Fitbit feeback wanted

boji4ever

I see some people have the Fitbit on their food diaries. I just got one, but debating about returning it and waiting for the Fitbit Flex which is coming this spring and is a bracelet - I think that would be much easier for me to keep track of. Looking for feedback - do you guys believe in the "adjustments" it tracks on the food diary? Is the sleep tracking beneficial?

GauchoMark

the sleep thing, I don't find it useful at all. It was novel for about a week, but isn't really something I care about tracking regularly.

As far as "do I believe in the adjustments" - yes. It is surprisingly accurate when compared to my hrm with the caveat that the activity you are doing needs to be of the general movement or walking type. Obviously, it isn't going to get a very accurate reading if you are doing something like biking.

I am a numbers and metric kind of guy and track all my weight, intake, and exercise daily and the last calibration I did showed that my estimations are within about 70 calories a day when compared to my results, so yea, I'd say it does pretty good.

GauchoMark

oh, and as far as the bracelet type thing goes, I guess we'll see when it gets here, but I don't see how it couple possibly be as accurate as the waist type. In fact, it says for the current models that if you wear it anywhere besides your hip that it is "less accurate"

boji4ever

Good point on the bracelet, I think that is one of the reasons they haven't gotten it out yet is working out how to calculate when it is on a somewhat sedentary limb. Their field tests they have been using are with pushing strollers - where you're definitely walking, but your arm is not moving. Which one do you have?

GauchoMark

mine is the ultra.

Amazon_Who

Bump.. because I am curious too.

dfelteau

I'm definitely a metrics guy too (can't measure it, can't fix it) and have the older Ultra Tracker which is the precursor to the One and the Aria WiFi Smart Scale. I have noticed a significant difference when I put the Ultra Tracker on my wrist instead of my hip (for sleep you get a wrist band that you pop the Tracker in) so I would be interested to see how the wrist band works. It looks cool but might not be as accurate. Wearing the Ultra Tracker on the hip is quite accurate even though the steps/stairs sometimes are not.

I love the Aria WiFi Smart Scale - weigh in the morning and it automatically updates fitbit.com and MFP for some true accountability of weight.

As far as the sleep, I had been averaging 5.5 hours or less per night and one of my goals this year is to move closer to 7 hours. While the Ultra Tracker (and probably any Fitbit device) won't be 100% accurate, it will help me trend my sleep. I do notice when it tracks Times Awaken and I'm awaken a lot I am really tired the next day. So, while not 100% accurate on sleep, it does provide answers.

I do feel I need a different device for workouts such as running/jogging. Fitbit works great for the everyday though.

GauchoMark

I do feel I need a different device for workouts such as running/jogging. Fitbit works great for the everyday though.

I guess different people see different results, but mine is quite accurate for jogging. Only when I change that general motion to something like biking, rowing, jacobs ladder, etc. do I see a big discrepancy. I guess the best thing is to play with it a little until you "trust" it to measure the activity you are doing. I wear an HRM occasionally just to make sure the two match up - especially if I am doing a new exercise.

LeenaRuns

I love my Fitbit One! I find the cals burned super accurate and the sleep tracker is great--I wake up 13x/night on average! I wear it on my pants or bra depending on the outfit with no problem.

torshi

I'm with dfelteau and GauchoMark; it's not that accurate, but it's enough to see what you doing. I enjoy it to especially track my steps and always try to improve those though out the day. There are works I do that don't always record; but they do have a feature within their website to track along with MFP.

I would say give it a shot and if you don't think it's going to work out well for you return it, most retail stores have a return policy and will accept them back.

*I really want the Aria scale, so that way it syncs my weigh ins so that way it's tracked automatically for me.

slade37

I think the fitbit is fanstastic. It is motivating and easy to use.

sugarfree123

fitbit helps if you are wanting to just encourage yourself to move. I have recently stopped wearing mine because just like all calories are not created equal, neither is moving. I lift weights and do other intense exercise that wears me out during the day yet sometimes I do not get 10,000 steps in. But I am building muscle and am healthier than I have ever been in my life.

StefPayne

I have had the Ultra since August and I love it. I recorded my sleep for about a week and found it very actual but it's not a feature that I use now. I have not compared the calories buirned to an hrm but I do think it is pretty accurate.

heatherheyns

I had the ultra and upgraded to the one when it came out. I love my fitbit. I am not interested in getting the flex because one of my favorite things is being able to cycle through and read my results when not near the computer. The flex appears to have a set of lights to tell you how close you are to your goal, but that's it. No actual display to give the time, steps, flights of stairs. Nothing. If it had all those things then I'd be a lot more interested in it.

However, honestly, the One works well because I hook it into my bra so I can wear it with basically anything and I never have to worry about it.

Maddalen101

I was curious too, and this is all real helpful.
Thanks, folks!