Step tracker/HRM all in one....
LernRach
Posts: 286 Member
I currently use FitBit One and wear a Polar something or other to measure HR etc in the gym. However, I would really like one gadget rather then 2. Is there a FitBit type thing that actually works? The Charge has quite mixed reviews.... Have any of you had experience with something that you can recommend?
Thank you
Thank you
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Replies
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I have the same thing you have, FitBit & Polar.
When you consider that HRMs without a chest strap are way less accurate, and HRMs are only designed for steady state cardio anyway.....I don't want another gadget. Another gadget isn't going to provide me with that much more information.
Here's the FitBit group.....tons of info. Perhaps you can look at Charge comments there......
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users0 -
Polar has all in one gadgets, the Loop, A300, M400, and V800 all use a chest strap that you only wear when working out. Garmin has some to that use a chest strap.0
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I have the same thing you have, FitBit & Polar.
When you consider that HRMs without a chest strap are way less accurate, and HRMs are only designed for steady state cardio anyway.....I don't want another gadget. Another gadget isn't going to provide me with that much more information.
Here's the FitBit group.....tons of info. Perhaps you can look at Charge comments there......
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
I meant one gadget that would do both, rather then remember to take my Polar with to the gym etc. I also have a newborn baby and often walk her during day which is half exercise, half needing to get out of house, but I don't wear the Polar for that, but one gadget would take that extra calorie into account....ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »Polar has all in one gadgets, the Loop, A300, M400, and V800 all use a chest strap that you only wear when working out. Garmin has some to that use a chest strap.
Are they accurate?
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I have the same thing you have, FitBit & Polar.
When you consider that HRMs without a chest strap are way less accurate, and HRMs are only designed for steady state cardio anyway.....I don't want another gadget. Another gadget isn't going to provide me with that much more information.
Here's the FitBit group.....tons of info. Perhaps you can look at Charge comments there......
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
I meant one gadget that would do both, rather then remember to take my Polar with to the gym etc. I also have a newborn baby and often walk her during day which is half exercise, half needing to get out of house, but I don't wear the Polar for that, but one gadget would take that extra calorie into account....ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »Polar has all in one gadgets, the Loop, A300, M400, and V800 all use a chest strap that you only wear when working out. Garmin has some to that use a chest strap.
Are they accurate?
As Far as I can tell nothing is going to be 100% accurate, but they will be close., the M400 and V800 uses the Vo2 test, and so far today mine shows a total of 2142 cal burn training 573 Cal (65 mins vigorous cardio) activity 413 (6000+ steps) and BMR 1160. I don't get false steps from just driving, but I do work with my hands sometimes and will get a few steps then, but they have to be really active for that to happen.
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Ah that sounds good... and can you compete with friends like you can with fitbit?0
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I have the same thing you have, FitBit & Polar.
When you consider that HRMs without a chest strap are way less accurate, and HRMs are only designed for steady state cardio anyway.....I don't want another gadget. Another gadget isn't going to provide me with that much more information.
Here's the FitBit group.....tons of info. Perhaps you can look at Charge comments there......
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
I meant one gadget that would do both, rather then remember to take my Polar with to the gym etc. I also have a newborn baby and often walk her during day which is half exercise, half needing to get out of house, but I don't wear the Polar for that, but one gadget would take that extra calorie into account....ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »Polar has all in one gadgets, the Loop, A300, M400, and V800 all use a chest strap that you only wear when working out. Garmin has some to that use a chest strap.
Are they accurate?
The way these work.........you have the initial gadget that you wear 24/7. Then there is something else you "sync" to when you are doing steady state cardio. The device should sync to something with a chest strap, because wrist-only models are going to be less accurate.
You would be wearing a type of watch 24/7 instead of a FitBit. It's still 2 things. Maybe it's a slight bit easier.
Don't bother using your chest strap during hiit, strength training, circuit training, yoga, etc....because NO it's not going to be accurate.0 -
I have the same thing you have, FitBit & Polar.
When you consider that HRMs without a chest strap are way less accurate, and HRMs are only designed for steady state cardio anyway.....I don't want another gadget. Another gadget isn't going to provide me with that much more information.
Here's the FitBit group.....tons of info. Perhaps you can look at Charge comments there......
