![]() ![]() Fitbit's cardio score concept helps, to a tiny degree, but it could use some tweaks.ĭon't take this all as medical advice: the Fitbit Charge 2 isn't accurate enough to provide on-the-spot heart rate you can completely rely on. I love the idea of gamified heart health and fitness, but it's hard to figure out what to do with heart rate when exercising. And to add a little extra kick, it showed me US marathon record holder Ryan Hall's Cardio Fitness score, which is 81. I tapped the chart and was told I could do better with exercise - it showed me where I could be if I lose the weight I promised I would in the app's goal settings. My number was 40, which is "good for men your age," according to Fitbit. My estimated cardio fitness score, before jogging. If you run for a while tracking GPS via your phone (I jog-walked for 2 miles, but you could run for less), it pinpoints a more specific number based on a simulation of VO2 Max, a cardiovascular test for heart health. Here's how it works: It does a basic reading of resting heart rate versus your BMI (body mass index, calculated via whatever you entered, or your weight from a synced smart scale), and charts that against a statistical age and gender range. Instead of the daily heart rate charts and an evening measurement of resting heart rate (which is considered a good baseline measure, but doesn't tend to change much for me), Cardio Fitness is supposed to present a number you can aim to improve. That score is meant to more accurately represent where you're at in terms of overall heart health. Tap on the Heart Rate part of the app, and you can swipe to see a new Cardio Fitness score. There's a sorta-secret feature in Fitbit's app regarding heart rate. Unlike many other bands, Fitbit makes you walk 250 steps to "earn the hour." It made me want to walk more, instead of just standing. I also like Fitbit's tweaks to its other measurements, especially its reminders to move.
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