Thinking about purchasing a FitBit...
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I adore my FitBit Force. Wasn't sure what to expect but I am absolutely loving it. I realized I was seriously over-estimating my activities (Brisk walk, walk, very brisk walk, cross-country and mountain climbing) thinking I had way more calories to spare than I actually did. Obviously it IS a frivolous gadget and I won't tell someone to buy one instead of food and clothes for their children but seeing as this is a community that caters to every consumer then I guess personal opinions count for something every now and again!
I adore it and recommended it to an equally frivolous friend who seems to get a kick out of it as well. I will actually get back outside to meet my 15K daily step goal at 9:00PM at night to prove a ridiculous point to my silly watch. In the end whatever it takes to keep you active, motivated and fit... That's money well spent, right there.0 -
So Jonnythan, do you think the Fitbit Zip would be just as good? Seems similar to the One except no sleep monitor.
Lots of women hook them in their bra, so it seems like it wouldnt get easily lost. [I realize you have no experience with hooking it in your bra. ;-) ]
I keep thinking about a Fitbit and can't make up my mind!0 -
I got one as a gift. It's a $2 pedometer with $80 in bluetooth/wireless/software that comes along with it.
It's a fun toy.
Find me a pedometer that can actually estimate speed, which will produce over the course of a year a "calories burned" estimate that is within 1-2% of actual calories burned (as calculated using weight change and calorie intake).
Like I said, $2 pedometer with $80 in bluetooth/wireless/software.0 -
I did some research and still dont understand it I guess...:huh:
How does a fitbit work? Do you wear it all day then log the calorie burn no matter what you did?
How does it work with what you consume each day?
How does it estimate your calorie burn though, does it just go by height, weight, speed or is there some type of HRM installed as well?
If curious, I didn't see answers to couple of your questions.
It works by using standard BMR calculation based on gender, age, weight, height. That amount of calorie burn is used for all non-moving time.
All moving time is step based, stair based attempted too, and then calorie burn is based on weight and that info - and that is actually really accurate formula's if it is seeing your steps correctly, and it has your stride length correct (you can manually put in tested figures to increase accuracy).
This also means it's under-inflated for any workout not step based, like bike, lifting, rowing, ect. Their FAQ page mentions several exercise.
When you sync it with MFP, some math is done.
You already told MFP what your daily calorie burn is without exercise, activity level x BMR. An estimate of course.
When MFP sees a FitBit reading higher than what it expected for non-exercise maintenance burn, it assumes the rest is from exercise, and per the way MFP works, you get to eat more when you do more, the same deficit for weight loss is still in your daily goal no matter what.
You can still manually log in to MFP exercise the FitBit would be bad at measuring, like strength training, and MFP will sync it over to FitBit to replace the calories it underestimated. The math is then done again as to how much left to eat that day.
So if you sync it, you mainly do everything from the MFP side of the equation, daily eating levels are synced over to FitBit site.
Ok, Thanks for the clarity...Im definitely considering it now for my second half of my weight loss..0 -
Find me any mathematical equation that can do the same........0
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I have the fitbit force and I love it! I wasn't burning nearly as many calories as I thought, plus with the real time display is a little more motivation.0
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I got one as a gift. It's a $2 pedometer with $80 in bluetooth/wireless/software that comes along with it.
It's a fun toy.
Find me a pedometer that can actually estimate speed, which will produce over the course of a year a "calories burned" estimate that is within 1-2% of actual calories burned (as calculated using weight change and calorie intake).
Like I said, $2 pedometer with $80 in bluetooth/wireless/software.
Except pedometers don't do that.
The results speak for themselves. Over the past year, the Fitbit has estimated my daily calorie expenditure to within about 10 calories/day (as calculated based on my weight change and calories eaten).0 -
So Jonnythan, do you think the Fitbit Zip would be just as good? Seems similar to the One except no sleep monitor.
Lots of women hook them in their bra, so it seems like it wouldnt get easily lost. [I realize you have no experience with hooking it in your bra. ;-) ]
I keep thinking about a Fitbit and can't make up my mind!
I had the Zip and exchanged it for the One. The altitude (stair counting) function is worth the extra money. The sleep tracking is kinda cool too, though I don't do it anymore.
[I plead the fifth with regards to the bra.]0 -
Another vote for the Fitbit here.
Just set your MFP activity level to sedentary, then link your Fitbit account. Once you've been active enough it will start giving you more Calories.
It has taken all the guess work out of my weight loss. So long as I follow the numbers, my actual results match the predicted results to a tee.0 -
I posted this questions earlier and did not get a response. Perhaps someone on this thread will know...
I just got a fitbit force and I love it so far. I set it up following some advice on the threads. I set my activity level to sedentary, MFP estimated that I burn 1913 calories just sitting around (I work at a desk job). I subtracted 500 calories (1413) plus I eat back the "fitbit adjustment" calories, which varies anywhere from 300-600 calories. My question is, how can I force the fitbit to update more often? I usually workout in the evening and it doesn't always update MFP, I know I can estimate how many calories I can eat back by using the fitbit app but is there a way to just manually update the fitbit info with MFP?0 -
I love my Fitbit and find that the adjustment is quite accurate for me. I get in a lot of steps over the course of a normal day and found I was significantly underestimating my exercise earlier. I have the Zip, but would go with the One. The Zip doesn't count stairs, and I believe the One has a button you can use to mark start and end points for non-step exercise - can someone confirm that?