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
I meant one gadget that would do both, rather then remember to take my Polar with to the gym etc. I also have a newborn baby and often walk her during day which is half exercise, half needing to get out of house, but I don't wear the Polar for that, but one gadget would take that extra calorie into account....ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »Polar has all in one gadgets, the Loop, A300, M400, and V800 all use a chest strap that you only wear when working out. Garmin has some to that use a chest strap.
Are they accurate?
The way these work.........you have the initial gadget that you wear 24/7. Then there is something else you "sync" to when you are doing steady state cardio. The device should sync to something with a chest strap, because wrist-only models are going to be less accurate.
You would be wearing a type of watch 24/7 instead of a FitBit. It's still 2 things. Maybe it's a slight bit easier.
Don't bother using your chest strap during hiit, strength training, circuit training, yoga, etc....because NO it's not going to be accurate.
is there anything that does it using just wrist without cheststrap0 -
I have the same thing you have, FitBit & Polar.
When you consider that HRMs without a chest strap are way less accurate, and HRMs are only designed for steady state cardio anyway.....I don't want another gadget. Another gadget isn't going to provide me with that much more information.
Here's the FitBit group.....tons of info. Perhaps you can look at Charge comments there......
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
I meant one gadget that would do both, rather then remember to take my Polar with to the gym etc. I also have a newborn baby and often walk her during day which is half exercise, half needing to get out of house, but I don't wear the Polar for that, but one gadget would take that extra calorie into account....ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »Polar has all in one gadgets, the Loop, A300, M400, and V800 all use a chest strap that you only wear when working out. Garmin has some to that use a chest strap.
Are they accurate?
The way these work.........you have the initial gadget that you wear 24/7. Then there is something else you "sync" to when you are doing steady state cardio. The device should sync to something with a chest strap, because wrist-only models are going to be less accurate.
You would be wearing a type of watch 24/7 instead of a FitBit. It's still 2 things. Maybe it's a slight bit easier.
Don't bother using your chest strap during hiit, strength training, circuit training, yoga, etc....because NO it's not going to be accurate.
is there anything that does it using just wrist without cheststrap
Garmin Forerunner 225.
It uses a light shroud to improve the operation of the optical HR monitor.0 -
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Ok thanks for all this! I going to go and do some research! Although currently incapacitated with a sprained ankle (just when I start dieting again!!!!) but if I have a new "toy" maybe it will inspire me to start running again as soon as foot is healed...0
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Ok thanks for all this! I going to go and do some research! Although currently incapacitated with a sprained ankle (just when I start dieting again!!!!) but if I have a new "toy" maybe it will inspire me to start running again as soon as foot is healed...
Swimming is great exercise when you have an sprang ankle.0 -
Apple Watch. The HRM is on the back side of the watch and measures at your wrist. I've compared it to both the 'grip' HRM sensors on many cardio machines and also manual palpation (fingers on your wrist, count the beats in a minute) and the Apple Watch is always within one or two beats of either method. While running, you can view elapsed time along with pace (average or current), distance or current heart rate with a quick swipe between screens. It also measures your steps/movement throughout the day, prompts you to stand if you've been sitting too long and has exercise tracking/logging for many indoor and outdoor cardio workouts.I currently use FitBit One and wear a Polar something or other to measure HR etc in the gym. However, I would really like one gadget rather then 2. Is there a FitBit type thing that actually works? The Charge has quite mixed reviews.... Have any of you had experience with something that you can recommend?
Thank you
The activity tracker has three "rings" (Move, Exercise, Stand) and the watch challenges you to close/complete all three rings each day (Move - burn a certain number of calories; Exercise - at least 30 minutes; Stand - at least one minute during at least 12 hours of the day). I used to wear a FitBit and I find the Apple Watch to be a lot more motivating and useful. It also logs/tracks your heart rate continuously throughout the day, and you can view the log in the Health app on the iPhone.
Downsides:
1) Unless you also have an iPhone, the functionality is considerably limited. It's designed to be a companion device to the iPhone.
2) Like every other activity tracker, it's basically useless for tracking calorie burn during non-cardio training (i.e., weight training). It will track your heart rate and allow you to see it, but the calorie number it spits out can't be trusted for accuracy.
