Fitbit

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hockeyd11
hockeyd11 Posts: 92 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Could someone give me some basic information on the fitbit? Does it have a chest strap or how does it work? I was minutes away from purchasing a Polar FT4 but then saw an ad about fitbit and was curious about it...I know I can look on the website and all but would like some real life experience and information about one. Thanks!

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  • HisEminence
    HisEminence Posts: 55
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    I swear by the Fitbit. I don't know the Polar product you are talking about. The Fitbit is a smart pedometer that you can wear with you 24/7. It has helped me to make a daily commitment to walking at least 10',000 steps per day. It is an awesome tool. If you have specific questions, please email me.
  • jazzyali
    jazzyali Posts: 78 Member
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    I use both. I wear the FitBit 24/7 to count steps and basic activity, but when I work out I wear my HRM. The HRM has a much more accurate reading on heartbeats and calories burned during your workout. Hope that helps.
  • ihad
    ihad Posts: 7,462 Member
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    Mine just arrived two days ago. No chest strap - just a small pod that you clip to your pants, shirt, wherever. It links wirelessly to a PC to upload data to your online dashboard. Can use bluetooth to talk to some smartphones, ipad 3. It track steps, distance, calories, and stairs climbed. It can track your sleep cycle too. Very easy to use. It is good for tracking daily movement, but not for advanced exercise, where an HRM might be better for you. It can be linked to mfp or used independently.
  • vcferlita1
    vcferlita1 Posts: 61
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    I'm thinking about getting a fitbit
  • blood6338
    blood6338 Posts: 90 Member
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    We just got our Fitbit One yesterday. There is no chest strap. It's very small...about the size of a AA battery. It just clips on to your belt, pocket or can go in your pocket or for women you can clip it to your sports bra. It just has to be within 20 feet or so of your computer (that has the little bluetooth device on it) and it will update to the web. It will also record your sleep activity by wearing it in this little wrist sheath at night. It's pretty cool really. It will record floors climbed as well as steps and calories and it has this little flower on it that grows as you are more active. It's cheesy but kind of cool.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
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    I use both. I wear the FitBit 24/7 to count steps and basic activity, but when I work out I wear my HRM. The HRM has a much more accurate reading on heartbeats and calories burned during your workout. Hope that helps.

    Lots of people do this to be more accurate. Other options are Bodymediafit, STRIIV,jawbone Up and Nike Fuelband.

    Vie just gone for the Fitbit/polar FT4 option. I got the latter cheap, used on eBay.
  • xidia
    xidia Posts: 606 Member
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    Fitbit to track general moving around activity and to motivate me to move more. I'd use an HRM in the gym or while trying to actively burn calories.
  • dwoodmanjr
    dwoodmanjr Posts: 89 Member
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    I also just got the Fitbit One, and I use a Sportsline Duo 1062 (with a chest-strap). Even using the calories off the HRM, Fitbit still has a moderate calorie adjustment at the end of each day
  • Crazy4Healthy
    Crazy4Healthy Posts: 626 Member
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    I use both. I wear the FitBit 24/7 to count steps and basic activity, but when I work out I wear my HRM. The HRM has a much more accurate reading on heartbeats and calories burned during your workout. Hope that helps.

    This. I also wear the FitBit 24/7 but for certain types of workouts (weight training in particular) I use my HRM as it's more accurate. The FitBit works great for most cardio workouts (not so much for the bike). It also synchs with MFP, so it increases your calories even if you don't exercise but have a more active day. This is the part I like the most. Some days we just burn more by doing more. With a HRM I only wear it when I exercise so on a non-exercise day I wouldn't get the benefits of eating more. :smile:
  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
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    The fitbit uses a equation to measure calories and estimated burn. Basically a pedometer on steroids, yes I have the Fitbit One. The polar will use your age, gender, height, weight, and heart rate for calories burned. Depending on your exercise preference makes either or both a great idea. Their are a lot of people who use both.
  • mdj1501
    mdj1501 Posts: 392 Member
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    LOVE my fitbit. Best money I have spent on myself! :)
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
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    I use both. I wear the FitBit 24/7 to count steps and basic activity, but when I work out I wear my HRM. The HRM has a much more accurate reading on heartbeats and calories burned during your workout. Hope that helps.

    Me too...although when I work out I wear my FitBit as well (just entered the calories myself for exercise)

    It depends on what you want it to do. I swear by my HRM but I love my Fitbit because it's gotten me to move more since I have a desk job I can look at the website and say oh I need to walk around the office cause my steps hasn't changed in X amount of time
  • this1bigdog
    this1bigdog Posts: 350 Member
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    I have both a fit bit and and FT7 Hrm . .when I am doing Running and most cardio (even on a treadmill) I use the Fitbit .. but when I am doing Karate or a phyiscal that has less actual movement and/or more Physical effort (burpees, push-ups, Mountain Climbers, free weights, etc) . . .I use my HRM . . and log the activity which will overwrite the calories that the fitbit record so I get a clear picture of the work out!

