FitBit..... is it worth it?

StuAblett
StuAblett Posts: 1,141 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Looking at buying a Fitbit, so the most basic question to anyone who has one is was it worth the money?

The next question is which one would you buy?

From poking around online, the FitBit Flex looks really good, but I'd love to hear from real uses their thoughts.

Thanks!
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Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Depends. Mine is worth it to me. Tells me when I need to get off my booty and get moving. It's basically a fancy pedometer. So if you don't do a lot of walking/running or don't want to track steps and every day movement then it's not for you. It doesn't track strength training well. But if you're looking for something to motivate you to move and give you an idea of your daily activity it is great. I have the older model - the Ultra so I don't know much about the newer 3 models...
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    I have fitbit one, had a fitbit ultra before that. To me it's worth it. I've used it for nearly a year now. I try to reach my step goal every day and it encourages me to move more during the day, as well as giving a good estimate of my TDEE.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    Do a search. There are loads of posts on this. The f,ex is quite new so not so many on that bloom at the Bodymedia fit too which is more accurate.
  • bonniejo
    bonniejo Posts: 787 Member
    I got the fitbit zip a few weeks ago and I love it! It fits anywhere and I don't need to recharge it :)
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,159 Member
    I've had the Fitbit Flex for about 2 weeks now and I like it. I'm a sloth and it does make me want to walk more. I love the alarm feature, it gently vibrates on your wrist at whatever time you set it for. I wear it for days straight, it's very comfortable. And it syncs with MFP.
  • jen_zz
    jen_zz Posts: 1,011 Member
    I have the fitbit zip and I try to hit 10000 steps a day although on some days i forget to wear it!

    I find the calorie burn on the fitbit overestimated tho.

    Walked for 40 mins at 3mph which according to MFP Burns abt 150 cals but on my fitbit shows 321 cals! So I just track my steps on it
  • dsalveson
    dsalveson Posts: 306 Member
    If you're looking for a pedometer it's the best one IMO. It's reliable, accurate and it's super compact so you can clip it anywhere on you and it won't be bothersome. I used mine for a few weeks and it definitely makes you more aware of how many steps you're taking throughout the day and gets you up and walking around. One night I was literally doing laps in my kitchen just because I wanted to reach my daily goal. I would definitely recommend it for someone who is relatively sedentary to begin with and looking to walk more as walking is a great tool for weight loss, but if you're already active and work out regularly then you'll probably get a kick out of it to begin with but ultimately it may not be worth the money which is basically what happened to me. I haven't used it in months but it's nice to have on hand I guess, haha. If you get it definitely get the FitBit One.
  • StuAblett
    StuAblett Posts: 1,141 Member
    Thank you all for your input, I really appreciate it :flowerforyou:

    Let me fill in some more blanks about myself, for those that do not know me.

    I started to lose weight (again) a few years ago, I was 136Kg/300lbs. I got back in to cycling and watched what I ate. I took me some time but I got down to about 108Kg/238lbs. Then life once again got in the way and I fell off the wagon, I was well back on track again and then my wife got very sick. She is much better now and it is time get my stuff together again. I'm back up to 126Kg/278lbs and I really hate it. I had a pedometer, got one with a lit armband I bought for walking at night and it worked OK but I'd often forget to wear it, or forget to reset it and then I finally lost it. :sad: This is one reason why I thought the Fitbit Flex might be great, just wear it like an armband.
    When I ride my bike I have either a Cateye cycling computer or a Polar cycling computer with a HRM. I also use an app on my iPhone when I cycle to keep track of the ride, so the fitbit would be more as something to give me an idea of how much I'm moving on a daily basis. I'm not worried about strength training, as I lift heavy cases of beer at work all day long.

    I've not done any research on any other fitbit like armband units, I guess I should do that.

    Thanks again.
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,159 Member
    I looked into the Nike Fuel and Up bands but somehow gravitated towards the Flex. I preordered it earlier this year and it just came out a few weeks ago. It's very comfortable, they send you both a small and large armband. It syncs automatically to the Fitbit page when it's 15 feet from your phone or computer screen, so I do check on it at work often. I love the alarm like I said. You can wear it in the shower and supposedly in the water up to 10 meters, I haven't tried that yet.
  • rjcelmer
    rjcelmer Posts: 431 Member
    I used a Fitbit for nearly a year as I was losing the bulk of my weight and it was an indispensable item. Because I do mostly weight training now, it's packed away in a box. However, when I used it, I loved it.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    I have the fitbit zip and I try to hit 10000 steps a day although on some days i forget to wear it!

    I find the calorie burn on the fitbit overestimated tho.

