I have a dumb FitBit question

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anaconda469
anaconda469 Posts: 3,461 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am considering buying a FitBit Zip. I know it tracks steps and calories burned. My question is this: I have an elliptical at home. Do I wear this while I am doing my cardio on my machine, or do I have to take this thing off every time I want to do my elliptical training? next question, does anyone know of a good not to expensive heart rate monitor for fitness? I hope my questions are not to dumb! :laugh:

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  • Anasye
    Anasye Posts: 18 Member
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    You wear it on the elliptical and anything else step based it will not count lifting or rowing etc.. where you are sitting. Just leave it on for non-step excersise. I got the zip on Sunday and went to the gym yesterday did elliptical and it counted the steps. However on the recumbent bike it was still. I havent gotten a HRM yet, everything piece by piece at the moment.
  • anaconda469
    anaconda469 Posts: 3,461 Member
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    So which calories would you count, the elliptical or the Fitbit? I have been on MFP for almost a year, but this is the first time I have added technology to my exercise regimen.
  • Latse
    Latse Posts: 61 Member
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    If you what to record your eliptical work out then do not wear the fitbit while on the eliptical. If you wear it on the eliptical it will be tracked and the calories burned will be added the next time it syncs.
  • just_me_mindy
    just_me_mindy Posts: 210 Member
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    I have a Fitbit flex, and a Heart Rate monitor. I use my fitbit to count how many steps I take during the day, as well as calories burned throughout the day. My heart rate monitor is used for the gym. I would spend the money on a heart rate monitor. They tend to be more accurate then the calorie counts on the machines.
  • Neeser926
    Neeser926 Posts: 100 Member
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    For the person who said the fitbit didn't capture on the bike............try it in your sock. I have friends who say that works wonders on a bike.
  • TinyChestnut
    TinyChestnut Posts: 26
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    you can link your fitbit account to your MFP account also...
  • lina011
    lina011 Posts: 427 Member
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    i have a fitbit zip !!! bought mine last weekend, i use mine only for walking, and general activity that involves walking lol, i have a HRM and would use that for the gym only because HRM tracks your heart rate and will give you a better reading the fitbit goes by your overall stats eg. BMR , weight, activity level and takes a estimate on the calories burn for the day just walking around, polar is good for HRM, ive seen $80 dollar ones on ebay
  • mtfr810
    mtfr810 Posts: 136 Member
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    Wear it all the time. Log your exercise in MFP. Fitbit's servers will sync and account for the calories so you are not double counted. As long as your times are accurately recorded on MFP all the magic will happen very well on the server end.
  • lina011
    lina011 Posts: 427 Member
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    you can link your fitbit account to your MFP account also...


    yeah sure can, did this also , its awesome to see what i am actually burning throughout the day,
  • janel867
    janel867 Posts: 53
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    I wear my FitBit while on the elliptical and also enter the calories burned (according to my elliptical) on MFP but it was my understanding that because you enter the time you start and the duration FitBit/MFP make an adjustment?

    I've tried it both ways though...not wearing the FitBit then only entering the calories burned in MFP and wearing the FitBit but not entering the calories in MFP and I've had simliar/consistent results at the end of the day.
  • sugarkane1234
    sugarkane1234 Posts: 51 Member
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    Wear it all the time. Log your exercise in MFP. Fitbit's servers will sync and account for the calories so you are not double counted. As long as your times are accurately recorded on MFP all the magic will happen very well on the server end.

    This is true. However, if you're getting a HRM, you should probably override MFP's estimate of your calorie burn with the number from your HRM as it should be more accurate (many people claim that MFP's estimates for exercise are too high). Whatever you do, don't use the calories burned from the elliptical, they are notoriously overstated on almost all exercise machines.
  • xsqueakme85
    xsqueakme85 Posts: 91 Member
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    I have a dumb question too. I just recently started linking my fitbit and fitness pal together and its telling me I can eat additional calories. Do you guys do this? And if so are you still noticing weight loss?
  • Lazygal53
    Lazygal53 Posts: 294 Member
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    Wear it all the time. Log your exercise in MFP. Fitbit's servers will sync and account for the calories so you are not double counted. As long as your times are accurately recorded on MFP all the magic will happen very well on the server end.

    This ^^^
  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
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    I have a dumb question too. I just recently started linking my fitbit and fitness pal together and its telling me I can eat additional calories. Do you guys do this? And if so are you still noticing weight loss?

    I eat the calories and lose about 1lb a week (as planned).

    Although to be more accurate, I use MFP to log and trust the TDEE that combining my FitBit and HRM gives me.
  • lina011
    lina011 Posts: 427 Member
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    I have a dumb question too. I just recently started linking my fitbit and fitness pal together and its telling me I can eat additional calories. Do you guys do this? And if so are you still noticing weight loss?


    ive noticed this tooo, i eat maybe half of what MFP tells me to eat back, i think that fitbit is a little off with what i burn ive just started doing this so i got no idea if ive lost anything yet
  • xxghost
    xxghost Posts: 4,697 Member
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    Wear it all the time. Log your exercise in MFP. Fitbit's servers will sync and account for the calories so you are not double counted. As long as your times are accurately recorded on MFP all the magic will happen very well on the server end.

    This is probably your best bet. It works for me. I never take my Flex off. It is synced with MFP.
  • xxghost
    xxghost Posts: 4,697 Member
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    I have a dumb question too. I just recently started linking my fitbit and fitness pal together and its telling me I can eat additional calories. Do you guys do this? And if so are you still noticing weight loss?

    It means that you're walking a lot more than MFP thought that you would. For instance, if you have a low activity setting, MFP will give you fewer calories. Your fitbit is telling MFP that you're moving more than that, and MFP is giving you more calories to account for it.

    I generally eat some of them back.
  • ksaffa77
    ksaffa77 Posts: 1 Member
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    I try to stay within my calorie goal - but if I'm hungry after a good work out I will eat back some of the calories. I know for my self the quickest way to derail my weight loss is to be hungry!!!
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
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    I have a dumb question too. I just recently started linking my fitbit and fitness pal together and its telling me I can eat additional calories. Do you guys do this? And if so are you still noticing weight loss?

    I lost my Fitbit, but I was always very cautious about deciding how much more I could eat based on the FB's estimates. Eventually, I changed the setting so that MFP wouldn't increase calories based on what FB reported.

    Apart from that, I thought Fitbit was a lot of fun. I plan to replace it someday.
  • jwhitch
    jwhitch Posts: 51 Member
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    I also have a Fitbit Zip but I was not able to sync it with MFP. MFP said that it was connected but neither MFP or Fitbit dashboard was picking up the data. So I disconnected it and then the dashboard started working again. Has anyone else had this problem?

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