Food/Diet Are fitness wristbands worthwhile? And other weightloss tips

[Plankosaurus]

I really don't understand this fitness band phenomenon. Well I spose I do, Tis pure consumerism, nowt more than that.

Why you need a device to tell you that you had a shit sleep is odd to me. Same as wanting to measure your HR all day long. There is no point.

I can see the value in a pedometer, and using a HRM when exercising, calorie counting as well has a benefit. Other than that it's a wank.


And If you have an iPhone the apps you "need" are free.

+1

I got a mio fuse. hrm only when exercising, transmits in ant+, pedometer, clock. its waterproof so i can kayak without stressing or jump straight in the shower after a ride and the battery is good for near a week with regular exercise. I'd prefer if it was smaller, but that's my only gripe really

in the end though, its more of a curiosity than anything. I can usually tell when im working too hard or not hard enough, this just puts a figure on it. great unit if you can't think of anything else to ask Santa for, but not revolutionary

 

[ajay]

I really don't understand this fitness band phenomenon. Well I spose I do, Tis pure consumerism, nowt more than that.

Why you need a device to tell you that you had a shit sleep is odd to me. Same as wanting to measure your HR all day long. There is no point.

I can see the value in a pedometer, and using a HRM when exercising, calorie counting as well has a benefit. Other than that it's a wank.


And If you have an iPhone the apps you "need" are free.

For some, having the band on their wrist is a visual cue to keep motivated. If that's all it ever does, its a worthy investment for them. But you're right, for others (most) it's completely useless.

 

[Markee]

Watch this:
That Sugar Film by Damon Gameau
https://itun.es/au/k3Vz6
It will teach you a lot about what not to eat.

 

[Artvandelay]

Dietitians

Dietitians spend 4 years at Uni, with most of their training being evidence based, so they are up with the latest research on nutrition. Gimmicks are gimmicks; if they help, great, but remember the person who produced the gimmick does not care whether you lose weight, only that they make money from their gimmick.

Dietitians are expensive but no one has more researched knowledge than them. If you do decide to see one, make sure you write down everything have eaten for the past week, including those tim tams.

Good luck

PS I am not a dietitian

 

[steve jobs' pancreas]

For some, having the band on their wrist is a visual cue to keep motivated. If that's all it ever does, its a worthy investment for them. But you're right, for others (most) it's completely useless.

As Lennon said "whatever gets you through the night, is alright"

it is, however, merely a symptom of a greater sickness, the lazification of the first world inhabitants, and the fitbit is just another placebo touted as a panacea.

Its one step removed from the variety of ab machines marketed with steak knives.

 

[John U]

I work in IT and I know a bit about insurance. The last thing I would want to do is to be giving all of my health data to an entity whom I couldn't be sure who they might share it with. I would suggest that if you're doing this do it as anonymously as possible.

The link below is an example of an insurance company collecting data on you that could/would impact the cost of your insurance in the future.
https://www.aami.com.au/car-insurance/safe-driver-smartphone-app.html

Signing up to this voluntarily, collecting data on your own driving habits, and then submitting them to your insurer to analyse is possibly the worst idea for the consumer in a good long while.

 

[ajay]

As Lennon said "whatever gets you through the night, is alright"

it is, however, merely a symptom of a greater sickness, the lazification of the first world inhabitants, and the fitbit is just another placebo touted as a panacea.

Its one step removed from the variety of ab machines marketed with steak knives.

I can't say a disagree with much of that. We are definitely a lazy society, with many people looking for that "one simple trick to look great". Nothing says it quite so clearly as sticking electrodes all over your body, switching on the biggest loser while diving face first into a cheese cake.

The distinction between that and fit bit et al is that there are people that make good use of it, my partner uses one (in fact I bought it for her!) and loves it, but she's at the gym 6 days a week, and trains gridiron twice a week. So it's purely an accessory to help quantify some of her progress. I don't think a TV ab-builder, or whatever they call them, has a use beyond giving someone the false idea that getting strong is easy.

 

[poita]

I work in IT and I know a bit about insurance. The last thing I would want to do is to be giving all of my health data to an entity whom I couldn't be sure who they might share it with. I would suggest that if you're doing this do it as anonymously as possible.

