HRM or Fitbit?

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Replies

  • afrikat
    afrikat Posts: 14
    At this rate I think I will end up getting both too! Can we pressure Fitbit into adding a HRM?!
  • kendrafallon
    kendrafallon Posts: 1,030 Member
    At this rate I think I will end up getting both too! Can we pressure Fitbit into adding a HRM?!

    The reading I've done on the accuracy of HRM's would seem to say that the best ones are the ones that have a chest strap - that actually monitor the heart, rather than just at the pulse point on the wrist. FitBit would need to introduce something similar, i'd rather they didn't upgrade just yet, since I've only had mine 2 weeks!!
  • Kerri_is_so_very
    Kerri_is_so_very Posts: 999 Member
    So I guess I have my answer....I need one of each!!! :happy:

    And I think fitbit needs to introduce a chest strap with bluetooth technology that communicates with the fitbit device! Genius!!! Maybe I should hold out for that model????
  • NOLA_Meg
    NOLA_Meg Posts: 194 Member
    I have both. The fitbit gives steps, etc, and you can get a general idea of how active you are being. A HRM is best during workouts when your heartrate will be elevated, you can wear it during the day but it will not be accurate. Some HRM models (or BodyBugg) do both, but obviously cost more. It comes down to what you want more- a device that shows you how much you move each day and can motivate you to move more OR a device to use while working out that can give you an idea of how hard you are working during your workout.
  • blueeyedcristi
    blueeyedcristi Posts: 304 Member
    I got both.

    Fitbit as a motivational tool. (best purchase price I found was on Amazon.com)

    Polar FT4 HRM to monitor calories burned during exercise, etc. (best purchase price I found was on BodyTronics.com)
  • thilyer
    thilyer Posts: 32 Member
    bump
  • Diary_Queen
    Diary_Queen Posts: 1,314 Member
    I'm a dork and I use both.... I put my HRM on when I'm actually doing a specific workout to keep my heart rate in check and to make sure I'm giving as much effort as I should be. My FitBit keeps track of everything else, but it reports here... my HRM is more for me to keep checks and balances on my FitBit. Sometimes FitBit (I named mine MsNesbit) gives me too much credit in comparison to my Polar FT4, but only by about 40-70 calories difference.
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    ADORE my Polar ft4 HRM.:love:

    Found it at Bodytronics.com for $62 with free shipping and handling...the guy at the sporting store wanted to charge me $90....cell phone's internet access paid for itself that month!:laugh:
  • bzmommy34
    bzmommy34 Posts: 229 Member
    In my opinion (and each to their own), a HRM is better suited to give an accurate count than the fitbit. I have both and I love both but for different reasons.

    I run, walk, resistance train, cycle, spin and use videos and would never be without my HRM during those times. Having my cals burned based off of my heart rate helps me to know I'm getting a true count (or at least that's what it's supposed to do - I feel mine is great - Garmin FR70).

    I love my fitbit first and foremost for motivation purposes. Seeing the graphs go up and up and up throughout the day makes me want to keep moving. I found that I was standing, stepping back and forth, at my breakfast bar this afternoon while I was browsing the net as opposed to sitting like I normally would. The info gathered has been of great help in meeting my activity targets. The sleep tracker is fabulous and is helping to determine what actions throughout my days are triggering bad sleep nights.

    Again - in my opinion only based off of my personal use. But I do love them both! :) Good luck!
  • Rover234
    Rover234 Posts: 17
    For those HRM chest strap users, how uncomfortable is the chest strap? Does it loosen with all the sweat? I want to buy one but I'm worried that I'll spend my time adjusting it. Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it?!
  • halejr23
    halejr23 Posts: 294
    HRM will not give you sleep patterns but it will be much more accurate on how many calories you expend during exercise. The fitbit will not be accurate for that.
  • halejr23
    halejr23 Posts: 294
    The chest strap does loosen over time but I have never had it loosen during a workout.
  • bzmommy34
    bzmommy34 Posts: 229 Member
    doesn't the fitbit go off heartrate to measure your sleep? so if you wear it on your wrist while exersicing wouldn't that be as accurate as a heartrate monitor?

