FITBIT....question

Bassafrass80
Bassafrass80 Posts: 69 Member
edited December 17 in Fitness and Exercise
I am looking for a way to monitor how many calories I'm actually burning while doing my kettlebell workouts, walking, playing Xbox kinect, ect. I was planning on getting a HRM, but then I saw FITBIT...does anyone know if it works the same way as a HRM. Or is it just a pedometer? I just want to be able to actually log my calories burned properly so that I'm accurate. Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • Bassafrass80
    Bassafrass80 Posts: 69 Member
    bump...anyone??
  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/1290-fitbit-users
  • kayteanne
    kayteanne Posts: 15 Member
    Hi,

    I personally use both. Fitbit for non-exercise burn (daily steps, stairs, general activity) and a HRM for gym sessions, classes, runs etc. :smile:
  • Meliklotz
    Meliklotz Posts: 66 Member
    I honestly love my polar HRM. If I had to do it again I would have gotten it 3 months earlier!!
  • csimmons0914
    csimmons0914 Posts: 48
    I dont know what fit bit is but I got a HRM watch fro walmart for 29.95 and I love it!
  • luvsherhubby
    luvsherhubby Posts: 135 Member
    I had the body media fit ( same thing as a body bug) and then I got a fitbit so I wore tehm both for a week, the fit bit was always within 20-50 calories ( for the days total) of teh bmf some days higher some days lower. So I kept teh fit bit since there is no monthly sub or anything. It has helped me a lot!!! I love knowing how much I burn a day and I base my 1000 cal deficit off of that. It is NOT a hrm though, it is a glorified pedomiter but so are the body buggs- its just as accurate 99%. HRM are great for cardiovascualr exercise, but not to see teh entire days burns, or for weight lifting.
  • curlygirly80
    curlygirly80 Posts: 176
    The fitbit is good as a pedometer, so if your using the treadmill or elliptical it would give you a calorie burn for that. But any other workout you should use an HRM and make sure to stop the fitbit during that exercise and restart it when your done.
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 751 Member
    Fitbit will not be accurate kettlebell or other circuit/cardio workouts. It is great for general daily burn & steps & generally motivating you to get moving.
  • pjsmom2010
    pjsmom2010 Posts: 70 Member
    Bump! I want to know too. I'm in the same boat. Is the polar HRM one that has a chest strap? Is that important? Will it just calculate how many cals you burned for a certain time period?

    I purchased a watch like one and I don't like it. I have to stop and actually take my heart rate and then I have to remember it to calculate cals burned and honestly, I have not been successful at it so I don't use it. :(
  • mariposa224
    mariposa224 Posts: 1,241 Member
    I have both. But for what you're wanting to use it for, I would recommend a Polar HRM. I have the FT4, which I got on Amazon for just over $70 (which is less than I paid for my FitBit lol). The fitbit will give you an idea of calories if you use the stop watch setting for certain workouts, but only if you're moving your feet a lot... Which is why I say for the other stuff, an HRM is a much better investment if you just want one or the other. I still use my FitBit daily, but my HRM is what I count on for accurate counts on calories burned. HTH.
  • hahandel
    hahandel Posts: 134 Member
    I have one, it's really just a glorified pedometer. A HRM is much more accurate for what you're looking for.
  • BetterWithAge
    BetterWithAge Posts: 691 Member
    I love my Polar FT7
  • mariposa224
    mariposa224 Posts: 1,241 Member
    The fitbit is good as a pedometer, so if your using the treadmill or elliptical it would give you a calorie burn for that. But any other workout you should use an HRM and make sure to stop the fitbit during that exercise and restart it when your done.
    I don't stop the FitBit, I just make sure that I enter the times for my workout in MFP when I enter my exercise. Then, even though it may have initially given me some extra calories after the workout, it ALWAYS takes them away once MFP syncs with FitBit's site (because of the times being entered).
  • badgranola
    badgranola Posts: 67 Member
    I really like my fitbit. It has been pretty accurate in tracking my turbofire workouts. I also love the way it synchs up with myfitness pal to transfer your calories burned!
  • rachellepilcher
    rachellepilcher Posts: 95
    The Fitbit does NOT monitor heart rate...you could sit for an hour and lift weights and it wouldn't register any EXTRA calorie burn. My favorite part about the Fitbit is its ability to track my sleep. But to get an accurate measure of what you are burning if you are doing more than walking/running/jogging/ jumping/etc then you would need an HRM.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    The fitbit is good for all day tracking of activity level. A HRM is better for exercise. I have both, and love them both!
  • mariposa224
    mariposa224 Posts: 1,241 Member
    Bump! I want to know too. I'm in the same boat. Is the polar HRM one that has a chest strap? Is that important? Will it just calculate how many cals you burned for a certain time period?

