Hey guys…looking at really honing in to calories burned during the day vs the calorie intake. There seems to be quite a few choices on the market so I’d appreciate any advice/feedback on these critters.
I’m not adverse to either wrist monitor with or without chest strap, but don’t want to pay a crap-ton of cash for it.
Anyway…suggestions? 
A few weeks ago I got a Garmin 405CX and I’m very happy with it. I got it because it’s GPS based and I don’t trust the step counting method and I wanted better telemetry. It has a chest strap and I’ll probably get the cadence counter for the bike at some point. It has modes for both running and biking so I can use it for everything and it makes a good log file, map of your route, pace/speed, heart rate and elevations change. It does the calorie burn based on height, weight, and I think heart rate, but I don’t know how accurate it is. I think there is a foot pod you can get also but I really hate running inside.
On occasion the GPS will get a bad read and you’ll get an instantanous elevation or speed spike but I don’t think it moves the average much.
I’m finding it to be a great motivator, I love number and graphs and I can pick apart my performance in all kinds of ways.
I’ve got the Garmin 500, and had the 305 before that. I’m not sure you really need the cadence sensor. It’s cool for the first couple times you use it, but I doubt it’ll change how you ride. You will have a cadence that’s natural to you, and you should shift accordingly.
The heart rate monitor, however, is invaluable. I can’t help but race myself, and keeping an eye on my HR instead of my speed keeps me from burning out early.
DaSnarf: are you looking for an exercise device, or some kind of 24/7 monitor?
I’m looking for something to better help me judge the amount of calories I am truly burning through the day including my workouts. Right now…If I do cardio, I plug in the number the treadmill gives, but if it’s strength/cardio Its really just a guess by the program (My Fitness Pal) without any real hard evidence to back that up.
Ideally, the HRM would allow me to track this a whole lot better.
Is that making sense?
I’m not looking to change cadence as much as play with data, I tend to run a bit slower cadence for a given speed any way. I don’t feel it’s held me back any, so no reason to change.
I’m looking for a 24/7 monitor, and I’ve been reading online reviews but it’s hard for me to make up my mind.
As I’ve mentioned on various casts, I think, I’ve used the Bodybugg for over a year now with good results. It’s pretty unobtrusive and (at least by my calculations) within its 10% accuracy claim.
I just barely got a BodyMedia sensor (Same device, branded differently). Do you wear yours all the time Chuck? Just during workouts?
So far, I’m liking the amount of data it provides. I don’t have a display for it, and I didn’t get the bluetooth version - so I’m still only reviewing my data at the end of the day. I’m skeptical of accuracy claims, but I’m waiting to make conclusions after I see a little more output from this thing.
Question for Chuck or anyone who has a BodyBugg, does the pedometer function work pretty well?
My BodyMedia (unbranded BodyBugg) Sensor keeps track of steps very well. It will pick up a few extra steps here and there, but that’s the nature of the technology. Does poorly on the ellyptical. By and large I’m very happy with my BodyMedia - I wish there wasn’t a monthly fee involved, but it is what it is.
Do the GPS pedometers measure distances less than 30 meters (the accuracy of my car’s GPS)?
Since they turned off Selective Availability signal degradations in the '90s, most GPSs went from 10m to 1m accuracy. Of course, they all use a variety of signal averaging and smoothing algorithms to give more use and reliable results for moving paths.
Bottom line: Some are more useful than others. I have a Garmin 900XT, and I can attest that though you’ll get spurious readings from time to time, it does a great job. You can often tell from the map which side of the street you were running on. Good practice, however, is to stop the track when you’re standing still for any period as distance will slowly accumulate due to slight second-by-second position differences.