Fitbit Flex vs. One Review

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  • cabreraf09
    cabreraf09 Posts: 1
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    Excellent review. Thank you. You really nailed it.
  • EJude32
    EJude32 Posts: 1
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    Thank you for this! I had never heard if the Fitbit and I just got the One for my Christmas present. I was about to set it up when I saw the Flex. I immediately wanted to exchange it for the Flex, but will now keep the One. Thank you!!!
  • JStkd41084
    JStkd41084 Posts: 1
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    Thank you for that information.
  • smeitem
    smeitem Posts: 1
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    Nice review. Very well thought out. I recently lost my One and was thinking about buying a wrist model instead. My One probably came off my pocket when getting my cell phone. I have also "almost" washed my One a few times. It actually survived the washer for about 10 minutes before I saved it from doom.

    But I guess I'll be repurchasing the One. I was really happy with the numbers that the One measures. If I consistently keep calories in vs. calories out in the negative, I always lose body fat, which is proof of it's accuracy. Just don't lose it, and don't wash it.
  • stacibuk
    stacibuk Posts: 276 Member
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    Hey guys. I think I'm going to get the One. But, one question I have. How do you know how many steps, calories you've taken a day. Does it show on the screen? e.g I want to achieve 10,000 steps daily. Would the FB One show this? I know the flex shows lights which represent how many % of your goals you've achieved.

    Also, is the calorie burned estimates really accurate?
  • luckydays27
    luckydays27 Posts: 552 Member
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    Hey guys. I think I'm going to get the One. But, one question I have. How do you know how many steps, calories you've taken a day. Does it show on the screen? e.g I want to achieve 10,000 steps daily. Would the FB One show this? I know the flex shows lights which represent how many % of your goals you've achieved.

    Also, is the calorie burned estimates really accurate?

    The FB One has a display and shows the steps taken, calories burned, stairs you have climbed, time of day, and distance walked.

    Since I have had my FB One, my calorie burn has consistently helped me lose weight according to my weight loss goals. In my opinion, I think that makes it pretty freaking accurate. See my next post for updated numbers.
  • luckydays27
    luckydays27 Posts: 552 Member
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    So here is my 8 month update:

    500 Calorie Deficit
    Cal Burn
    Cals Eaten
    50798
    39616 MAY (11-31)
    69639
    51468 JUNE
    79242
    58883 JULY
    74256
    57841 AUG
    74600
    58947 SEPT
    68774
    54756 OCT
    66380
    55538 NOV
    483689
    377049 TOTAL

    Difference between burn and intake - 106640
    Divided by 3500 cals
    Estimated pounds lost based on the numbers 30.5 lbs
    Actual pounds lost 33 lbs
    ________________________________________________

    250 calorie deficit
    Cal Burn
    Cals Eaten
    62631
    57894 DEC
    12549
    9973 JAN (1-6)
    77508
    69720 TOTAL

    Difference between burn and intake - 7788
    Divided by 3500 cals
    Pounds lost based on the numbers 2.25 lbs
    Actual pounds lost 3 lbs
    ________________________________________________



    Its been 8 months (34 weeks) since I had the FB One and my plan for the majority of the time was to lose 1 lb a week. Since I have lost 36 lbs, the numbers work fairly well.

    I switched my calorie deficit to 250 calorie deficit a day to slow my weight loss down a bit. I am focusing my fitness goals to body fat loss instead of weight loss. I am still working with my trainer for more heavy lifting, using my heart rate monitor and pretty much eating the yummy goodies that I enjoy (but only if I have the calories left over).

    My husband had a FB Force and was getting the same results that I had with the Flex (over estimating and giving me steps for arm/hand movements). YMMV but I still think the One is the best device for me. I know lots of people love the Flex and Force and they are great devices but for me the over estimations were to much. I am sure that over time, the calorie estimations even out but since the One works for me from day one, I am pretty happy with this choice.
  • athostetter
    athostetter Posts: 4
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    Thank you.....was wondering which one to buy!!!
  • redladywitch
    redladywitch Posts: 799 Member
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    I have a fitbit one and really like it. Thank you for the review. It was quite thorough.
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
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    My Flex underestimates my steps .. not over as per her review. I have short legs and even though I entered in my stride length, it still way underestimates.

    I have to put in my activity into the website .. in order for it to be accurate.

    I still love the Flex .. just wish that the steps were closer to the truth.

    I also have constant problems getting it in and out of sleep mode. That is the most annoying problem for me.
  • stacibuk
    stacibuk Posts: 276 Member
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    So here is my 8 month update:

    500 Calorie Deficit
    Cal Burn
    Cals Eaten
    50798
    39616 MAY (11-31)
    69639
    51468 JUNE
    79242
    58883 JULY
    74256
    57841 AUG
    74600
    58947 SEPT
    68774
    54756 OCT
    66380
    55538 NOV
    483689
    377049 TOTAL

    Difference between burn and intake - 106640
    Divided by 3500 cals
    Estimated pounds lost based on the numbers 30.5 lbs
    Actual pounds lost 33 lbs
    ________________________________________________

    250 calorie deficit
    Cal Burn
    Cals Eaten
    62631
    57894 DEC
    12549
    9973 JAN (1-6)
    77508
    69720 TOTAL

    Difference between burn and intake - 7788
    Divided by 3500 cals
    Pounds lost based on the numbers 2.25 lbs
    Actual pounds lost 3 lbs
    ________________________________________________



    Its been 8 months (34 weeks) since I had the FB One and my plan for the majority of the time was to lose 1 lb a week. Since I have lost 36 lbs, the numbers work fairly well.

