are fitness trackers all they're hyped up to be?
misskitty2018
Posts: 68 Member
just curious...are they worth it? or is it just a fad? I don't want to spend the money for something that will land up in the junk drawer. any thoughts??
3
Replies
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I guess that depends what kind of hype you've been hearing about them?3
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Good question.. I’m interested too. I’d like to get some for the adults in my family. Some are older & technology challenged.. any advice on what to get that works well, but not as expensive as a Fitbit. We have iPhones.1
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I love mine. I use it mostly for motivation. It’s a great way to keep an eye on my overall fitness, daily activity levels, and approximate calorie expenditure. But ultimately I understand that it’s an imperfect tool and not the only one I use.
I’ve been using one for almost a year, and it’s really helped me stay focused on my goals.4 -
There was just an analysis released that said they are not really helpful in terms of weight management, but they may be helpful in other medical areas:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-017-0002-4
Personally, I have used them on and off and didn't noticed a change in my activity level or weight loss when wearing one vs not wearing one.5 -
misskitty2018 wrote: »just curious...are they worth it? or is it just a fad? I don't want to spend the money for something that will land up in the junk drawer. any thoughts??
What kind of hype?
I guess it would depend on the user and if the user was getting meaningful data or not. Personally, something like a Fitbit would do nothing for me...it's not going to give me any kind of meaningful data, and basically it's a fancy pedometer and none of my exercise is step based.
Conversely, I get a lot of meaningful data from my bike computer.4 -
It's a tool, like any other. If it helps to keep you motivated then it's worth it. The FitBit Zip is cheap and lets me "compete" with my friends. So yeah, totally worth it for me.5
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My company has a pretty robust wellness program and we get incentives for hitting step goals. So I have a Fitbit for that purpose. I probably move a little bit more with the Fitbit, but not any meaningful amount. Some of my coworkers are very motivated by it and are always trying to achieve a certain step goal. It has been a great tool for them to get more active by walking more. So it really just depends on the individual.3
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I have lost 19 pounds using the Garmin Fenix 5 along with their scale (got the scale for Christmas) and Fitness Pal. For me, it is a big heck yea! I am a visal person, so I love all the data and how it all works together.4
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I have lost 19 pounds using the Garmin Fenix 5 along with their scale (got the scale for Christmas) and Fitness Pal. For me, it is a big heck yea! I am a visal person, so I love all the data and how it all works together.
Like @EddieHaskell97 said, it's just a tool; you lost weight because you were in a caloric deficit, not because of the device. If it helps the user move a little more and stay accountable to their goals, then sure. Just don't expect it to magically move the scale.7 -
I have a Garmin Fenix 3 HR and love it. It has a continuous HRM and calculates calories burned 24 hours per day and calculates performance metrics, counts steps and stairs ascended, has GPS, tracks sleep, has an altimeter, barometer, and temp sensor, is waterproof to 100m so you can track swims, integrates with your phone through Bluetooth, and a lot of other functions. It has a long battery life and the associated phone app is easy to use. It also has customizable watch faces and you can change watch bands so it can coordinate with pretty much anything you wear (at work, social events, etc.)
I think that exercise data keeps fitness interesting, I love seeing my stats after a workout, and yeah, if I didn't measure it digitally then it never happened...7 -
Next month will mark my 4 year anniversary with Fitbit, and it's definitely helped me accomplish my goals! I love having all of the stats at my fingertips, from weight/sleep/resting heart rate/steps taken/etc. And it syncs to MFP so I don't have to do anything beyond wear it while I go about my life.4
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I swear by my Garmin more than I swear at it!10
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I got a Fitbit Blaze for my birthday not long ago, and it has been great for me. However, I'm a little OCD. I've used MyFitnessPal every single day for 375 days, logged every single meal and activity, and lost 55 pounds. I actually look at the reports and pay attention to macros. I hooked the Blaze up to MFP, and I appreciate the more accurate calorie tracking. In addition, I find myself wandering around my house to get additional steps to make Blaze reward me with the happy displays. I know, I'm a nerd. But I'm a data-driven, OCD nerd, and this works for me. So if you are motivated by stuff like this, it might help you out too. I wish you the best of luck!6
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misskitty2018 wrote: »just curious...are they worth it? or is it just a fad? I don't want to spend the money for something that will land up in the junk drawer. any thoughts??
Some people love theirs. They love numbers, they love gadgets, whatever. Some people join challenge groups to help them "up" their daily steps. It kind of depends upon what your expectations are.3 -
Thank you all.. we also have a step goal to get some people more active & something that syncs with the phone will give more motivation than me telling everyone to get up and move their butts.0
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One issue I have with FitBits are that most of them only track steps. While it's great that they encourage movement that way, I think it can be too narrow of a metric to look at. I have coworkers who are focused on getting really high average step counts as a way to burn more calories. It would probably be better for them to focus on higher intensity exercise versus spending hours a day walking.9
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One issue I have with FitBits are that most of them only track steps. While it's great that they encourage movement that way, I think it can be too narrow of a metric to look at. I have coworkers who are focused on getting really high average step counts as a way to burn more calories. It would probably be better for them to focus on higher intensity exercise versus spending hours a day walking.
While I agree a higher intensity is great, some people will never be interested in that long-term. Baby steps.....
