Using fitbit with iPhone vs Band

jbrown2339

Question for you fitbit users. I have the charge hr and while I like it, I do think it is ugly. Realized I can use my iPhone 6 to count steps and have the app Use it as an input source vs the band, similar to how I can still use my jawbone app using just my iPhone (I do like their app alot better).

My question, if I hook my phone to the app, is it an either/or proposition? If I take off the band will the app know to use phone vs band, and it I wear the band, will it pick band over phone, or double count steps?

Just trying to figure out if this may be an option.....thanks!! I'd like to track activity and hr, but also remove when I want to wear my watch or just give my arm a rest from the charge.

retirehappy

From what I saw on the Apple site, you have to use the Health app. It does not currently connect to the Fitbit application. It will however connect with MFP, and you can see some graphs on the iphone if that sort of things turns you on. Not my cuppa, I use Fitbit and MFP.

I find the HRM feature of Fitbit very helpful. I better understand my true TDEE each day and how I got there. I wish it worked better with biking, but I really don't want to invest in a Surge to get that functionality, I'm okay manually logging biking calorie burns and letting Charge HR do other activities for me

editorgrrl

Your Charge HR is way more accurate than your iPhone. It has a heart rate monitor! And you don't keep your phone on your body 24/7.

NancyN795

If there are times when you don't want to wear your Charge HR, and it doesn't break your budget, get a Zip or a One to use at those times. I think about doing that sometimes, but don't want to spend the money.

Or, do what I do when I go to Costco (which means a lot of steps while pushing a shopping cart, since my Costco trips tend to be pretty long) - turn off the HR function (so it doesn't waste battery and/or see a phantom heart rate) and then take it off and put it someone secure.

If you do take it off and carry it on you, make sure it's secure. Yesterday I took it off and put it in my pocket at Costco, but forgot that the pants I was wearing have lousy pockets and it fell out at some point. I realized it was gone on while I was on my way home. I stopped and called Costco, ASAP, and I was really, really lucky! Someone found it and turned it in. I think next time I go to Costco, I'm going to tuck my Fitbit into my bra instead of putting it in my pant pocket.

jbrown2339

Does the band record steps in pants pockets or shorts pocket?

I did link my iPhone to my fitbit app today, so it did start to track some steps while my band was charging, so that was cool

retirehappy

Yes, some people put it in their pocket to get an estimate for biking, since the ChargeHR doesn't have the ability to calculate biking calories burned accurately, you have to go up to the Surge for that one. It will pick up one leg's movement from that.

cyronius

The Fitbit website says that it's smart enough to work with multiple trackers, and will not double your count etc. But how that works in actual practice, I don't know...

editorgrrl

cyronius wrote: »

The Fitbit website says that it's smart enough to work with multiple trackers, and will not double your count etc. But how that works in actual practice, I don't know...

They mean multiple Fitbits—not Fitbit + iPhone adjustments in MFP.

aprilyankee

I used the Health app on the phone for a long while before I got my Fitbit. I didn't like the app dashboard. Other than where it was synced to MFP, I couldn't track my steps, daily, weekly etc. It only stores them by the minute. Also, it doesn't count steps when walking in place. I looked at a few apps and liked the fitbit app the most so went with a fitbit because of it's app. Kind of backwards, but I knew the features I wanted first and found what would fit the bill.