Heart Rate monitor or fit bit?

NikkiTompson
NikkiTompson Posts: 89 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,

I have been thinking about getting the fit bit ultra for a while now, however not sure how accurate it is, or if anyone has any feedback on it? I do alot of my exercise in the gym, so does it still work on the treadmill?

also, have read a number of posts saying that heart rate monitors are the thing to buy..so which is better? more accurate? basically i want something that calculates how many calories i am burning when in the gym as i dont actually trust the machines, although you put your weight it, they dont ask if you are male or female, which i know drastically changes the amount of calories burnt...

advice anyone..? oh and if i get a heart rate monitor, any good suggestions on which one to get?

Thanks
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Replies

  • Fairieluv77
    Fairieluv77 Posts: 95
    I have both and love them both. If you are just wanting to see the calories burned at the gym I would go with the HRM. Polar is a good brand. I just got a new FT7.
  • NikkiTompson
    NikkiTompson Posts: 89 Member
    I have both and love them both. If you are just wanting to see the calories burned at the gym I would go with the HRM. Polar is a good brand. I just got a new FT7.

    Hi,

    Thanks for that... if you dont mind me asking how much was the polar? and do they both match up then..or do you use the heart rate for gym and fit bit for everyday?

    what is FT7?
  • BlueEyedTXmom
    BlueEyedTXmom Posts: 179 Member
    I thought about getting a fit bit but I already had a go wear fit (like body bugg.) I wanted to be able to track my calories burned while working out-including in the pool, and I don't want to wear something all day every day. So I got a Polar FT4. Love it! I think the fit bit is good for tracking your all day activity including number of steps taken but I think for your needs a HRM would be the way to go.
  • jcamby
    jcamby Posts: 200 Member
    I like my FitBit but love my HRM more! I have the Polar FT4 (Polar is the brand and the FT4 is the model) It says how many cals you burn - it's awesome!
  • NikkiTompson
    NikkiTompson Posts: 89 Member
    I like my FitBit but love my HRM more! I have the Polar FT4 (Polar is the brand and the FT4 is the model) It says how many cals you burn - it's awesome!

    Great thanks -a few people seem to have this model... will def look into getting it..
  • NikkiTompson
    NikkiTompson Posts: 89 Member
    I thought about getting a fit bit but I already had a go wear fit (like body bugg.) I wanted to be able to track my calories burned while working out-including in the pool, and I don't want to wear something all day every day. So I got a Polar FT4. Love it! I think the fit bit is good for tracking your all day activity including number of steps taken but I think for your needs a HRM would be the way to go.

    ooo...so does the polar ft4 work in the pool then? and how accurate do you think it is..compared to gym machines etc?
  • jcamby
    jcamby Posts: 200 Member
    Def more accurate than the machines at the gym! Yes you can wear the FT4 in the water.
  • Fairieluv77
    Fairieluv77 Posts: 95
    My Polar FT7 (which is the model) was $83 with free shipping from Heart Rate Monitors USA.
    I use it for my workouts and the Fitbit for just normal walking around stuff. They've matched up a couple times as far as calories burned during workouts but I trust my HRM much more.
  • NikkiTompson
    NikkiTompson Posts: 89 Member
    My Polar FT7 (which is the model) was $83 with free shipping from Heart Rate Monitors USA.
    I use it for my workouts and the Fitbit for just normal walking around stuff. They've matched up a couple times as far as calories burned during workouts but I trust my HRM much more.

    Great thanks...HRM sounds like the way forward according to everyone.. and its more reasonablly priced..
  • missmuse06
    missmuse06 Posts: 50
    I've been wondering this myself.... good insight for sure!
  • NikkiTompson
    NikkiTompson Posts: 89 Member
    Def more accurate than the machines at the gym! Yes you can wear the FT4 in the water.

    Yay thank you...this sounds like a winner..
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    Thank you so much for posting this! I'm going to read through it all later tonight
  • NikkiTompson
    NikkiTompson Posts: 89 Member
    Thanks everyone for your speedy responses...looks like i will go for the HRM as you all unanmous in stating that this is better..plus really like the idea of knowing how much i have burnt in the water... will be interesting to see how this compares to the suggestions on fitness pal when you add swimming - breastroke or whatever.. I have checked prices as well and very happy to see that its cheaper than the fitbit, so wins on that account as well...woop woop...
  • hpynh2o
    hpynh2o Posts: 194 Member
    Both :)
  • rvagnoni
    rvagnoni Posts: 75 Member
    Good post
  • tmbowen12
    tmbowen12 Posts: 175 Member
    I have an older Polar F4 and a fitbit ultra and they match up everyday. I love them both. They keep me motivated and active so I can reach my goals for the day.
  • MNchick
    MNchick Posts: 371 Member
    I have both...I wear the fitbit throughout the day to try and up the amount of steps I'm taking (basically getting me off of my butt) and how many floors I'm climbing, and also use it to see how well I'm sleeping.

    I have a HRM with a chest strap for when I'm doing my Insanity DVDs. I own the SportLine Duo
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    HRM is good for estimating what you burn in the gym. Fitbit for the other 23 hours (or all 24 if you just run or walk or dance or do aerobics for exercise).
  • cartoonsrcool
    cartoonsrcool Posts: 7
    I am a big fan of my Fitbit. It does track calories you burn, steps walked and flights of stairs. I wear mine all day and night. It tracks sleep patterns as well.

