Getting the best out of a fitbit one

bubaluboo

So Santa brought me a fitbit one and I've synced it up with my pc. Just wondered whether anyone has any tips to get the most from it? Like the best way to wear it? what exercise it works well with or doesn't - like does it work with cycling? Any quirks or surprising benefits? Did you find logging more or less accurate than using the MFP exercise logging? Did it motivate you to move more?

I'm sitting here with a chesty cold and wishing I could get moving and test it out already!

editorgrrl

Fitbit shows your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), which is your exercise + BMR (the calories you burn just being alive). When you set up your MFP account, you chose an activity level. MFP used that plus your age, sex & height to estimate your TDEE. Then you set a weight-loss goal, and MFP subtracted the appropriate deficit to calculate your daily calorie goal.

Once you go to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30 and link your accounts, Fitbit will tell MFP your TDEE. If it's more than MFP estimated, you'll get an exercise calorie adjustment (meaning more calories to eat). If you enable negative adjustments (and your goal is more than 1,200 calories), when your TDEE is less than the MFP estimate you get fewer calories to eat.

The connection is sometimes glitchy. You can usually force a sync by disconnecting & reconnecting your accounts. The first day, Fitbit estimates your BMR for the entire day, so it's usually way off. As the days go by, it gets more & more accurate, almost as if it's "learning" your routine.

MFP has a "Fitbit Users" group at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users

bubaluboo

Wow that's such helpful info! I had a feeling that I could use it with MFP but didn't know what to do. Sounds like it will be really useful. Thank you!

editorgrrl

To answer one of your other questions, yes my Fitbit Flex inspires me to move more. It's fun when the band vibrates to tell me I've met my goal. If I get home at night & see I'm thisclose to making goal, I'll walk around the block. It really adds up.

It will take some trial & error to find what settings work best for you. (For example, my goal is 8,000 steps per day. The default is 10,000.)

thekyleo

To answer one of your other questions, yes my Fitbit Flex inspires me to move more. It's fun when the band vibrates to tell me I've met my goal. If I get home at night & see I'm thisclose to making goal, I'll walk around the block. It really adds up.

It will take some trial & error to find what settings work best for you. (For example, my goal is 8,000 steps per day. The default is 10,000.)

^ this, my fitbit has been attached to me for almost 2 years

bubaluboo

I was hoping to hear that it inspired extra movement, thank you! My TDEE is going to be awful today...but hope to get moving as soon as I feel a bit better. I'll have to look at goals and try to find something appropriate for me to start at.

sbdriver2

I am finding my Fitbit one does not seem to be counting any "gentle" movements. For example, pushing a grocery cart in the store, walking around the living room and dusting. It is very accurate if I go for a walk. I have been wearing my fitbit and a pedometer for a couple of days just to compare and the fitbit is about 2000 steps lower each day. I have looked at my fitbit, done some chores, and checked it again when I finished to find I have take less than 40 steps after an hour of dusting and vacuuming. I know this can't be right. Does anyone else have this issue?

amanda9402

I either put my fitbit in a pocket or clip it to the front of my bra. The latter helps when wearing something without pockets (obviously), but it also helps that I can see it when I change clothes so that I don't accidentally leave it in that pocket.

I've found my one to be pretty accurate in general. It's much harder to fake out with little movements than my old pedometer (shifting on the couch would increment that thing, where the fitbit says, "not so fast, couch potato").

It's also encouraged a lot more honesty with myself about my activity level and I make a bigger effort to walk around during the day at work, or get my butt to the gym if I have really been a sloth.

When MFP deducts calories from my goal for inactivity, it's a good reality check.

Good luck, and enjoy!

bekahlou75

I got my Fitbit One for Christmas. I love it! I wear clipped to my bra most days. It really motivates me to move. I walk upstairs to go to the bathroom at work, just to get more steps and floors in for the day. I have hit 10,000 steps on a couple days....didn't how hard it was to do. I have the app on my phone and on my Ipad so it syncs frequently.

sbdriver2

I have sent an e-mail to fitbit to see if I get a response. From googling around, it appears that they have it set to a certain "pace" and if you aren't moving they way they intend, it doesn't count. I haven't set it to sync with MFP yet. I didn't even know I could do it until today. I'll play around with it over the weekend and "start fresh" on Monday. This is going to be interesting! lol I did try clipping it to my bra, but I want to peek at it way too often, and flashing people is out of the question.

