| Running/Fitness Smart watches 13:47 - Sep 25 with 3556 views | kingsburyR |
Gents,
I have got to do something before my entire chest slips below my belt line.
I've started running again and fancy one of the fitness watch thingys.
Any recommendations?
Preference at the minute is the TomTom Spark 3 |  |
| Dont know why we bother. .... but we do! |
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| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 13:57 - Sep 25 with 3540 views | Gloucs_R |
Best advice I was ever given...
"You'll never out-train your diet!"
No idea about watches though.  |  |
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| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 14:07 - Sep 25 with 3524 views | runningman75 |
I use the Garmin Forerunner 10 which is basic but tracks my kms for half marathons which is my preferable distance. There are a lot of watches with heart rate monitors and other functions though I need a function to tell me to run faster. |  | | |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 14:08 - Sep 25 with 3521 views | Esox_Lucius |
The most popular fitness monitor at my gym, amongst both staff & patrons, seems t be the Fitbit range, mostly the Blaze and secondly the Charge 2. The blaze becuse it has GPS built in and a workout program ability. I loved my Charge HR when I was losing weight and getting fit as, once I had entered in all my meals etc. I could just click on them to add them each day and monitor my calorie intake against my calorific burn.I strongly reccommend you keep your calorie deficit to between 300-500 per day as your body can go into "starvation" mode if the deficit is too great and your meatabolism slows down and you don't lose weight easily. It took me around 18-20 months to lose 5.5 stone but it is easy to maintain the weight now and my calorie deficit is negligible these days and I can have the occasional beer or fish & chips without too much angst. Keep changing your workout routine too so that you keep shocking your body, otherwise it just becomes accustomed to your regime and you will plateau and stop losing weight. |  |
| The grass is always greener. |
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| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 14:11 - Sep 25 with 3519 views | StevenageRanger |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 14:07 - Sep 25 by runningman75 |
I use the Garmin Forerunner 10 which is basic but tracks my kms for half marathons which is my preferable distance. There are a lot of watches with heart rate monitors and other functions though I need a function to tell me to run faster. |
I had a Forerunner 10 when starting running a few years back. Rock Solid and basic features.
I moved onto the 220 as wanted to track HR stats and the 10 couldnt link to a HR monitor.
Personally I would never stray from Garmin. Had friends at my running club who have had Nike and Tom Tom and not been happy. To the point of flogging on Ebay and moving to Garmin. That was a good couple of years ago so things may be different now.
For in depth reviews on all things fitness watches, check out https://www.dcrainmaker.com/ | | | |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 14:13 - Sep 25 with 3515 views | StevenageRanger |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 14:08 - Sep 25 by Esox_Lucius |
The most popular fitness monitor at my gym, amongst both staff & patrons, seems t be the Fitbit range, mostly the Blaze and secondly the Charge 2. The blaze becuse it has GPS built in and a workout program ability. I loved my Charge HR when I was losing weight and getting fit as, once I had entered in all my meals etc. I could just click on them to add them each day and monitor my calorie intake against my calorific burn.I strongly reccommend you keep your calorie deficit to between 300-500 per day as your body can go into "starvation" mode if the deficit is too great and your meatabolism slows down and you don't lose weight easily. It took me around 18-20 months to lose 5.5 stone but it is easy to maintain the weight now and my calorie deficit is negligible these days and I can have the occasional beer or fish & chips without too much angst. Keep changing your workout routine too so that you keep shocking your body, otherwise it just becomes accustomed to your regime and you will plateau and stop losing weight. |
I wear a Fitbit Charge HR for everyday use (I love the alarm clock on it for that gentle wake up!)
The wrist based HR monitor though is nowhere near as accurate as a chest strap. | | | |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 15:07 - Sep 25 with 3429 views | londonscottish |
I've been using a Fitbit Alta HR since July as the owner of the company I work for wanted to encourage fitness and gave me a 90% subsidy.
I love it as it measures my general activity (through steps) shows me my heart rate & sleeping patterns, reminds me to drink water and so on.
It basically gets me off my arse, especially on quiet days.
And by doing that it has really helped me to sort an 8 month long achilles problem which means that FINALLY I can run again.
The one thing it isn't is waterproof - I think there's an equivalent Garmin that is.
Having said all that what you eat is just as important.
And walking is all well and good but to really lose weight I have to do a lot of running, swimming and gym work on top of the walking and eating carefully.
And speaking of eating carefully my BIL has just lost 5.5 stone in 4 months on the KETO (sp?) diet with no exercising at all.
