WEARABLE ACTIVITY TRACKERS TO COUNT CALORIES EXPENDED? I dont want to gun-down the concept of activity trackers I happen to own one myself. But dont be misled by the calorie counter on most devices because they lack the true scientific formula. Consumers need to wise-up in this area, so manufacturers will deliver better product. Currently the most effective way to calculate calories expended is to measure the output volume of your oxygen. There are special machines to do this. However the next alternative is to measure heart beat or pulse. When your heart beats faster your oxygen output increases. Most activity wearables calculate expenditure based on movement alone and only a few try to detect a pulse through your wrist and arms. However, these methods are still significantly inaccurate when compared to detecting heart rate from the chest area and finger area. If your activity tracker relies on movement (accelerometer) or perhaps an algorithm based on attributes to calculate calories expended, then its clearly inaccurate. Examples of exercises where accelerometers may greatly fail: Cycling, Elliptical (no arm movement), Yoga, Leg Press, Leg Curl, Leg Extension, Hip Raises, most Floor Exercises, Walking without swinging arms (holding something like a brief case), lifting heavy with low repetitions, weighted squats; even if your gadget detects movement it does not measure up to the intensity of this type of exercise. Kickboxing, Taekwondo; usually arms not moving nearly as vigorously as the swinging legs are. Also did you know escalating heart rate may be present during laughing, getting upset, mad and being startled or frightened. Can your wrist gadget detect all that?
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 18:16:59 +0000
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