Fitbit - Pros & Cons

jkd132

Looking for people who have and use Fitbit, what do you like about it and what do you dislike? Would you recommend purchasing one, if so what style? Thanks!

codycsweet

I have the cheapest model the zip and love it because it keeps me motivated to move. I knew I wasn't very active but seeing the numbers of how inactive I was eye opening and now I'm motivated to move more instead of turning on the tv and doing nothing I go for a walk, go to the gym, or some Wii just dance or Zumba. Love Zumba classes more though.
The only con I can say is that it can be lost easily however their customer service is awesome and will replace it for you just make sure you keep ur receipt


I love love love mine I've had it since June 2013

craftywitch_63

I've only had my Fitbit Flex for a few days but I really like it.

Pros:
It tracks my activity and I believe I'm getting a more accurate estimate of calories burned.
It tracks my sleep and was that ever an (please excuse the pun!) eye opener. I didn't realize how often I became restless at night but I do know that I often wake up tired.
Wrist bands come in several colors and can be bought in package deals.
It has several alarms and vibrates, it also vibrates when 10,000 steps have been reached in a day.
It's waterproof up to 10 meters
The website used to sync the Fitbit is free and will connect with MFP. The website Help section is pretty good.
The battery lasts for 10+ days before it has to be recharged.
Even the most expensive product made by Fitbit (the Aria scale) isn't really that expensive.

Cons:
It isn't great for tracking activity such as swimming.
Apparently the wristband dissolves in salt water (I live in the desert - who cares?)
Some people have found it is less than accurate on machines such as an elliptical or treadmill but I haven't noticed that.
I've been told the clasp sometimes comes loose, apparently the company is really good at replacing the fitbit when that happens.
Sometimes it tracks steps that I haven't taken.
Some see wearing it on the wrist as a con but it doesn't get in my way so I don't really see it that way.
I had some trouble syncing it with my computer at first, although syncing it with my phone and tablet was a breeze. I linked the Fitbit website and MFP website and it synced itself.

Charlottesometimes23

I have the One and I love it. It helps keep me moving such as always taking the stairs and using my treadmill when I have a slow day. It also helps me keep my eating in check because I know how much I burn in a day. I can't think of any cons. It has been the best $100 spend in a long time.

fushigi1988

I love the One, I'm trying to get my steps in everyday.
I wear it clipped to my bra.

Downside is that it doesn't pick up certain activities as well, I use Endomondo when I go cycling (Fitbit thinks I'm just sitting, since my torso harldy moves). I have heard of people clipping it to their sock during cycling, seems to get reasonable activity then.
I manually log my weight lifting.
It's not fully waterproof. So I can't use it for swimming, but I can log it manually.
I have used it for my obstacle runs though, I put it in a ziplock baggie and put it in the back pocket of my running pants. Very high calorie burn during those babies.

jkd132

Thanks for all the responses!

Quasita

I don't have one, but the biggest reason I chose to put my $100 towards a BodyMedia unit rather than FitBit was because FitBit is not built to accurately measure TDEE, and that's what I wanted. Granted, newer versions seem to be closer to it, but they still rely solely on average calculators to determine resting burns, where BodyMedia is designed to measure your body temperature, skin conductivity and moisture levels to determine the burn to the minute.

Basically, both do a decent job, it just depends on how much data you want and what your goals are. I think FitBit works well for people who are doing mostly running/walking/jogging type exercises, whereas BodyMedia is better for people who want to track burns during weight lifting and things like cycling. It is too bad though, that never one is able to track swimming or aquatics, because those would be some stellar burns to track!

justmary4cm

I LOVE my Flex - I wear it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and it keeps me honest about my activity level. It is a real motivator. The only "con" that I can think of is that it doesn't track exercise if it doesn't involve moving your feet much. I do Yoga, which can be very active, but it never gives me any "Active" minutes for my efforts. I recommend a Flex to everyone who is interested in being more active and who enjoys tracking their reality! I know my idea of what I was doing before the Flex was totally a fantasy!

DienhartDotCom

I just picked up the aria scale a few days ago. I'm pretty impressed. I like how it tracks weight and body fat%, right in mfp.
The flex looks interesting, but I have an office job, so I know that I'm not very active except for when I workout, so it's hard to justify the cost, but that's me. The nike running app gives me my calories burned during my run, and nike training club gives stats based on the workout.
Eventually, I will probably break down and pick one up, just not today.

cwrig

Dont get the Force. It was recalled due to it causing rashes on people.

The Flex has a problem with falling off your wrist as it has a real cheap clasp. Also IMHO looks cheesy.

The One and the Zip you just clip on your shirt or pants pocket and work fine; and dont look geeky. I prefer the Zip as it takes a watch battery which lasts for 3-4 months. The others you have to recharge frequently.