Does anyone NOT like their fitbit?

krees78 · February 2014

I love my force!!

I have gone from the one (always forgot to put it on, or take it off before I washed my clothes), then moved to the flex (didn't like not seeing any numbers), so I ordered a Force from the US (I am in Australia and it hasn't been released here yet).

I wear it 24/7. I will admit sometimes I forget to set the sleep, but other than that, I love it.

I am not a set exerciser, but I do live on a farm - so I do a LOT of incidental exercise. And this tracks those movements perfectly.

And you can set your stride length etc on the computer so that it is a bit more accurate.

mzhokie · February 2014

I have the One but The Zip is still a great tool and half the price. If you are just starting to add exercise, need extra motivation to move, a good estimation on calories burned for the day.... things like that...then get it.

Here is a way to get that money back... if you have a smartphone, download the app called PACT. It use to be Gympact. If you walk 10K steps a day with your fitbit, it counts as a workout on PACT. You set your pact up to how many workouts you can reasonably do in a week. Then they will pay you to work out.... they also take money from you if you don't. They don't pay a lot, just 30 - 40 cents a workout but the penalty can be $5 - $25 for EACH workout missed... so set your pact up wisely!

They just added a food logging pact to the mix that syncs with MFP. So if you log at least 1200 calories and three meals a day... it counts.

You set up the pact to how many a week you want to do. You can also use apps like Runkeeper with it to count a 30 min walk outside as a workout. Or just go to a recognized gym for 30 mins if you have a gym membership. The app has a tutorial to walk you through it. I earned $50 last year doing between 1 - 3 workouts a week. You can pause it if you get injured or go on vacation etc. too. It syncs with a lot of other apps like Fitbit, Runkeeper, MapMyFitness, MFP, etc. So check it out. It might motivate you.

Talk about motivation. Our daughter set hers up with the $25 per workout penalty. She said if it was lower, she would think "I can afford that" and skip her workout. She needed it to hurt her where it counts if she missed it.

Shahelene · February 2014

I have the One but The Zip is still a great tool and half the price. If you are just starting to add exercise, need extra motivation to move, a good estimation on calories burned for the day.... things like that...then get it.

Here is a way to get that money back... if you have a smartphone, download the app called PACT. It use to be Gympact. If you walk 10K steps a day with your fitbit, it counts as a workout on PACT. You set your pact up to how many workouts you can reasonably do in a week. Then they will pay you to work out.... they also take money from you if you don't. They don't pay a lot, just 30 - 40 cents a workout but the penalty can be $5 - $25 for EACH workout missed... so set your pact up wisely! They just added a food logging pact to the mix that syncs with MFP. So if you log at least 1200 calories and three meals a day... it counts.

You set up the pact to how many a week you want to do. You can also use apps like Runkeeper with it to count a 30 min walk outside as a workout. Or just go to a recognized gym for 30 mins if you have a gym membership. The app has a tutorial to walk you through it. I earned $50 last year doing between 1 - 3 workouts a week. You can pause it if you get injured or go on vacation etc. too. It syncs with a lot of other apps like Fitbit, Runkeeper, MapMyFitness, MFP, etc. So check it out. It might motivate you.

Talk about motivation. Our daughter set hers up with the $25 per workout penalty. She said if it was lower, she would think "I can afford that" and skip her workout. She needed it to hurt her where it counts if she missed it.

Ok wow good to know I downloaded Pact but wasn't sure exactly what it was. I like the sound of it thanks for the explanation

bellesouth18 · February 2014

I have the Jawbone UP, similiar to the Flex. It is a little more expensive, but reviews on it are better. I love the way it syncs to MFP. It makes it so much easier. You wear it 24/7, UP tells MFP how many calories you should be eating based on your goal, and how active you are. I really pushes you to be more active.

