FItbit? pedometer app?

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7nickels
7nickels Posts: 16 Member
in Getting Started
Could someone explain what a "fitbit" is?
Also I have an android phone. Are there any accurate pedometers? Do they really work?
Thanks in advance :)
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Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    Fitbit is great for walking and running. It is actually a daily activity tracker ($60 - $100 depending on model).

    I have a Fitbit Zip ($60 model):
    - By inputting my actual stride length, it is very accurate when it comes to steps and distance traveled.
    - It underestimates on daily calorie burns (fine by me...way better than overestimating)
    - Depending on what I wear, I clip it to my shirt or bra or pants
    - Website and phone app are free to use
    - Fitbits only sync with a select few phones, but will sync to any computer you have the little usb "dongle" plugged into
    - I got mine in April and only recently had to change the battery (the other two models are rechargeable).
    - It gives me a better idea of my true activity level
    - It can sync with MFP and if you turn negative adjustments on it will subtract calories from your daily goal if your lazy :grumble:
    - It can't accurately track all activities. Elliptical is one example of an activity that it can't track. I wear a hrm for work outs it can't track and log the workouts on my Fitbit dashboard.

    Overall, it has motivated me to move more which in turn has helped my weight loss.

    Here is another users thread/review of Fitbit:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/984540-need-help-figuring-out-your-tdee-get-a-fitbit?hl=need+help+figuring+out+TDEE+get+a+fitbit
  • minnie503
    minnie503 Posts: 50 Member
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    I have a fitbit one. Shadow pretty much outlined it. I find it motivates me to move more. And now I always take the stairs instead of elevator at work.
  • ron2e
    ron2e Posts: 606
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    Yep, another Fitbit One owner here and agree with the comments above. I find it very motivating and like Minnie503 take the stairs instead of the elevator where possible so I can exceed the magic 10 flights a day! (And if I don't, I walk down and back up until I do!)
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
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    My husband bought a Fitbit One for me and one for himself. It is surprising how competitive you can get and it definitely makes you want to move more! I now walk to work on my non-gym days so that I can get to 10,000 steps. I think they connect to android phones OK but the Fitbit.com website gives lots of info. MFP is way better for food tracking but I think Fitbit helps to keep you moving.
  • mahanaibu
    mahanaibu Posts: 505 Member
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    I use an Omron pedometer (mine is the HJ-112, about $21 on Amazon) that has been terrific. Once the stride is set right, it's amazingly accurate. I've had to replace the battery once over two years.

    I also got a wrist hrm/watch on ebay for about $20, and I'm thrilled with that. On the elliptical, I use the machine's estimate, which seems to match what hrm measurement of calories burned says.
  • Skrib69
    Skrib69 Posts: 687 Member
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    I have got to get myself a Fitbit or similar. I keep threatening to, but something else always gets in the way. At the moment it seems to be the death of domestic appliances!
  • Kerkela
    Kerkela Posts: 5 Member
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    I have the flex, and appreciate that I don't have to remember to put it on / take it off. My previous pedometer spent more time on my dresser than on my belt. But - I know some people find it a bit unfashionable.
    And like everyone said, the wireless syncing and scoreboard with my friends really is motivating. As is the calorie tracking, my dog walks have tripled in length since I started wearing it.
  • phoenixgirl81
    phoenixgirl81 Posts: 309 Member
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    I have a Samsung Galaxy S4. It has a built in pedometer which is awesomely accurate (yep...I counted) and it measures steps taken at a walk, run and on the spot through some kind of witchcraft which I am happy to not understand. Lol. It motivates me to no end.

    An MFP friend of mine got a fitbit (can't remember which model) and found it to be highly unreliable. It was clocking up steps when it was sitting on her bedside table nowhere near her.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    A fitbit is an accelerometer and an altimeter combined, it measures movement and elevation change not "steps" as such - it isn't a pedometer in that sense. Cycling up a hill records steps and stairs, for example. It also has a sensitive sleep recording mode.
  • 7nickels
    7nickels Posts: 16 Member
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    Thanks for all of the info!! I am so happy to have found this "community" section on MFP! So helpful! I downloaded a Noom walker app and I am thinking it isnt too accurate. :)
  • brraanndi
    brraanndi Posts: 325 Member
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    I just got a fitbit flex and it's just a fancy pedometer BUT it's so motivating and gives you fun lil graphs and charts. I also like it tracking my sleep. You can also add friends and have walk offs and see who can compete for more steps or floors or whatever on their website.

