Fitness monitoring...

rugerpc

rugerpc

A♥ hoards guitars ♥A Soldier 25, DFZ
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I admit it. Mostly these days I'm a slug. I do get quite a workout on the Saturdays and Sunday's I run the combat pistol matches, but my day job is really lots of sitting. I need to walk more at the very least. A step monitor and maybe a reminder to get up would be useful.

A sleep monitor might be useful too.

I looked at 4 options.
Fitbit Alta $130
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Fitbit Blaze $200
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Apple Watch Sport $350
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Apple Watch $750
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**** more to come after dinner...
 
All 4 do what I want, with the sleep monitor function better implemented on the Fitbits. Of the 2 Fitbits, I like the larger display better but it doesn't match the Apple Watch for style.

The Apple Watches are aluminum with a yucky band or stainless steel with a nice band.

I'm rooted pretty far into the Apple koolaid with Macs, iPads, iPhone and iPods. The extra advantages to phone and messaging integration is a huge appeal.

But the budget just isn't there right now for a new $750 watch. And I'm still not sure about how well I'm going to adapt to being fit or being nagged willingly because I'm not.

The Fitbit Blaze is almost Apple Watchlike, but I'm pretty sure if I got one, it would just remind me that I want an Apple Watch...

So, I'm going to temporize. At $130, the Fitbit Alta will accomplish all of the immediate fitness goals and let me know if I can take, and more importantly, do anything about the fitness nagging.

Amazon. 5-8 days.
 
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I use a Fitbit Charge.
Right now at Boeing we are doing the eight week "Boeing On The Move" program.
If we walk at least 13K steps a day, we get an Amazon $100 gift card.
This will be my third year in a row doing it.

I am also averaging around 18K steps per day, and I feel better doing it everyday.
You cannot go wrong with the Fitbits.
Also through their apps for your smartphone, it keeps a great log.
It also updates the Boeing page daily do I do not have to log into the site and update it manually.
 
The Fitbits are pretty nice, but they only register your steps when your arm swings. My wife has one and complains that it doesn't track her steps when she goes to the grocery store because she's pushing a cart.

I usually just rely on the steps thing on my iPhone, but because I work at home a few days a week, I don't get a lot of steps those days. And it doesn't seem to do well on stairs - it claims to track flights of stairs, but I can go up and down my stairs several times a day and get credit for one.

And nothing I've used thus far - phone, pedometer, the Fitbit - tracks my "steps" on the stationary bike.
 
Good news! I don't need my watch to nag me to exercise.

My wife does that.

Every day.

I guess I just saved $750 (because I'd buy the stainless steel Apple watch). On the other hand, I didn't save $750 because I went shopping at the pro audio store.

Sigh.
 
I did the previous version of th Fitbit Alta. I liked the sleep tracking and felt it somewhat accurate. Bad thing, not sure what i could do about making it better. If I slept poorly, I didn't need the Fitbit to tell me. The other downside was it getting caught up on the sheets, or the constricting feeling on my wrist. As Alan alluded to, pushing the cart at the supermarket doesn't register well. Didn't on the Fitbit, and doesn't on the Samsumg Gear S2 I use now. You can get around that in a couple of ways: put it in your pocket or pull the cart from the front with your non device wearing hand. I prefer the Samsung over the Fitbit just because of the added features. Reading texts, taking calls, music, etc. I can say they both motivated me to do more moving around throughout the day. The Samsung tells me when I've been inactive for an hour, which usually gets me up and going. I also try to work standing as much as I can since I'm I front of a computer all day. Have at it, and good luck.
 
With your being so heavily vested in Apple it's hard to recommend something other than their watch. If you can hold out a while longer the next gen model will likely be released soon. If you, at that time, prefer the older version it should be cheaper still.

I highly recommend Pebble. I have a Pebble Time, Pebble Time Steel, and a Pebble Time Round. They cost $80-140 on sale depending on he model. I just grabbed a Pebble Time 2 from their recent Kickstarter. I've had most all the popular wearables, including Apple Watch, Android Wear, Samsung Gear and the Pebble stuff is hands down my favorite.
 
alantig said:
The Fitbits are pretty nice, but they only register your steps when your arm swings. My wife has one and complains that it doesn't track her steps when she goes to the grocery store because she's pushing a cart.

I usually just rely on the steps thing on my iPhone, but because I work at home a few days a week, I don't get a lot of steps those days. And it doesn't seem to do well on stairs - it claims to track flights of stairs, but I can go up and down my stairs several times a day and get credit for one.

And nothing I've used thus far - phone, pedometer, the Fitbit - tracks my "steps" on the stationary bike.
Click to expand...

Odd, my FitBit Charge HR doesn't rely on arm swing...
 
