Activity trackers

I got a Fitbit Flex for Christmas and being a bit of a geek I like all the data it provides. I think it is still getting to know me at the minute so can't attest to total accuracy long term, but the calorie counts it's providing are fairly close to what I've been calculating and maintaining on for a while. It doesn't have a HR monitor function but I don't want or need that. It definitely has helped to encourage me to get my butt off the sofa after Christmas pigging out!

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GuitarJerry wrote: »

They are a waste of time and money. You don't need this. Just track your calories, calculate your TDEE, and be done with all the nonsense. This is simple. Don't make it more complicated than it is.

I've been walking more since I got a pedometer from my doctor - seeing my step totals encourages me to take more of them.

However, I realized that this particular model (Omron HJ-321) undercounts, as it is designed to not start counting until I make at least 10 steps, and seems to not actually start counting until it's been even more steps. (It is accurate for walks.) Because of Christmas, I put a Fitbit One on my wishlist and so far it has logged double the steps of my Omron. If people want a really cheap option and don't care about steps taken around the house or syncing with MFP, I highly recommend the $17.49 Omron.

I really enjoy my fitbit charge. I've heard great things about all the fitbits. I love their customer service. My fitbit started falling apart after about 8 months (the tracker part was almost completely separate from the rubber wrist band - it was a flaw that they say they have now fixed). They sent me a brand new replacement for free!

I bought a Fitbit Charge HR in November as a reward for a really good health checkup with the doctor. I absolutely love it. Of course I am a data-junkie, so that makes sense. Also, since it is synced with MFP, I don't have to time my workouts anymore.

I have the Vivofit and am happy with it.
At first I was kind of disappointed because I had been talking about the Charge HR for a few months, and the fella got me the vivofit for my birthday instead. But I'm coming up on 2 months with it, and I love it.

What I really like about vivofit and Garmin in general is that the step goal is not some arbitrary number like 10k. It's better than you did yesterday. Oh, you went 11,298 steps today? Bet you can't hit 11,500. A red line shows up when you've been still for more than an hour. The longer you've been still, the more you have to move to make it go away. I find the step counter fairly accurate. I feel like it doesn't register when I get up from my desk to go to the printer, which is just around the corner, but I log around 300 steps in the shower so I'm sure over the course of the day it shakes out. I don't have to swing my arms all crazy to get it to log. It doesn't have a heart rate monitor, but most will talk to it if you have one already. I got the Garmin one for Christmas, and so far no problems. (I know, 3 days haha!) No charging, back lighting means that the battery is good for a year. If you're going to be wanting to read it in the dark, this isn't the model for you, but it doesn't bother me at all. In the almost two months I have had this, I have only taken it off a handful of times. Once for a wedding, and a couple times that I had adjusted the band and then it bothered me at night. The sleep data is whatever. If you take it off it looks like you had a great night of sleep. But I guess its cool.

My only complaint is EVERYONE uses fitbit, so it was hard to find the community at first, but I've found a bunch of people on MFP who use Garmin products and have connected with there. The app is nice, and syncs well with MFP.

I usually only use Runtastic for my activities, since I have phone with me most of the time anyways. And for me it's enough.

rsclause wrote: »

Fit Bit force here. I got over the rash thing by alternating wrists until it just stopped. Would get a new one if it would ever break. I use runtastic to track my running and fit bit to monitor general activity (steps). I like the feed back it gives me and the added calories too. The fit bit scale is also nice and logs my weight and uploads it to fit bit & MFP

I get a rash from my Fitbit Charge, but that's because I am allergic to nickel and the stainless steel closure contains nickel. It's not terrible. Sometimes it itches, and sometimes I get small blisters, but I move my Fitbit around from one wrist to another and that seems to help.

realityfades wrote: »

rsclause wrote: »

Fit Bit force here. I got over the rash thing by alternating wrists until it just stopped. Would get a new one if it would ever break. I use runtastic to track my running and fit bit to monitor general activity (steps). I like the feed back it gives me and the added calories too. The fit bit scale is also nice and logs my weight and uploads it to fit bit & MFP

I get a rash from my Fitbit Charge, but that's because I am allergic to nickel and the stainless steel closure contains nickel. It's not terrible. Sometimes it itches, and sometimes I get small blisters, but I move my Fitbit around from one wrist to another and that seems to help.

you can try to add a wrist cover (if your creative and can sew or know someone who does) to wrap around the clasp so it doesn't touch your skin. Some fleece or flannel in a favorite design/ color to match might help.

BurnWithBarn2015 wrote: »

I have a Misfit Flash...works the same as a Fitbit.

