Activity Trackers A Gimmick?

brightsideofpink

As others have said, not lab accurate. But I don't suppose they need to be.
I've had my simple zip for 9 months now. The step counts are accurate. I use it for walks, runs, and to calculate the difference between my sedentary level and my actual level of activity.
I eat most of my adjusted calories back on most days. I certainly don't take 30% off as you suggested, without any real reason for doing so.
I log my food meticulously.
I lose weight at the rate predicted given my inputs for the CI and CO.

If my fitbit was so far off with the adjustment given me, I would likely be in maintenance, or losing very slowly. I'm not. That is sufficient evidence to tell me it works, for my purpose, and is not merely a 'gimmick'.

DianaLovesCoffee

StrayAlien wrote: »

I really think that activity trackers like the FitBit are a gimmick. I done research on these devices and they are extremely inaccurate in calories burned/steps taken/heart rate monitoring while doing activities.

Depends on why you use it. I use it for motivation to get off the couch and compete with others. My steps improved from approx. 3k per day without it (I did wore it 2 days to work and did nothing different than my usual)to 12k per day current. Regardless of the calories it says I burned, I am more active since starting to use it.

nicruns

AllanMisner wrote: »

StrayAlien wrote: »

I really think that activity trackers like the FitBit are a gimmick. I done research on these devices and they are extremely inaccurate in calories burned/steps taken/heart rate monitoring while doing activities.

The basic point, activity trackers get people moving more. That in and of itself is enough to make it worth the cost.

Get moving more... EXACTLY why I plan on getting one (admittedly for free... via a rewards program!). But if the numbers encourage me to walk to and from work more... (a little more than 4.6k each way), then it'll be worth it for me!
For training purposes I wouldn't bank on the numbers... but I'm all for it! (when it comes to having a little fun with health/wellness)

beemerphile1

Gimmick? No, but they are of questionable value. If it motivates otherwise sedentary people to get up and move, I'm in favor of them.

I applaud whoever came up with the idea and first marketed them, they probably made a fortune. I wish it was me.

I don't have one and have no interest in having one. They are probably wonderful for people with OCD.

beemerphile1

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

StrayAlien wrote: »

I think they are good motivation for people but wouldn't use the calories burned data for MFP. If I did I would take at least 30% off the total calories burned for the inaccuracy of these devices. Better to underestimate to avoid disappointment at the scales.

Just keep in mind they are not 100% accurate.

What do you think is 100% accurate? What does "extremely inaccurate" even mean?

I evaluated mine (Fitbit) for about a month while at maintenance. I found that it was, for me, during maintenance accurate to 5% daily burn versus a)weight change due to eating at estimated TDEE, b) four different HRMs for running, c) reasonably accurate vs HRM when entering cycling on their website.

As has been noted, primary purpose is to get people to move and share fitness. Seems to do the job.
My cost to operate has been about 10 cents a day so far or a tenth of my gym membership.

They've allowed me share activity with my family (various members have them) and friends. I'm going to say it's a useful motivator and not a gimmick.

I'm pretty sure the primary purpose was to invent, market, and make money from a product.

jetortola

This thread makes me want to buy one!

beemerphile1 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the primary purpose was to invent, market, and make money from a product.

Primary purpose of the end-user and the manufacturer would obviously differ (for pretty much any retail item).

Upstate_Dunadan

I love my Microsoft Band for the following reasons -

1. Continuous HR monitor (sampling frequency varies on activity involved - run, bike, exercise, sleep, normal)
2. Tracks my sleep - it is very obvious I'm not getting enough sleep based on how often I get up and how infrequently I'm hitting deep sleep.
3. Exercise tracking - I know the calorie burn based on HR isn't super accurate for weight lifting, but tracking my HR throughout my workout (which includes jump rope HIIT) provides good information back to me on how hard I'm working and how long I'm working out in each HR zone. I keep my rests very short and intensity high, so get a very good cardio workout that I can see after the fact in my Health App.
4. Steps - yes it does that too. Sometimes it will get me to walk down to get the mail vs. picking it up next time I drive out somewhere, or run back upstairs to get something I might not have gone upstairs to get. Over the long run, these add up a bit (compound effect).
5. Run/Bike Tracking - I don't bike but plan to start running. The Band will track my run (GPS) and provide split information, VO2 information (new feature), and even sync up to compare my fitness/results to others at various sites.
6. Guided Workouts - I use this a bit now for cardio workouts. I downloaded an HIIT treadmill workout and the Band ran me through the paces telling me when to increase speed and counted down each intervals time. At the end it provided normal workout information including distance, calorie burn, etc. I don't use the weight training workouts you can download but there are bunches by Golds, and other well known authors.

Is there room for improvement in a second generation Band? Yes. But if you read honest reviews of the Band, it's rated one of the best ones out there, and it's only getting better. I wouldn't give it up for anything and I'm only using a few of the features.

p.s. I didn't even touch on text, email, and phone alerts that get sent to my Band from my phone while working out. Or all the other none fitness stuff it provides. But, being able to see who is calling or texting me in the middle of a workout to see if I need to stop and respond or not is great (i.e. is it work or my wife (j/k)

7lenny7

bioklutz wrote: »

I thought about asking for one for Christmas but they just look like an overpriced pedometer to me...

That's what I thought for a long time. After much pressure and cajoling from my three siblings, I bought one. Since I bought it at Costco and they have a liberal return policy, I figured I could try it out for 3 months and return it if I thought it actually was overpriced.

In 7.5 weeks I've lost 18 pounds (258 to 240) and feel better than I have in a long time. I won't give all the credit to FitBit, but that's what triggered my motivation to lose my excess pounds and get fit. FitBit led me to MFP and I wouldn't give up either at this point. They've both made a huge, positive impact on my life.

It certainly won't be effective for everyone, but it sure was for me and for my three siblings as well.

StrayAlien wrote: »

I really think that activity trackers like the FitBit are a gimmick. I done research on these devices and they are extremely inaccurate in calories burned/steps taken/heart rate monitoring while doing activities.

I think people get too hung up on the accuracy of these things. They don't have to be accurate to work. If I get 10,000 steps one day but get 20,000 the next, I know I've been twice as active on that second day. I don't care that I got 20 extra steps when I scratched my dogs neck. I don't care that it didn't give me all my steps when I was pushing a shopping cart. What I care about is that I now have a device that

• Gives me a fairly accurate representation of my activity level
• Gives me simple goal for each day.
• Gives me an easy way to track my activity level over time.
• Gives me a way to support and be supported by friends and family who also have one.
• Gives me a way to participate in friendly challenges with my FitBit friends in the challenges.
• Doesn't require a GPS like my phone app did, or frequent charging.
• Pairs with MFP to give me calorie credit for my additional activity. (I've been known to go out walking long enough to "earn" another beer). If you don't think it's accurate, only eat back 50% off your FitBit calories until you have a comfort level with it.

There are probably a good more reason, but that's off the top of my head. Again, it won't work for everyone, but if you think it might work for you, buy from a place with a good return policy and give it a try.

cranor130

I purchased my UP solely to track my activity level. I am a sedentary person, so watching my step numbers climb keeps me motivated. Laura

Larissa_NY

I have a Fitbit One that I really like, and my own tests tell me it's pretty accurate at measuring steps. Measuring heart rate, now - not many fitness trackers on the market seem to measure that particularly well.

But I don't see the issue as long as you understand that very few pieces of equipment outside a pricey lab measure 100% accurately, for any measure you care to name. It's like weighing yourself - sometimes you have to focus less on the absolute numbers on the readout than on the trend or you'll give yourself a lot of unnecessary grief.