    Walked for 40 mins at 3mph which according to MFP Burns abt 150 cals but on my fitbit shows 321 cals! So I just track my steps on it
    Was that EXTRA calories on the fitbit. The fit it includes calories burnt just by being alive to but MFP I think would just be the e tra exercise calories.
  • pilarter
    pilarter Posts: 49
    I got a zip less than a month ago, as I wanted to switch from a 1200 cal diet to TDEE based diet. It has changed my life! it is motivating to move, to walk, to run, I wear it all day long, even at nights when I am at night shifts.
    I don´t consider calories burnt overestimated, but MFP underestimated instead; the truth, over or underestimated, is that I am losing weight again after a 2 month plateau, and my zip encouraged me.
    I have never used any other, so I cannot write about them. One would be fine if you need to track your sleep or are curious about your steps, it is said
  • kitza101
    kitza101 Posts: 99 Member
    I use my Fitbit as a nice estimate of my TDEE and to get an idea of what I do on a daily basis. I've found it to be a wonderful motivational tool - turns out I love to compete against myself, who knew! I have the One which I like because it does additional things to the Flex like measure when you are walking up stairs (and I take the stairs to my office 90% of the time), and I just prefer the small and discreet size. I clip it on to my bra and forget. I've had it since December last year, and I've only forgotten to wear it one day - and man did I feel like a part of me was missing that day!! :P

    I don't find that my Fitbit overestimates my calorie burn - it seems to be as accurate as one could expect from a pedometer that is relying on the information you give it and generic averages to calculate your activity level. I would definitely recommend it, it's a really great tool and fun too, if you are like me and into geeky things like looking at your step activity for a day and all the stats around it!
  • baroqueviolin
    baroqueviolin Posts: 47
    For what it's worth, I have a Nike Fuel Band and love it. I try to meet my step goal and my Nike Fuel goal every day. It doesn't measure things like cycling though.... unless I put it on my shoe...then it does. Good device have had since March.
  • mlcantwell
    mlcantwell Posts: 243 Member
    I have a fitbit zip and I love it! It clips to my bra and I can't feel it. It syncs to my phone and computer and I get reminders of how much farther to my daily goal. I get a weekly report emailed to me that tells me how many miles I've walked and my calorie deficit.
    Yeah it's just a pedometer but I find reaching goals satisfying and encouraging to move more!
  • Broejen
    Broejen Posts: 414 Member
    Definitely worth it!! I have the One and it's awesome!
  • lauren31085
    lauren31085 Posts: 35 Member
    I have the Flex and for me it's great. I was stuck at 123 for about three weeks, and the first few days of having the flex I lost a pound. I try and go by the calorie counter on the app rather then MFP, but still log everything through here.
  • Makeda1211
    Makeda1211 Posts: 134 Member
    I use the Fitbit zip and it is amazing. I never have to worry about my calorie count when I'm on it and it also tracks everyday activity as well. The calorie count is not overestimated because you enter your own body metrics and it calculates based on that as well as heart rate. It also encourages you to get your steps in and will let you know how far you are from your 10000 step goal. One the best investments I could have ever made. I have lost 65 pounds using it since Thanksgiving and have not had a plateau.
  • donnaleighh
    donnaleighh Posts: 178 Member
    Completely worth it - just a matter of what one - these two sources will help:

    http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/05/fitbit-flex-review-peer-pressure-sucks/

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/992573-fitbit-flex-vs-one-review?hl=fitbit#posts-15217833
  • Turnaround2012
    Turnaround2012 Posts: 362 Member
    I have a Nike Fuelband and I basically bought it knowing that it was just a fancy pedometer. But.. I have worn it for 21 days now and I am hooked. It tells me to get off my butt and move From what I have heard the fitbit does the same thing.

    What I think everyone finds with any of these devices is that instead of seeing 5 minutes as a time to sit down and "veg" you can use that time to burn more calories and keep the metabolism going.

    I find myself parking farther away from stores, using the stairs instead of the elevator, looking at household chores in a whole new light.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    After reading this, I've decided I'm going to buy one, although I'm debating over a zip or the one. The one is obviously the best but not sure if I can justify £80!
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    After reading this, I've decided I'm going to buy one, although I'm debating over a zip or the one. The one is obviously the best but not sure if I can justify £80!

    I love the silent alarm feature, to me it was worth the extra for that. Being able to wake up early without shocking alarm bleeps is much nicer. I also like the altimeter feature as it does encourage me to take the stairs more often.
  • rekite2000
    rekite2000 Posts: 218 Member
    I have the One. I love that I can see my numbers (the flex is just dots until you look at it online to see the stats). I have it connected to mFP so it will add (or take away) calories based on how much I walk. I have been eating what it says and I am losing consistently (5lbs this past month). My tDEE estimate was very close to what fitbit is saying. I suggest to everyone!
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    I reviewed the Ultra here http://weightwars.co.uk/2012/11/review-fitbit-ultra/ and I have a one now and I love it loads. Motivates me to move more.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    Looking at buying a Fitbit, so the most basic question to anyone who has one is was it worth the money?