I'm curious. Do these devices effect a substantial change? Does wearing one cause you to engage in extra activity? Have you noticed weight lose, improved aerobic capacity or a sense of overall better well being?
 
tiboy said:
I'm curious. Do these devices effect a substantial change? Does wearing one cause you to engage in extra activity? Have you noticed weight lose, improved aerobic capacity or a sense of overall better well being?
Click to expand...
My brother and his wife have been through a couple in recent years and it definitely had a positive impact on both of them. They have office jobs and being able to see how much they have moved in a day does get them up and moving around. One of them diligently hits the 10,000 step target daily. The other is more likely to go and walk for an hour to get most of it in at one time.
I don't really know about the hard metrics line weight and aerobic capacity.

I think they are beneficial to people without a formal exercise plan. I think they would be just a curiosity to someone who spends as much time on a bike as you, or even me - though I might log more saddle time than you in the next three weeks - I'll share some details in the bike thread we use elsewhere.
 
If buying a fitness watch is what is takes to get someone to workout / walk more or at least get out of their chair and move around more, then I would buy one.
Having a 75lb dog that needs at least 2 miles of walking a day helps :)
 
tiboy said:
I'm curious. Do these devices effect a substantial change? Does wearing one cause you to engage in extra activity? Have you noticed weight lose, improved aerobic capacity or a sense of overall better well being?
Click to expand...

Depends on the person. I've seen plenty examples of people living by the circles (or whatever health graph your device of choice is giving you) and seeing a measurable impact after some time and I've seen them have no impact on the wearer.
 
I think they are good as a spur in that anything to get one moving has a positive impact on health. Don't have one though

At the other end of the scale, literally, here are some articulated thoughts from the behemoth that is brian shaw, worlds strongest man. He explains about the mental side that motivates him in daily training and lifestyle. Fantastic athlete.

Happy 4th July all

 
tiboy said:
I'm curious. Do these devices effect a substantial change? Does wearing one cause you to engage in extra activity? Have you noticed weight lose, improved aerobic capacity or a sense of overall better well being?
Click to expand...

As someone who was an active rider and lifter, I would have to say that it at least helps me get up and get moving. The little buzz after an hour at the desk is helpful in reminding me to disconnect for a few minutes and do 4 or 5 sets of steps, or go out for a walk. Realistically, if I was still dedicated to a routine I wouldn't need it. Since everyday life has intruded (or I've gotten lazy), it does help with a little push. YMMV. Really, it all comes down to whatever gets you motivated. If it's a tool that helps you remain, or get, active, I'm all for it.

Gotta log off and tune into the Tour. It's something that consumes my July for a reason that I can't explain. I think it's the history and landscape of France that sucks me in.
 
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tiboy said:
I'm curious. Do these devices effect a substantial change? Does wearing one cause you to engage in extra activity? Have you noticed weight lose, improved aerobic capacity or a sense of overall better well being?
Click to expand...
As others have said, it depends on the individual but I can tell you my story. I bought a FitBit Charge HR just over a year ago. I used it as incentive to walk regularly and also use the app to keep track of what I eat. Well, one thing led to another. I got some blisters while walking so went to the local Fleet Feet Sports store for better shoes and socks. Got on their mailing list and signed up for a fun walk. Then I signed up for a Beginner to 5K running class and I'm now running 3 times a week and have run in three 5K races now. I'm slow but I can finish the 5K and my weight has dropped from 245 to 201 which is a weight I never thought I'd see again.

My Charge HR usually tracks my steps correctly even pushing the grocery cart but occasionally it misses a bunch of steps so I do try to keep my arm moving.
 
I know I'm too late Bill, but I'd have gone with the cheaper Apple watch since you're an Apple guy. They are on sale regularly and you can get replacement bands on the cheap.

Edit: I'd like to get one myself. Feel like it'd be a waste of money as I can't wear a watch at work. On a side note, I had a blast playing frisbee at a party yesterday. Almost made me want to get on an ultimate frisbee team. I need to get some regular exercise going. I'm getting fat and out of shape. Need to get my bike down and dusted off too. It's been hanging in my garage since we bought the house. Too many projects early on, then the excuse of not wanting to do anything.
 
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vchizzle said:
I know I'm too late Bill, but I'd have gone with the cheaper Apple watch since you're an Apple guy. They are on sale regularly and you can get replacement bands on the cheap.

Edit: I'd like to get one myself. Feel like it'd be a waste of money as I can't wear a watch at work. On a side note, I had a blast playing frisbee at a party yesterday. Almost made me want to get on an ultimate frisbee team. I need to get some regular exercise going. I'm getting fat and out of shape. Need to get my bike down and dusted off too. It's been hanging in my garage since we bought the house. Too many projects early on, then the excuse of not wanting to do anything.
Click to expand...

I'm sure at some point I'll end up with the steel cased Apple Watch. Just can't justify the outlay at this time.

Add to that, the AW is due for a redesign. I'm not sure what will change, but I'm hoping for longer battery life... I was reading that battery life was an issue if you wanted to use the AW for sleep monitoring.
 
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