    Unless I'm missing something, it does NOT monitor heart rate. You wear it on a sleeve wrapped around your wrist and from what I can tell the purpose is to measure how many times you move during the night. I read pretty much every single word on the fitbit website before buying and after buying and am fairly sure there is no way it measures heart rate.
  • ravensfan1
    ravensfan1 Posts: 78 Member
    I have both. The fitbit is more useful for walking or climbing stairs exercise wise. It doesn't calculate well if you're on an elliptical machine. I usually have the fitbit on for my steps and sleep and HRM for everything else.
  • DinaLKeil
    DinaLKeil Posts: 95 Member
    I'm a dork and I use both.... I put my HRM on when I'm actually doing a specific workout to keep my heart rate in check and to make sure I'm giving as much effort as I should be. My FitBit keeps track of everything else, but it reports here... my HRM is more for me to keep checks and balances on my FitBit. Sometimes FitBit (I named mine MsNesbit) gives me too much credit in comparison to my Polar FT4, but only by about 40-70 calories difference.

    I do the same. I just recently got the fitbit as I'm trying to prepare myself for maintenance. It is a fun little gadget. I haven't given mine a name yet though :)
  • Frood42
    Frood42 Posts: 245 Member
    I have both the FitBit and a Polar FT4 heart rate monitor. Love the FitBit, and they do try and make the website fun and interactive. However when I am going for a proper burn down the gym I always wear the HRM as I find this to be much more accurate. FitBit has helped to show me just how active or inactive I have been during the day and gives me an incentive to try and be more active during the day. Changing my lifestyle hasn't just been about going down the gym to burn calories, it's been about becoming more active during the day as well, sat in an office has not been good to me, and becoming more active during my 9-5 has been just as good if not greater help than just going to the gym in the evening, and this was helped and is constantly being helped by monitoring my daily activity with the FitBit. I also really want that next badge! Oh, and another great site with mobile app I have found is foursquare, people have created to do lists of places to visit, and you earn points for checking into places. This has given me motivation to get out more at the weekend and really wrack up the score and earn badges. I know the whole badges thing sounds very cheesy, but it is working for me.
  • CarrieAnne22
    CarrieAnne22 Posts: 231 Member
    I have a friend who just got the FitBit and while he does like it and is pleased with his purchase, he has already recommended that I stick with an HRM if still undecided. The thing about it that he doen't like is that it calculates calroies burned for everything; sleeping, sitting at the computer, watching tv, etc & that is the stuff that we take for granted and are not necessarily interested in or concerned about 'eating back'. It also estimates presumptively...last night it told him that he still had 900 calories left for the day, so he splurged at a business function and ate 500 cals thinking he was still within his limit. But he ended up going to bed earlier than usual and when he woke up the FitBit had made the adjustment and instead of being 400 under for yesterday, it now shows him as 100 over.

    While I would be interested in the sleep data, I think I'm more concerned with getting an accurate number of cals burned when I'm doing specific goal oriented activities. I will most likely end up getting an HRM. as soon as I can afford it, that is.
  • bzmommy34
    bzmommy34 Posts: 229 Member
    For those HRM chest strap users, how uncomfortable is the chest strap? Does it loosen with all the sweat? I want to buy one but I'm worried that I'll spend my time adjusting it. Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it?!

    I have the Garmin FR70 and just the standard chest strap that came with it and I totally forget I have it on. No slippage at all, but it did take some adjusting the first few times to find that perfect spot. There is a premium strap I could buy but I feel there is no need.
  • lucysmommy
    lucysmommy Posts: 460
    i was wondering the same a couple of weeks ago and i ended up getting a polar FT4

    my decision was that even if i had the fitbit - i would not eat any more cals so this wouldnt benefit me and i like knowing what i have burned off after exercise

    plus i think the fitbit would make me lazy from the gym because i would see how much i had burned over the course of the day - this is just me though - i am in no way saying anyone else is lazy lol x
  • Psufilmgirl
    Psufilmgirl Posts: 93 Member
    For those HRM chest strap users, how uncomfortable is the chest strap? Does it loosen with all the sweat? I want to buy one but I'm worried that I'll spend my time adjusting it. Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it?!

    I have the Garmin FR70 and just the standard chest strap that came with it and I totally forget I have it on. No slippage at all, but it did take some adjusting the first few times to find that perfect spot. There is a premium strap I could buy but I feel there is no need.

    I have the Polar FT4, I paid more for it at my gym, but got a training session with my trainer, so I'm good on the extra money! The chest strap doesn't slip and you really don't know you're wearing it unless for some reason it loses your heart rate and you have to adjust it.

    And I love my HRM. I use it to make sure I'm in the far burning zone, as I'm trying to burn fat! YAY!!
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