FitBit - Yay or Nay?

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rosiecristo
rosiecristo Posts: 11 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Needing some advice for those of you who have a FitBit Flex. I've been wanting to purchase one and I've been reading some reviews that are either very positive or very negative. Help!!
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Replies

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    I am very happy with my Fitbit - though I have the One. There are many brands and each brand has different models. Think about the features you want, and choose accordingly.

  • pksd
    pksd Posts: 34 Member
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    I have a fitbit one and I love it. Left mine at home by mistake on the ironing table, feeling very awkward with out it....Its a great motivator !!
  • bluesarah13
    bluesarah13 Posts: 31 Member
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    I've had several different bands, including a FitBit. Like Staci said, each one does different things so think about what you want it to do and then find the one that does that. If you want one to mainly track your steps and sleep, FitBit Flex is great. If you want one to track your heart rate, you'll need to look at other options.
  • dougpconnell219
    dougpconnell219 Posts: 566 Member
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    I got a charge hr.
    That prompted my parents, siblings, and several friends to get flexes.

    Now it is a ten man daily step death match, compete with smack talk.

    I love it.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    It depends upon what you expect from it.

    A FitBit is good for determining activity level. It measures step based activities. If you want it to give you a calorie burn for strength training, or HIIT (or many other forms of exercise) it's not going to be what you expect.

    I have a FitBit One and find it motivates me to move more. Some days I'm just lazy. A FitBit let's me know that. Here's a link to a FitBit group....maybe that will help you decide.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
  • pksd
    pksd Posts: 34 Member
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    Btw, Costco now carries fitbit....and of course if you do not like it, you can easy take it back (but I doubt that you will). Like Dough above mentioned, if you can find some friends that also have a fitbit, it will motivate you even more...its fun.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    For what its worth, my husband got a Polar loop. Last fall when he was 'shopping' Fitbit did not have a product for him. They have since come out with new options for wrist-based devices.
  • DJ31
    DJ31 Posts: 64 Member
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    I have the Fitbit Charge HR now, and I love it. I had the Flex, but upgraded when the Charge HR came out. I loved the Flex, and would recommend it especially for the water resistance, but I didn't like the lights so much. Also you can't track workouts with it, and its sleep tracker is kinda crap. I wanted more info when I would tap it, and all you get are how many lights are lit. With the Charge HR you can see your step count, heart rate, and other stats as you go through the day without needing to sync with your app or computer. As an introduction to what a fitbit can do for you as far as seeing how active you are the Flex is perfect. It also syncs up with myfitnesspal great, so you don't need to log workouts.
  • chesves
    chesves Posts: 224 Member
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    I love my Fitbit charge!!! It really motivates me to move. I have lots of friends on here that have one, and the challenges with each other are fun.
  • dougpconnell219
    dougpconnell219 Posts: 566 Member
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    I will also say, it depends what your ultimate fitness goals are.

    If you just want to move more and lose weight, a fitbit is wonderful.

    If you have thoughts of seriously going into athlete mode, I'd go with something else.

    I can already tell that at some point I'll outgrow mine. I will get either a garmin or an apple watch depending on its functionality.

    My biggest beef with fitbit is that it isn't waterproof. I mean seriously, what kind of idiot designs a fitness tracker that can't go in the pool when I swim laps?
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    dougpconnell219 wrote: »
    I will also say, it depends what your ultimate fitness goals are.

    If you just want to move more and lose weight, a fitbit is wonderful.

    If you have thoughts of seriously going into athlete mode, I'd go with something else.

    I can already tell that at some point I'll outgrow mine. I will get either a garmin or an apple watch depending on its functionality.

    My biggest beef with fitbit is that it isn't waterproof. I mean seriously, what kind of idiot designs a fitness tracker that can't go in the pool when I swim laps?

    I know it says they aren't waterproof, but I have been swimming, hot tubbing, showering...etc in mine for a year or more. Still works just fine.



  • dougpconnell219
    dougpconnell219 Posts: 566 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    dougpconnell219 wrote: »
    I will also say, it depends what your ultimate fitness goals are.

    If you just want to move more and lose weight, a fitbit is wonderful.

