Fitbit??

MsJess92

has anyone used the Fitbit? Which one did they use. Do you find it helpful? I really want to purchase one but I want to make an informed decision since the price tag is so large.

shadow2soul

I love my fitbit. I got my first Fitbit in April of 2013. I was given the Zip model (was actually saving for a One or Flex at the time, but hubby surprised me). I'm glad I was given the Zip, it gave me the chance to try it out and decide whether or not it was the right fit for me. I kept it for almost a year before upgrading to the Flex (gave the Zip to my mom). I had bad luck with the Flex. My first one was defective and Fitbit kindly sent me a replacement (didn't even want the old one back*). Now I have the Surge and love it just as much, if not slightly more, than the previous Fitbit's I've owned. I also have the Fitbit Aria Scale. My husband has a Fitbit One and he loves it. It's so funny when he realizes he forgot to clip it one (usually a mini freak out that lasts only a moment, but funny all the same).

They have been very helpful for me. It's helped me to increase my activity level, eat at a reasonable deficit, and given me some insight into my day as a whole. I love data though. For me the more of it I have the better.

Each model is a bit different and not all of them are the right fit for everybody. Here is a chart comparison to help you a bit:

AndreaFitzwater

I got one for Christmas and just linked it with MFP today...waiting for it to sync.

s_moore25

I have fitbit charge and my husband has a flex. I really like it. It helps me realize just how much time I waste sitting around, and it usually motivates me to get off my butt and move around. I would ignore the "calorie adjustment" on mfp though because it usually tells me I have burned WAY more calories than I think I have.

shadow2soul

s_moore25 wrote: »

I have fitbit charge and my husband has a flex. I really like it. It helps me realize just how much time I waste sitting around, and it usually motivates me to get off my butt and move around. I would ignore the "calorie adjustment" on mfp though because it usually tells me I have burned WAY more calories than I think I have.

Why do you think the calorie adjustment isn't correct? Is it possible that you have the wrong activity level set on MFP? The adjustment is Fitbit's total calorie burn for the day - MFP's estimate based on activity level you picked. If you're more active than you told MFP than you get an adjustment.
It is actually possible that you burn more calories than you think. My BMR alone accounts for over half of my total calories burned.

Mine is actually pretty accurate. I did the math the other day and it came out to close enough for me (if I remember correctly less than 0.5 lb loss difference...my actual loss being higher than predicted by 30 Day Average Intake & 30 Day Average Fitbit Burn).


I recommend trusting the Fitbit calorie burns for 30 days at least and then see if you lost more or less than expected. If you lost more, than fitbit is underestimating. If you lost less, than it's overestimating and you should be able to figure out by approximately how much.

serenity1097

I have been using the Fitbit One since last spring and I love it. Really want the Charge HR though so that will be my next splurge purchase!! It really does make me move more, love watching the steps add up

4and20blkbirds

I got the One fairly recently and I love it. I wanted a clip on because some people have trouble with the wrist ones over-counting steps due to arm movements. My sister has the Zip and doesn't like that it doesn't have a rechargeable battery, and I wanted to have the sleep tracking, so the One was the right choice for me.

I think any activity tracker is going to be most helpful for those who are not generally very active. If you already spend a lot of time at the gym I'm not sure how useful it would be for you. But, as someone who tends to be very sedentary, having the Fitbit has been instrumental in making sure I actually move around during the day. I can look at the graph and see the periods where I was sitting for long stretches and it makes me pay more attention.

Lissa_Kaye

I love mine, I have the One, and have even replaced it because I dried one of em. I love it because I am into being able to track everything. I love all the graphs and features. It syncs flawlessly for me. I have also used the motorola motoactv. I love its size and features, but the algorithms it used to calculate calorie burn are so horribly off, even if you sync it to a heart rate monitor it goes by the algorithms. Bodybug I guess is most accurate, but there is a monthly service fee to access your info. And I really haven't heard a lot about the Jawbone up. I guess you have to consider what kind of activities you want to track with it.

braytonee

I have had my Fitbit Charge for almost a week now. I love the set up. It took me a little while to figure out how to make sure it was syncing properly to MFP but it's going well now. It's a great motivator for me. I have needed something to give me that extra push. I have a fairly active job as a hostess but it made me realize how little I was doing on my days off work. I went with the Charge because I wanted one that would tell the time and stats. I have to wear a watch for work so I figured I might as well get the one that'll tell me the time. The Flex is nice and is popular but the only indicator you get is that it lights up as you progress towards your goal and vibrates once you've reached 10k(or whatever you've set your goal to be). I like that the Charge tells time, calories, steps,miles, and floors climbed. I don't tend to buy this kind of thing but I decided to make an investment in my health. In edition to helping me be more active, it's reminding me about the whole calories in-calories out thing(which is the tried and true method of weight loss).