    I purchased a watch like one and I don't like it. I have to stop and actually take my heart rate and then I have to remember it to calculate cals burned and honestly, I have not been successful at it so I don't use it. :(
    Yes, Polar ones have the chest strap, which I actually don't even notice once I have it on. It also has a watch. I have an FT4 and it is not (at all) difficult to use. Push one button to start, another to stop. Once you stop it displays your calories burned & the time of your workout. You can also scroll to see how much time you were within optimum burn, etc. I love it.
  • Fani2003
    Fani2003 Posts: 195 Member
    I use the fitbit every day as a motivator and as a way to know when my activity lowers/raises. It is not an HRM but an activity tool, tracking steps, stairs, overall activity level. It is amazing to see the time of very active, slightly active, and sedentary minutes spent each day! It also tracks how well you sleep. It is a great tool! Plus, you can have friends on there and have their steps encourage you to go more. A good friend just got hers Saturday and already did 25 flights of stairs in one day! Huge motivator!!!

    Add me when you get one. http://www.fitbit.com/user/22HT7F
  • cygnetpro
    cygnetpro Posts: 419 Member
    I don't use a HRM, but LOVE my fitbit.

    One negative I experienced this weekend. I took a long and strenuous hike up a mountain. Burned a boatload of calories, and it gave me credit for going up million flights of stairs. Probably pretty accurate. I was really sore the next day.

    Oddly, though, it did not give me credit for working strenuously (it breaks activity down into sedentary, light, moderate, and strenuous). Silly, cuz doing a power walk at lunch on a track gives me that "strenuous" rating, but huffing and puffing up the mountain didn't give me a single minute of if.

    Still love it, but thought I'd mention that. :-)
  • Fit_2013
    Fit_2013 Posts: 326 Member
    I am not sure about kettle bell or strength exercises but sure can tell you that the fitbit is the best friend for my health I have ever had. I truly love seeing where I am at 12 noon and 6 pm and increase my daily activity. If you do strength training it can add more to you daily burn. It is the best motivator in the market, I have had all omron pedometers, HRM-breeze by mio the fitbit is the best. The first thing I reach for in the morning is the fitbit.
  • Heaven71
    Heaven71 Posts: 706 Member
    You need and hrm to get your heart rate but I use fitbit and hrm. fitbit calculates how active you are all day. I love it!!
  • curlygirly80
    curlygirly80 Posts: 176
    The fitbit is good as a pedometer, so if your using the treadmill or elliptical it would give you a calorie burn for that. But any other workout you should use an HRM and make sure to stop the fitbit during that exercise and restart it when your done.
    I don't stop the FitBit, I just make sure that I enter the times for my workout in MFP when I enter my exercise. Then, even though it may have initially given me some extra calories after the workout, it ALWAYS takes them away once MFP syncs with FitBit's site (because of the times being entered).

    Thanks, I had no idea that I didn't have to stop the fitbit when using the HRM. I assumed it was going to give me way to many calories. Thanks again for the info!
  • pjsmom2010
    pjsmom2010 Posts: 70 Member
    Bump! I want to know too. I'm in the same boat. Is the polar HRM one that has a chest strap? Is that important? Will it just calculate how many cals you burned for a certain time period?

    I purchased a watch like one and I don't like it. I have to stop and actually take my heart rate and then I have to remember it to calculate cals burned and honestly, I have not been successful at it so I don't use it. :(
    Yes, Polar ones have the chest strap, which I actually don't even notice once I have it on. It also has a watch. I have an FT4 and it is not (at all) difficult to use. Push one button to start, another to stop. Once you stop it displays your calories burned & the time of your workout. You can also scroll to see how much time you were within optimum burn, etc. I love it.

    Thanks! This is exactly what I want! Gonna look it up and order one right now! Appreciate the info!
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