Do you regularly use fitness devices to track your progress? Have they ever discouraged ur progress?
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NorthCascades wrote: »need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns ...
So how many heart beats are there in a calorie anyway?
Oh yeah, they are absolutely more accurate. lol For sh**s and giggles I once wore my FT4 for two (almost whole) days. I did have to take it off to shower and what have you but one day was my usual workday and the second I just loafed around the house. Some pretty eye opening information I got from that lol On those lazy days you want to snack but based on the FT4, you definitely shouldn't loaf and snack.
My Garmin has a continuous wrist HRM, so I wear it 24 hours a day (even in the shower, since it is waterproof and needs to be rinsed occasionally), only taking it off to charge it for a few hours per week generally. It calculates your daily resting calories burned, which have remained pretty consistent during the 11 months I've owned it
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need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns than say the EVIL FITBIT or wrist based HRM's. When a watch gives you "steps" for clapping your hands, it's bullSH*T. If a watch doesn't register a heart rate over 70bpm on a Stairmaster at level 10, it's BullSh*t. It's reasoning for this? Because I wasn't walking/running/elliptical or moving my arms like you would on those other machines. I started not eating back my exercise calories this year but I still liked seeing a good calorie burn anyways which I didn't get with the fitbit. So, I love my Polar as it's also water proof (I swim and shower with it) and wear it as a watch. It's also durable as I run into things a lot. The fitbit broke twice within a year. The Polar app is free and the watch with the heart rate monitor is only about 90-100$ on amazon.
Oh and both watches have the sleep option to measure the amount of sleep you get a night so that's a handy option too.
That is why I put one on my ankle haha and HRM watches should be used as a relative but not absolute. I have both the wrist HRM bands and two Strap HRM devices (both polar of course). For me its heart strap devices for actual workouts and apple watch and blaze for daily estimate. Like I said in a previous post though, sometimes these watch HRM can catch things that may have gone unnoticed since you generally don't were your HR strap all day.0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns ...
So how many heart beats are there in a calorie anyway?
That was the title of a country song I wrote.
Babe, you and me belong together.
Heavy as a stone or light as a feather.
I know my shirts don't fit anymore,
And my pants are tight; they've gone and torn.
Fat or thin; take me till my dying day
because how many heart beats are there in a calorie, anyway?3 -
I use a polar H7 heart rate monitor (chest strap) with an HRV app to track my heart rate variability. It's great for determining the need for a recovery day.
OK, I know I'm going to sound clueless here but what is an HRV app? lol I googled it and I got heart rate variability but I have no idea what the benefits of that are other than what you mentioned above. What are the variabilities it tracks? Probably asking a lot but could you give me an example?
Heart rate variability is the measuring the distance between your heart beats. Your heart may be beating at 60 beats per minute, but that doesn’t mean they are precisely 1 second apart. HRV measures that. It’s a good gauge of your body’s status/recovery. I also measure this daily to determine if I’m appropriately stressing my body with the training I’m doing and whether I’m recovered enough to do another hard training or if I should be doing something less intense.
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And sorry for the million follow up posts. I'm trying to read everyones responses and take in all the information you guys are sharing. Awesome to see that there are a lot of people who are actually utilizing wearables and the differences in everybody's device needs. There's so many out there, hearing which ones you like and found helpful is great. Definitely motivates me to keep using mine to stay on track. Thanks you guys!0
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Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns ...
So how many heart beats are there in a calorie anyway?
HR is just one of several variables used to calculate calories burned.
The most consistently accurate ways to gauge calorie use during exercise all ignore heart rate. Granted that many of them aren't universal available, but that should tell you something about the value of HR for calories. My HR is currently elevated as I sit at my desk, because I've just had a coffee.
Right, if you take a stimulant or have a coworker jump out and yell "boo!", your HR will certainly escalate. It also happens when you exercise, so if you go on a run and your HR, which has been averaging 55 bpm, escalates to 130 bpm throughout the run (no caffeine or startling incidents) and then returns to normal shortly thereafter, there is an excellent chance that your exercise is primarily responsible for that, and therefore the inclusion of your HR in the calorie burn formula is useful. Until something better comes along that can be widely (cheaply) utilized, it is either that or generic tables that don't include a factor for degree of intensity.
