About Dominique

@GetFitFargo wrote: Anyway, think I'll just have to break down and purchase a heart rate monitor on top of the Fitbit. Speaking of HRM, here is the kind of stats you can get about your workout (in my case 1h20m walk):   The nice thing about walking outdoors is you get fresh air and changes in elevation (I got about 100 "floors" on my Fitbit One today).   I can also see how much time I have spent in each heart rate zone:   55 minutes spent in the fat burning zone!   I'm using Runtastic Pro on a Nexus 4 (Android 4.4), with a Mio Alpha HRM watch.   ... View more

@GetFitFargo wrote: Well, although it's a little tough in our part of country to get in a walk - this year's North Dakota winter has been brutal! - I do walk when I don't have to worry about frostbite! Don't worry, I'm in Finland! Here is my longer walk of the day, temperature was -11 Celsius (12 Fahrenheit):   ... View more

@garsnem wrote: i was actually just taking the reading from the fitbit scale we are using and it was slightly concerning hehe and wasn't sure how it was doin it 🙂 I've been using a Fitbit Aria for 6 ½ months and I've never seen a variation of 6% even during that entire period. On the contrary, I've found body fat % values to be very consistent: the highest variation within a 2-week period is perhaps 1.5%. OTOH, I always use it at the same time of the day, first thing in the morning, after going to the bathroom, thus when my body is least hydrated (I don't drink during the night). If you step in on your Aria at random times of the day, you will likely see bigger fluctuations, as your body is more or less hydrated. ... View more

@SueUpNorth wrote: I use Unjury on a daily basis. It is whey protein isolate. 1 scoop is 21g of protein, 0g fat, 3g carbs, 2g sugar. Isolate is 90% protein, as noted above. Indeed, their unflavored product contains 21 g per scoop of 24 g. Here is what the label looks like (from their site): 21 g out of 24 g is 87.5%, close enough.   However, if you look at their flavored products, eg. chocolate, you'll find that it's 21 g of protein per scoop of 27 g. This is only 77.8% and would qualify as concentrate rather than isolate in my books. Or am I missing something? Besides, it also includes fructose, aspartame and other items of dubious value (IMO): ... View more

@Polariser wrote: I tried a comparison today with Runtastic, Runtastic Pedometer and Fitbit - the results all vary but especially the Runtastic App (working on GPS) versus the Fitbit Flex and Runtastic Pedometer (which gave quite close results).  Don't pay too much attention to calories reported by Runtastic: it's a great app, but it doesn't take into account changes in elevation (when walking/running outdoors), nor your heart rate (even if you are using a HRM). OK, Fitbit doesn't take elevation into consideration for calories either, even when using a model that has an altimeter (which is only used for counting "floors"). As you guessed, a HRM would probably give you the most accurate calorie count (for activities like walking and running, especially on non-flat ground). ... View more

You want to avoid injury, which you would be particularly exposed to if you are overweight and not used to running. Run-walk-run is a great way to start, google "galloway" for more information about it. Otherwise I agree fully with @TDeWitt about start off slow and with a  slower speed. I'd even limit the first sessions to way lower than 30 minutes. ... View more

Fitbit (whether Flex or any other models) doesn't care about HRM's: it can't interact directly with them. You'd want to use an app on your smartphone that supports the HRM and that can connect to your Fitbit account. One such apps is Digifit iCardio: when you log workouts in iCardio, the calorie data derived from your heart rate can be sent to your Fitbit account. This can be handy for activities that Fitbit is not good at tracking.   Can you sync your Fitbit with your Razr HD? If so, it's compatible with BLE (Bluetooth Low Emission) and you could have a look at BLE HRM's, for instance the Polar H7 chest strap or the Mio Alpha watch. ... View more

@SeeleyAnne wrote: I would also like to know how you guys are seeing a percentage of your sleep? Anything from 90 to 100%, with sleep tracking sensitivity set to Normal (default). I'm using a One, in case it matters (each Fitbit model has their own algorithm and may behave differently for things like VAMs, and perhaps sleep as well). ... View more

@Wombat wrote: As a matter of interest I walk at a speed of between 5 kph (6,000 steps per hour) and 6 kph (7,200 steps per hour). Based on today's ride and an average cadence of 80 rpm, that's 4,800 'steps' per hour. Very interesting, thanks for your detailed post! How fast do you ride on a flat road at 80 rpm? My impression is that one hour of walking at 5-6 km/h is more tiring than one hour of riding a bike on a flat road at normal speed (15-20 km/h). The higher step count obtained when walking would therefore make sense. ... View more

See the following table (snapshot taken from my Dashboard):   ... View more

@mjxcw wrote: How do I friend? Go to Inga's profile and click on the Add Friend button ... View more

