fitbit flex....anyone using it?

Alan_from_Wales

Hi,

Just got my new fitbit flex.....problem is it's logging loads of steps, stayed in all day and it logged over 7000..... toilet and kitchen not that far. Lol.

Anyone else got same issue?

THanks Alan.

mdgreathouse

I've had my flex for a week, and I also find it logging way too many steps.
The first day I wore it on my dominant wrist and I thought that was affecting the step count.
After that, I began wearing it on my non-dominant wrist, but I'm still having the same issues.

I consistently log between 10,000 and 15,000 steps daily, and I know this isn't accurate.
Anybody know how to correct this?

Thanks,
Mike...

jacksonpt

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

jaz050465

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

So why do you bother wearing it

fairviewcourt11

It seems to record a number of steps consistent with the Fitbit One I used to use. It doesn't capture flights of stairs, which I find to be a disadvantage. But I lost the Fitbit One twice, even though it seemed to be securely attached to my belt, facing inside. At $100 a pop, that was starting to get expensive. The Flex seems like it would be much harder to lose. So I like the One better, but the Flex seems more practical.

SStruthers13

I have fitbit and a pedometer on my Droid. I carry it in my pocket all day and just look at it in the evenings. Super easy for me and it does all the work automatically.

jacksonpt

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

So why do you bother wearing it

calories and sleep data

gfroniewski

Play with the dominant vs. non-dominant setting. I wear mine on my non-dominant hand (left), but have the setting on dominant. The setting affects the sensitivity of the tracker as does the hand you actually wear it on. Jawbone UP doesn't have this setting which I find interesting.

jaz050465

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

So why do you bother wearing it

calories and sleep data

But surely if its not accurate on steps- it won't be accurate on calories either.

jacksonpt

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

So why do you bother wearing it

calories and sleep data

But surely if its not accurate on steps- it won't be accurate on calories either.

Why not? What do steps have to do with calories?

FWIW, I've found it to be surprisingly accurate with calories.

frugalafterfifty

bump

sundaig

Flex is highly inaccurate. I just received mine yesterday put it on and a short while later had to take my son to swim practice. I noticed before leaving the house I had 900 steps. Driving over the fairly bumpy three mile bridge on our route to swim practice the flex logged an additional 2500 steps. AND I logged and additional 600 calories. It is boxed up and ready to go back as it is not worth the $100 dollars for information this inaccurate.

gfroniewski

You are doing it wrong, sad to say. Mine has worked perfectly since I got it. Maybe some of the units are messed up? They are rushing them out, for sure.

jacksonpt

Flex is highly inaccurate. I just received mine yesterday put it on and a short while later had to take my son to swim practice. I noticed before leaving the house I had 900 steps. Driving over the fairly bumpy three mile bridge on our route to swim practice the flex logged an additional 2500 steps. AND I logged and additional 600 calories. It is boxed up and ready to go back as it is not worth the $100 dollars for information this inaccurate.

Did you set it up? Sensitive vs normal? Dominant vs non? etc. Did you charge it?

How do you konw it's inaccurate after only wearing it for a few hours? The only time mine has appeared off was when the battery was about to die.

msimm29

Fiancee and I are both wearing them. We love them.

No big amount of extra steps for either of us, I ride a commuter bus an hour each way to work and may get 2 or 3 steps logged from the time I get on to the time I get off... I also drive a sports car with a very tight suspension and we don't get extra steps over a long/bumpy trip in that either.

HealthyLeeLee

Bump. Thinking about getting one...

jaz050465

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

So why do you bother wearing it

calories and sleep data

But surely if its not accurate on steps- it won't be accurate on calories either.

Why not? What do steps have to do with calories?

FWIW, I've found it to be surprisingly accurate with calories.

Because that's how it calculates how many calories you are supposed to have burned

jacksonpt

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

So why do you bother wearing it

calories and sleep data

But surely if its not accurate on steps- it won't be accurate on calories either.

Why not? What do steps have to do with calories?

FWIW, I've found it to be surprisingly accurate with calories.

Because that's how it calculates how many calories you are supposed to have burned

Then how/why does it calculate cals burned when I'm sitting still at my desk for 8 hours?

BobOki

As stated, check the settings on the device, change them and see if that fixes the issue, then report back if it did.
If it did not, send it back and try another one. If that does same, grab the one instead, it's amazing.

NathanFronk

I have had mine for a month and it is accurate within a tenth mile after I walk/run 5 miles.

1. On the website, in device settings, ensure that you have the tracker set to "non-dominant hand" and that you are wearing it on your non-dominant hand.

2. Calibrate. Enter your own values for your stride lengths. As way of example I am 5'10" and my walk stride length is 2'8", running stride is 5'10".

More info on calibrating: http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/?ie=UTF8&ref_=ya_your_reviews&sort_by=MostRecentReview

jaz050465

Oops

jaz050465

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

So why do you bother wearing it

calories and sleep data

But surely if its not accurate on steps- it won't be accurate on calories either.

Why not? What do steps have to do with calories?

FWIW, I've found it to be surprisingly accurate with calories.

Because that's how it calculates how many calories you are supposed to have burned

Then how/why does it calculate cals burned when I'm sitting still at my desk for 8 hours?