    Another example is if I am Backpacking. . .the fitbit doesn't care how much weight I am carrying it just see it as walking at a very slow pace . .where as the HRM realizes that I am carrying a lot of weight cuz my HR is through the roof and records more cals burned. .

    But it's really annoying to wear the HR Chest strap for extended amount of time .. .longest i've wore it was about 2.5 hrs . .so not going to wear it all day . . hope that helps
  • this1bigdog
    this1bigdog Posts: 350 Member
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    The fitbit I wear all day . ..even while sleeping to track sleep
  • ChangingAmanda
    ChangingAmanda Posts: 486 Member
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    I use both. I wear the FitBit 24/7 to count steps and basic activity, but when I work out I wear my HRM. The HRM has a much more accurate reading on heartbeats and calories burned during your workout. Hope that helps.

    I'm the same. The Fitbit wasn't calculating my exercise correctly because I was doing a class and I knew the MFP calculation was off as well. I got a Polar FT4 this week and so far so good. I even found it sync's with the gym treadmill I was using yesterday.
  • mlclarke22
    mlclarke22 Posts: 551 Member
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    i was just wondering the same thing today..not sure which would be best for me. I do alot of cardio..running/elliptical mostly and i really want to track my calories burned...advice?
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
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    The fitbit is a pedometer, not a heart rate monitor. It has no means of tracking your vitals. By nature of being a pedometer, the only forms of exercise it is capable of tracking are things that involve taking steps as it measures jarring motions. It also has no means of measuring the intensity of such exercise. A HRM is better because you can use it for things other than walking/running. Plus Fitbits are easily thrown off by the fact that anything that gives it a jarring movement wil register as a step.
  • 120weeks
    120weeks Posts: 242 Member
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    Could someone give me some basic information on the fitbit? Does it have a chest strap or how does it work? I was minutes away from purchasing a Polar FT4 but then saw an ad about fitbit and was curious about it...I know I can look on the website and all but would like some real life experience and information about one. Thanks!

    Hockeyd11

    I received mine two days ago. I got the "ONE". I read through the links below before I set it up so that I would have a better understanding of the device. There are many nuances and it's not as straightforward as one would expect considering the companies are partners. I hope there will be improvements but......Here are some key things I have found to consider before purchase:

    It's a great motivational tool. It's pretty easy to see if I am going to make my personal goal and I check several times a day. If I am not on track, I need to get to moving in the afternoon before I leave the office. I've also worn a pedometer ($10) and it works just as well for tracking steps and getting moving. I just didn't know about my TDEE back then. Since I've educated myself on TDEE and eating to support my needs, I wanted to know what my burns are. For me, personally, I found out quickly that my TDEE does closely match my TDEE from fitness frog. Very reassuring. This is not the case for everyone.


    Only after boxing last night did I truly realize that GAH! I need to also buy a HRM (an extra expense). My pedometer did not capture the intensity of my workout. I heard it is good for running/walking cardio though. If you want a device that "does it all" get a BodyMediaFit or Bodybugg. I used to have a bodybugg and it irritated my skin and there is a monthly service fee.

    I think I have fun because it's compatible with my phone so I look at my phone several times a day. I never touch my fitbit. Not everyone will have a phone that is compatible. I like to look at the fitbit.com website at night from my iPad but I can't read the website that well because iPad doesn't support Adobe flash.

    I keep it attached to my bra but it's so lightweight that if it fell off I wouldn't know it. It would be a costly loss. I am going to get a $2.50 leash on amazon. I accidentally threw it with my dirty clothes after the gym today. I remembered to put it on my bra before going into work but these things will get destroyed in the washing machine.


    I recently changed my MFP goals to "lightly active", lose 1 pound a week. My caloric goal is above my BMR (I get to eat a lot!) and as long as I get my burn to 2400, I'm good to go. I will certainly have incentive to try to lose another 1/2 pound a week with use of the fitbit as my motivation.

    Last thing, When I record my exercise in fitbit (like the boxing using the fitbit estimate for "boxing", it didn't pull over to MFP. I created an exercise in MFP called "Boxing Circuit: 30 minutes" burned 1 calorie, 1 minute, at 5pm (it will ask for a time).

    This may make no sense but it's one of the frustrations (others are listed above) that I have with the MFP/Fitbit connection.

    But, I'm not ridding of it. I found a way to make this work for me but it wasn't straightforward by any means.

    http://www.fitbit.com/one

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/fitbit/connected

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/help/section/65-fitbit-integration
  • hockeyd11
    hockeyd11 Posts: 92 Member
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    Wow-thanks everyone for all the input!!

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