But I'm too lazy for that sort of thing.
But I am now, as my wife points out, now fatter than him.
Grrr...... |  |
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| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 15:18 - Sep 25 with 3406 views | FDC |
I've been thinking about getting one of these, but bit put off by the cost of the most popular ones (Fitbit etc). Anyone got any thoughts on decent budget trackers? |  | | |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 16:17 - Sep 25 with 3343 views | londonscottish |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 15:18 - Sep 25 by FDC |
I've been thinking about getting one of these, but bit put off by the cost of the most popular ones (Fitbit etc). Anyone got any thoughts on decent budget trackers? |
Plenty of obscure cheap ones on Amazon.
The first brand I recognised was Mpow.
Worth a look maybe? | |
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| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 16:41 - Sep 25 with 3316 views | elnombre |
Just a warning on the Fitbit Charge HR - google 'strap bubble' and then buy something else...
I've had two with bubbling problems, and two folks in my gym had the same. To be fair, Fitbit were brilliant about it - replaced immediately and second time, offered another replacement or anything else from the range at half-price.
I now have a Charge 2, which is fab, but doesn't have GPS functionality, if your plan is running outdoors.
Kingsbury, if you'd like to try one to see if you get on, happy to send you my old bubbly one (it is an XL) and charging cable gratis - just message me your address. | | | |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 16:55 - Sep 25 with 3301 views | stowmarketrange |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 13:57 - Sep 25 by Gloucs_R |
Best advice I was ever given...
"You'll never out-train your diet!"
No idea about watches though. |
When I started training for the Great North Run in February I was about 16 1/2 stone.Now I weigh about 15 and it was mostly down to the running rather than cutting out the food.
I don't drink that often either so it was definitely the exercise What done it gov. |  | | |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 17:07 - Sep 25 with 3291 views | hovehoop |
Smart watches are great if you use them!
I started years ago with a Polar who were probably market leaders at the time, though there are now many other choices and lots of functionality on offer. The Polar watch was based on training zones, which has to do with exercise intensity and exercising in heart rate zones specific to your fitness and age. They used to subscribe to the idea of spending most time in a low heart rate zone and building aerobic fitness. Though personally, I found it hard training in such low zones because the hills near me and cold weather combine to elevate heart rate. Others are nowadays subscribing to the idea of high intensity training (HIT) which involves intense exercise in short bursts. Seemingly, research shows the energy and thus calorie burn continues when HIT exercise ends. Personally, I suspect a mixture of training methods is probably best, to lessen the injury risk and to build strength and endurance. And, being north of 50, and having damaged my back, I no longer overlook core strength and exercise.
My wife uses a Fitbit though, it's not enough when running so she switches to her Garmin.
I use a Garmin too. It was a gift for a big birthday. It's a Garmin Forerunner 735XT, which was designed with triathlon in mind. So, I use it in the pool, at sea, out on the bike or running. It has a built in heart rate monitor beneath which tracks pulse though for optimum readings this and other watches are best used with a heart rate strap across the chest. I wear mine everyday. It counts steps. And it's been great keeping my weight in check this last year when suffering a prolapsed disc. I've had to find exercises I can do around the injury and the watch has helped monitor them. The watch has GPS too. So, bike/run routes are mapped. They then update a Garmin app on your phone or computer. They can link to Strava too so you can see how exercise compares to previous efforts. I've got maps showing sea swims done this summer. Also, it's worthwhile using the watch to be aware of your resting heart rate (RHR). Good times to check this are in the morning when rising or before going to bed say. With improved fitness, you should see your RHR drop with time. However, an elevated RHR can tell you that your coming down with a bug or have over trained say. So, you might use this as a sign to skip a session. Also, be aware that your maximum heart rate will vary between running, swimming and cycling. Because running is weight bearing this should show the highest heart rate. Then cycling and then swimming. Though if you swim frantically and like a brick then that could achieve some impressively high heart rate readings too. So, your heart rate readings are relevant to the discipline your doing and shouldn't be assumed to be the same across the board. By way of example, I've been on my last legs on a bike on a long climb and thinking that if I went any slower I'd fall off. Though despite working at my limits, my maximum heart rate on a bike was maybe 50 bpm less than when running.
These days you can get a watch with a lot of functionality at a reasonable price. Personally though, I wouldn't buy one without GPS.