Because those are the calories that it calculates that you burn anywAy- just to stay alive. You can do that using an online calculator. The whole pointed an activity monitor such as fitbit is to calculate EXTRA calories from activity. Fitbit can on,y do this using r
It's accelerometer. If that is inaccurate, so are the steps and hence the extra calories it says you have burnt

jacksonpt

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

So why do you bother wearing it

calories and sleep data

But surely if its not accurate on steps- it won't be accurate on calories either.

Why not? What do steps have to do with calories?

FWIW, I've found it to be surprisingly accurate with calories.

Because that's how it calculates how many calories you are supposed to have burned

Then how/why does it calculate cals burned when I'm sitting still at my desk for 8 hours?

Because those are the calories that it calculates that you burn anywAy- just to stay alive. You can do that using an online calculator. The whole pointed an activity monitor such as fitbit is to calculate EXTRA calories from activity. Fitbit can on,y do this using r
It's accelerometer. If that is inaccurate, so are the steps and hence the extra calories it says you have burnt

I understand the purpose, believe me... I have 2 HRMs, a flex, and a bodymedia fit. I know how they work and why people use them.

What I don't understand is the correlation between how many steps you take and how many calories you burn. If I swim or lift weights or something, I'm not taking any steps yet I'm still burning cals.


My point is that maybe you should worry less about the steps it records, make sure it's setup properly then check your average daily cals after a week or so and see if they are reasonable. Hide the steps tile if you're that focused on them.

jaz050465

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

So why do you bother wearing it

calories and sleep data

But surely if its not accurate on steps- it won't be accurate on calories either.

Why not? What do steps have to do with calories?

FWIW, I've found it to be surprisingly accurate with calories.

Because that's how it calculates how many calories you are supposed to have burned

Then how/why does it calculate cals burned when I'm sitting still at my desk for 8 hours?

Because those are the calories that it calculates that you burn anywAy- just to stay alive. You can do that using an online calculator. The whole pointed an activity monitor such as fitbit is to calculate EXTRA calories from activity. Fitbit can on,y do this using r
It's accelerometer. If that is inaccurate, so are the steps and hence the extra calories it says you have burnt

I understand the purpose, believe me... I have 2 HRMs, a flex, and a bodymedia fit. I know how they work and why people use them.

What I don't understand is the correlation between how many steps you take and how many calories you burn. If I swim or lift weights or something, I'm not taking any steps yet I'm still burning cals.


My point is that maybe you should worry less about the steps it records, make sure it's setup properly then check your average daily cals after a week or so and see if they are reasonable. Hide the steps tile if you're that focused on them.

But if you swim or lift weights- there's no point in using a fitbit. All I'm saying is that if its not accurate for counting steps, then it won't be accurate for calories. If you are doing non step type exercise then its also a waste of time. This all started with the OP saying they felt it wasn't logging steps accurately.

gfroniewski

I have no idea how accurate my steps are... doesn't matter to me though because steps don't mean anything to me.

So why do you bother wearing it

calories and sleep data

But surely if its not accurate on steps- it won't be accurate on calories either.

Why not? What do steps have to do with calories?

FWIW, I've found it to be surprisingly accurate with calories.

Because that's how it calculates how many calories you are supposed to have burned

Then how/why does it calculate cals burned when I'm sitting still at my desk for 8 hours?

Because those are the calories that it calculates that you burn anywAy- just to stay alive. You can do that using an online calculator. The whole pointed an activity monitor such as fitbit is to calculate EXTRA calories from activity. Fitbit can on,y do this using r
It's accelerometer. If that is inaccurate, so are the steps and hence the extra calories it says you have burnt

I understand the purpose, believe me... I have 2 HRMs, a flex, and a bodymedia fit. I know how they work and why people use them.

What I don't understand is the correlation between how many steps you take and how many calories you burn. If I swim or lift weights or something, I'm not taking any steps yet I'm still burning cals.


My point is that maybe you should worry less about the steps it records, make sure it's setup properly then check your average daily cals after a week or so and see if they are reasonable. Hide the steps tile if you're that focused on them.

But if you swim or lift weights- there's no point in using a fitbit. All I'm saying is that if its not accurate for counting steps, then it won't be accurate for calories. If you are doing non step type exercise then its also a waste of time. This all started with the OP saying they felt it wasn't logging steps accurately.

If you swim or lift weights it is still beneficial to have a Fitbit because you can send the non-step data to your MFP, and it syncs flawlessly with the rest of your activity log. You are right--IF it is not accurate counting steps then the calorie count may be off.

However, we are contending that the steps are NOT off and that one just needs to experiment with the settings before passing judgment. OP could have a faulty unit...or he could just not be doing it correctly. A lot of people don't even read the documentation when they get a device like this. I went through a couple days of trial and error getting my settings, but after that it has been super accurate.

You have to play with the dominant vs. non-dom setting, for sure. Also, I wore my roomie's Jawbone UP at the same time and it logged 158 more steps for the same distance. The Jawbone doesn't have any of these advanced settings, so he can't even help it if he tried!

tl;dr Fitbit is great. OP needs to mess with settings. Stop being a contrarian!

Labouffecestbon

Bump for later