The link below is an example of an insurance company collecting data on you that could/would impact the cost of your insurance in the future.
https://www.aami.com.au/car-insurance/safe-driver-smartphone-app.html

Signing up to this voluntarily, collecting data on your own driving habits, and then submitting them to your insurer to analyse is possibly the worst idea for the consumer in a good long while.

I agree totally and voluntarily signing up is probably not in your best interests, except the horse has already bolted on almost all fronts. At least this data can be used by you to improve your fitness.

The flybuys/woolies data that records every time you bought grog/smokes/chocolate isn't available to you, the phone records showing every time you scored at the known drug den are pretty hard to find, and everyone thinks deleting your browser history deleted all evidence you looked up that bestiality website. No point getting hung up on fitness data now. I just try really hard not to be paranoid

 

[stirk]

Many people at work have these fitbit things and most don't actually do much exercise apart from walking about the office. However they do seem to be more active to increase their step count at lunch times or walk the stairs instead of using the lifts so even though I might think they are useless gadgets they have value to others and appear to be great motivators.

The best weight loss tip I've heard was spoken by Dotor Rudy, he simply said "eat less"

 

[ajay]

.

The best weight loss tip I've heard was spoken by Dotor Rudy, he simply said "eat less"

Everyone tries their best to avoid that part! To quote Dr Carl (who may have been quoting someone else) - "eat mostly plants, and not too much".

 

[si618]

Here's a different take on it, in a nutshell - humans didn't evolve with a supermarket and restaurants on tap to supply us with 3+ meals every day.

Read the links in the column on the right, there's some good articles on the science of intermittent fasting, and there's also a BBC documentary worth a watch.

I've been doing a 16/8 fast for the last 4 weeks, 5-6 days a week, no change to what I'm eating or amount of exercise, only when I eat.

Dropping around ½ a kilo a week. Started at 85kg, down to 81 now, gut is still there, but hoping to get down and maintain ~75-72.

First day or two you get hungry, but it's surprisingly easy now, and my energy levels feel like they're actually improving, which seems a bit odd. I still commute ~26-30km a day on my bike.

On the downside, I've stopped adding milk and sugar to my morning coffee, and fear I've turned into a coffee snob.

 

[Hamsta]

I really don't understand this fitness band phenomenon. Well I spose I do, Tis pure consumerism, nowt more than that.

Why you need a device to tell you that you had a shit sleep is odd to me. Same as wanting to measure your HR all day long. There is no point.

I can see the value in a pedometer, and using a HRM when exercising, calorie counting as well has a benefit. Other than that it's a wank.


And If you have an iPhone the apps you "need" are free.

I cannot carry a phone at work but I can wear a fitness tracker. A little piece of extrinsic motivation that costs me less than a cup of coffee per week and creates tangible data.

 

[John U]

Double post

 

[John U]

I agree totally and voluntarily signing up is probably not in your best interests, except the horse has already bolted on almost all fronts. At least this data can be used by you to improve your fitness.

The flybuys/woolies data that records every time you bought grog/smokes/chocolate isn't available to you, the phone records showing every time you scored at the known drug den are pretty hard to find, and everyone thinks deleting your browser history deleted all evidence you looked up that bestiality website. No point getting hung up on fitness data now. I just try really hard not to be paranoid

The horse hasn't already bolted on this one. The corporations are only just getting started with harnessing the usefulness of the data.

I'll give you a current example then. Coles little red quote insurance uses your shopping data to work out how much you drive and where you drive. People who can bothered with fly buys will also go to effort of buying their fuel at Shell. Wesfarmers are using this information to then work out how much they can stick it to you with their premiums. Wesfarmers owns Coles and CGU. This is their current business practice.

Corporations like Wesfarmers aren't doing all this because they like you and want to give you money. They're doing it because that is how they can make the fattest profits. Taken across all shoppers the 'savings' and imaginary.The same will apply to any data recorded by any corporation. It's common business sense, not paranoia.

 

[Thomas11]

The horse hasn't already bolted on this one. The corporations are only just getting started with harnessing the usefulness of the data.

