How Accurate Is Your Heart Rate Monitor & App?
A meal plan user emailed:
"I've been on your meal plan since Jan 1, 2014 and am loving it! I have an armband that I wear religiously, and it provides some stats on calorie burn, steps taken, sleep, and METs. I have honestly not worked out in any fashion since the turn of the year. However, my measured activity levels are steadily increasing. I'm not doing any more activity during the day, nor am I taking more steps than usual. My calorie burn is steadily increasing, and my normal activities are now registering as moderate and even vigorous activity. Is my metabolism increasing? Did you experience this kind of trend when you were a personal trainer?"
Most of those armbands and heart rate monitors tend to be unreliable (even the expensive ones). I was part of a study a few years ago where we tested all of the different heart rate monitors, fitness armbands, etc. in a controlled environment -- while also testing the subjects CO2/VO2 and blood pressure, among other things (the only true way to test metabolism accurately is measure oxygen consumption (VO2) to determine resting metabolic rate (RMR), and so forth). None *literally none* of the gadgets were accurate, including the $600 heart rate monitor and armband I was wearing (and had purchased for myself a few months before). They are pretty much just entertainment, I am sad to say.
Still, I think these gadgets can be helpful for some people because it keeps them on track -- like a virtual buddy keeping accountability. You can see if you've been too immobile :) Also, when I was a PT, many of my runners found heart rate monitors kept them in check -- are they running too fast? Too slow?
BUT I wouldn't put much stock into any of the readings ESPECIALLY for cals burned or metabolism.
Most fitness armbands and heart rate monitors work off formulas or algorithms, and while I love math, there are a bazillion variables that aren't taken into account, which is why they are often so inaccurate.
AND if your body weight fluctuates by even a pound (and most of us vary 1-2lbs day to day... we also typically gain a pound or more from water and waste as the day progresses), and these things aren't accounted for either, thereby throwing off the math still more. Bots are just too limited.
If you want to have your metabolism tested accurately for comparison you can. It costs $50-$75 at most places, and it's not invasive. You just put a mask on and sit there :)
I'm sooo glad you're enjoying the meal plans though! I'm a big advocate that health (and weight-loss) comes through diet. Fitness is good, but it's what you eat that matters most.