    If you have thoughts of seriously going into athlete mode, I'd go with something else.

    I can already tell that at some point I'll outgrow mine. I will get either a garmin or an apple watch depending on its functionality.

    My biggest beef with fitbit is that it isn't waterproof. I mean seriously, what kind of idiot designs a fitness tracker that can't go in the pool when I swim laps?

    I know it says they aren't waterproof, but I have been swimming, hot tubbing, showering...etc in mine for a year or more. Still works just fine.



    Which model? From what I understand, the flex is more water resistant than the charge hr. which is what I have.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    All I wanted was something that would interact with my iPhone and count steps. My Fitbit Zip does that just fine and I love it.

    If you were to get serious about pacing etc, then get something other than a FitBit.

    I also use the app Endomondo on my iPhone which does give me a LOT of stats about my run. It has a friendly Star Trek voice that tells me when I've run a KM and what my pace was.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    dougpconnell219 wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    dougpconnell219 wrote: »
    I will also say, it depends what your ultimate fitness goals are.

    If you just want to move more and lose weight, a fitbit is wonderful.

    If you have thoughts of seriously going into athlete mode, I'd go with something else.

    I can already tell that at some point I'll outgrow mine. I will get either a garmin or an apple watch depending on its functionality.

    My biggest beef with fitbit is that it isn't waterproof. I mean seriously, what kind of idiot designs a fitness tracker that can't go in the pool when I swim laps?

    I know it says they aren't waterproof, but I have been swimming, hot tubbing, showering...etc in mine for a year or more. Still works just fine.



    Which model? From what I understand, the flex is more water resistant than the charge hr. which is what I have.

    OP asked about Flex. I was answering as such :)
  • Zx14chick
    Zx14chick Posts: 255 Member
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    The Flex is said to be water-proof, but the newer ones say you shouldn't wear them in a pool or shower (which stinks!). I haven't swam since I bought it, but I wear my Flex basically 24/7 unless it needs to be charged.
  • Dragn77
    Dragn77 Posts: 810 Member
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    dougpconnell219 wrote: »

    Which model? From what I understand, the flex is more water resistant than the charge hr. which is what I have.

    Wha? So glad I saw this..for some reason I was thinking the Charge was water proof or at least the same water resistence as the Flex, but I just checked up on it and its not. Apparently, the Flex is the most water resistant of all the FitBits, and the only one they say is okay to shower and swim in.

    I still take mine off when I swim or shower, just cause I like to have nothing on in the shower, plus it doesnt track laps anyway..but I feel it would be a great "just in case" would hate to ruin my tracker if I forgot it on.

    Anyway!! YaY to Fitbit Flex! It keeps me moving and active...without it Im a bum. With it, Im a bum with the motivation to get off my duff so that I dont have graphical proof Im a bum lol

  • Bukawww
    Bukawww Posts: 159 Member
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    I have a Flex and actually demoted my BodyMedia armband recently since the FitBit was showing extremely similar results. Its MUCH more comfy too. I also have a Garmin FR15 with HRM for pacing my runs, etc. The challenges are super fun and motivating. I just recently kicked butt with 32K steps in a day...exhausting. And I burned up my treadmill lol.
  • Lissa_Kaye
    Lissa_Kaye Posts: 214 Member
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    I have had the ultra (discontinued) and now have the One. I really love it. I love it so much I wash and dried my first One model, and bought another. And now I am eyeing the Surge. I do use a polar HRM for lifting, and doing major workouts, but it is pretty accurate on hikes and stuff. I love everything you can track with it too. I say yay.
  • X_DANNIELLEA_x
    X_DANNIELLEA_x Posts: 23 Member
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    I love my Fitbit flex! It's an awesome motivator & I like that it adds or takes away calories based on activity, will be upgrading to the charge HR soon as some one else said the lights aren't all that fabulous & I'm forever checking my phone . Defiantly recommend them!
  • YalithKBK
    YalithKBK Posts: 317 Member
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    I actually won one in a contest. I wore it for about two weeks and then sold it. If you want to know EXACTLY how many steps you've taken over the course of the day, then it's great. But I can notice when I've been more active and when I haven't. I know when I've slept well and when I haven't. I don't really need something to track these things.

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