If increasing steps is going to be a forever change, then that's better than just a few months of higher intensity (to lose some weight).5 -
I have a FitBit blaze. I really like it. I am motivated by counting steps. I work a desk job so I like that it will buzz to remind me to get up and move. I find it useful for tracking my sleep and heart rate as well! Realistically, I feel like my fitness plan and achievements would have been the same without the FitBit (got fat while owning it too hehe), but it's a fun tool to have!2
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One issue I have with FitBits are that most of them only track steps. While it's great that they encourage movement that way, I think it can be too narrow of a metric to look at. I have coworkers who are focused on getting really high average step counts as a way to burn more calories. It would probably be better for them to focus on higher intensity exercise versus spending hours a day walking.
While I agree a higher intensity is great, some people will never be interested in that long-term. Baby steps.....
If increasing steps is going to be a forever change, then that's better than just a few months of higher intensity (to lose some weight).
But walking hours a day isn't sustainable long-term either.5 -
One issue I have with FitBits are that most of them only track steps. While it's great that they encourage movement that way, I think it can be too narrow of a metric to look at. I have coworkers who are focused on getting really high average step counts as a way to burn more calories. It would probably be better for them to focus on higher intensity exercise versus spending hours a day walking.
While I agree a higher intensity is great, some people will never be interested in that long-term. Baby steps.....
If increasing steps is going to be a forever change, then that's better than just a few months of higher intensity (to lose some weight).
But walking hours a day isn't sustainable long-term either.
Nope. But when I'm pressed for time, I've been able to run for bits here and there to get steps in more quickly. If I hadn't ALREADY been walking more, I doubt I'd be able to do that - and without having my tracker, I probably wouldn't have any desire to do it.5 -
I have a Garmin and it definately helps motivate me. I started off a year ago with a goal.of 10k steps, now my average for the last month is over 19,000 steps and I haven't had a day under 12,000 steps for over 6 months. I dont want to lose my streak, so keep going.8
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I had one for about five years, and I've recently upgraded to the Apple Watch. I'm more motivated by the Apple Watch and the little digital badges they offer over the FitBit. I also like that I can track different types of activities because I'm mostly a swimmer when it comes to my physical activity, so tracking laps is important to me. Another brand I tried for tracking laps, which is less expensive than FitBit is Misfit, which offers a number of step trackers for a variety of price points down to $9.99.1
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I can't tell you because I never had one and I don't plan to get one either. I don't like gadgets, and I don't need one to be motivated to workout or exercise so spending money in one is not a priority for me. I don't know or care how many steps I do per day or even how many calories I burn working out. The time (minutes/hours) of weekly exercise is more important for me. I still log my food most of the time, even after being in maintenance close to 8 years, and that is enough for me. The only thing that use is Map my Walk (app in my cell phone), but only to determine how many miles I covered on my walk.
Some people lose weight without a scale, others maintain their weight without logging, and some of us can be active without being attached to a fitness tracker. However, and like other members said, fitness trackers are a tool and if you need it because it will make you more accountable to your fitness routine and want to try it, go for it.7 -
They're not for everyone. As others have said, if you like gadgets and numbers and spreadsheets, you might find one useful. I loved my FitBit and now I love my Apple Watch, although the latter is useful for more than just fitness. Many of them also have social elements that might be motivating for some - my husband and sister both get a notification when I finish a workout or close my rings (Apple's daily goals for moving, exercise, and standing) and vice versa. Both of them have said that they've found this helpful for them, although it isn't as much of a thing for me.1
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jaymijones wrote: »I love mine. I use it mostly for motivation. It’s a great way to keep an eye on my overall fitness, daily activity levels, and approximate calorie expenditure. But ultimately I understand that it’s an imperfect tool and not the only one I use.
I’ve been using one for almost a year, and it’s really helped me stay focused on my goals.
thank you for taking the time to answer
good info 1 -
EddieHaskell97 wrote: »It's a tool, like any other. If it helps to keep you motivated then it's worth it. The FitBit Zip is cheap and lets me "compete" with my friends. So yeah, totally worth it for me.
I haven't heard of the zip..thanks for the info 0 -
I have lost 19 pounds using the Garmin Fenix 5 along with their scale (got the scale for Christmas) and Fitness Pal. For me, it is a big heck yea! I am a visal person, so I love all the data and how it all works together.
Like @EddieHaskell97 said, it's just a tool; you lost weight because you were in a caloric deficit, not because of the device. If it helps the user move a little more and stay accountable to their goals, then sure. Just don't expect it to magically move the scale.
Be nice, please.0 -
I think it depends on what you're using it for and if you're using it. I got mine primarily to help monitor my heart rate and anxiety levels, the step counter is an added benefit for me, but I do not religiously try to get a certain number of steps per day.1
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marieamethyst wrote: »Next month will mark my 4 year anniversary with Fitbit, and it's definitely helped me accomplish my goals! I love having all of the stats at my fingertips, from weight/sleep/resting heart rate/steps taken/etc. And it syncs to MFP so I don't have to do anything beyond wear it while I go about my life.
oh wow! thanks for all the info 0 -
muffle1969 wrote: »I got a Fitbit Blaze for my birthday not long ago, and it has been great for me. However, I'm a little OCD. I've used MyFitnessPal every single day for 375 days, logged every single meal and activity, and lost 55 pounds. I actually look at the reports and pay attention to macros. I hooked the Blaze up to MFP, and I appreciate the more accurate calorie tracking. In addition, I find myself wandering around my house to get additional steps to make Blaze reward me with the happy displays. I know, I'm a nerd. But I'm a data-driven, OCD nerd, and this works for me. So if you are motivated by stuff like this, it might help you out too. I wish you the best of luck!
sounds like a keeper for you. thanks for the info 0
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