anyone using the fitbit to "hold back"?

[Megara9]

Hi everyone!  I'm 35lbs over where I'd like to be and currently using the Fitbit HR. My goal is weight loss, but I'm in a little bit of a peculiar situation. I've previously done competitive swimming, crew (rowing), and boxing. Then when I started law school my activity level dropped DRAMATICALLY and now I'm overweight. My problem is that because I'm so used to being in shape, that I don't know what my limits are and I tend to over-do. I wind up getting injured and then all my exercise grinds to a halt while I recover. I just have this mentality where I always have to push 100%.  At one point I got a personal trainer and he's been really good about teaching me to ease off a little, so at least I don't push myself to the point of vomiting during my workouts, but even so I worry about doing too much too soon. So, I picked up a fitbit in hopes of teaching myself workout "moderation" while I lose weight and get back into shape. I'm currently doing only an hour of elliptical a day, and that on a very low setting. I figure I can't go wrong starting out with that. 

Is anyone else in this kind of boat?? If so, would you like to be friends? 

Also any tips for maintaining workout moderation would be greatly appreciated! 

[HelenaFitbit · Accepted solution]

I have to admit @Megara9, this is a first! 

How about creating a workout schedule? Seeing it already written will make the limit visual and develop a sense of measure; in my case I use it as a reminder to be constant on my workouts. 

Hope to see you around the forums! 

[RivalDealer]

I always go too hard and end up getting hurt. Twice I have had shoulder injuries overdoing it with weight training where the weight have been too heavy that it has impacted my form and I end up having to take a break. Running is the same, 3 knee injuries. I'm just impatient I guess.

Fitbit isn't really helping, I was walking late last night to finish up the weekend warrior challenge and wanted to get it to first place so I ran hard up until midnight. Today my knee is sore and hips are too tight so I had to push the weight training back a day and take a rest.

I have learned not to overdo it with time, but now and again I get that drive and push too hard 😛

I have found the rowing machine to be really good (as you will already know) because there is no impact, the harder you row the harder the resistance gets, and it gives you an almost full body workout.

Good luck with your training 🙂 I get bored on the eliptical really quick!

[Megara9]

Yeah, I feel you. Weights especially make me want to push hard and since your muscles are warmed up when you're using them you don't realize how stupid you've been until the next day.... and then it's a week before you can move again. I'm actually forcing myself not to do any weights at this stage and just do moderate cardio. I keep an eye on my heart rate while I do it and make sure my lungs aren't bellowing at max. I'm hoping that for now that will be enough and once I establish a lower level of "default" exertion I can slowly add the weights back in. 

[Megara9]

Oh and what kind of rowing machine do you use? I have a concept 2 that I love! 

[Megara9]

Yeah, not a bad thought! I'll give it some thought and maybe consult with some trainers I know. I'm already limiting myself to an hour of moderate cardio a day and forcing myself to do a day every now and then where I skip it and just walk... but a structured plan for what to do for the next stage would probably be helpful. 

[RivalDealer]

My rowing machine is a waterrower, probably one of the best investments I have made.

With the step counting I decided I would try to stay as close to the 10k steps a day as possible rather than do a load more, and when I get the urge to do more I will go on the rowing machine instead. Weight training I do compund lifts (squats, deadlifts, standing overhead press, benchpress and pendlay rows) and follow the program I have, learned the hard way not to do more 😛

I think the key is to create a program and stick with it, and listen to your body. Actually doing that is another story though.

[backlash79]

If you have a fitbit with a HR in it you could start using your resting HR ony a daily/weekly basis to see if you need to turn down the tap somewhat. For example if on a regular week you are usually a 60 BPM resting HR but then next week you go hard, you are stressed from work, you only slept 6 hours and your resting HR is 70 that would be a great indication to go into the gym and make it an easy day or an easy aerobic day (An authoer I read deems this zone 2 activity, ~70% of your Max HR) I'm new to having a fitbit with HR myself but I have had a chest strap type for years. If you really wanted more metrics you could get into the whole HRV thing (Joel Jamieson is the one I recommend) which takes into account more than just resting HR and in the app you get a green, yellow or red light for the day's training.

[Gershon]

Yes. The goals I set are maximums and not minimums. I take a long morning walk start the day and then the rest of the day, I make sure I don't get too many steps while still taking my normal moving around breaks.