    I kind of love it.

    I used to complain that I slept really poorly but apparently I do not haha.
  • lambchristie
    lambchristie Posts: 552 Member
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    Could someone explain what a "fitbit" is?
    Also I have an android phone. Are there any accurate pedometers? Do they really work?
    Thanks in advance :)

    I have an Android phone and have downloaded the Accupedo app and find it to be very easy to use and very accurate (yes I counted steps one day to verify).
  • lilacinfinity
    lilacinfinity Posts: 283 Member
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    Fitbit is great for walking and running. It is actually a daily activity tracker ($60 - $100 depending on model).

    I have a Fitbit Zip ($60 model):
    - By inputting my actual stride length, it is very accurate when it comes to steps and distance traveled.
    - It underestimates on daily calorie burns (fine by me...way better than overestimating)
    - Depending on what I wear, I clip it to my shirt or bra or pants
    - Website and phone app are free to use
    - Fitbits only sync with a select few phones, but will sync to any computer you have the little usb "dongle" plugged into
    - I got mine in April and only recently had to change the battery (the other two models are rechargeable).
    - It gives me a better idea of my true activity level
    - It can sync with MFP and if you turn negative adjustments on it will subtract calories from your daily goal if your lazy :grumble:
    - It can't accurately track all activities. Elliptical is one example of an activity that it can't track. I wear a hrm for work outs it can't track and log the workouts on my Fitbit dashboard.

    Overall, it has motivated me to move more which in turn has helped my weight loss.

    Here is another users thread/review of Fitbit:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/984540-need-help-figuring-out-your-tdee-get-a-fitbit?hl=need+help+figuring+out+TDEE+get+a+fitbit

    Oh I am so glad I'm not the only person who thinks the Zip underestimates.
  • ladymm40
    ladymm40 Posts: 31
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    I have an Omron HJ-112 pedometer. It is incredibly accurate once its set up correctly....and very reasonably priced.

    I would definately recommend it....
  • scrapjen
    scrapjen Posts: 387 Member
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    I started with an Omron, and it's a good inexpensive option. I have an iphone, but I just don't want to carry it with me and have it on all day to track steps.

    I LOVE my Fitbit. I'm a huge fan, and now we have several in our family (my two oldest boys, both my parents, my brother and his wife).

    I did a post on my blog giving a pretty detailed account of what the Fitbit offers ... I LOVE the visual representation of your daily activity, the graph showing intake vs burn. If you want to check it out, here's the link
    http://jenbsjourney.blogspot.com/2013/08/wondering-about-fitbit.html
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
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    I just bought a fitbit flex today, should be here Wednesday. yay! but how do you set it to know your stride?
  • EmilyJackCO
    EmilyJackCO Posts: 621 Member
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    An MFP friend of mine got a fitbit (can't remember which model) and found it to be highly unreliable. It was clocking up steps when it was sitting on her bedside table nowhere near her.

    Actually, no it doesn't. It is tracking that you're alive, but not steps. You do burn calories even when you're not actively walking, and that's what it's tracking. Mine has been really accurate and has had a huge impact in making me more active. It doesn't record some things very well, like my weight training, but I can add that in their dashboard.
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    I am obsessed with my fitbit. However, it is not amazing at tracking stationary activities. It is an accelerometer, so you can be working really hard, but if you aren't making large movements, it wont pick them up. For things like biking, you need to enter them manually on the fitbit site. Even then, I find that to be more accurate than entering them on the MFP site. If you are looking for something to track daily activities like steps and stairs, or to use as a pedometer, I highly recommend it.
  • EmilyJackCO
    EmilyJackCO Posts: 621 Member
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    I just bought a fitbit flex today, should be here Wednesday. yay! but how do you set it to know your stride?

    When you set it up on the website, there's an option in the Settings to set this. It will also set which arm you wear it on, which is important. :)
  • rnctipton
    rnctipton Posts: 134 Member
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    I have a fitbit one and love it; however, if/when I ever need to replace it, I will get the flex because it is water resistant.
    On my android phone I like to use the Runtastic app for all my walks, runs, bikes. It uses GPS (I believe) and seems to be accurate most of the time. It also syncs with MFP, which I love!

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