pjcfrancis

I had a Fitbit Zip which really motivated me, but to my mind the quality of the case was lacking. It fell out numerous times and eventually I lost it. I now have a Fitbit Flex, which I love. It seems to sync well with MFP for me. I thought the Zip was very accurate in counting steps. The flex less so. I do a lot of work on the computer and at a desk, which don't get counted as steps, but if I'm doing something like hammering or shaking something then I get extra steps. The Flex does not pay attention to elevation changes, so I don't get to count all the calories for walking uphill, which I do frequently. I think it all evens out in the end. It motivates me to get moving and I'm losing weight. My partner has a Charge and she loves it too.

celticlass69

I bought myself the Fitbit One which has been a godsend. I think this is the most accurate and budget friendly version. It even detects elevation change, for calories burned and stairs climbed. Whichever one you choose I don't think you can go wrong. Hope this helps.

nala3177

I just got the charge HR last night and I'm already loving it. According to this I'm burning more than I thought I was so I will base my calories on this for a month and see what happens. Overall I think it will keep me more motivated because I can see how much or little I'm doing.

evsplava

I have had a fitbit one for a year and a half. I purchased it as a backup alarm clock. If you get a one or a zip I recommend getting a leash to help prevent you from losing it. I find mine to be accurate. I had also underestimated how active I really was

MsJess92

Wow what an amazing bunch of info from you all! I purchased a jawbone up move last night but returned it immediately this morning as the entire layout of the app was more confusing then I can explain and it really only counted steps. I am not super into wearing things on my wrists so I am worried about that aspect of most of the fitbits. I suppose I will need to do some more research on the different models. I appreciate hearing all your input on the various models though!

hedwardsb

I've been using the fitbit one for over a year. For the most part, I clip it on my bra, and I don't even know it's there. I have had to replace the clip twice because I wear it all the time, and the little plastic cover on the end of the clip eventually comes off and clipping it is hard with the metal exposed.
I don't think I'd like the wrist models because I sweat a lot outside in the summer, and I don't want a big tan line on my wrist.

kmariet7

I've had my fitbit zip for almost a year and a half and love it! I recommend buying replacement batteries ahead of time from Amazon. You can get them a lot cheaper and if You check your steps a lot you need to replace the battery more frequently.

MsJess92

It sounds like the Fitbit zip is the one I am going to want. I do not particularly want the wrist one either. I never thought about the tan lines on the wrist that is a good point! I don't want that either.

Cherry88bomb

I have the fitbit one which I like because I can clip it to my bra. I work in an office environment and sometimes I like wearing different types of bracelets, so having the ability to clip the fitbit to my pants or hide in my top is practical for me. Plus I wore it to a wedding clipped to my bra and nobody ever knew! My best friend has the Charge and she loves it but she was also in the market for a watch so the charge took care of both needs.

editorgrrl

MsJess92 wrote: »

has anyone used the Fitbit? Which one did they use. Do you find it helpful? I really want to purchase one but I want to make an informed decision since the price tag is so large.

I love my Flex. MFP has a Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

Fitbit has a money-back guarantee, so just return it if you don't like it. Or buy it at a retail store near you, and hang on to the receipt.

slucki01

I've used the Fitbit One since 2013 and I love it.

Moretakitty

I love my fitbit as well. Awesome customer service. I had a Fitbit flex for a very long time. The U clasp is not the best so I do suggest a FitBelt. With that said, mine fell off, I sent them some feedback, suggesting a band more like the ChargeHR. I let them know that I lost me Flex to my dog when it fell off. I did not ask for another, but they actually are sending me a new one! You can't beat that for customer service!
My next one will be a ChargeHR after my Flex.
I love the sleep tracking, although I do wish they had a sleep level like the Jawbone does. Deep sleep vs just telling me when I am asleep.
One thing to consider is that the fitbit armbands have trouble with you are pushing a stroller/shopping cart, there is no arm swing. So if you do that a lot, one of he others may be a better choice for you.
Good luck with your purchase! I love Fitbit!