Fitbits - waste or worth it?
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I got my husband one and he didn't like it, I think I'm going to snatch it up and re-program it for me...
Is that easy to do?2 -
Love mine....if u have HUmana they give u gift cards or rewards for daily activity0
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I am on my second.
I had the Charge, no issues for over a year, I only upgraded to the Charge2 because you can change bands and it looked more like a watch. And I asked for it for Christmas.
I don't have mine synced together. What I did do using a trend app for my weight, my Fitbit burn, and MFP was get a very good educated guess on how much I actually burn in a day and I just set my MFP calorie goal to a deficit I like.
I like the data. I know exactly how many steps I need to take in a day to keep my deficit. I know exactly how many calories I get every day. Plus I'm a nerd. I love having all the numbers. Numbers, numbers, numbers!!0 -
I got the Charge 2 for my birthday back in January and I absolutely love it! It's been a huge catalyst for me getting healthier. I love all the stats - knowing how much I slept, my heart rate, steps, miles/day, calories burned, etc. It's also synced to MFP which encourages me to log everyday. I just got a rose gold chain for it off amazon for like $15 and now I get so many compliments on it too!1
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I've had a charge HR for a year and a half, and I love having all of the data and being able to track my resting heart rate over time (and watch it go down!). However, I'm on my fourth charge HR because the band kept coming apart. Fitbit is really good about replacing them, but it's still a pain to have it break every 4 months or so. Apparently they fixed the problem with the newer ones. I haven't had any problems with syncing with MFP and I really like knowing how many calories I've burned just walking around and being able to track the extra calories in MFP without having to log exercise on top of food.1
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This made me spit out my tea!It all depends on expectations.
For data geeks these things are like crack. I've been tracking my performance since 1996 using a Polar chest strap and Excel spreadsheet. I upgraded to a HR7 which does an excellent job of tracking my workouts.
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As a fellow data addict, I am really impressed you've been at this since 1996. I thought my 5 years was a long time!
What else do you track?
I track sleep, exercise, calories in, asthma peak flow, and recently using a cool app called clue for my lady cycle. My family mock me. I feel smug that I've lost weight and kept it off to within 5 lbs.0 -
mumblemagic wrote: »
This made me spit out my tea!It all depends on expectations.
For data geeks these things are like crack. I've been tracking my performance since 1996 using a Polar chest strap and Excel spreadsheet. I upgraded to a HR7 which does an excellent job of tracking my workouts.
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As a fellow data addict, I am really impressed you've been at this since 1996. I thought my 5 years was a long time!
What else do you track?
I track sleep, exercise, calories in, asthma peak flow, and recently using a cool app called clue for my lady cycle. My family mock me. I feel smug that I've lost weight and kept it off to within 5 lbs.
Happy to oblige fellow sufferer. In 1996 I tracked HR, recover HR, weight, and kept a run/bike/swim journal. I never tracked caloric intake, but would jot down notes on weather if there was something unusual.
I stopped doing this around 2003 when I traded in my military life for a cushy academic job.
When I discovered MFP in 2014 I got back into it and now track CI, HR, recovery HR, VO2MAX, BP, Bodyfat%, weight along with keeping a journal - then I graph this out applying 3 sigma to spot trends.0 -
Save your money and use your smart phone2
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I've gone through a few fitbits. I now have the blaze and love it.. It only comes off for water sports and when I have to charge it... It keeps me motivated to move and I enjoy the challenges they have on there as well ..0
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The nicer ones function as basic smartwatches. Your text messages come through and you get a vibration to know you got one. Great for those of us who cannot leave our phones on audible during the work day.1
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As with any other fitness-related device, it is only worth it if you use it.1
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Hensonator1084 wrote: »Save your money and use your smart phone
Is there an app aside from MFP that can sort of do what the Fitbit does? I put my phone down often and never have it with me on a run or doing the elliptical or cross fit so I can't see calories I've potentially burned. If there was an app I would totally use that!
