Fitness Trackers!

MinisterTom

I posted this to my blog, but I figured it would get a lot more visibility here. I need motivation, and it has to come from within. Every time anyone else motivates me it really doesn't do anything, so a friend recommended a fitness tracker. I tried a pedometer, but it was grossly wrong on step counts. (No I don't mean, I thought I took more steps than it said, it counted 22,000 steps for an hour and a half motorcycle ride) I tried the Fitbit ultra which was awesome and really small. Lost it due to it's size. Working with the Bodymedia Sync right now. I think it is cool, because I can display all the info on my iPod Touch. I tried the Fitbit and BodyMedia because they both sync with MFP.

Is anyone else out there using fitness trackers, and if so, which one.

johned63

I use the fitbit and love it. It really helps me to keep moving and it is very accurate on counting steps. I have walked and counted my steps multiple times and then checked to see what the fitbit counted.

If I am walking between 3 and 4 miles per hour the distance is almost exact with the distance recorded with the endomondo GPS tracker. If I walk for any length of time faster than 4 miles per hour the distance is a little off. I understand that once you hit a certain pace the fitbit assumes you are jogging or running so the stride calculation changes for that pattern and the distance is off if you are only walking.

Not an issue for me, but that has to be taken into account. I walked 281 miles in October, nothing like a tracker to help motivate you to keep moving.

Goal_Driven

Bump :blushing:

Lrdoflamancha

I bought a Fitbit thought it was great until 2 things happened. The first was the latest update between MSP and Fitbit. The second and the big one for me. The Fitbit sucks, tracking cardio machines. This includes bicycles, treadmills, elepticals, and rowing machines. I then bought a Polar FT7'HRM. I am much happier with it than the Fitbit. As it stands now, I would not recommend anyone buying a Fitbit.

spud_chick

I don't know if this is what you mean, but I use the free version of the CardioTrainer app on my Android to log my walks, which are my primary exercise. I love it, and it has helped me stay motivated in the following ways;

* I can see how far I've gone anytime just by looking at the phone, and often decide to go an extra few blocks to acheive a nice round distance

* hearing my distance and/or pace at regular intervals makes me feel like I know where I am in the workout

* seeing my distance and pace consistently improve, even in the beginning when I wasn't really trying to "crush it", made me feel like I really was getting something accomplished

* I can export the stats from a website and crunch the numbers in an Access database (lets me see weekly or monthly stats as I like)

* the tracker is more accurate than MFP in that it is able to account for the many hills on my walks and the speed bursts, not just the average speed of my walk like the MFP general categories tend to assume


I'm considering getting the Polar bluetooth HRM that works with CardioTrainer so that I can also start automatically recording my non-walking exercise accurately too. Still using the MFP categories to record that stuff.

MinisterTom

Thanks everyone. It is good to know that I am not the only one that has a real hard time staying motivated.

jaz050465

I bought a Fitbit thought it was great until 2 things happened. The first was the latest update between MSP and Fitbit. The second and the big one for me. The Fitbit sucks, tracking cardio machines. This includes bicycles, treadmills, elepticals, and rowing machines. I then bought a Polar FT7'HRM. I am much happier with it than the Fitbit. As it stands now, I would not recommend anyone buying a Fitbit.

Fitbits are for daily walking and running type exercise. HRM are for weight training etc. lots if people have both. I use a fitbit and manually enter my exercise DVD as circuit training. Have a look at the new STRIIV Play which is like a fitbit and links to their app. Good if you like games. It also regularly sets you mini activity goals.

kcoftx

Actually from what I've read here, you can't really use an HRM for weight training either.

Fitbit is really to help you determine your overall activity level. Are you sedentary, lightly active, etc. you literally wear it 24/7. It is also a motivator encouraging you to move more using online competition with other users (that you add as friends) as well as stairs and step badges you earn. It does a great job of determining your overall daily movement. It is however, just a pimped up pedometer with an altimeter for stairs. It's best features involve the online motivational tactics. It will not be a good measurement of most excercises outside of walking and running because it is based on step stride. It can motivate you to get off your behind and park at the end of the parking lot and walk further to to take stairs instead of elevators. It can also help you to determine your base setting here. Mostly though it's a motivational tool. Understanding what these gadgets do and what they are used for and understanding what you do with your time and looking to see which device or selection of devices will do the trick is the key to being happy with your purchase. None of them do everything. It's also important to note that none of these devices, includin an HRM, will be completely accurate. Even the food calories on food packages will not be completely accurate. It is all just a relatively estimated guess. The best thing is to keep a spreadsheet and analyze your diary from time to time and see how it tracks with your loss but even then, weight loss is not linear.

