To fitbit or not to fitbit?!

milknbeans
milknbeans Posts: 25
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,
Im in the UK, does anyone use this and if so which one and why? I don't know much about them, but often see people mention them on MFP. But the free fitbit app seems the same as MFP, so whats the point,im confused?!
Also saw someone mention they have a Fitbit Ultra and want to buy a Fitbit Forces, but just went on the Fitbit website and those don't even appear to exist? I am probably missing something, but what's it all about and more to the point....AM I MISSING OUT?!?! ;-)

Replies

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Fitbit is an activity tracker you wear on your body--like a pedometer, but it also tracks your sleep. If you link your accounts, MFP sends your water intake & aggregate meal data to Fitbit. Fitbit sends your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) to MFP. If you move more than the average for your selected activity level, you get more calories to eat.

    Edited to add that MFP has a "Fitbit Users" group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users

    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!

    I find my step goal 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.
  • JdoubleJ
    JdoubleJ Posts: 37 Member
    I got mine (flex) for Christmas and love it! I find it helpful to monitor my activity levels and calorie burn. It's not perfect but I'm very glad I put it on my list to Father Christmas :smile:
  • Annetinkerbell
    Annetinkerbell Posts: 36 Member
    I am using the iPhone app whilst I wait for the force to be available in the UK. It is meant to be on sale later this month. I have linked my accounts and like how it tracks my steps and general activity level, not simply the exercise I put in on mfp.
  • 3boysunder3
    3boysunder3 Posts: 35 Member
    Hey,

    I'm in the UK too. I got a fitbit one last christmas and love it!!!
    Helps you track EVERYTHING and links with mfp. Good choice if you are competitive, as it will motivate you loads!
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
    I used it and disconnected it. I got it as a Christmas gift and was so excited about it untilI realized it's just an over priced pedometer. You're better off getting a heart rate monitor and tracking calories that way.
  • carolemack
    carolemack Posts: 1,276 Member
    Using a Fitbit activity tracker is the best little motivator I have ever used...I wouldn't be without one now, I wear it every single day and have for the past year and a half.

    The Fitbit Ultra is no longer sold; it has been replaced by the Fitbit One which is similar in that you wear it clipped to a bra or pants pocket. It is the one that I have.

    The Fitbit Flex and the Fitbit Force are made to be worn on your wrist...the Fitbit Force is the newest model and adds features that the Flex doesn't have.

    Check out their website or the Fitbit Users group on MFP. In my opinion they are worth every penny you pay for them. I love mine.
  • Youretheoneformefatty100
    Youretheoneformefatty100 Posts: 38 Member
    Its OK but the rubber wristband lasts 5mins....it doesn't motivate me but does help me see why I can't eat much as I am clearly very lazy!
  • MissTomGettingThin
    MissTomGettingThin Posts: 776 Member
    I treated myself to a Fitbit One the week after Christmas and it's definitely helping me walk more and get more activity in.
    It's also making me think about food more.
    I've used MFP for about 3 years now and the FItbit compliments it perfectly.
  • LouCSparkles
    LouCSparkles Posts: 5 Member
    I have a fitbit one and I love it. Definitely makes me move more to meet targets in the app...... especially on days where I feel lazy! ! To me it's worth it for the motivation.
  • colrbln
    colrbln Posts: 3 Member
    I love mine. You can link it to MFP so that helps. The biggest thing is I find that when I have it on I am more likely to take the stairs, pick a further parking spot, etc.... Worth the $, although I hear Garmin just came out with a new one.
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    I'm in the UK too and treated myself to the One last weekend. I really like it! I also find it motivates me more and the numbers so far seem quite accurate. I'm not looking to lose weight anymore and i haven't yet linked it to MFP.
  • Alwayssohungry
    Alwayssohungry Posts: 369 Member
    I used it and disconnected it. I got it as a Christmas gift and was so excited about it untilI realized it's just an over priced pedometer. You're better off getting a heart rate monitor and tracking calories that way.

    Except that a heart rate monitor is for specific 'bursts' of exercise and the Fitbit is worn all day and tracks your steps, flights climbed, etc.

