Fitbit or HRM

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cindyluu17
cindyluu17 Posts: 61
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! So I see that HRM are about the same prices if I want a good one. For those have both which is better? Positives and negatives? I need to really figure out my calories burned since I may be over eating or under eating on days I work out

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  • bratgirl3
    bratgirl3 Posts: 6
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    I'd go with HRM. More accurate but it's really only good for your workout. You shouldn't use it all day. You can do that with the Fitbit. Figuring out your AMR will help you know how many calories you're burning in a day. It's your workout that is going to differ from the average amount of calories burned doing a particular exercise. The best brand is Polar. They specialize in heart rate accuracy. I've got an FT60 and I Love it! HRM are very motivating!!
  • Red7Basil
    Red7Basil Posts: 36
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    Fitbit because you do wear it all day and night. It tracks your sleep, stairs, allergies, food, exercise and it syncs with MFP. A HRM is good if you are lifting or doing lots of excercise, otherwise you won't regret the fitbit.
  • Avandel
    Avandel Posts: 283 Member
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    I also have a Polar HRM w/chest strap, everyone burns calories differently, age, metabolism, healthy thyroid etc. all play a part. Never tried Fitbit so can't comment on it effectiveness.
  • Avandel
    Avandel Posts: 283 Member
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    Fitbit because you do wear it all day and night. It tracks your sleep, stairs, allergies, food, exercise and it syncs with MFP. A HRM is good if you are lifting or doing lots of excercise, otherwise you won't regret the fitbit.

    Curious, how does Fitbit track your allergies & which ones?
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    bump.
  • FloraSin
    FloraSin Posts: 188 Member
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    Fitbit tracks your allergies because you log them.

    I have a Fitbit and it's great because I'm a runner. I'm saving my running reward money for a HRM though because I do want to expand my workout selection and Fitbit doesn't really monitor lunges or yoga very well.

    I do wear my Fitbit everyday and it tracks my sleeping and walking/running very well.

    It really just comes down to how you exercise.
  • zellagrrl
    zellagrrl Posts: 439
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    I picked up an HRM because I mostly hate cardio-- I don't think I'd get as accurate info with it (over a day yes, but not for workouts). A friend has one though, so we might trade for a bit.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    I'm saving my running reward money for a HRM though because I do want to expand my workout selection and Fitbit doesn't really monitor lunges or yoga very well.

    HRM's don't monitor lunges or yoga well either- I mean they will legitimately monitor your heart rate, but the method that they use to calculate calories really only applies to cardio within a certain heart rate percentage. :grumble:
    Basically the farther an exercise deviates from walking, running, biking or an elliptical, the less accurate it is.

    edit...for calorie counting.
  • cindyluu17
    cindyluu17 Posts: 61
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    Well I'm looking into one or the other bcuz I change up workout DVDs from time to time like insanity or Jillian michaels. But I just ordered CHALEAN Xtreme and wanna start really seeing what I burn during those. Is HRM still gonna be good with that?
  • bratgirl3
    bratgirl3 Posts: 6
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    HRM is going to be good with anything that burns calories whether you are doing cardio or lunges. I do a workout that contains high intensity interval training. So even though there's a lot of core, we are still getting cardio intervals, sometimes with weights like jumping jacks or jumping lunges. Even when we are just using weights, my heart rate is still high. Then newer HRM from Polar don't require you to be in a certain zone to record calories burned, like the old ones. The bottom line is you want to see how many calories you're burning, period, no matter what exercise you're doing.
    I seriously considered getting a Fitbit too because I love data! But I went on Amazon. com and read some negative reviews and that was disappointing.
    Good Luck!!!
  • mogriff1
    mogriff1 Posts: 325 Member
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    Polar is a great hrm... I have the FT4 and I get accurate data whether Im working out to dvds, cardio gym machin
    es, lifting weights,aerobic classes, walking the dogs, doing housework, etc. It always gets my heart rate with accurate calories burned. Plus it auto syncs to my gym's cardio machines.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    HRM is going to be good with anything that burns calories whether you are doing cardio or lunges. I do a workout that contains high intensity interval training. So even though there's a lot of core, we are still getting cardio intervals, sometimes with weights like jumping jacks or jumping lunges. Even when we are just using weights, my heart rate is still high. Then newer HRM from Polar don't require you to be in a certain zone to record calories burned, like the old ones. The bottom line is you want to see how many calories you're burning, period, no matter what exercise you're doing.
    I seriously considered getting a Fitbit too because I love data! But I went on Amazon. com and read some negative reviews and that was disappointing.
    Good Luck!!!

    That's really not true- the formula that HRMs use for calculating calories burned is not actually dependent on your heart rate per se, it depends on the VO2max and then proportionally scales the VO2max based on your heart rate relative to your max hear trate (which would be the same point as your VO2max). Calories burned is a function of respiration, and your respiration for strength training (like lunges) is not proportional to your heart rate the same way that it is for cardio- so the equation doesn't work. Just think about the oxygen exchange in an aerobic exercise vs a strength training session. If you don't believe me, change the VO2max setting on your HRM- it will significantly affect the calorie count.

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