Anyway. Fitbit is on its way and my husband got it cheap so if I don't like it...no real harm done and if I do like it I won't mind spending some more money to upgrade if needed.1 -
I've got an oldie but goodie - the Zip. I love it. Just throw it in my pocket. The battery lasts for maybe six months - no need to charge. I think it's not a miracle device but will keep you conscious of your steps and activity. I work at home and set an alarm so I get up and move every hour or so. I'll note the number of steps I have and then not sit back down til I've added 1,000 more. You can also taunt family members and friends via the app, which is kinda fun. Anything to stay motivated! The customer service at Fitbit is amazing, BTW.1
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Oh, and if you want to read something truly hilarious, check out this NYer piece by David Sedaris on his Fitbit. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/30/stepping-out-33
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I've got an oldie but goodie - the Zip. I love it. Just throw it in my pocket. The battery lasts for maybe six months - no need to charge. I think it's not a miracle device but will keep you conscious of your steps and activity. I work at home and set an alarm so I get up and move every hour or so. I'll note the number of steps I have and then not sit back down til I've added 1,000 more. You can also taunt family members and friends via the app, which is kinda fun. Anything to stay motivated! The customer service at Fitbit is amazing, BTW.
I loved my Zip! My stupidity was its downfall. I forgot to unclip it from my sports bra and it went through the washer. It worked for a day or two after it dried out, but then started acting weird and resetting itself. I replaced it with a Flex that I really like but now I'm lusting over the newer models that have a HR monitor.
Plus side to wearing it is that I can use it as my Road ID.1 -
I had a charge HR and now a Surge. LOVE IT!! It may or may not (debatable) be totally accurate but it is enough for me to be able to challenge myself. To stay motivated. To beat yesterday's time or distance.
Have I ever had an issue??? Sure. However Fitbit has such a great customer service department. They are super easy to deL with and quickly get a replacement out to me. I would buy one again....no doubt.1 -
Power meters can tell you exactly how many calories you've burned; they're not an estimate but a measurement. Every power meter that I know of is rated in terms of accuracy. A maximum error of +/- 1.5 % is the industry standard.
Fitbits don't promise any kind of accuracy, do they? I mean, it could be 100 % off and still within spec?
Does that bother anybody? For $100 to $200 should they at least give you some idea what to expect in terms of accuracy, like how big a grain of salt to take their numbers with?2 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Power meters can tell you exactly how many calories you've burned; they're not an estimate but a measurement. Every power meter that I know of is rated in terms of accuracy. A maximum error of +/- 1.5 % is the industry standard.
Fitbits don't promise any kind of accuracy, do they? I mean, it could be 100 % off and still within spec?
Does that bother anybody? For $100 to $200 should they at least give you some idea what to expect in terms of accuracy, like how big a grain of salt to take their numbers with?
Doesn't bother me because I weigh every day and with my trend I know my deficit.
Either my Fitbit overestimates by about 100-200 calories a day or my logging is about that imprecise. So for my .5 a week weightloss I have to have a deficit of 400 every day according to my Fitbit.
I feel that's plenty accurate. I don't care that it's not accurate as long as it's inaccurate in the same way every day- you know? It's just a tool for my weightloss and eating. Consistency is all I need.0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Power meters can tell you exactly how many calories you've burned; they're not an estimate but a measurement. Every power meter that I know of is rated in terms of accuracy. A maximum error of +/- 1.5 % is the industry standard.
Fitbits don't promise any kind of accuracy, do they? I mean, it could be 100 % off and still within spec?
Does that bother anybody? For $100 to $200 should they at least give you some idea what to expect in terms of accuracy, like how big a grain of salt to take their numbers with?
I really don't know what you mean by a power meter (except ones that work with a bicycle). For a high-accuracy measurement, people use breath analysis (oxygen consumption, etc.). Fitbits use motion, heart rate, body weight, sex, and age to estimate calorie burn.
