So... what's the point of fitness bands?

[kenjancef]

For all of the bands out there, it takes a while to find out which one is right for you. Like I had said, I researched for 3-4 months before deciding on the Band. I think it was a combination of the sensors, HR monitor and GPS that brought me to the Band. And you're going to hear the good AND the bad about each band, but in the end, it comes down to what fits your lifestyle.

 

[poit57]

My Band is scheduled for delivery today. I started working out and running regularly with no fitness tracker about 8 months ago in addition to training for a 1/2 marathon that's about 5 weeks away.

I want the band to not only have a way to gauge my calorie burn and log my mileage (the gps on my current phone is terrible), but I'm also interested in things like tracking the quality of my sleep and trying out the other sensors that are built into this device.

 

[Yonic Boom]

First of all congratz, man! That is really awesome!! But I guess I have to ask... why couldn't you start working out without fitness band? It seems to me that you only have it to remind you that you should be working out.

Of course I could, but it's just been a very useful tool to help me in the process. I needed some kind of heart rate monitor to help keep an eye on what I was doing during my workouts, and having one that doesn't involve a chest strap has been really nice.

Besides, I find all the aggregated data interesting and useful. It's fun to make progress like I have and see how it impacts things along the way.

 

[DroidUser42]

Well, that's the thing, I guess. I run, do different sports... all just beacuse I want to be active. So I'm doing it because I like it, not because I need to achieve some goal set by my fitness band. So, the silver lining here is that I don't get why someone needs to have this kind of device to actual do something. But that's for different discussion, I guess

No, I think that answers your question. For whatever reason, you LIKE activity. While I think most all of us enjoy the idea of being fit, not all of us enjoy the effort it takes to get there. You are self-motivated. We're not. You're naturally fit based on what you like to do. We like to relax - but that doesn't lead to fitness. We need the extra encouragement to do something we're not fond of to get to a place we want to be.

Now, if you were planning on running an Ironman, you might consider a fitness device to track your training to that goal. But if you're not in training for a major goal, and you don't need anything else to motivate you to activity, then there is no point in a fitness device.

 

[NBrookus]

Yeah, I got that. I just find it funny. Either I wanna be active and then I do sports or whatever and don't need to be constantly reminded that "wow, you are active! you are so cool!", or I don't want to be active and then not even fitness band can't change that. But maybe I'm just not seeing the bigger picture.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you've never dealt with:

• Chronic pain
• Chronic injury
• Serious disease
• Disabilities
• Clinical Depression
• Caring for young children 24/7/365
• Caring for elderly parents
• Peri-menopause, menopause, or metabolic disorders
• Middle-age spread
• Pregnancy weight gain and post-pregnancy hormonal rollercoaster
• Dealing with a wife with ^
• A 50-60 hour a week desk job on top of home responsibilities
• Old age
• etc.

Most people use them as a tool to increase fitness and/or lose weight, but I've met a couple of people who have used fitness trackers to limit their activity to keep them from being in too much pain the next day. Personally, I cherish the one day a week I get to spend hiking in the woods; the rest of the week it's a challenge to find time to get the daily activity I need to stay healthy. With a fitness tracker I can make sure I'm doing it while spending less time and brain sweat trying to keep track.

Different people have different lives and challenges than you; try not to be a jerk about the tools they use to be healthy. Don't see the use in a fitness tracker? Don't get one.

 

[gadgetrants]

• Chronic pain
• Chronic injury
• Serious disease
• Disabilities
• Clinical Depression
• Caring for young children 24/7/365
• Caring for elderly parents
• Peri-menopause, menopause, or metabolic disorders
• Middle-age spread
• Pregnancy weight gain and post-pregnancy hormonal rollercoaster
• Dealing with a wife with ^
• A 50-60 hour a week desk job on top of home responsibilities
• Old age
• etc.

That is very, very depressing. You just summed up the last 18 years of my life. It doesn't seem nearly as glamorous as how I portray it on Facebook!

-Matt

 

[NBrookus]

I used to laugh when people said getting old wasn't for sissies, and then they chuckled nervously. Big deal: gray hair and wrinkles, right?

*sigh*

 

[mkg3]

No, not really. Like I said, the amount of calories burned or steps taken are informations with no actual value....

This statement is bit over generalizing and simplifying the value of steps and calories burned, I believe. The numbers themselves are as you state, but when you add context, it has meanings. More importantly, accumulative effect of data collected over time provides trends and pattern that once understood, the user can begin to make either behavioral or physical changes - or both.

Here are couple of real simple examples that anyone can understand:
1) average calorie burn per day (Cal/day) established by one's life routines. Once known for period of month or two, one can use the average at any given day to determine if he/she is not as active as normal or more active than normal. You can then control calorie intake for that day to maintain activity-consumption balance. Cal/day can also provide changes due to mental or physical state. If one finds consistently under burning Cal/day, that discovery alone can be used to interrogate daily habits and know if something else is going on - an early indicator, as it were.