hanab1987

I've had my Fitbit One for about 4 weeks now and have it clipped to my bra everyday (unless I'm in my pjs then I clip it to my waist). I've had a couple of days over Christmas where I didn't the house and subsequently clocked up under 1000 steps as I was sat on my bum all day (the shame!!) and only 4/5 flights of stairs (parents have a downstairs loo which didn't help that!) yet Fitbit still says I burned over 2000 cals throughout the day. However... Last weekend I went out shipping, did over 8000 steps and climbed 14 flights of stairs. How many cals did it say I burned that day? A mere 1500 or so. I don't get it surely that can't be right?! Anyone else had that issue?

vaporhockey83

There's a section in Fitbit settings where you need to measure your paces. The space between your steps. It has one for general walking and one for running. This might be why it isn't tracking correctly. It says to go out onto a track to do it, but I just did mine in my living room by walking ten feet (the length, not steps). Did the math and added it into these sections. Guessed on the running. I would imagine this would be essential, though I can't tell you for sure. I'll be doing some Google'ing for sure.


As for the Fitbit One...it definitely has encouraged me to keep moving. Especially while at work. If I sit around too much and have nothing immediate to do, I might go for a quick walk around the inside of the office. I'll climb more stairs to see that range rise. Since using it, I've lost an additional ten pounds. On top of all of that, their customer service is beyond awesome. I lost mine somewhere reaching into my pocket I'd imagine, and they replaced it with a brand new one for no cost whatsoever. My fault completely and I received a new one.

Google complete...stride is a must : https://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/articles/176045-how-do-i-measure-and-adjust-my-stride-length-

editorgrrl

I didn't leave the house and subsequently clocked up under 1000 steps as I was sat on my bum all day (the shame!!) Fitbit still says I burned over 2000 cals throughout the day.

Fitbit measures your BMR, the calories you burn just being alive.

I did over 8000 steps and climbed 14 flights of stairs. How many cals did it say I burned that day? A mere 1500 or so. I don't get it surely that can't be right?

People way overestimate how many calories walking burns. That said, your burn shouldn't have been higher on a lazy day than on an active one. I would contact Fitbit customer service. They're super helpful.

As I said above, it took a while for the exercise adjustments to "learn" my routine. But this is an accuracy issue. You may have a defective One.

Edited to add that my TDEE is 1,500-ish, but I'm only 5'1 or 2".

sbdriver2

I did put my stride in, but only for walking (around the house walking, not exercise walking) I did it on the second day I had the fitbit. I don't run at all, so didn't calculate the stride. I just find it doesn't count anything unless it's a "forceful" movement. General walking around the house dusting, making the bed, unloading the diswasher doesn't register at all. Nothing, zilch, nada. It definitely has made me aware of just how sedentary I am.

WalkingAlong

sbdriver2- Ask for a new one. That's not right. I've had 3 and they all track housework. There are some pedometers that are programmed to only count 'fitness type walking' but the Fitbits aren't that way.

Your stride should only matter to your distance estimate. It has nothing to do with your calorie burn estimate. There is default stride data in there so not setting it doesn't affect much.

OP- The One is programmed to be worn on the torso. The bra or waistband usually works well. It doesn't track cycling or anything else where you're on some vehicle under some resistance. Well, it might track something but it's assuming you're unencumbered and on the ground, so it's not going to be accurate for the calorie burn.

editorgrrl

The One is programmed to be worn on the torso. The bra or waistband usually works well. It doesn't track cycling or anything else where you're on some vehicle under some resistance. Well, it might track something but it's assuming you're unencumbered and on the ground, so it's not going to be accurate for the calorie burn.

You have to log all non-step activity, either in Fitbit (I do) or MFP (as MFP recommends--you have to enter start & end times).

sbdriver2

I'm waiting for a reply from fitbit, bit I think I will ask for a new one. This was a gift. I have no receipt. Not sure how to handle it.

sbdriver2

I just spent 1 1/2 hours taking down our tree and Christmas decorations. Fitbit recorded about 1500 steps, as well as 9 flights of stairs (I was stomping my feet while walking and doing extra laps on the stairs while I was working. lol) Fitbit transferred to MFP that I burned 13 extra calories through exercise. Can that be right? Onlly 13 calories? Sigh....

WalkingAlong

What Fitbit transfer to MFP as your adjustment doesn't have much to do with it. Look at the Fitbit site itself. Does the calorie burn and steps data for THAT 90 minutes look reasonable? 1500 steps for 90 minutes on your feet sounds way too low. Do a little test. Hold down the button on your Fitbit to start a 'recording'. Then walk around your house while counting out 100 steps. Then end the recording. Did it count 100-ish steps? If not, tell Fitbit. They won't need a receipt.

sbdriver2

I tried the timing thing twice. Both times it counted about 85 steps. I walked around just the way I would have if I was unloading the dishwasher and tidying up the kitchen. I think the fitbit charts look o.k. for the time I was taking the tree down. It does show fairly active when I was going up and down the stairs like a mad man. I'm still new to this, and fairly computer illiterate, so it's not helping. I belong to Curves and usually my curves workout is around 1800 to 2000 steps, and since using fitbit it records about 1500. It is definitely counting low. I sent my e-mail to fitbit on Friday, so I don't expect I'll get a reply until next week. In the mean time, I'll just keep plodding along.