Others have mentioned diet, which is key. It's taken a long time for me to learn though these days and while carrying an injury, if I've had a sedentary day, then I don't need a plate overflowing with food. Try and have a pint of water say half hour before eating. That should help limit what you eat. And, if you're serious then kicking off with maybe a month off the booze and possibly bread could set you on the right course! | | | |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 17:38 - Sep 25 with 3259 views | hovehoop |
This is also very good advice about varying your exercise routine too and shocking your body/muscle system. If you do the same run at the same intensity then you'll just become more efficient on that run. Your muscles will adapt and then you'll most likely plateau. So, if running is your thing then one run might be long and slow cross country say. You might fancy a hill session another day. You can also do intervals and similar speed work. Though not straight off the cuff. If you've had a long lay off then I'd suggest a few weeks or months even of just getting out little and often to turn over your legs and let your heart and lungs and joints adapt. That should give you a foundation and hopefully help avoid injury. And, if you don't fancy a run, then maybe take a long walk. This last year while my back has been injured I can't run though I can walk so, I've been doing extra walks and the dog loves the extra outings. | | | |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 18:04 - Sep 25 with 3240 views | QPR_Jim |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 14:07 - Sep 25 by runningman75 |
I use the Garmin Forerunner 10 which is basic but tracks my kms for half marathons which is my preferable distance. There are a lot of watches with heart rate monitors and other functions though I need a function to tell me to run faster. |
I use a Garmin Forerunner 10 as well, basic but does everything most people will need, it used to be my girlfriends but she moved onto a fitbit so I nicked it.
I never used to understand why people looking to get into shape would want a watch constantly on to track their day to day activities. I understand it encourages you to get away from your desk a bit more etc but I always got the sense that it was a case of treating the day to day stuff you'd largely do anyway as exercise which in turn would convince you you've done your bit for the day so you can therefore skip the gym or my run etc. I suppose it depends on an individuals mentality but that's basically what I would have done with that data at my fingertips and which is probably why I put on weight in the first place.
Like other have said diet is a key part and I've had a reasonable amount of success in losing weight by using tools such as calorie counting to get into good eating habits. Having lost some weight I have got more into my running and like using the watch to pace myself and set myself targets for the pace of each mile. |  | | |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 10:45 - Sep 26 with 3063 views | hovehoop |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 18:04 - Sep 25 by QPR_Jim |
I use a Garmin Forerunner 10 as well, basic but does everything most people will need, it used to be my girlfriends but she moved onto a fitbit so I nicked it.
I never used to understand why people looking to get into shape would want a watch constantly on to track their day to day activities. I understand it encourages you to get away from your desk a bit more etc but I always got the sense that it was a case of treating the day to day stuff you'd largely do anyway as exercise which in turn would convince you you've done your bit for the day so you can therefore skip the gym or my run etc. I suppose it depends on an individuals mentality but that's basically what I would have done with that data at my fingertips and which is probably why I put on weight in the first place.
Like other have said diet is a key part and I've had a reasonable amount of success in losing weight by using tools such as calorie counting to get into good eating habits. Having lost some weight I have got more into my running and like using the watch to pace myself and set myself targets for the pace of each mile. |
Echo this. My wife uses the Forerunner 10 and it's perfect for her needs. No point in having an over functioning watch, if its features won't be used. That said, the fact that these watches allow people to measure their performance can be enough to keep them engaged on an exercise plan, which is good. I also agree with comments on the Fitbit type of watch. I know one or two fixated on counting their daily steps, though they're still massively overweight! It's as if they're counting the steps as an exercise class, then do nothing else. And, some fail to recognise that some of the watches are designed for a single sport only, like running. They won't provide accurate metrics for swimming or cycling say because the maximum heart rate and calorie burn varies between sports, depending how weight bearing they are. Also, though easier said than done, I try and minimise the amount of refined food I eat. Being north of 50, a packet of crisps say has nothing nutritious inside and basically deposits as fat! If you're interested in food, take a look at two Netflix programmes 1) What the Health and, 2) Forks over knives. The latter is also the name of one or two books on food. | | | |
| Running/Fitness Smart watches on 13:50 - Sep 26 with 2985 views | bacardiinbrissie |
Go with the Tom Tom Music.
Its the only one (I know of) with 5Gb of space to load your own music onto from your computer. links direct to Bluetooth headphones so you don't have to carry a stupid phone with you to listen to your tunes.
Had mine a couple of years and love it.
Only downside is the strap cracks at the join after about 12 months use. Easily replaced from e-bay for 15 quid.
Enjoy | | | |
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