What is your current body fat % and do you also need/want to lose weight? ... View more

@Kmage wrote: Is there a way to link to my polar heart monitor? I use this during my workouts and it would be get if that could link to my fit bit force. You can't link a heart rate monitor directly to your Force (or any other Fitbit tracker, for that matter). However, if you have a smartphone that is compatible with your Polar chest strap, you can use the Digifit app to sync your workout data to your Fitbit account. See:   http://www.fitbit.com/apps/digifit   Note that no actual heart rate data will be sent to Fitbit, but you will get calorie data based on your heart rate. This can be useful for the kind of non-step-based activities Fitbit trackers are not very good at (when it comes to tracking calories). ... View more

@madmaz wrote: Thanks for the info about Digifit, I didn't relaise that fitbit & digifit could be linked  Syncing works even both ways if you want, eg. Digifit calories to Fitbit app and Fitbit sleep data to Digifit app. For more information:   http://www.fitbit.com/apps/digifit   http://blog.digifit.com/2013/07/fitbit-sleep-data-syncs-digifit-app/ ... View more

Support for heart rate data in Fitbit is very limited: you only have a few fields for HR data and the data must be entered manually. You can't store HR data for a given activity, for instance.   You have to think of the benefits of a heart rate monitor outside Fitbit. A HRM can come handy to make sure you train in the right HR zone or don't push your HR too high (for instance, if you are at risk of having heart problems). It will also let you track calories for non-step-based activities that your Fitbit tracker is not very good at tracking.   If you have a compatible smartphone, you can use a chest strap (eg. Polar H7). Alternatively, you can use a dedicated watch + a chest strap. Look at Polar, Garmin, Timex etc. Using a smartphone rather than a "dumb" watch can make integration with Fitbit easier: some apps (eg. Digifit) can send activity data (including calories burned) automatically to your Fitbit account. ... View more

I think it doesn't really matter: weight loss is mainly a question eating less than what you burn. You can achieve this with a high-carb/low-fat diet, or a low-carb/high-fat diet, as long as the calories are the same. ... View more

See:   https://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/articles/1020095-what-are-%22very-active-minutes%22-   "Note that your active minute count will be lower for activities that are not primarily step-based, such as weight lifting, cycling, and rowing."   I imagine elliptical would be considered as such a "not primarily step-based" activity. ... View more

Rather than focusing on your macronutrient ratio, you may want to pay attention to what you are eating: get your carbs from veggies and non-processed food rather than grains and processed food, replace bad fats with good fats, replace sugary drinks with plain water etc. You probably also want to increase your proteins in order to be able to exercise more. ... View more

Does it identify you, displaying the three-letter name you have set up in your account? Do you step on the scale barefoot (won't work if you wear socks)? Do you make sure your thighs do not touch each other? ... View more

I personally like TRX (suspension training) for my upper body. I can do it at home, it hardly takes any space and it offers more flexibility than standard pushups etc. ... View more

@Odyssey13 wrote: Wow, you do sleep well. Poor cat! Sensitivity to movements is set to Normal (default), whereas you're using Sensitive. This probably makes a big difference. I'm using a One, whereas you're using a Flex. This can also have an impact. Although Fitbit would certainly like all their trackers to behave in a consistent manner, it seems it is not always the case in practice: for instance, several people have reported they get more VAMs with the ZIP than with the One, for the same activity/intensity level. It also seems you get more steps with the Flex/Force than with the One. ... View more

@provi wrote: I am just starting my exercise program, trying for 10,000 steps a day on treadmill....an hour and ten minutes....what should my heart rate stay around.....it is about 124 range give or take a couple of points. Do you mean 10,000 steps is what you get out of your 70 minute workout on the treadmill? Or is it your total daily steps, including your 70-minute workout?   10,000 steps in 70 minutes is about 8600 steps per hour. It's more or less what I get with brisk walking (about 4.3 mph) outdoors. My average HR is quite lower than 124 bpm at that speed.   There is no way to tell whether 124 bpm is adequate or not in absolute terms. It all depends on your age, your fitness level and what you're trying to achieve. ... View more

@wgdlmd wrote: What is a healthy sleep percentage? Also note "sleep efficiency" as reported by Fitbit mostly tells whether or not your hands have been moving a lot during the night. It doesn't say much about the actual quality of your sleep. However, I find it helpful as a reminder I should spend more time sleeping, go to bed earlier, have more consistent sleeping habits etc. ... View more

This can vary widely from one night to another. See this thread where I've included two snapshots of my own nights: one when I was awakened 21 times (sleep efficiency 92%) and one when I was awakened 2 times (sleep efficiency 100%). ... View more

