Fitbit Anyone?

msjloraine

I have severe fibro and lupus. I have been trying to effectively increase my activity without causing a flare up and am having a hard time pacing myself. Once I get all motivated to go for a walk I do too much and then am down for 3 days or more.

My thought is that I can use the fitbit to monitor my steps and try to bring some consistency to my exertions. I need to do something as I'm putting on the pounds like no tomorrow, especially since my total hysterectomy in July.

Has anyone had success with their fitbit?

beachbriel

I have the same question. I have been working out consistently for a little over a year now and thought that might be a fun way to track my healthy behaviors and get strategies to get even more healthy. I wish this thread was more active.

msjloraine

Update. I've had my fitbit for about 2 months now. Seeing the trending has helped me clearly identify when I've over done it. I have set my activity steps goal to 3000, as it seems I can meet this goal without extreme consequences the following day. I am going to move it up to 3500 this week. My plan is to increase 500 steps each week. Would love to make 10000.

canadjineh

WTG! @msjloraine

Sivangj

Way to og mzjlorain.
I dont use fitbit but have something simulare. Started out summer 2014 with goal on 4000 steps a day as a goal. Now I am around 10 000 steps a day. Still my goal is on 6000 a day. Since some days 10 000 is just not possible. Have pushed the goal 500 steps a month (after managed the goal every single day for that month)

msjloraine

Thanks @Sivangj‌ ! I have been wondering what a safe increase will be. Last thing I want is a flare to set me back. I will increase it more slowly. I am still at 3500 per day. April 1st I will move to 4k. I think I might add a little swim exercises since they aren't as weight bearing. I have to do something to get my metabolism back up. This weight gain is approaching ridiculous proportions along with my hips. LOL

Lynn_SD

Hi @msjloraine and all:

I've had severe Fibro for 17 years, with recent back, hip and shoulder problems making it very difficult to walk/exercise. I need to lose some weight and wanted to make sure I was getting at least some exercise, so I got a Fitbit Flex last August and I totally love it.

I have MFP linked with my Fitbit account. I have my main goal set on Calories Burned, so my Flex buzzes when I reach my minimum calorie burn for the day. I've managed to lose over 12 lbs this way, using the Fitbit is MUCH more accurate than the MFP estimates. So I use MFP to measure CI (calories in) and Fitbit to measure CO (calories out).

After some experimenting, I set my Step goal at 2500. I can usually reach this with everyday chores, and it is around what I need to do to reach my minimum Calories Burned. I know non-fibro people do much more, but this is what I can do without a flare. I like your plan of swimming, I hope to do that again once my rotator cuff injury is better.

I don't like the comparison aspects of the step ranking on Fitbit site (it made me feel worse since I can't do as much as others), so I turned on the "Hide Steps" setting. Just wanted you to know that there is a way to do this. You can still see your steps, just others can't and you won't be ranked.

SashaMaja

I have been reluctant to comment in this group because I am so confused about what is going on with me and how I should handle it. Doctors have been telling me for years that I have fibro. But I cannot tolerate the Lyrica and it didn't help really anyway. Cymbalta is not an option for me, nor is the new one. I have also been told I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Last summer I was diagnosed with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and Interstitial Cystitis as well. Lots of pain! So, now I have medication and physical therapy and can finally exercise, after a number of years of too much pain to do so. So I am working with a trainer at the gym and she is working me hard and I love it. And it doesn't make me unusually sore. But the fatigue I have been feeling lately is unbearable and I don't know if I'm just having a spell or if, more likely I'm afraid, it's the exercise. I feel like having some ability back is like dangling the carrot and the fatigue is just me jumping off the cliff to get the carrot. I've taken this week off from everything exercise related to see if I start getting my overall energy back. It's been 6 days and I'm still very fatigued. After all these years with chronic pain, I still deal with a certain amount of denial and want to be able to do what I used to do when I know in my head that my focus and my priorities need to shift, but it is a very emotional issue for me.

I think 500 step increases sound great. I started at 3000 and have been thinking about increasing but there are days here and there that I don't even get my minimum 3000.

Also, Lynn_SD, I like the idea of focusing on Calories Burned. I think I will switch my settings, too.

canadjineh

Muscle recovery time has been proven to take twice as long as 'normal.' Something to keep in mind when you work out. I've never used drugs to deal with my FM as I've found a GF diet and specific supplements that help the energy pathways in the mitochondria and take care of IBS, joint pain (most of the time - although I also have arthritis), and general fatigue. I do realize that some people have success with them. I thought I'd try without and then if it didn't work, I'd go to medication. After 5 years, so far so good. I can't teach fitness classes anymore but at least I can still participate at a lower level. No more teaching multiple classes several times a week, lol.
I try to post the latest peer reviewed scientific studies on FM when I get updates in my email from my Medscape account. There is a specific thread in our main Fitness With Fibro Group. Hopefully it is helpful to some although it can be pretty heavy duty on the scientific/medical terminology as it is a medical professional oriented site.

msjloraine

@SashaMaja My fatigue levels fluctuate depending upon lots of factors - diet, weather, sleep...you name it. I know our bodies are so sensitive. I really try to have positive thoughts as well.

As far as the exercise, I have found that regularly walking or exercising at a level my body can recover from makes a good deal of difference in my pain levels. This has not come easily, though. I really struggled the first two weeks with increased pain levels. It seems that once you get over that initial hump, it's worth it, with the caveat that you have increased your levels slowly.

I have also found that given the increased activity I am placing on my muscles, it is even more imperative I eat right. If I have junk food, or even gluten for that matter, it profoundly affects my pain levels.

Another observation is I have needed to stop taking naps. I used to be the worlds best napper. Sometimes even two a day. Now that I am exercising regularly, I have found that if I nap more that 30 minutes, and only if absolutely necessary, the quality of my sleep goes down, and thus that downward spiral we all know far too well begins again.

I started out my fitbit goal at 3000 steps per day. I could usually meet this with my everyday life. I have increased my goal 500 steps per month. As long as I keep up the regular exercise, this interval seems to work. Maybe you could start out your goal at whatever your normal daily activity is? And then slowly increase from there.

Also, for pain I am on gabapentin. I also have to take Lamictal and fluoxetine, which help with the pain as well. I took Cymbalta and it was a complete nightmare to get off, that is why I take the fluoxetine now. Seems like the old school drugs work best for me. Oh, I have also noticed that my pain levels have decreased to the extent that I have actually missed a dose of my gabapentine (I take 300 mg 4xday). Now that's pretty cool!

I hope you have some success with however you chose to proceed.