    Down side, it can not be worn in the water.

    It works great on elliptical and treadmills tracking steps and distance (based on your stride length entered on the Fitbit website). It will track both a walking and running stride.
  • tmbowen12
    tmbowen12 Posts: 175 Member
    I also want to remind you that if you do go with a HRM make sure it's CODED!! if you do workouts in a gym or take group classes and other people have HRM on you will get interference if it's not coded. If you work out alone then coded isn't necessary.
  • homas86
    homas86 Posts: 1
    It seems as if you already have a consensus, but thought I would weigh in anyway. I also have both and definitely LOVE my Polar HRM much more than the FitBit. The FitBit is good to wear on a daily basis to help me monitor my normal activity (I have a desk job, tend to get busy, and then the next thing I know the day is gone and I've barely moved from my desk chair). However, for exercise, the HRM is hands down the best way to go. It is more accurate, in my opinion, and the numbers demonstrate that. I kept a database for 2 months of the calories burned during exercise for the FitBit vs HRM, and on average, the FitBit showed about a 40% lower calorie burn than the HRM because the FitBit doesn't measure intensity only movement.
  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
    I use both and that's the best solution. I wear the fitbit 24/7 and let it log most of my activity including just walking around the house. If I do something other than walking/running or I do an intense walk, then I will use the HRM values to override the FitBit log for that time.

    For walking on level ground at a steady pace they are close enough its not worth overiding. e.g. today total so far

    FitBit day -- 4.75 miles traveled today 2209 calories 9244 steps
    overide 1 hours 18 minutes of walking with Garmin -- 4.92 miles traveled today 2202 calories 9744 steps

    The Garmin will have an exact distance travelled, the Fitbit will have an exact steps and estimated miles - but calories are very close

    The Garmin HRM give me more detailed info including HeartRate - but I would not want to wear it the whole day, and I"m sure the battery only goes for a few hours. It gives me very detailed info, I can see heart rate changes as I climb hills, see how my pave changes. I have to spend several minutes syncing it and analyzing the data.

    The FItBIt is easy to wear, and syncs any time it get near my computer. Its not very useful for strength training and various other acivities like cycling (which is ok until I start cycling again later this year)
  • SirBacke
    SirBacke Posts: 4
    I use Polar FT80. It has different modes for cardio training as well as strength muscle Training. So I Feed MFP every day with the calorie amount my polar counted. Also the Online Account from polar is great, and I have never poblems in the Gym with interfierence with other polars.
  • mellenorris
    mellenorris Posts: 99 Member
    I just bought my Polar FT4 - I really recommend buying from bodytronics.com. I got it for under $60 (use coupon code POPO for 5% off), and free shipping! My package was expected to arrive on the 9th, but I got it on the 5th. Don't shop anywhere else unless it's cheaper :P

    Enjoy it! Mine is motivating me to try harder for longer. I LOVE it!
  • findingme07
    findingme07 Posts: 156 Member
    bump
  • NikkiTompson
    NikkiTompson Posts: 89 Member
    I also want to remind you that if you do go with a HRM make sure it's CODED!! if you do workouts in a gym or take group classes and other people have HRM on you will get interference if it's not coded. If you work out alone then coded isn't necessary.

    hiya,

    thanks - what does CODED mean?
  • NikkiTompson
    NikkiTompson Posts: 89 Member
    It seems as if you already have a consensus, but thought I would weigh in anyway. I also have both and definitely LOVE my Polar HRM much more than the FitBit. The FitBit is good to wear on a daily basis to help me monitor my normal activity (I have a desk job, tend to get busy, and then the next thing I know the day is gone and I've barely moved from my desk chair). However, for exercise, the HRM is hands down the best way to go. It is more accurate, in my opinion, and the numbers demonstrate that. I kept a database for 2 months of the calories burned during exercise for the FitBit vs HRM, and on average, the FitBit showed about a 40% lower calorie burn than the HRM because the FitBit doesn't measure intensity only movement.

    Hi - thanks for your response...good to know stats.. I was going to compare the two if I got them both..but think i will get the heart monitor first, and then the fit bit at a later date...
  • NikkiTompson
    NikkiTompson Posts: 89 Member
    I use Polar FT80. It has different modes for cardio training as well as strength muscle Training. So I Feed MFP every day with the calorie amount my polar counted. Also the Online Account from polar is great, and I have never poblems in the Gym with interfierence with other polars.

    hi,

    do they all have the different modes for cardio training - or just the specific model you have? i def want one that also tells me how much I am burning whilst doing strenght training...
  • geordiegirl27
    geordiegirl27 Posts: 307 Member
    great post thank you for saving me money. I have a garmin with HRM so my cal burn is pretty accurate (I adjust the time of my exercise on her to match the cal burn the garmin gives me) but was thinking of getting a fitbit.

    New pair of trainers instead me thinks :)
  • tmbowen12
    tmbowen12 Posts: 175 Member
    Coded means it will only pick up your heart rate and no one else's. Polar is good about telling you which models are coded.

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