[rowhappy]

I am fairly new to rowing as well (WaterRower Club), but I found the workout schedules that you can download from www.howtorow.com are a good starting point.  I recently finished the Beginner 6 week and am now entering the Intermediate schedule.  My only problem with using the Charge HR is stopping my routine long enough to punch the button and see where I am, heartrate-wise.  That is NOT a dig at the FitBit, just that I hate to mess up my strokes per minute or timed distance rows by breaking rythm. 

Almost to the point of breaking down and buying the optional heart rate monitor for my rowing machine and entering that information manually.  I have no issues with the Charge HR on my non-rowing days but I don't do the CrossFit type routines either.

[Megara9]

@backlash79

That's not a bad idea. My resting HR sits somewhere in the low to mid 60's usually, but it's been higher than usual lately because I'm studying for the bar exam (ALL the stress). Of course, studying for the bar exam also means less time for working out, but I try to work in an hour a day regardless of what happens just for the sake of my own sanity. The danger then is to push too hard during that one hour, but I think I've been really good about moderation ever since I got my fitbit! The metrics are super helpful. Unfortunately my metrics are going to be way off this week because some house guests came into town the other day and I had plugged my fitbit in to charge and forgot it was there when they arrived. Grrrrr... 

[Megara9]

@rowhappy  @RivalDealer

Interesting that I've never heard of this type of erg before, but the website looks great! I'll definitely be referring other people to it when they ask me about rowing. For one, I love that they spend some time explaining proper rowing form because I've seen so many people injure their backs or knees while trying to get the benefits of rowing (which are substantial).  

That trance-like rhythm that you can get into with rowing is one of the things I love most about it and I can see how it would be annoying to stop mid stroke in order to check your HR on the fitbit. That's something I hadn't thought about. I was a bit concerned with it sliding down my arm due to how much I sweat during longer rowing sessions but I figured that was a problem I'd worry about solving once I transitioned from the elliptical to the erg (maybe put some rubber bands below it on my wrist to keep the fitbit in place? But then that might cut off circulation...)  If the phone app offered real-time HR monitoring you could just engineer a way to mount your phone at the head of your erg, but afaik that feature's not available at this time. Maybe in an upgrade... =\ 

*edited for spelling*

[Megara9]

@RivalDealer

I meant to ask... do you have a spotter when you do your weight routine? I'm okay with most lifts but I've never been that good at the bench press and was wondering if you had any tips for doing it solo. I want to push myself but not, you know, choke to death when I get close to failure. 

[RivalDealer]

@Megara9 Don't benchpress alone without safety pins to catch the bar. Use a power rack or squat rack with safety pins. There are some good videos on youtube for how to bail out on weight lifting, practice bailing so you know what to do when you get there. I don't use a spotter but I do use the safety pins to make sure I don't get stuck.

@rowhappy I did cave in and buy the heart rate monitor, despite having the fitbit charge HR. The monitor can be programmed for max and min heart rate and will beep at you if you drop out of your zone. Your heartrate is also shown on screen during all rowing programs. What also suprised me is that the charge HR doesn't do well at all with higher heart rates consistantly measuring a good deal lower than a chest strap heart rate monitor.

[rowhappy]

@Megara9 Good advice on the safety pins and working without a spotter.  My friends who lift a lot are always nagging me about that, even though I don't "Lift until Failure".

@RivalDealerI had read about how the FitBit was not the greatest for accurately measuring a rowing session but still get enough value add for my other activities to be happy with the purchase.  Next purchase will be the heart rate monitor for the WaterRower.  Can you tell me if it will beep if you go ABOVE your programmed heart rate?

[RivalDealer]

@rowhappy it does beep if you go over, slow beeps for under and fast beeps for over. They offer polar and ant+ HRMs, the ant+ has a longer range so the sensor can be plugged in to the monitor or even fitted inside the monitor (I got the one fitted inside).

I'm still more than happy with my Charge HR, watching my resting heartrate drop as I have gotten fitter has been really rewarding and it works well for steady activity too. The software seems to round numbers off a bit so you won't see dramatic spikes and drops but overall it is good.

[taekwondogirl]

Have you ever thought about trying yoga? It's great for concentration, relaxation, strength training, flexibility and it's great for keeping a clear head. I know many people think yoga isn't a true exercise. But I bet those people have never tried it.

I have had my black belt in taekwondo since January 2009 and I tried a HIIT buti yoga class and it kicked my butt. My muscles were sore for a week.

[Paradise555]

I am in college as well. It is a challenge for sure. What I do is making a schedule for both what I need to get done for school and for when I go work out.