FitBit?!?

gaxarlis08

Can someone explain this FitBit hype?? I know what it is but I am wondering what the purpose of it is? Also wondering if it is something worth buying. Thanks in advance!!

Pascal56

It's a pedometer that syncs up to their website and can sync to MFP if you want. I have one and like it as it motivates me to take more steps during the day. I just wish it also had heart rate monitoring capability to better judge calorie burn during non-step exercises.

rwdblue

Which FitBit Model do you use?

SnuggleSmacks

If you want the heart rate capability, get a Garmin Vivofit. I've tried most of the activity trackers out there and found them all to be wildly inaccurate, but the Vivofit was my favorite of the bunch. No recharging, the battery lasts about 9 months, and it's cheap to replace. It has a screen to give info, unlike most of the Fitbits. The only drawback was no integration with MFP yet, although they say that's coming.

It was still inaccurate, though, so I sent it back. The tech just is not up to speed yet for fitness monitors.

MLR930

I had the Fitbit Zip I thought it was ok but I just replaced it with a Garmin Vivofit and I love it 100x more. I got the heart rate monitor bundle which comes with the heart rate monitor strap. The Vivofit doesn't sync with MFP yet but if you get the heart rate monitor you can know your exact calorie burn for that activity and put that data in yourself.

eemitchell1984

I have the FitBit Flex. So far I love it. I have it synced with MFP and Runkeeper. I just wish that it populated more information into MFP... like my activities and whatnot. Same thing with Runkeeper... It doesnt seem to upload my activities into MFP, so I'm not sure exactly what the purpose of syncing it with my Fitbit was.

PaulFields56

I have been using the Fitbit One for more than a year and I really like it. It helps motivate met to be active and gives some idea of how active I am. I don't think the calories are 100% accurate, but I simply take that into account as I work through the day.

SnuggleSmacks

Yes, the calorie counts are what I wanted a fitness monitor for. I wanted a better grasp on my own TDEE and how my daily activity affects it, not just an estimation from a calculator online. But the Fitbit, Vivofit, Loop, Up, etc. etc. etc. all gave some ridiculous numbers at times. They completely miss things like steps while pushing a shopping cart or carrying something steady, and they all count things like typing or messing with my hair as steps.

As I said, the tech just isn't there for even moderate accuracy. I will say that wearing any of them did make me more mindful of moving, and I found myself getting up and taking short walks at work. If I had kept wearing them, they would have had a positive impact on my health, no doubt...but I can find other ways to remind myself to move without paying $100-170. I'll be keeping my eye out for newer versions...the Amiigo comes out later this year and it looks promising.

TeaBea

Can someone explain this FitBit hype?? I know what it is but I am wondering what the purpose of it is? Also wondering if it is something worth buying. Thanks in advance!!

A FitBit is an activity tracker. Like a fancy pedometer. It's good for tracking step based activities. It links to their website (free) ....some brands do charge a fee.

Many people on maintenance use a FitBit (synced to MFP) as a kind of TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator. A heart rate monitor will give you more accurate numbers for steady state cardio. A HRM has a limited use also.

If it motivates you to move more....great. If you have trouble with maintenance ....great. It can be a useful tool.

gaxarlis08

So if I buy one of these does it count toward calories burnt daily? If so how do I know how many calories, does it tell me?

FireOpalCO

Yes, it will tell calories burned when you exercise and that information will automatically transfer to MFP if you have your two accounts linked. So if I go for a brisk walk in the morning and "earn back" 250 calories, when I log into MFP it shows up.

What I like about FitBit if they definitely put some thought into the psychological aspects of the device. You can view your information online at their website or on your smartphone. They use a simple series of tiles to show you your info. When you hit your daily target, the tile turns green and and a smiley face flashes past you. There is a tile for daily steps, calories burned, distance run, how many active minutes, calories in vs calories out, your food plan, and water. You also earn badges. The other great aspect is when you friend your buddies who also have FitBits you see each others 7 day totals for steps on a leaderboard. That encourages competition and encouragement. A friend of mine and I taunt each other frequently and when he was out on his walk the other night and saw that I passed him his thought was "oh HELL NO" and added distance to his walk. Even if you aren't on your phone you can see your progress and when you hit your daily goal for steps it vibrates and the lights dance (on the Flex). If you get a premium account you also get various reports and tracking against the whole community.

They also have a scale (called Aria) that wirelessly syncs to your FitBit account and remembers automatically up to 8 people.

Some types of exercise do have to be manually added to your FitBit, but it's easy. They are mainly swimming, weight lifting, cycling, and elliptical. It's very easy to add online.

Peppermint_Patty614

Of all the fitbit devices my favorite is the simple fit bit. I had a flex, it got crushed by a forklift so I went back to my fitbit. The flex seemed to pick up the activities from my arm. One coworker told me she had forgotten she had it on while playing her guitar and it showed her taking over 10 steps.

I just clip the fit bit clip to the inside of my bra and forget about it. When I want to check my progress I look at my phone. I like it because it helps me to set my goals and keep them. I have a goal of 14k steps a day. I know pretty much know that if I hit that number my calories burned are usually around 2500 cal a day. I set my calories eaten around that number. My fitbit is linked to my MFP account if I don't hit that number I have less calories to eat if I want to maintain my chosen deficit.

It also helps that I have a couple friends that I watch. If I'm in a range where I can catch up to them or even pass them then I'm moving. They motivate me to do more.

WaterBunnie

I have the FitBit One and heartily recommend it. When synced with this site it effectively corrects the activity level you have selected for yourself giving you more or less calories so that you more accurately maintain the deficit you have selected for yourself and hopefully lose more reliably. I enjoy mine and it definitely makes me more mindful about moving about more.