For walking, I go by distance walked and body weight, and ignore heart rate entirely.
Walking is the least sexy type of exercise, but when I look at the active calories report in Connect, it looks like I burn more calories from walking than anything else.2 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns ...
So how many heart beats are there in a calorie anyway?
HR is just one of several variables used to calculate calories burned.
The most consistently accurate ways to gauge calorie use during exercise all ignore heart rate. Granted that many of them aren't universal available, but that should tell you something about the value of HR for calories. My HR is currently elevated as I sit at my desk, because I've just had a coffee.
Right, if you take a stimulant or have a coworker jump out and yell "boo!", your HR will certainly escalate. It also happens when you exercise, so if you go on a run and your HR, which has been averaging 55 bpm, escalates to 130 bpm throughout the run (no caffeine or startling incidents) and then returns to normal shortly thereafter, there is an excellent chance that your exercise is primarily responsible for that, and therefore the inclusion of your HR in the calorie burn formula is useful. Until something better comes along that can be widely (cheaply) utilized, it is either that or generic tables that don't include a factor for degree of intensity.
For walking, I go by distance walked and body weight, and ignore heart rate entirely.
Walking is the least sexy type of exercise, but when I look at the active calories report in Connect, it looks like I burn more calories from walking than anything else.
For the one month in my life I tried running for exercise, the calories burnt was unreal. I mean, it motivated me and all, but it's still running lol I couldn't hang.
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NorthCascades wrote: »need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns ...
So how many heart beats are there in a calorie anyway?
That was the title of a country song I wrote.
Babe, you and me belong together.
Heavy as a stone or light as a feather.
I know my shirts don't fit anymore,
And my pants are tight; they've gone and torn.
Fat or thin; take me till my dying day
because how many heart beats are there in a calorie, anyway?
Random Knowledge for the win. lol Never heard of it.0 -
Duck_Puddle wrote: »I use a polar H7 heart rate monitor (chest strap) with an HRV app to track my heart rate variability. It's great for determining the need for a recovery day.
OK, I know I'm going to sound clueless here but what is an HRV app? lol I googled it and I got heart rate variability but I have no idea what the benefits of that are other than what you mentioned above. What are the variabilities it tracks? Probably asking a lot but could you give me an example?
Heart rate variability is the measuring the distance between your heart beats. Your heart may be beating at 60 beats per minute, but that doesn’t mean they are precisely 1 second apart. HRV measures that. It’s a good gauge of your body’s status/recovery. I also measure this daily to determine if I’m appropriately stressing my body with the training I’m doing and whether I’m recovered enough to do another hard training or if I should be doing something less intense.
Never even thought about that before. Based on the time between beats you can actually tell how fatigued you are? That's some pretty interesting stuff, will have to read up on it. Glad you posted about it, learning something new every day. thanks!0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns ...
So how many heart beats are there in a calorie anyway?
HR is just one of several variables used to calculate calories burned.
The most consistently accurate ways to gauge calorie use during exercise all ignore heart rate. Granted that many of them aren't universal available, but that should tell you something about the value of HR for calories. My HR is currently elevated as I sit at my desk, because I've just had a coffee.
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Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns ...
So how many heart beats are there in a calorie anyway?
Oh yeah, they are absolutely more accurate. lol For sh**s and giggles I once wore my FT4 for two (almost whole) days. I did have to take it off to shower and what have you but one day was my usual workday and the second I just loafed around the house. Some pretty eye opening information I got from that lol On those lazy days you want to snack but based on the FT4, you definitely shouldn't loaf and snack.
My Garmin has a continuous wrist HRM, so I wear it 24 hours a day (even in the shower, since it is waterproof and needs to be rinsed occasionally), only taking it off to charge it for a few hours per week generally. It calculates your daily resting calories burned, which have remained pretty consistent during the 11 months I've owned it
Yeah mine has the chest strap, at least my polar watches. Both are water proof but don't track my HR without the strap. Unfortnately.0 -
Duck_Puddle wrote: »I use a polar H7 heart rate monitor (chest strap) with an HRV app to track my heart rate variability. It's great for determining the need for a recovery day.
