Questions about Garmin Vivosmart HR

rlpomeroy
rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
edited November 28 in Fitness and Exercise
I just started using a Vivosmart HR and have a couple of questions for other users.

It seems to track my resting HR ok, but when I'm working out, it doesn't show my elevated HR. I was hoping that it would confirm the HR's that I am seeing on the elliptical. It isn't counting my "activity minutes" either. The step count and floors climbed seems to be working ok.

If I am wearing it while I am working out, should I just let the sync to MFP track my exercise calories and not enter them manually?

Thanks

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Replies

  • rlpomeroy
    rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
    I think I may have found a partial answer in that I need to "start" my run. Is that correct?
  • dalhectar
    dalhectar Posts: 52 Member
    For that device, I think so.
  • rlpomeroy
    rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
    Thanks dalhectar,

    This morning, I started a session and it tracked my heartrate like I was hoping. It was actually pretty close to what the machine was showing. It still didn't change the "intensity minutes" count though.
  • zenjen13
    zenjen13 Posts: 174 Member
    I just got mine and did my first workout today. You do need to log your exercise by pressing the little button and timing it. It should track your HR, distance, and cals burned. For me, it did track my intensity mins but I think it took a bit before that showed up in Connect. Also, after you log a work
  • zenjen13
    zenjen13 Posts: 174 Member
    Oops hit enter! After you log a workout you can then edit the name and type on the computer. My username is zen.jen if you want to add on Connect.
  • zenjen13
    zenjen13 Posts: 174 Member
    You know what? Mine stopped tracking intensity minutes this week. I've done 3 workouts that didn't 'count' as intensity although it's tracking my heart rate just fine. Is yours working now?
  • whimic38
    whimic38 Posts: 3 Member
    I was looking at reviews for this the other day, you can contact customer service at Garmin and they can help figure things out. I know you can calibrate your stride somehow to make distance more accurate, but can't remember what I read about intensity minutes.
  • mghuss
    mghuss Posts: 22 Member
    My heart rate on mine never shows above 72 unless I'm in running mode. Not helpful for my circuit training. Garmin customer support said its a software issue they're aware of. Seems like they would have figured that out before they sold a ton of these over the holiday, of course I'm past my able-to-return date to best buy
  • zenjen13
    zenjen13 Posts: 174 Member
    I've learned more since I joined the Garmin forums. The 72 beat HR issue was just fixed for the vivosmart in the latest donwload (for me yesterday). The intensity minutes not tracking is an issue still and Garmin Support told me it is NOT the tracker but a problem with the software that they are working on. I figure, if they fixed the resting HR issue then the intensity minutes issue will follow soon.
  • zenjen13
    zenjen13 Posts: 174 Member
    Forgot to add that there's now a nifty little HR graph if you tap the HR screen.
  • rlpomeroy
    rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
    I did the update last night and hadn't seen the graph. COOL! We also now have Run, Cardio, and Other as choices for activity types.
  • zenjen13
    zenjen13 Posts: 174 Member
    @rlpomeroy : yes! It's working better than ever! I use Other for weight lifting, and Cardio for elliptical and yoga. Then I edit the activity names on Connect. The little heart rate graph is cool, I agree. Have you had an "insight" yet? That's a neat new feature on Connect too. Oh yeah and it registered some activity minutes for me today - finally!
  • rlpomeroy
    rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
    It registered activity minutes for me too. I haven't had an "insight" yet. I look forward to it. :-)
  • zenjen13
    zenjen13 Posts: 174 Member
    @rlpomeroy : Your insights will show in Connect when you get one. Pretty neat stuff. I'm loving the vivosmart even more now.
  • TuesdayLucero
    TuesdayLucero Posts: 86 Member
    What exactly is an Insight? I just got my Vivosmart HR this past Friday so I've used it for 2.5 days but so far I really like it. I did an update as soon as I opened it so I haven't had any of the problems you all mentioned, since it fixed those with the update, I assume. I really enjoy the prompts to move.
  • TuesdayLucero
    TuesdayLucero Posts: 86 Member
    I am noticing that I get a LOT of calories for being "active" and it's subtracting from my MFP calories eaten, making my net calories eaten much lower. I'm not sure I 100% trust that yet and am not going to eat back all of those calories.
  • rlpomeroy
    rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
    I haven't been eating back my calories either.
  • zenjen13
    zenjen13 Posts: 174 Member
    TuesdayLucero wrote: »
    What exactly is an Insight? I just got my Vivosmart HR this past Friday so I've used it for 2.5 days but so far I really like it. I did an update as soon as I opened it so I haven't had any of the problems you all mentioned, since it fixed those with the update, I assume. I really enjoy the prompts to move.