    The next question is which one would you buy?

    From poking around online, the FitBit Flex looks really good, but I'd love to hear from real uses their thoughts.

    Thanks!

    fitbit is great for tracking running, walking, daily movement like vacuuming etc, which is great. I like it for running, but If you to a bunch of exercise, say aerobics etc or cycling, rowing, anything else really it doesn't track that and you would need a hrm to track that.

    I love my fitbit, I have the fitbit one, you can time your workouts, time your sleep and it tells you how much and what quality sleep you had, this is very handy as may wake after 6 hours and then check the timer, see i at 6 and sleep another 2. it helps a lot.

    it has a cool flower symbol which demonstrates how close to your exercise goal you are, shows distance, calories and the current time. if you have an iphone 4s or five it will sync directly to your phone.

    so its a great little device, I just think that they should add HRM features to it somehow so its the ultimate for all exercise types.

    if you are just a runner or only want to track your runs, PERFECT. if you were thinking it will track other exercises, nope not really.

    if you want simplicity and style over functionality and information, then the flex is an option. as far as I know it just displays how much exercise you have done through the little leds on it. i think thats crap.

    fitbit one for the win.
  • crazypeachs
    crazypeachs Posts: 55 Member
    i just posted all kinds of great info, and lost it. :( i'll do my best to re-create it.

    i bought the zip a couple months ago and LOVE it. i couldn't justify the cost difference on our budget, but now we're wanting to get one for my husband, too.

    it's very motivating. sometimes when i don't feel like walking, i actually tell myself, "if you don't walk, your fitbit won't smile", or "if i walk i'll be happier tonight when i sync"

    it doesn't sync to my phone, so i sync it once a day, usually at night. it doesn't bother me to do it that way, i have it linked to a couple other websites also, so i prefer that they get the full day's total. also, i have a laptop that i don't leave on all the time, so i just sync before i go to bed. it's no big deal. it holds the detailed (hourly) info for 7 days, daily totals for 30 days, so you don't have to sync everyday if you don't want to.

    i went from a very sedentary lifestyle to walking for fitness at least one mile a day. my daily activities are usually about a mile, sometimes 1.5, but it helps me keep track of the days i was more active and helps motivate me to be more active. also, it helps me put myself in the proper mind-set for eating properly (do i want to eat that? will it just waste my efforts from earlier? is it WORTH it?)

    i think it was a very wise investment, and i would totally get another. the battery is supposed to last about 6 months, and the fitbit website (dashboard) shows a battery meter when you sync it, so when it starts getting low you can make the necessary plans to get another battery...and if you change the battery quickly, it doesn't lose the data it's stored. i'm very happy with mine. never gone without it once.
  • StuAblett
    StuAblett Posts: 1,141 Member
    Wow the input is fantastic, thank you so much everyone!:bigsmile:

    I've got a small problem, I have an iPhone 4, not the 4S just a plain old 4 and I understand that the phone will not sync with the old iPhone 4 :grumble:
    I'm waiting for the new iPhone 5S or what ever they are going to call it to come out. If I got the FitBit I could still use it, but being able to sync with the app on the iPhone looks really nice.

    I guess they provide a dongle that will allow the FitBit to sync with any computer that has that dongle plugged into it. Does it have to be that dongle to sync? I run mostly Mac computers, and they are BlueTooth equipped, but I wonder if the FitBit will sync only with the Dongle....? Does anyone have a Mac computer that has built in BlueTooth that the FitBit will sync without using the Dongle?

    Thanks
  • Monkeybutt74
    Monkeybutt74 Posts: 18 Member
    I LOVE my Fitbit One. It syncs with this site, Walgreens (balance rewards), Redbrick Health, and I'm sure many others. The only thing it doesn't do is sync with my phone. But it does sync with my iPod so all is good there.
  • RCottonRPh
    RCottonRPh Posts: 148
    Just got a fitbit one yesterday and set it up this morning! Loving it so far, but need to stop checking it every 5 minutes...Lol.
  • angieroo2
    angieroo2 Posts: 970 Member
    I just got the zip last week. So far, I'm quite happy with it. I did my research and decided the Flex was not useful to me due to the lack of display. My iphone is too "old" and so I can't sync it thorughout the day. You can download a program to sync it to the computer, but I can't do that at work so it doesn't work for me. With the zip, I can see my progress on the screen. It doesn't count floors or monitor my sleep but I'm not interested in either.

    I also researched the different wristband options when I was thinking of getting a Flex. Every review I read consistently said that the Flex was the best option (over the Nike or Jawbone ones). If I had a compatible phone I would have stuck with the Fitbit brand.

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