*Nice app
*Count steps/activity
*Sleep
*Calories
*Is waterproof!!!! so you can swim with it.
*Syncs with MFP and other programs.
*Choice out of different kind of exercises ( from swimming to step based exercises and biking etc)


And only $29.99

Works very good syncs very well and the estimate burn everyday is pretty darn close to what is my suspected TDEE it seems ( not totally know what maintenance is yet but getting there)

Be careful with the Flash - I killed two of them. Both after the third swim. I'm using Garmin Vivofit now. It's waterproof, has a clock and it's pretty comfortable.

GuitarJerry wrote: »

They are a waste of time and money. You don't need this. Just track your calories, calculate your TDEE, and be done with all the nonsense. This is simple. Don't make it more complicated than it is.

I used to feel that way when I could do harder workouts than walking. I still kind of agree, because there are so many posts about having to troubleshoot these devices, but now that I'm doing the most boring stuff possible, I get why people use them. If exercise isn't super motivating, it's not a bad thing to have something put your time in.

I looked at different pedometers, and in the end decided to go with the timer on my watch and a map. (I walk 20 mins at a brisk pace, note the route, the street I end up at and time, walk back, get a map & do the math).

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I started out with the Vivofit and really liked it. So much I've just upgraded thanks to my best friend to the Vivoactive.

It's waterproof, it runs from a battery so no need to charge (Worn constantly for 8+ months and still no need to change the battery), you can pair it with an HRM for cardio (but these burns can be over-inflated). I also found the step count matched my iPhone nearly exactly when I had both on me to compare so I think the step accuracy is as good as any product like this can be. They come in at a great price point, especially for those new to fitness trackers.

I realise how over-inflated those burns were since my upgrade as the Vivoactive, for whatever reason, gives me lower burns. Not a big deal as I rarely ate back all of my exercise calories for precisely this reason. The Vivoactive, as far as a smart watch/fitness tracker combo goes is also very good value so if you do want to upgrade it's not too much of a leap.

They're a tool, like anything else.

GuitarJerry wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

GuitarJerry wrote: »

They are a waste of time and money. You don't need this. Just track your calories, calculate your TDEE, and be done with all the nonsense. This is simple. Don't make it more complicated than it is.

I used to feel that way when I could do harder workouts than walking. I still kind of agree, because there are so many posts about having to troubleshoot these devices, but now that I'm doing the most boring stuff possible, I get why people use them. If exercise isn't super motivating, it's not a bad thing to have something put your time in.

I looked at different pedometers, and in the end decided to go with the timer on my watch and a map. (I walk 20 mins at a brisk pace, note the route, the street I end up at and time, walk back, get a map & do the math).

My theory is that people think weight loss is magic, and that the devices are part of that unknown magic. They want to believe that it's much bigger than they are and the mystery of it all lives inside the device. They also think these are accurate and know things. They aren't. Wear 6 different ones and get 6 completely different results. That would be ok if they were consistent, but they data shows that they aren't. Some of them are just wildly inaccurate and inconsistent, while others seem to be decent enough, but still wrong. My argument is that it's no different than going to a site, saying you did some activity for some period of time, putting in your weight, and getting a calorie burn. It's as good as that. These devices measure a heart beat, which is no indication at all of how many calories you have burned. None. Nada. It's ridiculous. But, there's a never-ending stream of people that want the magic torch.

GuitarJerry wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

GuitarJerry wrote: »

They are a waste of time and money. You don't need this. Just track your calories, calculate your TDEE, and be done with all the nonsense. This is simple. Don't make it more complicated than it is.

I used to feel that way when I could do harder workouts than walking. I still kind of agree, because there are so many posts about having to troubleshoot these devices, but now that I'm doing the most boring stuff possible, I get why people use them. If exercise isn't super motivating, it's not a bad thing to have something put your time in.

I looked at different pedometers, and in the end decided to go with the timer on my watch and a map. (I walk 20 mins at a brisk pace, note the route, the street I end up at and time, walk back, get a map & do the math).

My theory is that people think weight loss is magic, and that the devices are part of that unknown magic. They want to believe that it's much bigger than they are and the mystery of it all lives inside the device. They also think these are accurate and know things. They aren't. Wear 6 different ones and get 6 completely different results. That would be ok if they were consistent, but they data shows that they aren't. Some of them are just wildly inaccurate and inconsistent, while others seem to be decent enough, but still wrong. My argument is that it's no different than going to a site, saying you did some activity for some period of time, putting in your weight, and getting a calorie burn. It's as good as that. These devices measure a heart beat, which is no indication at all of how many calories you have burned. None. Nada. It's ridiculous. But, there's a never-ending stream of people that want the magic torch.

CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING

HOW IS A HEART RATE MONITOR NOT AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR THAT?

Higher heart rate=more blood flowing=veins and arteries dialate=body temperature increases=body sweats to cool itself= calories burned to deal with the extra activities