Cardio Fitness Score accurate?

[emmasawr]

Hi there! I've had the Charge 2 for a few months now (got it back in December) and I've been wondering how accurate the Cardio Fitness score is, and how exactly it is calculated. I currently have a 33 (which is poor for my age) but I don't think I have poor fitness. I'm 19 y/o female and I exercise regularly, as I'm a pretty avid runner. I'm also currently in college living on a big campus, so on a regular day I take at least 10K steps without exercise, and up to 30k with exercise. I run 4-5 times a week, running 3-10 miles per day depending on my training schedule, usually averaging out to 20-35 miles per week. I know the score is based on VO2 max, however, and I do have exercise-induced asthma. My HR to get pretty high during exercise, especially when running up hills (I take a couple of puffs of my inhaler before I go out for runs). Thanks for any insight! 🙂

[JoeC657]

Sounds good on the progress, but I’m concerned about low BMI. Be sure to get adequate proper nutrition that has NOTHING to do with the food pyramid, as it’s up-side-down. I’m serious. The government has been misleading us on nutrition for decades. There is good information (and bad too) on the web, that is if you use your computer to do research. Dr. William Davis is a good place to start. Also, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Joseph Mercola. You don’t need to buy their product offerings, just understand what they are talking and writing about.

Best of luck.

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[JoeC657]

I’m not a doctor or formal nutritionist, I’m an engineer and data analyst who has researched health issues (my own) for the past 6-7 years.

Your numbers look good and it looks like you are doing very well. I don’t think that Fitbit uses your highest heart rate for any calculations. It’s only a simple device. Your age, weight and resting heart rate are major factors and possibly the only factors in calculating fitness score. However, I’d say that you are on the low side (less healthy) of BMI, but everyone has a different body type and metabolism. Balance is key, and that is achieved through proper nutrition and the exercise that you are doing, although you can overdo exercise too. Take a break! You are 72 and not the runner you used to be. Moderation is key here.

There, that’s my $.02. Spend it wisely.

Best wishes.

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[jdgRunner]

I get a lot of exercise, especially for my weight. In the winter I might
shovel snow for 1-2 hours at a time and as much as 4 hours in a day. I do
pushups and am at about 80/day (made easier by low weight). My BMI comes
in at the bottom of the Healthy range, 18.5. There is a lot of advice on
weight, but virtually all of it is on the 'too high' side. I had an
appointment with a nutritionist (got an assistant or councilor?) and they
basically did not know what to say, like they had almost not thought about
it at all. I had been going to the gym for weight work but have not gone
much at all since COVID started.

jdg

[JoeC657]

18.5 is not at the bottom of your healthy range, even if you are a woman it’s just close. And, BMI has NOTHING to do with exercise. You can not “exercise-off” excess weight. That requires proper diet, with or without exercise. Your body will automatically compensate for the extra exercise and get you to eat more of “whatever” to keep your weight constant. Even starvation is only temporary and more weight will be put back once you start eating again, to compensate for the starvation cycle(s). Exercise is for cardio and other health benefits that should show up as lower heart rate, blood pressure etc. and a multitude of other good health measurements, not BMI. Don’t bother counting calories either. Excess fat depends on what you eat AND when you eat it. And lastly, eating fat does, and can not, make you fat and eating high cholesterol foods does not contribute to high cholesterol in the blood. And the standard cholesterol test is completely worthless as a heart disease indicator. Use the NMR lipid panel instead.

Stop eating at least 4 hours before going to bed. Do not finish dinner then sit down to watch TV, play cards or any other sedentary in-action. ½ to 1 hour after eating dinner take a brisk walk (elevate your heart rate to 100 or so) of a mile or three. This will help to burn off any simple carbs you may have ingested for dinner. Eating too many simple carbs is never good but late in the day is a recipe for disaster.

Just send me your address and I’ll send you my bill. 😊.

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