    I switched my calorie deficit to 250 calorie deficit a day to slow my weight loss down a bit. I am focusing my fitness goals to body fat loss instead of weight loss. I am still working with my trainer for more heavy lifting, using my heart rate monitor and pretty much eating the yummy goodies that I enjoy (but only if I have the calories left over).

    My husband had a FB Force and was getting the same results that I had with the Flex (over estimating and giving me steps for arm/hand movements). YMMV but I still think the One is the best device for me. I know lots of people love the Flex and Force and they are great devices but for me the over estimations were to much. I am sure that over time, the calorie estimations even out but since the One works for me from day one, I am pretty happy with this choice.

    So do you use the One to work out your steps and the your heart rate monitor to monitor the exercises that you do? Also, what HRM do you use? And how many steps do you do per day? And also, does the One work out all the required calorie intake in order to lose either 1 or 2 pounds per week?
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Most of that is mentioned higher in the thread.
  • luckydays27
    luckydays27 Posts: 552 Member
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    So do you use the One to work out your steps and the your heart rate monitor to monitor the exercises that you do?

    Yes, I dont feel the need to wear my HRM when I am doing walking based activities and the One takes care of it fine. The HRM is only used when I am specifically doing targeted fitness activities. If I were running, I might wear my HRM as it will have a more accurate calorie burn but since I dont run, its never come up.

    I do wear my FB when exercising as I want to get a step total but when I enter the info from my HRM to MFP, it gets synced with FB and overrides what FB thought I did. The steps, miles, and flights of stairs stay but the calorie burn gets overridden.
    Also, what HRM do you use?

    Polar FT60. I have had it as long as I have had the FB One.
    And how many steps do you do per day?

    When I take away steps earned through fitness (warm up/cool down/walking around gym) I do less than 5000 steps a day. If I want to eat more calories on a slower day, I will walk around my town and can get over 10K. Last weekend my husband needed to burn more cals so I ended my day with 27K steps. It varies. But on a normal, not fitness, day, I am under 5K.

    The reason my steps are so low is I have a sedentary job and when I am out of my office, I spend a lot of time in my car. To boost my steps, I walk to work but its only 1 mile round trip so I dont get a lot there. But also, I am closer to my goal weight and my heart rate is pretty low, I dont get a lot of bang for my walking buck anymore. On that day I walked 27K, we did a 6 mile walk (took 2 hours) and I only earned 450 cals. I can get 450 cals burned at the gym in 30-40 mins depending on what I am doing.
    And also, does the One work out all the required calorie intake in order to lose either 1 or 2 pounds per week?

    On the FB site/app, you set up your weight loss plan, just like you do on MFP. If you want to lose 1 lb, it will take 500 cals off what you burned for the day. Thats the amount you eat. I have MFP and FB syncing together. MFP gives me a number of cals to eat. If FB tells it I burned more than that number, i get extra cals to eat. If FB tells MFP that I burned less, I get less cals to eat. If I burn cals in exercise (based on my HRM) I add that to MFP and I eat those also.

    I burn on average 2100 cals a day and eat on average 1850. I am losing .5 lbs a week as that is my goal.

    I enter all my food and exercise info on MFP and it transfers to FB when the systems sync.
  • stacibuk
    stacibuk Posts: 276 Member
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    Oh right. MFP basically calculates you deficit to attain your weight loss goal. Thanks for the explanation.
  • janiematt
    janiematt Posts: 1
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    I read this, and many other, reviews before buying a One 10 days ago. I did not consider whether Fitbit had a reliable Support service when I made my purchasing choice. Maybe I should have done a little more research.

    I have had an open case with Fitbit Support for eight days because it synched once on the first day and now won't. After trying all the fixes they suggested it still isn't working. I haven't heard from them for four days despite many emails requesting a status update.

    Please read Fitbit's FB page and the Fitbit community forums about problems with Support, I am certainly not an orphan in this.
  • sheila_shine
    sheila_shine Posts: 66 Member
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    Thank you, I have been considering an upgrade from the ultra. I will definitely go with the one. I was concerned with the accuracy of the flex. Very grateful for your info.
  • ksickee
    ksickee Posts: 2 Member
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    Thank you! I am currently wearing the flex - not sold on the thing yet. :smile: Your attention to data and detail makes me more interested in the fitbit ONE
  • fastfoodietofitcutie
    fastfoodietofitcutie Posts: 523 Member
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    Thank you so much for posting this. I really want the Fitbit One but feel almost pressured into buying the Force because it's the latest technology and product offered. I know the wrist version is going to count arm movement and I heard there are problems with the band. I'm going to get the One and hopefully it will work well.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Thank you so much for posting this. I really want the Fitbit One but feel almost pressured into buying the Force because it's the latest technology and product offered. I know the wrist version is going to count arm movement and I heard there are problems with the band. I'm going to get the One and hopefully it will work well.

    The Flex is newer, but it's not superior. Wrist-mounted is inherently worse. Definitely get the One.
  • agray520
    agray520 Posts: 4 Member
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    This has really helped me a lot! I am always carrying a purse, bag, etc. I couldn't decide between the One, the Flex, or the Force. After reading this, I know the One is the device that will work best for me. The only problem I have seen so far with the One is people losing the device because it fell off. Some people also forget to put it back on. So as long as I can overcome that obstacle, it should be good! Thanks so much for your review, it really clarified things! :)

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