Fitbit: Friend or Foe?

LHudson53

I got to my goal using MFP. Then I got cocky and quit logging. Then I started eating. I started gaining it back and got depressed so I just kept eating. Yesterday I decided that I had to act like an adult and get back with MFP so here I am!

My question is this: is Fitbit a good tool to use? It sounds like it would be good for me. I am a systems developer so I basically sit all day at the computer. I tend to need motivation, and I understand with Fitbit I can set goals, etc.

For those who have Fitbit, what is your opinion...

Thanks so much for taking a minute to help with this.

Laurie

marieamethyst

I've found that my Flex will motivate me on the days I'm slacking. I love ending the day with all of my goals flashing green. It's also fun to geek out over all of the graphs that track your data. Here's what mine looks like if you're curious to see it in action:

http://www.fitbit.com/user/2DCFFV

I love my Fitbit; I think it's a handy little tool to use in conjunction with other tools like MFP.

sprintto50

I have used a Fitbit Zip, then a One for over a year. I find it's not only motivating, but is essential to me to help know my calorie allotment for the day. It can be synched with MFP and you just enter in MFP like normal, but you get extra exercise calories based on your activity and I find that makes me strive to search out opportunities to add steps.

LexiMelo

I am the same way! I am also a desk jockey but I get up and move around a whole lot more to get those 10k steps! Also I've been using the stairs more to meet my 10 flights/day goal - I love getting all of my goals too :glasses:

you can also add friends to compete with if that gets you motivated. My SIL is a freaking police officer and she is killing me but the rest of my fitbit friends are all around the same goal so we can cheer and jeer each other! (in a friendly way lol)

wyndielund

My parents have the fitbit one and they love it. I want to get a fitbit force but they are back ordered for 4-6 weeks. As soon as I can get my hands on one I will. I have heard a lot of great things about them.

gsusdva

I just started using fitbit recently and so far I love it! I was definitely inspired to get moving over the weekend. I am a teacher and on my feet all day so during the week I have 10k steps just at work. On Sundays sometimes I only have 4k steps so I took my dogs for a long walk to reach my 10k,
One thing I feel uneasy about it: The fitbit adds calories to my goal. I am hesitant to eat all those calories because it seems like too much food but I guess I will trust it and see where my weight is next week. I don't want to undereat either because that's been my dieting past and my metabolism is already at a snail's pace.

LexiMelo

you get extra exercise calories based on your activity and I find that makes me strive to search out opportunities to add steps.

I have actually learned to walk back and forth in my apartment while playing spider solitaire on my phone. Kind of dangerous but I want those freaking steps! Some of my co-workers do little dance parties before bed to get their goals. Kind of fun, and a way to get moving if like me by the time you get home you just want to fall over in exhaustion and veg.

MichaelDST

I always thought I was "active" during the day at work, but once I got my FitBit it showed me that I actually wasn't as active as I thought! I have found it to be great motivator and tracking tool. Now I reach my fitness and dietary goals with ease and I find I even push myself harder to surpass them! My treadmill has been dusted off, and instead of using it once or twice a week, I now use it daily! I now find myself motivated to go "further, faster, and longer!" Without my fitBit, I doubt I would be this motivated.

chickee824

I LOVE my fitbit. Helps me stay very focused on moving and walking and looking for ways to be more active. I do the dance parties at night to get my steps, do hamstring curls while I cook dinner, walk around when I'm on the phone - anything to keep moving. The FitBit helps me stay motivated and focused! I would defintiely recommend getting one!

christa279

Hi, I have the Fitbit One and love it! I love that I can set goal on it to keep me motivated. I have doubled the amount of steps I do in a day in 2 weeks!