I just got a fitbit force and I love it so far. I set it up following some advice on the threads. I set my activity level to sedentary, MFP estimated that I burn 1913 calories just sitting around (I work at a desk job). I subtracted 500 calories (1413) plus I eat back the "fitbit adjustment" calories, which varies anywhere from 300-600 calories. My question is, how can I force the fitbit to update more often? I usually workout in the evening and it doesn't always update MFP, I know I can estimate how many calories I can eat back by using the fitbit app but is there a way to just manually update the fitbit info with MFP?
You should be able to go into the Fitbit app and click the Sync Now button.0 -
I have the force and have really liked it so far. I've seen a lot of posts claiming how inaccurate it is, and have been meaning to test it against a regular pedometer to see for myself.
I think the biggest thing I like about it is just the fact I can see what I'm doing and push myself to meet and beat my goals (and the people on my friends list). Even if it is off, it's off everyday, so if I do 1000 more steps than yesterday I'm improving.
If it will motivate you to move more, it won't be a bad purchase.0 -
My Fitbit was the best $100 I've ever spent in my life, ever. Easily. It has proven to be frighteningly accurate over the past year.
The wrist-mounted ones are trash IMO. The wrist is a poor place to measure body movement. The Fitbit One is the only real choice.
Hpow disappointing. I asked for the wrist one for Christmas! :sad:0 -
I got one as a gift. It's a $2 pedometer with $80 in bluetooth/wireless/software that comes along with it.
It's a fun toy.
Find me a pedometer that can actually estimate speed, which will produce over the course of a year a "calories burned" estimate that is within 1-2% of actual calories burned (as calculated using weight change and calorie intake).
Like I said, $2 pedometer with $80 in bluetooth/wireless/software.
Except pedometers don't do that.
The results speak for themselves. Over the past year, the Fitbit has estimated my daily calorie expenditure to within about 10 calories/day (as calculated based on my weight change and calories eaten).
I think you think that I'm disagreeing with you.
The heart of the fitbit is a little accelerometer, just like most cheap pedometers. And has all of the limitations on activity tracking thereof.
But is also capable of so much cool integration - and that's what you're paying for.0 -
Go to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30 (or click the "Apps" tab at the top of this page, then the "Fitbit Tracker" link.) Disconnect your accounts, then reconnect them. It should force a sync.How can I force the fitbit to update more often? I usually workout in the evening and it doesn't always update MFP, I know I can estimate how many calories I can eat back by using the fitbit app but is there a way to just manually update the fitbit info with MFP?0 -
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Because I've been contemplating purchasing one for myself and would like to follow other users tips and experiences.0 -
I have the FitBit Zip and I love it. Have never regretted it. I love the motivation to hit 10,000 steps/day.0
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I have an UP by Jawbone http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/97 and a Fitbit Flex. (Fitbit makes other trackers that can be clipped to your bra.) http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30 They all work the same; you have to decide which app you prefer and whether you like wearing a band or not. (Also be sure to check that your smartphone or tablet is compatible.) I have both because I'm a data nerd. You only need one.How does a fitbit work? Do you wear it all day then log the calorie burn no matter what you did?
How does it work with what you consume each day?
I log all my food & drink (including water) in MFP, and all exercise and activity with the activity trackers. MFP sends aggregate meal data to the trackers. The trackers send my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) to MFP.
When you set up your MFP account, you specified an activity level: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided MFP used your answer, plus your age, sex & height, to estimate how many calories you burn every day (your TDEE). Then you set your weight-loss goal, and MFP subtracted the appropriate deficit to calculate your daily calorie goal.
Once you link an activity tracker to your MFP account (via the "Apps" tab at the top of every page), you start getting calorie adjustments. If your tracker says you burned more calories than MFP estimated, you get a positive adjustment (meaning more calories to eat). If you enable negative calorie adjustments and you burn less than the MFP estimate, you will lose calories. (But negative calorie adjustments will never drop your daily calories below 1,200.)
I wasn't losing much weight when I got my first activity tracker. At first, the adjustments didn't seem very accurate. But they got better, almost as if the system was "learning" my routine. It took a lot of trial & error to find the settings that worked best for me. But then everything clicked. I changed my MFP settings from sedentary to lightly active (even though I have a desk job), and now my adjustments are pretty minimal. And I'm losing!
Edited to add that I find my daily step goals really motivating. If I get home at night and see I'm thisclose to making goal, I'll walk around the block. A little bit more every day really adds up.0 -
another vote for the fitbit one. And I agree with what jonnythan said as well. In fact, it was his success sorry that led me to getting the fitbit.
I have been wearing mine and based on my numbers since getting it 7-8 months ago. the Fitbit has accurately estimated my calorie burn the entire time. I know this because my calorie deficit between cals in and cals out has been spot on (within 1 lb) of my weight loss. The plan was to lose 1 lb a week and I have done that each week.
I had the flex and did a side by side comparison and the One came up on top for accuracy. My husband had the Force and did the same thing. The One (worn on the body - pocket, clipped to bra) was for more accurate than the other devices.
BEST $100 I SPENT ON FITNESS --- EVER!0 -
I own both the One and the Flex. My biggest gripe with the One is that I was tired of moving it from the holder during the day, to the wristband at night, and half the time forgetting to put it back on after my shower. I like not having to take the Flex off except to charge it.
Out of curiosity I wore both of them for a week (opened a separate Fitbit account under a gmail for the second account) and they were within a couple hundred steps of each other every day. I average about 12K steps a day so that's a reasonable margin of error (and one wasn't always higher than the other). I have my Flex on my dominant hand and have it marked that way in my settings.0
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