There are many ways it can overestimate or underestimate: The classic case is cycling. Since it doesn't have GPS, it doesn't even know you're moving, and you get an underestimate. (You can to fix it in the app, if you have the patience.) Another case is driving on bumpy roads (or doing anything where you shake your arm around.) You get an overestimate.
I STILL LIKE THEM! And I might replace my broken one. Just use common sense when you look at the data. Also, I don't recommend linking to MFP, because it can sometimes encourage you to overeat.
I'm tempted to buy a Garmin vívoactive HR GPS. The upside is that it adds a GPS. The down sides are that it needs much more frequent charging and it is bulky.1 -
I don't like anything on my wrist so I bought a Fitbit Zip after having a Jawbone UP24. Love the Zip. It runs on a battery so I never have to charge it and syncs automatically to MFP and the Fitbit website. I clip it to my shoe or sock or bra and forget about it. The Zip doens't track sleep, etc. just steps, which is exactly what I wanted.0
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Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Power meters can tell you exactly how many calories you've burned; they're not an estimate but a measurement. Every power meter that I know of is rated in terms of accuracy. A maximum error of +/- 1.5 % is the industry standard.
Fitbits don't promise any kind of accuracy, do they? I mean, it could be 100 % off and still within spec?
Does that bother anybody? For $100 to $200 should they at least give you some idea what to expect in terms of accuracy, like how big a grain of salt to take their numbers with?
I really don't know what you mean by a power meter (except ones that work with a bicycle). For a high-accuracy measurement, people use breath analysis (oxygen consumption, etc.). Fitbits use motion, heart rate, body weight, sex, and age to estimate calorie burn.
There are many ways it can overestimate or underestimate: The classic case is cycling. Since it doesn't have GPS, it doesn't even know you're moving, and you get an underestimate. (You can to fix it in the app, if you have the patience.) Another case is driving on bumpy roads (or doing anything where you shake your arm around.) You get an overestimate.
I STILL LIKE THEM! And I might replace my broken one. Just use common sense when you look at the data. Also, I don't recommend linking to MFP, because it can sometimes encourage you to overeat.
I'm tempted to buy a Garmin vívoactive HR GPS. The upside is that it adds a GPS. The down sides are that it needs much more frequent charging and it is bulky.
Get the Garmin vivoactive(No HR) it's very low form factor.
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genpopadopolous wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Power meters can tell you exactly how many calories you've burned; they're not an estimate but a measurement. Every power meter that I know of is rated in terms of accuracy. A maximum error of +/- 1.5 % is the industry standard.
Fitbits don't promise any kind of accuracy, do they? I mean, it could be 100 % off and still within spec?
Does that bother anybody? For $100 to $200 should they at least give you some idea what to expect in terms of accuracy, like how big a grain of salt to take their numbers with?
Doesn't bother me because I weigh every day and with my trend I know my deficit.
If you log your food and weight every day, you have enough data to work out what your deficit must have been, even without the Fitbit. Not in "real time" but with "this is what actually happened" accuracy.2 -
Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »I really don't know what you mean by a power meter (except ones that work with a bicycle).
That's what I mean. You might be asking what one has to do with the other. A power meter and a Fitbit are both measuring devices that cost money. One of them tells you exactly how accurate its measurements are, the other gives you no idea.0 -
My flex 2 was cheap, like $60 or something like that and It's water proof which is what sold me in the end. For years I kept calling fitbits "Over rated pedometers" and I can see why I thought it at the time, but they've come a long way and in all honestly they're only worth it if you find a benefit in using them.
For me I walk a lot (I thought I walked a lot) but I've never measured how fast or what distance I covered accurately. I've used free Iphone apps and even they weren't that great and required internet and a decent phone. My phone sadly couldn't keep up with the updates and could barely run most the apps so I decided to see what fitbits were on offer and made the purchase when it was cheap.
I found they're useful for me. It showed me how lazy I actually was, despite thinking I was somewhat active. Before I would work out but I wasn't burning anywhere near as much as I thought I was. On some days I barely walked 2000 steps. So I decided I needed to increase my activity and started walking 70,000-100,000 steps per week. My fitbit makes me get up every hour (noon-dinner) to walk 250 steps, which is good for me as I have a blood clotting disorder and can't stay in one place for too long. It records my sleep which BTW was shocking when I first started using it. I was getting 2-4hours most nights and now I'm getting 7-8.
