycling :)

    Activity trackers track step-based activity. Non-step exercise (like swimming or biking) must be logged either in the tracker or in MFP—never both.

    Exercise logged in MFP overwrites your tracker burn during that time.
  • KrissyRawrz
    KrissyRawrz Posts: 342 Member
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    Any fitbit that goes on the wrist :) I have a flex currently and hope to get a charge soon
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
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    My Polar M400 sport watch activity tracker should arrive in the mail tomorrow. I ordered this model because of the built in GPS and also includes a HRM. The polar chest straps are very comfortable to wear during my activities that I need to record so I don't mind it at all.

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