How accurate is the FitBit Flex??

suzichains

I have it and didn't like it so far

roni79

The flex includes your bmr ( the calories you burn just being, well, alive) for me that's 1600 a day right there. Also though, you should go on the site and make sure calorie estimation is turned off and that you have it set for your non dominate hand / dominate hand. Wearing it on non dominant is most accurate. The setting on the computer needs to match that though.

roni79

And also mine matches the data for my hrm fairly closely too so I use my flex. Just make sure you log the right activity and don't leave it on walking or running when your in a workout class.

SnuggleSmacks

It is not completely accurate in counting steps, as it sometimes ignores things that include keeping your arm still, like pushing a shopping cart, carrying heavy objects or holding hands with someone.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

prudybertolino16712

I've had the fitbit flex for a couple of weeks. The calorie count is way off. I walk the dog 2 miles and it says (each time) that I've burned 700 calories. (Don't I wish!) The correct count would be a lot less than that - maybe 100-150.

karen_kennedy

I need help!!!!

Ive recently bought a vivofit just a week ago and have have downloaded the Garmin app, in which ive synched the watch to. My question is: why is it that even though I am not wearing the vivofit overnight and its placed on a stationary object, the vivofit does not begin with 0 but a have calculated calories ive burnt without me having it on in the morning. KM and steps have all started on 0 except calories which is quite strange.

Some HELP would be great..

TeaBea

I need help!!!!

Ive recently bought a vivofit just a week ago and have have downloaded the Garmin app, in which ive synched the watch to. My question is: why is it that even though I am not wearing the vivofit overnight and its placed on a stationary object, the vivofit does not begin with 0 but a have calculated calories ive burnt without me having it on in the morning. KM and steps have all started on 0 except calories which is quite strange.

Some HELP would be great..

I don't know about the Vivifit.....but the FitBit does the same thing. Your body is burning calories 24/7, not just when you're moving around. The number of calories (sleeping all day) would be your BMR (basal metabolic rate).

nancyameyer

I'm a health educator and have been helping people monitor activity, exercise and calorie intake and output for 35 years. My daughter gave me a fitbit for my 70th birthday and I was initially excited about the devise and thought it was supposed to be accurate. However, I have been monitoring it very closely for calorie burn and steps and some of the calculations are misleading. For one the calorie burn includes your basic MRB - the calories you burn just to keep your body functioning.

So lets say for my age, weight and height my BMR (basic caloric need to run my body is 1,200 calories per day. If I eat 1,200 calories per day it keeps me at my current weight if I don't exercise. By the way - 1,200 calories is the lowest a person should take in or you get into starvation mode and your body will conserve calories making it harder to loose weight. If you want to loose weight you do not want to eat all the calories fitbit says you burn without subtracting you BMR from the total calorie burn fitbit says you have achieved.

So be sure to understand that when the fit bit calculates your calorie burn it includes BMR - the calories that your body uses just to function. This is confusing because you should not think you have all these "extra" calories to eat like it tells you in your daily calorie intake tile. So on days when I am very active fitbit will tell me I can eat 1,800 calories - that's 600 calories beyond my BMR. If I ate this many calories no matter how much I exercised I would gain weight. So you need to know your BMR and how much energy you burn with workouts. The workout calculation calorie burn is pretty accurate. In 10,000- steps you can burn up to 500 calories but is fitbit overestimating your steps.

Fitbit does over calculate steps. According to the fitbit site the steps will be off by 10.1%. I have my band on my non-dominate arm but even then you will still register almost every movement your arm makes. I tested my fitbit for two days and anytime I moved my arm I got a step. Even on my non-dominate wrist my steps were over estimated. So go to settings and set your fitbit to the non-dominate arm unless you like to fool yourself about how much activity you are getting. After you reset your fitbit for the non-dominate wrist you still need to reduce your steps by 10.1%.

All this said, the fitbit encourages me get more activity beyond my daily workouts. I keep moving trying never to sit more than 30 minutes at a time. Even with these anomalies, Fitbit is a good reminder to move and to monitor my calorie intake.

Happy fitbitting.

brianpperkins

"Starvation mode" from a "health educator" ... wow.