My Fitbit One does this, too. Based on how active I am and the calorie deficit I entered, it tells me how many calories to eat, or how many I'm over and the number of calories I need to burn to get back in range. It tracks my sleep, my steps, my distance traveled. It has an altimeter for climbing stairs or mountains if you prefer. It's pretty accurate for calories burned in my case. But I do want a HRM for workouts. Fitbit cannot measure intensity of exercise or movement.

Edit: I love my Fitbit!

penguinlally · February 2014

I have the Jawbone UP, similiar to the Flex. It is a little more expensive, but reviews on it are better. I love the way it syncs to MFP. It makes it so much easier. You wear it 24/7, UP tells MFP how many calories you should be eating based on your goal, and how active you are. I really pushes you to be more active.

My Fitbit One does this, too. Based on how active I am and the calorie deficit I entered, it tells me how many calories to eat, or how many I'm over and the number of calories I need to burn to get back in range. It tracks my sleep, my steps, my distance traveled. It has an altimeter for climbing stairs or mountains if you prefer. It's pretty accurate for calories burned in my case. But I do want a HRM for workouts. Fitbit cannot measure intensity of exercise or movement.

I'm with Belle - I don't like my Fitbit Ultra I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Very motivating and so worth it - I've had mine for over a year and a half - it has survived two trips in the washer & one in the pool - But, if I needed a new one they would replace it - NO PROBLEM! They have INCREDIBLE customer service - one of my MFP/Fitbit pals is getting her third replacement at no cost - after losing it! Can't beat that with a stick! Step on I say!

STrooper · February 2014

My experience was first with the Ultra and now with the Fitbit One. I like the One because it provides an accurate step count for both running and walking and is water resistant. And through minor tweaks I've gotten the walking and running stride distance set pretty accurately so that mileage corresponds with known, measured distances like running or walking on a track.

I cannot speak to the Flex though I know people who love them and a very few that "not so much." As for the complaints of accuracy, well none is 100% accurate, 100% of the time. I had two OMRON walking style pedometers and one would always read higher than the other.

I did not matter which one of the two, it wasn't like one just didn't count as many, it was which one was on my right side which, for some reason, always read higher than the left side by 10%. Note that the Fitbit generally read lower than the right side but higher than the left side, regardless of whether I wore it on my left or right when I was wearing the OMRONS. I looked like a walking pedometer experiment.

I also know a few who have the less expensive Zip who love theirs. The big plus for most is the auto sync with MFP.

As for calorie accuracy: probably pretty good for walking, less so for running (it underestimates). My heart rate monitor does a better job of estimating calorie expenditure from running. For non-step type workouts that Fitbit doesn't really handle well, the HRM route is the way to go. (e.g., strength training). The underestimation is okay up to a point, because it gives you an extra cushion of "eat-back" calories.

I found the ease of recording step count/distance through Fitbit and the auto calorie compensation the best part of Fitbit, particularly when most of my cardio program was walking based. Now that I'm back to running again, it serves me for the overall daily distance, stair climb, and for those non-running calorie estimates.

KarenJanine · February 2014

I go up 6 flights of stairs to make it to my apartment and it only logs 4.

Fitbit measures elevation, obviously some flights of stairs are higher than others. Fitbit counts an elevation of 10 feet as one flight of stairs. So your 6 flights must only total 40 feet elevation, hence it only logging 4 floors.

https://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/articles/183843-how-does-my-tracker-count-floors-

ashleysarvi · February 2014

i was thinking about getting one, but after doing research it seemed more suited to walking and running. i dont walk or run i do alot of home circuit training, what is good to measure that type of work out?

EDollah · February 2014

Since the OP asks if anyone does NOT like their FitBit, I'll chime in and raise my hand. I'll clarify that not liking it doesn't mean that I dislike it, I'm just apathetic about it. I don't credit the device with helping lose a single ounce since I bought it and if I could do it all over, I'd spend that money on something more helpful. Still, since it's paid for I do use it, I just won't replace it if I lose it or it breaks.