MoreBean13

bump

WalkingAlong

Where do you get the 1800-2000 steps for a Curves workout from? Another pedometer? Unless you're counting the steps yourself, it's hard to tell which is the more accurate pedometer. Though from your test it sounds like your Fitbit is capturing around 85% of your actual housework steps. I'd be curious how it does if you did that test just straight walking, like outside on the sidewalk. Housework 'steps' tend to include a lot of little shuffles and such that we might mentally call a step but physically is more of a non-step and vice versa. Though the step count is somewhat independent of the calorie count.

Fitbit might tell you that the main idea is that the Fitbit gives you internally consistent data so it's value is at knowing your baseline activity level and seeing changes you make from there. E.g., it's not relevant whether Curves is 1500 or 2000 steps but it is relevant if you change your Fitbit steps from 5000 a day to 10,000.

shutrbugz

I'm afraid I'm no help, but I wanted to comment so I could perhaps find my way back here later. I'm off to purchase my pedometer today!!! Good luck, everyone. :flowerforyou:

sbdriver2

Yes, I got the 1800 to 2000 steps from my other pedometer. (I have been wearing one for about 4 months, so I think I have a pretty good basis). My fitbit counts just fine outside on the sidewalk when I'm walking or if I'm marching in place during commercials. (It's just too cold to out and walk at the moment) I was in my kitchen. I wrote down the number of steps on my fitbit and proceeded to make lunch. Back and forth from the fridge, to the counter, getting dishes, etc etc etc. I counted 100 steps, checked the fitbit again and it recorded only 16 steps. Yesterday when I was unloading the dishwasher, same thing, back and forth from the dishwasher, to the cupboard, cutlery drawer (my kitchen is large) and not one step was recorded for the entire thing. I understand some of the movements are more shuffling, but I would hope for at least a 50% recording of movement. I even try to make sure I physical turn and move forward as opposed to stepping side to side like I would normally, just to see if it will record the movement.

I appreciate all the input. I will wait to see what fitbit says. For sure this will motivate me to do less housework and more walking. I'll come back when I get an answer from them. (

sbdriver2

I heard back from fitbit. They said they checked my profile, and my stride was set at 2. (my stride is 2 feet, 0 inches) They told me to set it to zero and that should solve the problem. I thought stride only affected the distance travelled, but I'm willing to re-set it to see what happens. I will give it a try and keep you posted.

sbdriver2

Well, I tried changing my stride, and still I am getting little to no reading for my daily housework activities. I googled and found that if you are on a carpet it may not be accurate, so I thought my slippers might be the culprit, and tried wearing my workout shoes indoors yesterday. No change in the readings. I have contacted them again expressing my disappointment in the unit. I really don't feel I should have to be counting and double checking my steps all the time, and exaggerating my movements in hopes of "waking up" the fitbit.

sbdriver2

After several e-mails back and forth, and quite a few "100 step" accuracy tests, they have decided to send me a replacement unit. It took a while, but I am pleased that they took my issue seriously. I've got my fingers crossed that when the new one gets here it will count a little more accurately.

Abakan

I had exactly the same problem with my fitbit zip which I was given as a present for my birthday last May, I was very disappointed that it didn't register any steps I did around the house. Unfortunantly I lost my fitbit and didn't know I could get a free replacement. Hubby offered to buy me a new one for Christmas but I was so disappointed with the first one I asked for new boots instead.

sbdriver2

The e-mails from fitbit seemed to indicate that mine was an isolated problem, but after googling around a bit, I think it's more common than they are willing to acknowledge. It's a shame. I love all the other features of it. I'm just worried the new one will do the same thing. I'm retired and spend a lot of my day doing household chores. Those movements should count for something.

sbdriver2

Well, I've had the new one for a week. I set it up as a replacement to the original one, then registered the old one with a different e-mail and have been using the two of them for the last 7 days. The new one is consistently 300 steps a day lower than the original one! lol

Both of them still don't count my "inside steps" with much accuracy but I've just resigned myself to the fact that I'll have to step it up elsewhere to hit my 10,000 steps a day goal.

Thanks for letting me vent.