FitBit

Has anyone tried this? If so, I'm curious about your thoughts, results, etc.? The reviews on this product seem pretty good, but I'd love some first-hand knowledge from a real person. :)

Replies

  • Preesy
    Preesy Posts: 37
    I absolutely love mine. I find that I have been more active since I purchased mine because I actually see the numbers. I can look and see I'm only at 7k steps when my goal is 10k, so I get off my bum and go work on getting another 3k steps! Of course that's beyond my regular workouts.

    I have mine linked with MFP and it seems to work out well, however the things that I didn't really find out until I purchased and started using mine are such as.. Driving will add steps and floors (on the ultra model) so you have to log your activity for driving at those times otherwise it will skew your counts. I have to log my driving under the fitbit website, but my other activities on MFP, which leads me to the next thing I found out - MFP has a bigger database of exercises and foods than Fitbit's website. Last major thing I was disappointed in is that Fitbit's basic features on the site are free (more than enough to be effective) but if you want any of the analytical functions, report sharing, personal trainer tips based upon your performance history, etc, it's all subscription based at around $50 a year.

    I can honestly say I would recommend getting one, even because of these little things. I just keep a notebook with me at all times and jot down the times I'm driving, or what my start and stop times are for exercises at the gym. You can actually open a fitbit account at www.fitbit.com prior to purchasing one and take a look at the interface and such.
  • Kendra0024
    Kendra0024 Posts: 56 Member
    Thanks so much!! I'll check it out.
  • I love my fitbit. I've had it about 3 weeks now and it's really upped my activity level. My exercise is mostly walking with a tiny bit of running thrown in (I'm doing C25K) and the fitbit is great for tracking it. There's a group on here for fitbit users if you want to check it out.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users
  • Mrshunts
    Mrshunts Posts: 160 Member
    Depends on what you want it for, I have one, have it for about a month and a half, and I wish i could return, its basically a 100$ pedometer, and doesn't track alot of activities well. Next week I will be buying a HRM!

    If you just want to track your calories burned during your workouts buy a HRM.
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    I love mine, but at the moment all my exercise is running or walking, which it can do.
    When I start going to the gym and weight training/dancing again, I will use my HRM :)
  • MrsT99
    MrsT99 Posts: 148 Member
    Mine tracks my workout calories burned and gives the same readings as the HRM. But I use the start and stop functions on the fitbit when I workout then check the calories burned on the fitbit site for the time period in question. I then input the exercise and times on MFP but use the calorie burn from the fitbit to override.

    If your drive is fairly straight it won't add anything its hills/bends that do it.

    I also love the sleep tracker. It moved me out of my plateau its been a godsend.

    Only discrepancy I noticed is when I go cycling as you move your legs and its on your torso it gives a low burn.
  • sjv1966
    sjv1966 Posts: 121 Member
    If you have an iphone or android phone try downloading a motion tracking app and see if that gives you what you want. I have Accupedo which is free and I feel it works almost as well as my fitbit did before I ruined it by putting it in the wash.
  • Maxine00
    Maxine00 Posts: 31
    I bought my fitbit last weekend and am on Day 3 of using it. It doesn't sync my data with MFP. It's been a real problem to make the data appear on MFP. Look on the community board's "tech support and problems" -- you'll see dozens of people reporting all kinds of problems.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    LOVE it... changed my life and activity levels...

    however I am.just setting up fitbit 3 in 5 months. First one died being my bra and.me getting sweaty and it getting wet. I'd wear it on your top. It secure on your top without the added clip. It stayed on whilst I was on.rollercoasters. Second one I got caught out in the rain and had no where to put it to stop it getting wet. Drowned. Have a friend done the same twice! You need to be really aware of this as it is an issue. However fitbit replaced both happily. customer service is great! they even replaced my friends lost one. you willget addicted and love it, just not too durable! x
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    I bought my fitbit last weekend and am on Day 3 of using it. It doesn't sync my data with MFP. It's been a real problem to make the data appear on MFP. Look on the community board's "tech support and problems" -- you'll see dozens of people reporting all kinds of problems.

    mine has been 100% perfect with this! couldn't be better x
  • I have had mine since the end of July and I love it - I have no problem driving, it never records them!! I love the way it motivates me to move. I use the start/stop feature to record work outs and it syncs all the data to MFP. I'm really interested to see how far I walk when I start back to work next week. I plan on getting a HRM at some point, but I'm going to wait until I have lost about 40lbs and I will only use that for workouts, I couldn't wear one all day. I used my fitbit to record sleep and saw that I do wake up a lot during the night. I seem to sleep better when I have been more active during the day. It's a neat little gadget to have, well I think so :happy:
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    If you don't have a HRM I'd buy one of those first if your doing exercise other than walking. this is great to use as well as a HRM. use HRM for my workouts and the fitbit together, but fitbit makes me a lot more active in my everyday life! x
  • Fit_Vixen
    Fit_Vixen Posts: 201
    If you don't have a HRM I'd buy one of those first if your doing exercise other than walking. this is great to use as well as a HRM. use HRM for my workouts and the fitbit together, but fitbit makes me a lot more active in my everyday life! x

    ^^^This!

    The only thing I hate is the calorie adjustment fitbit does. I confuses me, so I just ignore it. I hope I'm not messing myself up by doing so.
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    I bought my fitbit last weekend and am on Day 3 of using it. It doesn't sync my data with MFP. It's been a real problem to make the data appear on MFP. Look on the community board's "tech support and problems" -- you'll see dozens of people reporting all kinds of problems.

    I've had no problems with this either.
  • Kendra0024
    Kendra0024 Posts: 56 Member
    What's an HRM?
  • peace_pigeon
    peace_pigeon Posts: 120 Member
    I love mine- feel naked without it! I just climbed Mt Washington last weekend and it was amazing to see the stats that Fitbit recorded- 411 flights of stairs, lol! Day to day it really does inspire me to move more. It is great for running, hiking, walking (I think it is pretty accurate with horseback riding as well), -everything else I just use the stop watch function and add manualy. I have found the customer service to be really, really good as well. I broke my first one somehow while I was wearing it, and they sent me a new one very quickly.
  • peace_pigeon
    peace_pigeon Posts: 120 Member
    A HRM is a heart rate monitor :)
  • sharanranran
    sharanranran Posts: 64 Member
    I LOVE mine!
  • trackercasey76
    trackercasey76 Posts: 781 Member
    I use mine and have stopped logging my exercise I just use the FB adjustment. It was to confusing to try to add this and remove that so I just let it do it's thing. I have a HRM and the FB is pretty close on most things and if it is off it usually shows less burn then my HRM. I don't eat all of my calories back so if it is off I don't care a whole lot. I just put it in the provided clip and slide it in my right front pocket.
  • Kendra0024
    Kendra0024 Posts: 56 Member
    Got it! I already have a HRM that I love, so I guess I'll stick with that for now and see how I do. Thanks for your input, everyone!!