Luvable84v

it is great, I have the fitbit flex after upgrading from the ultra. I would recommend NOT going for the flex though, especially if you will sweat a lot with it (as in exercise.) I have found if i sweat when wearing it that is give me very sore eczema on my wrists and I have never suffered with this before in my life! Plus I am on my 4th wristband as they split easy. I would go for a one or a zip personally if I had the choice to make over again. Hope this helps

Chillyfrog

I have the Fitbit One and love it. It really does help motivate you. Plus I have a great list of friends on Fitbit (most of which are on MFP also) that help motivate and cheer each other on throughout the day which really helps too.

stephyy4632

I have a fitbit ultra and LOVE it I find on days that I`m less active I can check it and it makes me want to get up and get to my goal # of steps and flights of stairs in. I also really like the sleep tracker. I`ve had mine for over a year now and its a great product and they have GREAT costomer service I originally go mine at best buy but about a week after getting it got wet (really wet) and stopped working I emailed costomer service and they shipped me out a brand new one no questions asked had it with in 2 working days

heliopolister

My parents have the fitbit one and they love it. I want to get a fitbit force but they are back ordered for 4-6 weeks. As soon as I can get my hands on one I will. I have heard a lot of great things about them.

The Force has been recalled.

Blokeypoo

Love love love mine (One) and couldn't live without it!

It makes you move when you realise you've been slack!

Pipsg1rl

My husband decided to get healthier this year.

We spent money on a FitBit Force (VOLUNTARY RECALL btw) for him, a Flex for me, new running shoes for him (not $70), 2 new NikeFuel GPS trackers and I already needed new shoes so he got me those for Christmas.

He is a Sr. Software Dev and works from 8-10 hours a day. Definately "sendentary."

First week he was motivated.
Second week he was "too tired after work."
Third week I asked him "so are you running with me today?"

Fast Forward almost another month: NOTHING. He is doing NOTHING. Oh, but he does like the sleep tracker...

Why am I telling you such a crappy story? Only to say that you have to WANT to take the steps and beat your friends (or family).

Friend: FitBit community, badges, challenge of out-stepping your friends, connection to Aria Scale and then Trendweight.com to track.
Foe: It only works if you want it to work.
Admittedly I get pretty excited when it buzzes that I've met or exceeded my calorie burn for the day I'm whipping my husband's AXE!

aplhabetacheesecake

Fitbit- literally SAVED MY LIFE
I had the fitbit one, but I lost it due to the clippy breaking just before its 1 yr birthday Now I have the force, and I love it even more.

Background:
I have always struggled with my weight at one time or another, I am very active when I chose to be and often felt like that was a free pass for eating junk food. Then I would feel guilty and starve myself to make up for the over eating....what a disaster!!

I would try sparkpeople or MFP, or Weight watchers and just felt like it wasnt enough food- I was starving, all of the time
I obsessed with making the most out of every calorie if I could only eat (x) many....... and after a few weeks I would binge and then wonder why all of this wasnt working....

I even called my EAP (employee assistance program) with my eating issues, thinking i just have a coping issue and wanted to stuff my face all of the time.

So on a whim I was at futureshop one day and bought a fitbit....why not right? within the next 24 hours my life changed!

Now recognize that when fitness people talk about how everyone always underestimates their activity level, I always poo pooed this and said no, I really am sedentary or at the most lightly active......
All of the diet profile or calorie or point counting I did was based on me thinking my BMR was only 1200ish or my TDEE 1600 max,,,,,

So yes on WW i was essentially starving, on sparkpeople being told to eat 1400 was so unrealistic, and even on here myfitnesspal, according to the nutrition goals I put in, I was maxed at 1700 cals, the most out of any method I tried.

HELLO FITBIT.... you burned 3140 cals today......... what? seriously? how? me? really? 44 flights of stairs...really? its not like I ever counted, I just dont like elevators

Well surely If i burn THAT many calories I should be losing weight on 1700 cals.....

NO, unfortunately that leaves me over hungry, and that leads to over eating for me...not an eating disorder, not something worthy of needed my employee assistance counselling program to help with.

Knowing how much I burn per day helped me work backwards thru the TDEE calculators to realize OMG- I am an active person! and I can say that in the diet profile and then it tells me i can eat 2200 cals per day! WOAH!! and that leaves me full and satisfied.... no binge eating, no cranky over hungry, no problem.

Fitbit, I love you!