3) It needs to be charged every night (not a big deal to me, but some people seem to make a big deal of it).0 -
Apple Watch. The HRM is on the back side of the watch and measures at your wrist. I've compared it to both the 'grip' HRM sensors on many cardio machines and also manual palpation (fingers on your wrist, count the beats in a minute) and the Apple Watch is always within one or two beats of either method. While running, you can view elapsed time along with pace (average or current), distance or current heart rate with a quick swipe between screens. It also measures your steps/movement throughout the day, prompts you to stand if you've been sitting too long and has exercise tracking/logging for many indoor and outdoor cardio workouts.I currently use FitBit One and wear a Polar something or other to measure HR etc in the gym. However, I would really like one gadget rather then 2. Is there a FitBit type thing that actually works? The Charge has quite mixed reviews.... Have any of you had experience with something that you can recommend?
Thank you
The activity tracker has three "rings" (Move, Exercise, Stand) and the watch challenges you to close/complete all three rings each day (Move - burn a certain number of calories; Exercise - at least 30 minutes; Stand - at least one minute during at least 12 hours of the day). I used to wear a FitBit and I find the Apple Watch to be a lot more motivating and useful. It also logs/tracks your heart rate continuously throughout the day, and you can view the log in the Health app on the iPhone.
Downsides:
1) Unless you also have an iPhone, the functionality is considerably limited. It's designed to be a companion device to the iPhone.
2) Like every other activity tracker, it's basically useless for tracking calorie burn during non-cardio training (i.e., weight training). It will track your heart rate and allow you to see it, but the calorie number it spits out can't be trusted for accuracy.
3) It needs to be charged every night (not a big deal to me, but some people seem to make a big deal of it).
Lol you forgot the minor downside of the price!!! This does sound like the best option but despite being a huge Apple fan, I can't seem to get myself excited by the watch, I don't see why it is better then the phone! you are either being rude by glancing down at phone all the time or glancing at watch all the time....0 -
Any reviews I've seen about the Apple Watch suggest that as a training tool the limitations are significant. It's a useful business tool that doesn't cross over well to fitness, in the same way that a 920XT or Fenix is a serious training tool that doesn't cross over well to the business user domain.0
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so i have been looking into the garmin vivofit2 which does both if you wear chest strap... do people wear it all day? will that not be uncomfortable?? n slightly awkward if it needs adjusting in public...0
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so i have been looking into the garmin vivofit2 which does both if you wear chest strap... do people wear it all day? will that not be uncomfortable?? n slightly awkward if it needs adjusting in public...
You only need the chest strap when doing steady state cardio or similar activities (running, jogging, biking, various machines etc.).
I have a Polar M400 and the Polar H7 strap and they are fantastic for giving you all the info you would ever want to tinker with including raw data you can put in excel and do all kinds of stuff.0 -
so i have been looking into the garmin vivofit2 which does both if you wear chest strap... do people wear it all day? will that not be uncomfortable?? n slightly awkward if it needs adjusting in public...
you only wear it when working out, this is the only time it tracks your calorie burn by your heart rate, it tracks your estimated daily calorie burn by your activities/steps and your BMR when you're not active. Do you swim? If so this is something else to consider when choosing a HRM
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Another alternative to watch is the Microsoft Band 2. Was just announced this week and they are taking pre orders. I'm really loving what it can do and seriously considering it. Its a little cheaper than the apple watch but more expensive than the others mentioned. But it can do a lot more.0
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Due to my health I need to restrict calories a lot in order to lose weight so I would like a gadget that measures more or less accurately my HR so that I can eat back half the calories I burn... That's what tempts me about the Charge HR but it's not got the best reviews hence I was looking for something else. If the vivofix involves extra bands that forfeits the purpose...0
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Due to my health I need to restrict calories a lot in order to lose weight so I would like a gadget that measures more or less accurately my HR so that I can eat back half the calories I burn... That's what tempts me about the Charge HR but it's not got the best reviews hence I was looking for something else. If the vivofix involves extra bands that forfeits the purpose...
The issue you have is that different indicators of calorie expenditure apply in different circumstances.
For day to day background activity, then steps are probably the most meaningful measure.
For CV exercise like running, distance and mass are the most meaningful measures so a GPS is your best tool. An HRM is a reasonable second best choice.
For circuit training or resistance training there is no reliable measure, so your best bet is logging time and perceived effort.
All day HRMs are a gimmic with little real value.
I'd reiterate the Forerunner 225 recommendation.
Step tracker for background level, GPS, the best optical HR implementation on the market.0 -
lol so basically, I"m creating something in my head that doesn't exist... hmmmm0
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ok, I just looked into the forerunner 225, yup, its exactly what I want, albeit expensive... now to find a sponsor
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