    To compare a pedometer with a heart rate monitor is comparing apples to oranges. They both do completely different tasks. I use my Fitbit One much more than my Polar Heart rate monitor.
  • IbiH
    IbiH Posts: 250 Member
    Love my Fitbit One, had it almost a year, clip it to my bra and off I go. Wouldn't be without it now.

    I also have a Polar FT4 for when I'm running to get a more accurate reading of my burn, but Fitbit is pretty good at it too.
  • bkelley32148
    bkelley32148 Posts: 279 Member
    I got mine for Christmas and love it also. I have the Flex and I use it to track my steps... for me the 1000 steps is a goal on top of my HIIT training and helps keep me in check.
  • dizzmizliz
    dizzmizliz Posts: 10
    I love mine! As others have said I find it makes me more active, I want to meet my step goal so will go for that extra walk/dance around the kitchen! I also work nights and would try and stick to my calories but still get ravenous around 4am and become discouraged, getting my fitbit showed me that I really do walk miles during my night shifts so now I can allow myself a few extra calories during my shift and still meet my targets :)
  • bobf279
    bobf279 Posts: 342 Member
    I was given a fitbit one for Christmas. I have been using it daily and it is linked to MFP which in turn links to Runkeeper. I get a lot of negative calorie adjustments and if I forget to take it off when I run I get a huge step count :). I'll have to see if it helps me lose weight but it is still early days.
  • anwylyd_un
    anwylyd_un Posts: 164 Member
    I've had my Fitbit One for about 3 weeks now and wouldn't be without it. Their customer care team is also excellent, the dongle for mine was faulty and they shipped a new one out no questions asked which arrived from the states in just a few days.

    Mostly, being a competitive little beggar, I am finding that I am looking to find extra steps and stairs just to beat myself the previous day. I'm also on the Move your @ss challenge group both here and on the fitbit forums which gives me an extra thing to compete against.

    My weight loss had stalled for about four weeks prior to getting it, I'm now losing again since getting a technological kick up the butt to move more.

    Worth every penny!
  • GardenOfSongs
    GardenOfSongs Posts: 37 Member
    Is it better than the Polar FT4 then, in your opinion? I've been looking into getting some form of Polar HRM (ideally one that doesn't cripple me financially!) but after reading this forum I might check out fitbits as well :smile:
  • Swiftdogs
    Swiftdogs Posts: 328 Member
    My Fitbit Zip is the reason the indicator on my ticker is over to the right side :smile: . It's great for tracking your activity all day, which is ideal for my routine.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    Is it better than the Polar FT4 then, in your opinion? I've been looking into getting some form of Polar HRM (ideally one that doesn't cripple me financially!) but after reading this forum I might check out fitbits as well :smile:

    I actually used both, because they do different things. Fitbit is good at monitoring steps (running and walking) and overall daily activity. But it is not good with other types of workouts, at least for me. It would give me very little credit for things like Bodypump because I wasn't taking a lot of steps. So I used both.
  • Shellz31
    Shellz31 Posts: 214 Member
    I have the Fitbit Zip, which is way cheaper but doesn't count flights of stairs or sleep. I like seeing how active I am on average and seeing when I'm moving the least so I can build strategies to move more. I never walk anywhere without it clipped on!
  • pithygirl
    pithygirl Posts: 1
    I have the One, and used it pretty religiously for about six months last year, but when I took up cycling, and it didn't track my effort, I sort of stopped using it. It definitely motivated me to park farther away and walk more and more (in addition to my fitness walking) but once I was in the habit, it wasn't so necessary. And if you DO get the One, I highly recommend NOT putting it in the washer and dryer. Just a free bit of advice.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Fitbit is good at monitoring steps (running and walking) and overall daily activity. But it is not good with other types of workouts, at least for me. It would give me very little credit for things like Bodypump because I wasn't taking a lot of steps. So I used both.
    Non-step based activity can be logged either in Fitbit or in MFP--never both. If you log in MFP you're asked for start & end times. Then MFP overrides your step data during that time.

    If I had to choose only one, I'd get an activity tracker, not a heart rate monitor.
  • milknbeans
    milknbeans Posts: 25
    Well Im definitely more interested in it, and going to wait and see what the Fitbit force is like when it comes to England and may well treat myself to it! Those that have the Fitbit Flex, do you find the sleep recording part useful?

Categories