I'll give you a current example then. Coles little red quote insurance uses your shopping data to work out how much you drive and where you drive. People who can bothered with fly buys will also go to effort of buying their fuel at Shell. Wesfarmers are using this information to then work out how much they can stick it to you with their premiums. Wesfarmers owns Coles and CGU. This is their current business practice.

Corporations like Wesfarmers aren't doing all this because they like you and want to give you money. They're doing it because that is how they can make the fattest profits. Taken across all shoppers the 'savings' and imaginary.The same will apply to any data recorded by any corporation. It's common business sense, not paranoia.

Might grab my tin foil hat and sit in the bunker till it all blows over

 

[HamboCairns]

I'd like an hrm band that can hook up to my Samsung phone.

 

[placebo]

I'd recommend the Scosche band:

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/ipods-doc...mband-works-with-popular-fitness-apps/617900/

The review that sold me on it:

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/05/scosche-antbluetooth-optical.html

It craps all over the Garmin chest straps I've owned.

 

[franco cozzo]

Any other tips on helping me get rid of the belly are also very much appreciated (I'm probably in it for the long haul rather than losing weight really fast, although I wouldn't mind it!).

its both diet & excercise...you want lose weight but you also want to develop strength/endurance. really it all comes down to will power i reckon: you need to want to eat right & stay active, first & foremost
..so much crap out there to eat and if youre smart youll realise the best food you make at home from fresh quality ingredients so you know exactly what you are consuming...
the better you eat the more efficiently/effectively you can ride/excercise...the more active you become the quicker the weight drops off and you gain strength/lean/trim up etc. once you start this cycle of eating right/staying active its self sustaining..you just have to stay committed & the benefits are very obvious from the way you feel/look etc

i do the following for maintaining a healthy weight & strength development ...
- ride regularly - 1.5-2 hrs x 5 days a week minimum (aim for 8-10 hrs...also dont eat/gel/gatorade on rides unless you absolutely have to...)
- drink water (no soft drinks/energy drinks/ anything with artificial sweetener...)
- lots of fresh vegies...should be about 2/3 of your meals
- lean meats only
- no white bread/rice/pasta...use multigrain/wholemeal/brown rice instead
- cut sugar out of diet as much as possible
- reduce alcohol intake...esp. beer...yep its called a beerbelly for a reason
- moderate snacks and try to eat fresh fruit or nuts etc instead of snacks with saturated fats
- no take away...make all your own food with the occasional treat when out socialising etc
- when shopping stay away from the junk...will power at the supermarket = healthy eating at home
- try to make as many 'good choices' when deciding what to eat....try & always go for the healthier option. eg. dont add the mayo, go light on the cheese/deli goods etc

i dont believe gadgets are necessary to track calories etc....common sense & a bit of discipline is all thats needed.
using the above method im down to a bmi of about 9.9%, muscle mass 49.8%, weight: 69.8kg (185cm), waist 30"...ride plenty, ive never counted calories or anything...

 

[Cropduster]

..........

 

[spoozbucket]

Put a picture of a fat person on the fridge and pantry.

Seriously, I say only change one thing at a time, if you are gaining weight you are eating enough to build muscle. Don't change what you eat and exercise more when you are getting happy with the results work on a healthier diet. I find it a lot easier to do things in step and you are less likely to go to shit when you have one bad meal or miss a day of exercise.

For me, if I sleep well I lose weight, if I don't sleep well I get fat even if I force myself to eat well. If I'm lacking sleep my body just seems to slow everything down, I can be stupidly unfit and end up with a resting HR of 50 and blood pressure of something like 110-65 but if I sleep well all those numbers will be higher but I'm a lot more likely to be active and the weight just falls off and it makes eating well easy as I don't crave empty calories to stay awake.

Sleep sleep sleep.

EDIT, Body fat scales or a pinch tester would be the only thing I'd use, write out a fitness plan on a piece of paper and cross them off each day. Seeing that I have missed a day/session of xxxxxx on paper would have more influence that some trendy watch would but different things work for different people.

Double Edit The OP is probably fit by now.