    Once you've got enough data logged it'll personalize an insight for you. I got one on Friday telling me that Fridays are my least active day of the week.
  • zenjen13
    zenjen13 Posts: 174 Member
    TuesdayLucero wrote: »
    I am noticing that I get a LOT of calories for being "active" and it's subtracting from my MFP calories eaten, making my net calories eaten much lower. I'm not sure I 100% trust that yet and am not going to eat back all of those calories.

    Really? I haven't had that problem. I've set myself as sedentary and just let the device log all my activity. Mine seems pretty accurate for the activity I do. I wasn't eating back the calories but am feeling unwell today so I've decided to eat them this week.
  • rlpomeroy
    rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
    For some reason today, it is showing that I am climbing lots of flights of stairs that I am not. I also had to switch it from my left wrist to my right during my elliptical session because it wasn't reporting my HR right. Weird.
  • zenjen13
    zenjen13 Posts: 174 Member
    rlpomeroy wrote: »
    For some reason today, it is showing that I am climbing lots of flights of stairs that I am not. I also had to switch it from my left wrist to my right during my elliptical session because it wasn't reporting my HR right. Weird.

    Funny, if anything I find it tends to under report for me. I've been up and down the stairs a few times today but it says 0. I'm way better with it under reporting than over. I know they still have issues with stairs and activity minutes - these issues haven't been solved yet.
  • rdgfreshstart2016
    rdgfreshstart2016 Posts: 75 Member
    Day two with the Vivosmart HR - just completed a 30-minute elliptical workout and the activity calories seem high. How is everyone finding this - not going to eat back the calories- just looking for thoughts. Thanks!
  • rlpomeroy
    rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
    Mine usually shows very close to what the equipment shows if not slightly under. Are you actually starting an activity? I usually just use "run"
  • rdgfreshstart2016
    rdgfreshstart2016 Posts: 75 Member
    Today's workout was fine - I just used 'run' and numbers were more in line with what I was seeing on the elliptical machine. Thanks!
  • Twasney
    Twasney Posts: 186 Member
    Hi guys, I just bought mine last night and i am concerned because either its tracking my resting heart rate really high or i am going to die when i work out LOL. Also it tracks my flights of stairs when i haven't done any stairs. For example I have been sitting at my computer this morning trying to figure out my stupid tracker and supposedly i climbed 7 sets of stairs? feel free to add me twasney
  • rlpomeroy
    rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
    The stair thing happens to me occasionally too. Not usually that bad though. It will probably take a while for your resting heart rate to average out.
  • rlpomeroy
    rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
    Anybody know what the 3.0 update is for?
  • laurakmcclellan
    laurakmcclellan Posts: 1 Member
    zenjen13 wrote: »
    TuesdayLucero wrote: »
    I am noticing that I get a LOT of calories for being "active" and it's subtracting from my MFP calories eaten, making my net calories eaten much lower. I'm not sure I 100% trust that yet and am not going to eat back all of those calories.

    Really? I haven't had that problem. I've set myself as sedentary and just let the device log all my activity. Mine seems pretty accurate for the activity I do. I wasn't eating back the calories but am feeling unwell today so I've decided to eat them this week.

    Mine is doing the opposite & telling MFP I'm burning less calories than it thinks and is taking away some of my daily calories on MFP, but if I just look at Garmin Connect- I have plenty more! Well, 120, but that can be a cookie!
  • rlpomeroy
    rlpomeroy Posts: 726 Member
    laurakmcclellan wrote: »
    zenjen13 wrote: »
    TuesdayLucero wrote: »
    I am noticing that I get a LOT of calories for being "active" and it's subtracting from my MFP calories eaten, making my net calories eaten much lower. I'm not sure I 100% trust that yet and am not going to eat back all of those calories.

    Really? I haven't had that problem. I've set myself as sedentary and just let the device log all my activity. Mine seems pretty accurate for the activity I do. I wasn't eating back the calories but am feeling unwell today so I've decided to eat them this week.

    Mine is doing the opposite & telling MFP I'm burning less calories than it thinks and is taking away some of my daily calories on MFP, but if I just look at Garmin Connect- I have plenty more! Well, 120, but that can be a cookie!

    Mine just started doing the same. MFP shows that I have less calories left the more exercise I get. Connect seems to be accurate. Did you ever figure out the problem?
  • CincyNeid
    CincyNeid Posts: 1,249 Member
    rdgfreshstart2016 wrote: »
    Today's workout was fine - I just used 'run' and numbers were more in line with what I was seeing on the elliptical machine. Thanks!

    Be careful using machine numbers. Garmin Connect has your Age, Height, Weight, Sex and knows your resting HR. It bases all of those factors into determining/guesstimating what your caloric burn really is. The machine your on doesn't know any of that, other than the seldom time a machine ask you to enter a weight.
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