Having said that, I have both an HRM and a Fitbit. I like them. I also recognize their limitations. They did a heck of a job motivating me when I was ready to be motivated by them. After all, I love gadgets. Interestingly though, 8 months later, I am having to try other things to motivate me because it has lost its appeal. I still use them though and once in awhile they manage to pump me up for a bit.

Overall though it is important to know that motivation waxes and wanes. Commitment is far more important. That doesn't mean, however, that we shouldn't use whatever we can to keep us excited when we can. Motivation comes in many packages and sometimes takes extra work for us to get us back there. In the meantime, commitment holds the fort.

kcoftx

By the way, did you contact fitbit? They will usually replace them--even if you lost it.

PS. I know you weren't really asking about the fitbit. I was mainly clarifying in case others are interested in your post.

johned63

I see too many people wanting the fitbit to track biking, swimming, circuit training, and other activities and not liking the product when it does not do that.

It is designed to track how many steps you take a day and the activity level of those steps based upon the speed of the steps over time. It works great for me because physically I am limited to that type of activity for most movement and don't use it to track my time on a recumbent or activity it is not meant to measure. (there is manual entry options for those activities)

Without it I tend to mis-estimate my activity level in that area,much like I mis-estimate my calorie consumption without something like MFP or a diary to track it.

As mentioned above it is a fitness tool and just as your toolbox, you need more than one tool available to you.

zombilishious

I just ordered the Bodymedia Core armband yesterday! Can't wait until it gets here!!!

carramel0705

i use endomondo app to track speed and miles

soobie

I love the fitbit one. I got it about 10 days ago and it is very motivating. I have monitored it in my car and it doesn't count steps when I am driving as others have reported with the ultra. The only thing that isn't quite right is its mileage estimates. It will say I walked 5 miles when I did 3, but it counts my steps correctly. I don't mind the MFP adjustments, if I want to eat my calories back i can, if not I just check out how many I've truly eaten. I use runkeeper to track mileage, and have used endomondo as well. I love the competitive features on these sites

kcoftx

Did you set your stride length?

MinisterTom

So far, I have been really pleased with the BodyMedia Sync. It tracks pretty accurately as far as steps and activities are concerned. It is most accurate for walking and running, which I knew, and I am okay with. Pairing with my iPod Touch gives me the ability to see real time, how I am doing, and I love the metrics it gives me. Last night, right before bed, I was only 250 steps away from my daily goal, so I walked around the block to get it. I would say it motivates me pretty well.

kaytbaggs

I've found myself very addicted to running lately and I use 'imapmyfitness' it is very simple and veritable for a lot of exercises. I've had a few errors with the GPS but nothing major.
When I'm at the gym I just use my hrm

amyhoss

I have a Striiv. It's neat and is a pretty accurate pedometer with a game and goals etc. But it is also small and not worth the $100 it costs.

KatyE213

I've been using the Fitbit Ultra since January and I love it. I think its great for keeping up motivation. I've never had the issues while driving my car or whatever that some people seem to have with it recording steps/movement. I don't know if it depends where you wear it?

I know it can't measure calorie burn on strength training and the like but I actually don't care, I would rather underestimate my calorie burn than overestimate it.

cleefelty

I have used my trusty Omron HJ-112 Digital Pocket Pedometer all day, almost everyday since May and a Polar FT4F Heart Rate Monitor Watch when working out since September.

I know the pedometer isn't considered the most chic of fitness trackers, but I really do *love* it, though I wish it were a bit smaller. I don't have to fidget with syncing (I use the "Check-In" feature on MFP to track daily steps under "Track Additional Measurements") and I don't use it to add/deduct calories from what my setting is for "Lightly Active". I aim for 10,000 steps per day when I get a walk in. If I lose it or break it, I would be sad, but it wouldn't be beyond replacing quickly and inexpensively.

For me, this was simpler and has been very motivating in working towards my weight and fitness goals. (I just reached 20 lbs lost two weeks ago!!)

talaysia3

I used to use the fitbit tracker. But within 6 months I've had to have it replaced 3 times.The fitbit is a great motivator...but after the last update with MFP and Fitbit everything went out of whack and I got tired of trying to figure it out, and then it broke. So I decided to get the Bodymedia Fit Link. I have had better success with this. I love how I can visually see calories in vs calories out. I know all the gadgets are just estimates on the calories burned, this just seems to be a little more accurate for me. Even though this only makes my second week of using it, I've already lost 2 pounds using it. I love how it syncs with MFP also. I can view my stats on my iphone, and it still tracks pretty much what the fitbit tracked except for the stairs...but I'm good with that, since I don't really use the stairs much anyway.