OK, I know I'm going to sound clueless here but what is an HRV app? lol I googled it and I got heart rate variability but I have no idea what the benefits of that are other than what you mentioned above. What are the variabilities it tracks? Probably asking a lot but could you give me an example?
Heart rate variability is the measuring the distance between your heart beats. Your heart may be beating at 60 beats per minute, but that doesn’t mean they are precisely 1 second apart. HRV measures that. It’s a good gauge of your body’s status/recovery. I also measure this daily to determine if I’m appropriately stressing my body with the training I’m doing and whether I’m recovered enough to do another hard training or if I should be doing something less intense.
Never even thought about that before. Based on the time between beats you can actually tell how fatigued you are? That's some pretty interesting stuff, will have to read up on it. Glad you posted about it, learning something new every day. thanks!
The idea is that you basically have two different things making your heart beat. There's your fight or flight system, and your rest and digest system. The rhythms in the timing of individual beats can tell you a lot about how active each one is, if you measure when you're at rest.1 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Duck_Puddle wrote: »I use a polar H7 heart rate monitor (chest strap) with an HRV app to track my heart rate variability. It's great for determining the need for a recovery day.
OK, I know I'm going to sound clueless here but what is an HRV app? lol I googled it and I got heart rate variability but I have no idea what the benefits of that are other than what you mentioned above. What are the variabilities it tracks? Probably asking a lot but could you give me an example?
Heart rate variability is the measuring the distance between your heart beats. Your heart may be beating at 60 beats per minute, but that doesn’t mean they are precisely 1 second apart. HRV measures that. It’s a good gauge of your body’s status/recovery. I also measure this daily to determine if I’m appropriately stressing my body with the training I’m doing and whether I’m recovered enough to do another hard training or if I should be doing something less intense.
Never even thought about that before. Based on the time between beats you can actually tell how fatigued you are? That's some pretty interesting stuff, will have to read up on it. Glad you posted about it, learning something new every day. thanks!
The idea is that you basically have two different things making your heart beat. There's your fight or flight system, and your rest and digest system. The rhythms in the timing of individual beats can tell you a lot about how active each one is, if you measure when you're at rest.
It really is fascinating stuff. I have measured it first thing in the morning with an app (Elite HRV) for a year or two, and it’s never been wrong. Meaning, despite how I think I feel, if my HRV says that I’m beat and recovering, my workout reflects that. Also on days where I feel tired and beat, if my HRV says I’m good to go, my workout reflects that. So workouts can be tailored specifically to how my body is actually working.
You need to stress your body to improve and gain adaptations and all that, so you want to have some stress. But having a tool to help measure where you are on a day to day basis is an enormous benefit.
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NorthCascades wrote: »Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns ...
So how many heart beats are there in a calorie anyway?
HR is just one of several variables used to calculate calories burned.
The most consistently accurate ways to gauge calorie use during exercise all ignore heart rate. Granted that many of them aren't universal available, but that should tell you something about the value of HR for calories. My HR is currently elevated as I sit at my desk, because I've just had a coffee.
this↑
So what is the preferred methodology for measuring calories burned during exercise for "ordinary" individuals trying to measure this with limited resources (not athletes with expensive state-of-the-art equipment available)?0 -
HRV is an indication of the state of the autonomic nervous system. As mentioned above it indicates if your ANS is in a sympathetic state or parasympathetic state.
In simple terms it tells you, "hey you should back off a little you're kinda beat up right now" or it might say, "stop making excuses and get to work". Sorta like a coach/trainer that lives on your phone.
I use Elite HRV mostly because it's free, it also works well for my needs.2 -
Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns ...
So how many heart beats are there in a calorie anyway?
HR is just one of several variables used to calculate calories burned.
