Fitbits

spush

@Stbarber1 I got a fitbit zip, the cheapest one available. It cost me £39 and counts steps, active minutes, logs your exercise and lots of cico stuff I ignore. My one doesn't log flights of stairs or sleep but I'm happy with it for now.

I'd add a screen shot of my app but can't seem to do that on my tablet, will log on the computer if you want to see it.

Japkoo

I got the Fitbit HR but only because it was my annual tax return present to myself lol. I really like it but I haven't tried any others previously.

auntstephie321

thanks @spush and @japkoo i'll have to check them out and compare. the zip is such a cute little thing lol. but i think i want one that tracks the sleep patterns, though i'm not sure how that all actually works. I've bought too many tax return gifts to myself lately lol, but this one is for health so it's different

Dragonwolf

Stbarber1 wrote: »

thanks @spush and @japkoo i'll have to check them out and compare. the zip is such a cute little thing lol. but i think i want one that tracks the sleep patterns, though i'm not sure how that all actually works. I've bought too many tax return gifts to myself lately lol, but this one is for health so it's different

I'd recommend the Charge HR, then. Tracks sleep automatically (and is accurate for when you're sleeping, too; it even caught the nap I had last week!), as well as flights of stairs and a bunch of other stuff. It's a little higher in price, but in my opinion, it's well worth it for the data it provides.

camtosh

Joined the fitbit group. I tend to ignore the food log on my dashboard, and have had troubles in the past with the app not updating. I ended up turning off the update to MFP for cals and now just eat to the same amount on MFP daily--1450 cals, ignoring exercise. I originally got the fitbit One so I could figure out my TDEE, and that is on average about 1850 cals. This appears to be a deficit, but I am not losing anymore, just maintaining.

edit: I just checked online on fitbit.com, and found that once again, it reset my birthday! for some strange reason, every time the app gets updated, my birthday is set to 1970. So I am minus 13 years... I reset it manually in the app, and then the website follows that.

Lmpantaleao

@Stbarbe1--You should get one. I had the flex version last year and it was helpful to track steps, etc. However a pedometer for $15 can do the same. The advantage with the Flex was it syncing info directly to MFP based on my activity level. I now have the Charge with HR monitoring, it is around $150, but it is more accurate for me. I walk about 6-8 miles a day at work and it is accurate at measuring the energy burned during my work day. It also has an option where you press down on the wristband it measure workouts separately from the regular step activity. Either way its a big motivator to get up and move!

auntstephie321

thanks i think i might order one today

auntstephie321

Argh is it just me or do they not make the charge hr in slate blue?

GrannyMayOz

We looked at the Charge (not the Charge HR) in JB Hifi a couple of days ago and they had them in black, dark grey or a kind of dark but silver blue. We didn't look at the HR though.

auntstephie321

Yeah I guess the hr isn't available in blue yet so now I'm torn between the color and the hr monitor

nicsflyingcircus

Stbarber1 wrote: »

thanks @spush and @japkoo i'll have to check them out and compare. the zip is such a cute little thing lol. but i think i want one that tracks the sleep patterns, though i'm not sure how that all actually works. I've bought too many tax return gifts to myself lately lol, but this one is for health so it's different

I had the Zip and upgraded to the One.

Couple reasons: Chargeable vs battery swapping, tracks stairs and lets me track sleep. Also, I can clip it on or slip it in my pocket. Was not interested in a wrist band style.

bridget454

I would forgo the color for the HR monitor I had one before wo and it was not as accurate for exercise or steps.

RisiM

If you're not bothered about stair count get a zip. Otherwise Charge is good and alerts you if your mobile rings.

betsysjl

I'd be interested. I've used my fitbit for years, and love it.

winninglosing43

I was actually just watching YouTube videos trying to figure out which one to buy. The charge hr seems more slender and girl like but the ratings say the heart rate monitor is better on the surge... the surge (at least in the videos) looks more bulky like a man watch. Any feedback between the two?

auntstephie321

I've found the same thing, the surge looks way too big for me, I don't wear a watch as it is so even the charge is going to take getting used too.

Dragonwolf

winninglosing43 wrote: »

I was actually just watching YouTube videos trying to figure out which one to buy. The charge hr seems more slender and girl like but the ratings say the heart rate monitor is better on the surge... the surge (at least in the videos) looks more bulky like a man watch. Any feedback between the two?

I haven't seen any differences in the accuracy of the HRM between the two devices, and I've taken my resting heart rate manually and my Charge is pretty close to my count. I don't really see how the HRM on the two devices could differ by very much, given they're the same generation of the same technology. Odds are, wrist placement and tightness of the band are going to cause more variances than the devices.

I wrote a response to a similar question in the Fitbit Users group. I'll repost it here, too:

In my opinion? Not really worth the price difference. My husband has the Surge, and I have the Charge HR.

The Surge is basically a smart watch. It's also huge. Seriously, if you have small wrists, it will likely look weird. It's very much a "men's size" device at about twice the width of the Charge.

Functionally, the only real benefit over the Charge HR is that you don't need to wake it up to get the time, and maybe that it has a touch screen (I say maybe, because there's no brightness control to my knowledge; touch that thing accidentally once after going to bed and you'll likely regret it; it's definitely a double-edged sword).

The GPS feature on the Surge kills the battery. We're talking 7 days without GPS on, 5 hours with it on (suffice to say, it's not meant to be doing GPS stuff all the time).

I can't speak to the other stuff, but frankly, if you're going to use most of that stuff, you need your smartphone with you anyway, and if you have your phone with you, you might as well use the Fitbit app and your phone for the things the Fitbit device lacks. It's a marginal convenience upgrade for the most part to not have to dig out your phone to do something like change the song or volume.

That said, if you're a gadget nerd and like the idea of a smart watch, the Surge will likely ultimately save you money (no need for a separate smart watch). Likewise, it may be a bit of a headache saver if you tend to bury your phone in a backpack or other kind of bag when out and about.

Twibbly

If anybody is interested in the Garmin Vivofit, they're Amazon's deal of the day for $59.99. http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Vivofit-Fitness-Band-Blue/dp/B00HFPOX9W/ref=br_lf_m_10233075011_1_3_img?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=gps&pf_rd_p=2074340922&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=10233075011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=038XPQQP7H6GREMXV500