Since using my fitbit I've gone from being out of breath just from walking around my house, to being able to jog 100meters in just 3 months. With my fitbit and MFP I've lost over 30lbs and I've been more motivated to move.
At the end of the day it comes down to the person using it. Buying one isn't going to make someone drop 100lbs, it isn't going to make them fit and healthy and it isn't going to change their lifestyle. It can do all of those things though if the person wants to use it, is encouraged to reach their goals and they find it helps them do so. Of course a person can still do all those things without it. It's just a handy tool some people might find useful but that's about it.3 -
Had a fitbit charge HR for a while before it fell apart on me. Pros: nice seeing calorie burn, steps, stairs, etc. all in one go. Nice to have activity tracked for you. Cons: heart rate monitor wasn't good at registering peak heartrates (apparently something inherent to wrist-based heart monitors), tracker could register arm movements as steps. E.g. when I went to the climbing gym (belaying involves a lot of rapid arm movements), my steps were way overcounted. Battery did not last nearly as long as advertised--barely over a day. BTW, I've tried pedometer apps on my phone, but don't want to have my phone in my pocket every waking hour just to capture steps. Considering getting another fitness tracker, so I guess I have the bug.0
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I loved Fitbits. Had one since the very first model they came out with. However, when my Charge HR broke (charging port area broke) after about a year and a half, they refused to replace it and would only offer me a 25% discount on another one. After as many years as I'd been a loyal customer, I was pretty salty. So I left my beloved Fitbit and got a Withings. I like it because it looks like a normal watch and you can use any watchband so you can have variety. It's waterproof so I can wear it while swimming. The only thing I miss is the heartrate monitor.0
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NorthCascades wrote: »genpopadopolous wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Power meters can tell you exactly how many calories you've burned; they're not an estimate but a measurement. Every power meter that I know of is rated in terms of accuracy. A maximum error of +/- 1.5 % is the industry standard.
Fitbits don't promise any kind of accuracy, do they? I mean, it could be 100 % off and still within spec?
Does that bother anybody? For $100 to $200 should they at least give you some idea what to expect in terms of accuracy, like how big a grain of salt to take their numbers with?
Doesn't bother me because I weigh every day and with my trend I know my deficit.
If you log your food and weight every day, you have enough data to work out what your deficit must have been, even without the Fitbit. Not in "real time" but with "this is what actually happened" accuracy.
Agreed.
I don't think it is a necessity. I just like having the numbers and I like the encouragement to hit goals that it gives me.
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MontyMuttland wrote: »mmmmaidservice wrote: »Just wondering what everyone thinks about fitbits. I really want one but my husband says reviews on them are poor.
Fitbit, just like any other activity monitor, is worth it providing you wear it and use it.
The majority of bad reviews come from people who claim they don't work or are unreliable because they actually expect Fitbits to do magic and you get slim/toned just by owning one.
Mind you, those same people will tell you they are serious about their health and achieving weight-loss whilst still eating "food" from Fast Food outlets and having cheat days...
What's wrong with eating food from fast food chains? What's wrong with cheat days? I'm still losing, why can't I enjoy the food I eat? @MontyMuttland3 -
Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »I'm tempted to buy a Garmin vívoactive HR GPS. The upside is that it adds a GPS. The down sides are that it needs much more frequent charging and it is bulky.
I've got one. I take it off and charge it daily when I shower and have never had an issue with it being low on power. It is a bit bulky, but it seems really accurate compared to my chest HRM and how I am losing weight. Still waiting for spring to see how the golf course thing works.
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mmmmaidservice wrote: »Just wondering what everyone thinks about fitbits. I really want one but my husband says reviews on them are poor.
They help some people, for others like myself, they're a fad I can't wait to see the back of.
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