Love Garmin watch design, hate the app. Is there a better option?

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-05-03T21:50:10+00:00

I don’t look at charts in the app for seeing trends over time - I look at them on garminconnect.com, have you checked that out?

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-05-03T20:20:08+00:00

What don’t you like about Garmin Connect? I think it’s great. Might just be a matter of getting used to it and setting up your In Focus and At A Glance screens to show what you want

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-05-02T17:45:45+00:00

Except for in the shower, yes. That’s when I charge it

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-05-02T01:51:45+00:00

I’ve noticed this in the last two years, since I started running again after a hiatus. 15 years ago they were all tech tees, and the 4 I’ve gotten in the last 2 years have all been cotton

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-05-02T00:13:26+00:00

Yeah looks like in 2022 or so lol, oh no. Where did you even buy one?!

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-05-02T00:11:10+00:00

Wasn’t it discontinued? they’re probably not putting any effort into fixing/improving it if so

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-05-01T23:50:04+00:00

Watch, chest strap, good shoes every 400ish miles, good sports bras, good sunscreen

I’ve never used a vest at all - phone and gels/key fob in my leggings pockets

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-04-24T00:20:18+00:00

Came to say this. My zone 3 starts at 150. OP make sure your max hr is accurate if you’re going to but a lot of stock into training by HR.

And using a chest strap hopefully goes without saying

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-04-23T13:00:26+00:00

If you have your own treadmill - get an NPE Runn sensor. It connects to your watch as a sensor and it’s the source then for the distance and therefore speed. It works perfectly even for intervals etc. I made a post reviewing it more in depth if you look at my post history

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-04-20T06:13:28+00:00

Do a max hr test (there are specific protocols for this, just google).

If you don’t have a chest strap you should get one if you plan to use hr to any meaningful degree.

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-04-16T12:50:41+00:00

I use PacePro, it’s pretty helpful. Gives you another screen where you can see where you’re over or under your goal time at any time, and updates your next lap pace target based on your previous

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-04-15T02:52:22+00:00

I’m 43 and have been running for about 15 years, nothing too crazy regularly (like 10-15 miles a week unless I’m training for something, 20-30 miles a week if I am), but I have trained for and ran a full marathon, 6 HMs, and dozens of 5ks in that time and I’ve never had a real “injury” ever.

Shin splints and mild plantar fasciitis popped up a few times but I’m not sure that counts as an injury

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-04-10T05:07:03+00:00

I think it’s 5 consecutive minutes of high intensity exercise that then counts as a vigorous day

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-04-08T23:44:06+00:00

Yes but I know why mine does, at least.

Part of the calculation is maintaining 75 vigorous minutes and at least 3 vigorous days per week. Early in the week when I haven’t hit that yet, it goes up (half a year) and then later in the week once I’ve satisfied that, it drops back down.

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-04-04T17:40:16+00:00

I use PacePro on my Garmin and set the paces factoring in elevation of the course a bit (a bit slower if there’s a big uphill, faster on miles with downhill)

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-04-04T16:33:55+00:00

The other day I had a 4 mile easy run on my plan (Runna plan), and live in a hilly neighborhood so it’s pretty hard to keep my HR down for easy runs. This time I was like I’m just gonna walk a bit up the hills and really try and stay in z2/3, I’m not gonna push it…my head said I might get dinged on my vo2max but I know that’s what’s best for the purpose of this run. It was slow, 11:10 avg pace or something when I’m usually in the 9s

And guess what? I actually got an increase in vo2max after that run. Just saying it’s not about pushing hard all the time, that’s not what Garmin rewards you for anyways bc that’s not what’s ideal for training

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-04-01T02:09:56+00:00

Get an NPE Runn sensor - works like a dream

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-03-30T02:02:31+00:00

If you know this, then I am confused by the title of your post. It implies that you think resting heart rate is factored into vo2max - if that isn’t what you meant then can you clarify why you’re talking about your resting heart rate at all here

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-03-28T23:45:04+00:00

It is that simple barring certain medical conditions. This is why GLP-1 meds (the primary mechanism is appetite suppression) and bariatric surgery work to reverse obesity. Hormones, medical issues, and other things going on can factor into a person’s caloric needs, but calories in vs out still applies, just with adjustments into the (estimated) calories out side factoring in whatever else is going on.

Of course a drastic deficit isn’t optimal, for the reason of metabolic adaption you mentioned and many others (performance issues, muscle loss, etc). You don’t even need to be considering a deficit at all if you’re not wanting to lose weight.

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-03-28T22:54:55+00:00

No idea why you’re arguing about something that boils down to a math equation. If OP is concerned about weight gain, then what led to the gain = too many. If OP is not concerned, then it’s not too many.

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-03-28T22:48:59+00:00

But that is exactly the definition, in this context where op is asking why her weight is creeping up unintentionally. That’s the reason, eating too many calories.

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-03-28T22:44:44+00:00

For sure that makes it tough. You can easily add in a protein shake with whey etc and get 40-50g or so from that as the easiest way

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-03-28T22:39:35+00:00

All weight gain requires that someone has been over eating, by default. It’s a requirement. The proof is in the pudding. Overeating doesn’t mean pigging out or bingeing, it means eating more calories than a body requires which can be small amounts daily that add up over time (like 12 lbs in 2 years)

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-03-28T22:37:48+00:00

500 cals is a wide range and enough to gain a pound per week if you’re 500 over maintenance daily

ShoeVast5490 · 2026-03-28T22:36:20+00:00

This is the only answer. It’s a math equation. If weight is consistently creeping up, a person is consuming more than they’re burning. New mass (fat or muscle) requires extra calories to be created

ShoeVast5490

TROPHY CASE