The most consistently accurate ways to gauge calorie use during exercise all ignore heart rate. Granted that many of them aren't universal available, but that should tell you something about the value of HR for calories. My HR is currently elevated as I sit at my desk, because I've just had a coffee.
this↑
So what is the preferred methodology for measuring calories burned during exercise for "ordinary" individuals trying to measure this with limited resources (not athletes with expensive state-of-the-art equipment available)?
Cycling: power meter (alas, still pretty expensive); alternatively, make sure the site you are tracking on at least knows your weight, your bike's weight & type, the elevation profile, and the surface - and hope for the best.
Running/Walking: simple pace & mileage (and your weight) is enough (HR data doesn't nudge running & walking estimates very much).
For stuff like aerobics, you're not likely to get a very accurate estimate whether you are wearing a HR monitor or not.
And for non-cardio (pilates/yoga/weight training), the numbers will be pretty small and your work won't translate into an increased HR anyway.1 -
I used to have a Fitbit, but the band eventually came apart and made it impossible to use (the button on the side fell off with the band). It worked really while it was usable, able to track both steps and sleep time. I do plan on getting a smart watch with some fitness features once I save up enough for it (Gear S3).1
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I've got a Garmin forerunner 15, I've had it nearly 2 years and I love it
It's got GPS, HR tracking when you where the chest strap and an all day step counter.
I find the data (distance, speed, speed vs. HE, speed vs. elevation profile) really interesting and motivating, especially when I'm excited about training.
Lately I've been using the trigger of putting the HR strap on and pressing start as my cue to stop procrastinating and get started, even though I might only be tracking a stretching/mobility routine.
Sometimes I use it as accountability to do an activity when I don't have the HR monitor and don't need GPS - so all it tracks is 27mins of *something*, but it still gets me started.
I broke the wrist strap after snout a year (it has a rough life) and while I was waiting for a new one I was definitely less interested in training...2 -
FrankieandSpots wrote: »Sometimes I use it as accountability to do an activity when I don't have the HR monitor and don't need GPS - so all it tracks is 27mins of *something*, but it still gets me started..
I start mine when doing weight training as well..marks it in my calendar that I did it and how long. (Also, more importantly, the lap button is extremely useful to time rests between the same activity). I manually add the calorie estimate into Garmin Connect later (~2.75x#minutes for my weight) if I remember to.1 -
Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Bry_Lander wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »need2belean wrote: »I don't know why, but I swear by my Polar A300. I love chest strap HRM's because they seem to have more accurate burns ...
So how many heart beats are there in a calorie anyway?
HR is just one of several variables used to calculate calories burned.
The most consistently accurate ways to gauge calorie use during exercise all ignore heart rate. Granted that many of them aren't universal available, but that should tell you something about the value of HR for calories. My HR is currently elevated as I sit at my desk, because I've just had a coffee.
this↑
So what is the preferred methodology for measuring calories burned during exercise for "ordinary" individuals trying to measure this with limited resources (not athletes with expensive state-of-the-art equipment available)?
Cycling: power meter (alas, still pretty expensive); alternatively, make sure the site you are tracking on at least knows your weight, your bike's weight & type, the elevation profile, and the surface - and hope for the best.
Running/Walking: simple pace & mileage (and your weight) is enough (HR data doesn't nudge running & walking estimates very much).
For stuff like aerobics, you're not likely to get a very accurate estimate whether you are wearing a HR monitor or not.
And for non-cardio (pilates/yoga/weight training), the numbers will be pretty small and your work won't translate into an increased HR anyway.
For running, my device does account for pace, mileage, and weight, while also factoring in HR. It provides a single source for all running data, including GPS maps, temperature, pace, mileage, altitude, cadence, and calories burned, so using a different methodology that excluded HR data wouldn't be useful.
I do use my HRM for non-steady state exercises like weightlifting, and the calories burned are nominal and ballpark what the generic tables provide (3-5 calories per minute). A chart is available to review afterward, and you can see the increase in HR (not too high, but well above my resting HR) as I lift and the decrease as I rest between sets over the duration of the workout.
None of this is perfect, but I don't allow the unattainable concept of perfect to get in the way of the reality of something that is good.1
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