Fitbit does it really work?

lcantrell65

As far as the sleep tracker, it is OK. I know that I need to try to get more sleep. Seeing every day that I only had 5 hours makes me a little more aware that I need to be going to bed earlier. As far as telling you how well you slept, I have found that it is pretty accurate. But I think most people know when they slept well and when they didn't.

Like every one else, I feel that it is a great motivator. It tells you when you've been lazy and when you've done well. If you sync it with MFP, it will automatically add your exercise calories. I have found it does a great job for walking/running, elliptical, Zumba, Turbo Jam, and jumping (jump rope, trampoline, jumping jacks, etc.) It doesn't do a great job for weight lifting or biking. I haven't tried it for anything else. You can even set it up to take calories away from you when you are being lazy.

The thing I love most about it is the daily estimation of how many calories I have burned. I know there are tons of people out there who will say that it is not highly accurate. So what if I am really only burning 2400 calories every day and it tells me I am burning 2550? I have found that it is very consistent with its estimates. It gives me a number to work with. I know that I had stalled out on my weight loss with a very low calorie diet. I wanted to try TDEE - 20%, but I was terrified when I saw how many calories I would be eating. After wearing my FitBit (I have the Flex), I have found that I really do burn somewhere around 2500 calories on a normal day, and I can easily burn over 3000 on active days. And sure enough, for the last three weeks I have seen the scales move again.

I have purchased all kinds of devices in an attempt to help me lose weight. I have bath scales, kitchen scales, body fat calipers, a timer for HIIT training, a heart rate monitor, weights, resistance bands, a multitude of fitness DVDs, a gym membership, a mini trampoline....... If I could keep only one thing that I have purchased, it would be my FitBit (closely followed by my kitchen scales!).

codycsweet

Yes it is worth it. In bought the Zip a month ago and it really opened my eyes to how ln active I was. I have built up some friends and love to compete with the steps taken. Last week my tracker came out of my clip while I was running errands. I contacted customer service and they r sending a replacement no charge.

maca416

It's a fancy pedometer...it works more or less as intended. It will give you a reasonably good estimate of how much energy you burn/need in a given day. It's still an estimate, it's not an exact number.

People who have a really difficult time grasping the fact that they actually burn calories with their day to day hum drum can greatly benefit from these...for many, it's a real eye opener...to many people thinking they have to just go over-train their bodies at the gym and try to burn a gazillion calories...completely unaware that they burn most of their calories per day just being alive.

If you're rather sedentary it can also provide some motivation to get up and move more. Keep in mind that the more exercises you do, the further off that calorie count is going to be...it's pretty good if you're just walking around a lot and some jogging or something...but if you're really training, it's going to become less accurate.

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Perfect Answer

I find it really helpful as it does show you just what you do in a day in terms of walking & the sleep thing is interesting but just remember it's a pedometer I think some people expect it to cook your meals & get guaranteed results .

Prettysky

There is no quick fix to weight loss and fitness, you have to work at it but I have had my Fitbit (Ultra) at first since January 11 2012 and then I invested in the Fitbit One when they came out last year, as it syncs to my iphone so I can have my data on hand whenever/wherever. I have never regretted purchasing either

It is as others have said here, a pedometer, but with a website, friendly groups, friends to support and challenge you, like here, a dashboard which lets you know exactly how many steps, floors, miles you have done each day plus a sleep tracker if you want to get a picture of how you sleep at night, it is far more than 'just' a pedometer. It shows your daily burn for breathing which people often forget about and your activity level and there is also the opportununity to have a personal trainer (a subscribed Premium account) to make you work harder too.

With lots of challenges with other Fitbit friends (virtual friends of course) I have just reached my 10 millions steps --- 10,020,681 steps to be precise since Jan 2012.. and have done 24,000 floors... so it can be done... I also work in an office, not entirely sit-down all day as I work with students so have to be up and down to deal with their quieries but on a quite day, or days when I didn't take advantage of my lunchbreak to get outside.. I would be lucky to get 3,000 steps... walking at lunchtime gets me approx 5-6,000 steps so then when I get home, it's up to me to work at getting my steps up. Everyone has of days, or days when our Mojo's go AWOL, but the Fitbit is always there to remind you just how much you have slacked off.. and gives you a friendly ;kick up the butt' to get moving again.


The website is very supportive with many groups depending on your interests, or where you live, i'e UK, Or US or even other more location orientated groups, and loads more.

Talking of virtual friends, there has also been the opportunity to meet up with 'real' fitbit friends made over the website and this year I and 6 others did a 40Km walk for charity (in fact one lady did a 60K walk)... something, I had never envisaged pre 2012.

By the way, I am approaching my 64th year.. and have gone from 164lbs and looking at size 16 trousers to 129lbs and now in 10s and feeling fabulous so anyone can do well.. you just have to want it

Check Amazon for the 3 different Fitbits, One, Zip and Flex.... Zip and Flex don't measure floors or altitude.... 1 Floor equals a 10ft increment so for instance climbing your stars at home, or a hill or driveway with elevations above 10ft. I think someone on here mentioned that their fitbit didn't count their stair climb accurately.. it has to be at a certain pace (if you pause, or just even slow on the way up, it will not count it.. it needs to be a steady movement and must rise above 10ft.

Hope that helps you make a decision to change your life... well worth the money in my book xx

pinkraynedropjacki

Lets see....I hit 40,000+ steps a day now. From nothing after my run to then 20,000 then to 30,000 then my highest is 60,000 in one day.

I'm hitting a minimum of 40,000 steps a day just because I can & want to do so much more than sit or do nothing after my workout. I eat what I want due to the extra calories (i can eat a whole pizza to myself..a large one) and still be under in calories for the day easy enough to have lunch & snacks on top.



Worth it? Hell yes.

fluffymaggie3

My Fit Bit 1 was given to me as a gift in may by my best friend who has been worried about how lethargic I have become over the last several years due to illness.
At first I was UGH, now I'm gonna have to walk...
Well now I am so excited to see my progress on my Fit Bit that I only take it off to shower, hahaha.
Has changed my world !!
I wish I was computer smart enough to figure how to sinc it up with MFP.
YES worth it !!

melachristiansen

LOVE my fitbit!

Gypsysis7

I have the flex. I love it. It's around my wrist so I don't even think about it all day. For me it's very motivating!! I always want to get at least my 10000 steps... But the best thing is the challenges!!! I have a few friends in mine n it really drives me to try n beat them. Lol. If that means jumping in the treadmill for 20 mins after my workout in order to be #1, I'm all about it!!! For the most part I think it's fairly accurate. I stay within my MFP calorie intake n I don't eat the additional calories it gives me because I'm not exactly sure how accurate that is! According to my treadmill, I have burned much less then what my fitbit is telling me. But the bottom line, it DEF motivates me!!

Wheelhouse15

It's a pedometer and some decent software but it's not magic. I have a Flex and I don't love it; it's done it's job but it's over priced, buggy and I wouldn't replace it if I lost it. However, you can see most people would disagree with me and if you are counting heads you should buy it, but if you are on a budget you could get a decent pedometer for much less and just add your steps into MFP and you would get pretty much the same results.

Sued0nim

itsscottwilder wrote: »

It's a great motivator. For people like me who sit behind a desk all day; it's a reminder to get up and walk, be active and burn calories. Adding 10,000 steps to my day has been a real game changer.

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