2) For those with type 2, diabetes, physical activity has a great effect on how their bodies metabolizes glucose. By measuring calories burned, one can monitor blood sugar level versus physical activities. Weigh loss that comes with burning more Cal/day than consumed Cals, is also a part of life style change many with this condition must do.

These are just couple of examples and there are many, many others. My thought is this type of monitoring is essentially the dash board of a car with engine temp, rpm, oil pressure and so on.

......"wow, you are active! you are so cool!", or I don't want to be active and then not even fitness band can't change that. But maybe I'm just not seeing the bigger picture.

I'm not trying to mock users of fitness bands! I'm just trying to understand why someone needs this "useless" device to be active and can't just BE active, you know?

I think you've missed the whole point of these fitness bands. For some, perhaps you've captured their intent but for most, its just additional data. What you do with the data is up to the individual but don't you think knowing more is better than knowing less?

Fundamentally, I agree with your point about the human nature. If one is not active, normally, no device is going to change that. Sort of like gym membership. Can you imagine how crowded any gym would be if all the members actually showed up regularly... So when the new toy wears off, the natural state of behavior will return for most. It really takes commitment to make the (life style) change and if these fitness bands can help, why not.

Well, that's the thing, I guess. I run, do different sports... all just beacuse I want to be active. So I'm doing it because I like it, not because I need to achieve some goal set by my fitness band. So, the silver lining here is that I don't get why someone needs to have this kind of device to actual do something....

Do you time your runs? Want to improve your speed or agility? These bands time your runs and distances. If you play sports, like many of us, we are competitive creatures by nature. Wanting to improve our own performance is always there. Again, its not to get your a$$ off the couch and move, its to increase the rate of performance or speed, and so on.

Even if the data collected is not the most accurate (which btw, it really does not matter all that much), the trend is what's important. If MS Band is consistently higher than Mio or some other device, that's fine because your comparing apples-to-apples (sorry no pun intended). If the the change is in the positive direction, then that's what you care about. The absolute value is nice but not nearly as important.

Last, for me, I got the Band because I wanted to know how much calories I was burning when lifting weights and working out. I hate chest straps and cannot really determine how much Cal/day is affected by resistance training. Cardio machines are easy because they all provide the data at various accuracy.

Like most of us, we have a very limited time in a day to workout so knowing how much calories I'm burning during a workout gives me the data to adjust the pace of my workouts to meet my objectives. Again, its just data but for me, I like knowing more than knowing less...

 

[Nate Silver]

For me, the great thing is being able to combine my interest in fitness with my innate curiosity and 'geekiness' when it comes to tech toys. In turn, that has helped to give me that extra little shove to push a bit harder. Could I have done the same with out a fitness band? (Actually, I should say bands...I own or have owned several.) Sure! The point is, I wasn't......and now I am.

Fitness bands do absolutely nothing for some folks, while for others they can be a real help. YMMV, but if you can't see the point going in, then its pretty obviously not for you, and that's ok.

 

[astondg]

I think this really depends on an individuals fitness goals. Some people struggle to lose weight, can't get motivated to exercise, have never learnt about calories. For them something like the Band provides motivation, they can set a goal like 10,000 steps for a day and by tracking against that they can stay motivated. They can get home in the evening and see that they're at 9,000 steps and be motivated to complete the 10,000 instead of watching T.V. They can also see that they've burned X calories and (if they track their intake) consumed Y and it becomes pretty obvious how they can lose and gain weight.

For me I find 3 features of the Band the most useful:
1. Real time feedback of pace, distance & time while I'm running. Sometimes I don't pre plan my runs, I just head out, so it's nice to keep track of where I'm at. And pacing is good for training and helping me keep a consistent speed on event day when nerves and excitement might get the better of me.
2. Guided workouts are AWESOME. The subtle haptic feedback while exercising means I rarely have to look at the Band, I can just focus on the task. And the good programs run for multiple weeks with daily variations and include everything from warm up to cool down and stretching. The Band walks you through the whole process. It's just so simple and motivating.
3. If you take a step back from the details of your HR, calories, etc. you can look at the overall trend. Because you're recording each workout you can see how you're tracking for the week, month. How external influences effect your training and adjust to those.

 

[oneiros]

Mmmh. You are kidding right? :grin: well I mean the word "fitness" could give you little hint about your question. Otherwise we could even start questioning what's the point of "ball" in "football"...

 

[Brian McMahon]

I'm using a fitbit flex at the moment that came with the wife's 830. Didn't see the point in them at the start but it hasn't been off my wrist for 6 weeks. So now the bands coming to the uk I've put my pre order in already as I can see the benefits.

Data gathering is fantastic and an insight into general health is what I get from it. I would never have known that I walk roughly 7 mile a day, my restless sleep patterns are actually caused by my wife hitting me during the night when I snore which now explains the bruises. During some of my gaming sessions on Xbox it's handy to know when I need to get up and take a break or how much more I need to move later to make up for my 4 hr session gaming.

Everyone's different and it's how you use the data that's the important thing. Me personally hitting 40 and not being as active as I used to I want to push myself now to get fitter and a band is going to help me remain more active but you have to want to do it and that's the one thing a band can't do.