Sad Day: My Fitbit Charge HR Finally Died, Now What?

Fitbit Charge HR
28 Jun

Last Updated on June 28, 2017 by Michael Brockbank

Over the past couple of years, I’ve grown quite accustomed to my Fitbit Charge HR. After logging a great deal of data from continuous use, it finally died. It was sudden and peaceful, so I guess that’s a good thing. Anyway, what do I do know that I don’t have access to all that awesome data? Simple; go back to what I was doing before I got it.

Fitness Without the Fitbit

In reality, I lost a large portion of my weight without the use of the Fitbit. It was fun and I discovered a lot about the different things I can do to burn calories, but it’s not the end of the world. I’ll just need to go back to what I was doing before…which required a lot more time invested.

Luckily, the data I collected over the years helps fine-tune my health and fitness goals to be a bit more accurate. So what do I do now that my wearable technology is no longer part of my routine?

Keep Up with the Exercise Routines

Just because my tracker isn’t available to monitor progress, it doesn’t mean I have to quit. I already know what needs to be done and how much I need to walk everyday. Luckily, apps like Runkeeper operate off my phone so I can still keep an eye on total miles every week.

Thanks to my Fitbit Charge HR, I have a more clear picture about what exercises and workouts are the most effective to increase my heart rate. I know what routines burn the most for me and how long I need to do them. This gives me a semi-accurate idea about how much I can eat in any given day after physical activity.

The only real problem I’ll have is exercising on sunny days. Heat increases the heart rate, and being out in the sun while walking causes the body to burn more calories than it would otherwise. For now, I’ll have to assume my average burn. This could be a good thing, though. In reality, I’ll be burning more fat than I think I am.

Tracking through MyFitnessPal

Social SharingMyFitnessPal has the ability to track activities and offset calorie intake through exercise. The data I’ve collected over time allows me to adjust these numbers to give a better overview of my activity.

I still need to be vigilant when it comes to how much I am eating in any given day, which is something I do regardless if I have a Fitbit or not. It’s just very convenient to have a device tracking my activity so I don’t have to take the time to do it myself.

The biggest downside to using the average calorie burn for activities on the Internet is that the information can be incredibly skewed. Everyone has a different metabolism and physiology. While one person may burn 200 calories during an activity, another could do 300. There are just too many variables to consider when it comes to tracking of any kind.

I’m not saying the Fitbit is a perfect device. However, tracking the heart rate and comparing my personal physique is better than using average numbers found on the Internet.

Keeping an Eye On Food Intake

Because I cannot track normal activities, such as chores and simply being out and about in town, I need to be a bit more vigilant with my food intake. The more active you are, the more you can eat to offset the physical movement. This is why some people are able to eat constantly throughout the day; because they are physical enough to burn everything they consume.

Unfortunately, I am not one of those kinds of people. My work and play keep me tethered to my desk for extended periods of time. As a result, I need to limit my meals and snacking. Of course, this is true whether I am wearing a Fitbit or not. The only difference is that I no longer get calorie “credit” if I were to clean the kitchen.

Being More Active

Driving RangeJust because I can’t collect the data for calorie burn from activities doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do more. I still have plans to buy a new bike in the near future and get outside more often. It’s been a long time since I’ve played golf, for example.

I’m a bit bummed out that I’m not able to do case studies anymore, especially since I’ve created an expansion to this website for ColoradoPlays.com. It’s a site centered around the fun physical things you can do in the state of Colorado. I’ll still work on those articles, but it’s unfortunate that I can’t do personal case studies to demonstrate which activities are the most effective.

The bottom line is that you can’t let the loss of awesome technology upset the balance of what you’re trying to accomplish. Yes, the tool was very convenient and useful. However, the outcome of your health isn’t dependent on whether you have a Fitbit strapped to your arm or not.

Now I Feel Naked

Sigh, I feel like I am walking around naked without having a watch of some kind. This weekend, I’ll go to the local Walmart and pick up a cheap tracking watch for now. This way, I’ll have some resemblance of fitness technology. Besides, it’ll give me a new item to review for this website.

It’s not just the wearable fitness technology that I am focused on. I’ve worn watches since I was a child, and I just don’t feel right without having something on my wrist. It’s not necessarily an obsession with time, but more of an accessory I usually have on me.

I’ll Miss My Fitbit

I didn’t really use my Fitbit Charge HR as most people would. I don’t care about making 10,000 steps in a day. My routines were more centered around how many calories I can burn. After all, you don’t really get a lot of steps when you do weight training and other forms of cardio. Someday I’ll have another device, but for now I just need to be more focused on what I am doing throughout my day.

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