I need help - activity trackers, watches etc

[WarmBeerAndSandwiches]

After joining me as moral support on a keto diet and losing quite a bit of weight as a result DH has started going to the gym which I'm really chuffed about as he had some weight around his stomach and quite a sedentary lifestyle, which isn't good now that he is over 50. He also has had depression in the past and has always been recommended to do exercise but just never got around to it. His aim is to get healthy. Though if he gets buff neither of us will be complaining.

I'd really like to get him some sort of device that helps him measure his fitness etc (he loves tech) but I'm a bit bamboozled by the choice. He has a Samsung phone. I don't want to go bananas but want him to be able to track his exercise, sleep, stress etc if possible. As it's Black Friday I've been reading around but I'm just not sure what to get. Does anyone have any suggestions please?

Not sure how you track stress but a Fitbit would measure heart rate and do the other things.they’re great

Watching with interest. I’m quite interested to learn the difference between a Fitbit and an Apple Watch. (With regard to health tracking.)

Thanks. The Fitbit Charge advertises as having a 'stress management score.' I'm a bit put off the Fitbits 'cause you have to subscribe to Fitbit Premium for a lot of the functions to work. Do you have the Versa or the Charge - not sure if it's worth getting the Versa or not!

I've had a fit bit, and a Samsung watch ..both great but the fit bit broke quite quickly and the Samsung tho fab, needs charging daily if you use all the functions.
For simple steps, sleep, exercise tracking etc a £30 Amazon cheapy does the job just as well and doesn't need charging anywhere near as often. I'm wearing one now... I swim in it, it syncs fine and it notifies me of texts, whatsapp etc just like my much more expensive Samsung!

I had 4 fitbits, they all broke/stopped working. Switched to a Garmin vivacity which was good, now have a smart watch compatible with my phone

Thank you @StillMedusa that's really interesting. Could you tell me which one you use please?

Good to know. Thank you.

Have a look at Whoop op although they aren't cheap. They don't measure steps but it continually measure your heart rate 24/7. You track your habits and behaviours and see what effect they have on your daily strain score and sleep/rest. They're pretty hardcore but I don't think any other tracker comes close

I bloody love my fitbit. I have a Versa 2. It's probably about my 4th or 5th one ive had (over the course of the last 10 years) I do think they have a lifespan of a couple of years but if you buy from amazon they're pretty good at replacing.
You don't NEED the subscription. But it does give you extra stuff and the first 6 months are included in the price anyway.
Honestly they are so motivating. I do loads of exercise now and a big part of it is to see it recorded in the app. If I haven't done enough steps in a day I will literally march on the spot in front of the telly in the evening until I have (yes I realise that's mental)

Think I might be able to refer you a free month if you want op.

Ooh watching for ideas as I too want one! I want something that tells me how many calories I actually burn when exercising. I've got quite a basic Inspire which counts my steps but never seems to realise when I'm working out apart from HIITs! I do a Caroline Girvan video every day and it would be nice to know what I'm actually burning!

Which? magazine today recommended Fitbit Versa 3

I really can’t recommend Fitbit enough. I have had a few different variants but they’re all great. And if they break, just contact them and they’ll replace. Mine wasn’t particularly new when it broke but they still replaced.

I now have an Apple Watch. It cost about 10x the price of a Fitbit and in my opinion is not as good for health tracking for several reasons. Mostly because they need charging every 24h so sleep tracking is difficult. i like that the Apple Watch lets me know when I have a message or call but Fitbit also does that for waaaaay less money.

So … the Fitbit can sync with an iphone??

Sadly no activity tracker will tell you how many calories you're burning, they're estimating based on an average height and weight. All our metabolisms are different and will depend on many many factors. The only way to know this is to have a proper scientific test in a lab where they measure energy expired through your breath.

To follow up - I'm currently researching the Lumen. I don't know if it's accurate... Might be worth looking up

Is it a close estimate though?

I have a Fitbit charge 5 and it is linked with my iPhone. I haven’t had the premium membership before but upgraded today as I have 6 months free with my new Fitbit. It’s actually a free replacement as the strap attachment broke on my last Fitbit - their customer service is excellent. Anyway, I haven’t noticed much difference and wouldn’t pay for premium.

It depends. I for example have been grossly overweight and am now a normal weight. Science says if I eat the same calories as a normal weight woman who hadn't been overweight I will burn far fewer than her - so for me, no. You and I could eat the same calories in a day, do the same exercise and burn completely different amounts.

I just think it's pointless. Do exercise because it's good for you; not to lose weight

Sadly no activity tracker will tell you how many calories you're burning, they're estimating based on an average height and weight.

That's not correct. Not least because the Fitbit calc's calories based on your sex, mass, age & heart rate. How would it be possible just on height + weight? Sex & age matter as much as mass & height is irrelevant.

Anyway, I tested my Fitbit estimates by counting calories and was satisfied the Fitbit estimates of my expenditure matched my intake (my weight is very stable). Also matched data I had from a Polar heart rate monitor & using several versions of the conversion formulae online. So Fitbit estimates worked for me. The Charge models have a light sensor to pick up heart rate, btw. Fitbit is good at auto-sensing some types of activity (like cycling & walking).

I have a Charge 3 I bought 2nd hand. DD is using my Charge 2 which I thought was faulty but it works fine, is at 5-6 years old. I broke my Charge 4 properly by tearing strap off it and then going swimming (water got in), so is possible to break them. I've never had Premium, I have all the functionality OP said she wants for ... £20 ? Is what the Charge 3 cost me.

Syncs fine with my ipod & Android phone (both). Can link it up with Garmin & Strava but there can be complications (boring to explain).

Amazon cheapies are bad news, don't go there. Not properly water resistant we find.

WarmBeerAndSandwiches
I have this one :smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B7BVCK4F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
IMFRCHCS Fitness Tracker Activity Tracker if the link doesn't work. Honestly it does the job really well and I only charge it once a week! My Samsung sits unused!

Thank you @StillMedusa. Thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to post, I really appreciate it.