@pbruce706 wrote: Your maximum heart rate is 220 - your age. I'm 46 so my max heart rate is 174 BPM Actually, not necessarily. I'm 53, but my max. HR is 184 bpm. I determined it by performing the Cooper's running test. See this blog post:   http://blog.digifit.com/2012/07/why-should-you-know-your-personal-heart-rate-zones/     ... View more

See this thread for the difference between hydrolyzed (100%), isolate (90%) and concentrate (80%). ... View more

@DMJ123 wrote: I work in a office and I walked 1.12 miles today by my GPS at lunch then this evening I walked 1.74 miles and the rest of the day I was at my computer in my office. I do walk the 35 steps to the copy machine and back but most of the time I am at the computer. I measured my steps and I put in 2 ft.5in for my stride, The flex which I recevied for Christmas is saying I am walking 12,000 steps. I find this hard to believe and wondered if any one else is doubting this?. I even put on my non active arm. I'm using the One. 1.12+1.74 miles of brisk walking would give me about 5800 steps. It's hard to believe you would walk another 6000 steps during the rest of the day if you have a sedentary office job. I believe the general consensus is wrist-based Fitbits (Flex, Force) overestimate step counts compared to waist-/torso-based models (One, Zip, Ultra). ... View more

@Corne wrote: I would like to know my minimum and maximum heart rate as well using my resting heart rate. If you have access to a compatible heart rate monitor, you may want to use the Digifit iCardio app to determine your max. HR as well as your personal HR zone. See this blog post on their site:   http://digifit.com/2012/07/why-should-you-know-your-personal-heart-rate-zones/   After performing the Cooper running test, I found my max. HR was significantly higher than the value predicted by the standard formula (220 - age): 184 vs. 168 bpm.   Note you will also obtain a better estimate of your resting HR using a proper HRM (as opposed to a smartphone). ... View more

@DGort wrote: Just wondering what the norm is for people? What should I be targeting? This can vary widely from one night to another. See this thread where I've included two snapshots of my own nights: one when I was awakened 21 times (sleep efficiency 92%) and one when I was awakened 2 times (sleep efficiency 100%). ... View more

@getfitter wrote: Are you getting fitter Definitely. Nine months ago, I could hardly run for more than 2 minutes in a row. Now (9 kg/10 lbs lighter) I can comfortably run for an hour at about 6.7 mph. "Lifetime" (= 9 mth) achievement: 5.6M steps, 20.2K floors. ... View more

@scote wrote: Something that I would like is for it to integrate with Fitbit and/or wellnessFX. I'm not familiar with wellnessFX, but automatic integration of heart rate data with Fitbit would be a tall order. This is because Fitbit hasn't really be designed to accommodate extensive HR data. ... View more

If you need to do this repeatedly, you may want to consider the Basis B1 Band. Here is a detailed review:   http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/07/basis-b1-review.html   For occasional needs, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) heart rate sensor could be sufficient, provided you have a compatible smartphone to record the data. I made such an experiment with my Mio Alpha HRM watch and a couple of apps running on my Nexus 4. You can read about it here:   https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Get-Fit/Sleep-efficiency-vs-heart-rate/m-p/50075   The experiment "only" lasted for about 7 hours, but I could have done it for 24 hours if I had wanted to. The biggest challenge is probably to make sure the phone used to record the HR data remains charged during the entire period. Since I did it during my sleep, it was easy to connect the phone to the mains and keep it on the night stand.   A BLE HRM chest strap (eg. the Polar H7) could be used to the same effect. Chest straps are much cheaper than the Mio Alpha. ... View more

I've found the following about supplements for weight loss to be good information:   http://www.precisionnutrition.com/fat-loss-course-for-men-day-4   They talk about multivitamins (one of the four supplements they recommend), if it's what you mean by "vitamix". ... View more

@peejay wrote: Why do I see no change in stats on dashboard when I'm using my eliptical, recumbent bike, abcoaster, or doing jumping jacks????   Why doesn't that count towards activity or calories burned????????  What Fitbit tracker do you have? Do you see changes on its display? If you see changes on the device's display, but not on your dashboard, you have a syncing problem. Have you tried to force syncing on your computer, by right-clicking the Fitbit icon and selecting Sync Now?   Also note most of the activities you mention aren't step-based. See this help article:   "Note that your active minute count will be lower for activities that are not primarily step-based, such as weight lifting, cycling, and rowing." ... View more

@Whimmel1 wrote: I have the same problem with running on a treadmill.  It doesn't track the steps or calories burned.  That defeats the whole purpose. Something is clearly wrong if your Fitbit doesn't track any steps/calories burned when running on a treadmill. ... View more

See this: What are "very active minutes"?   "Note that your active minute count will be lower for activities that are not primarily step-based, such as weight lifting, cycling, and rowing."   In practice, if you want to get VAM's, you need to run, or walk fast (at least 4.3 mph). ... View more