Fitbits?

CiCi924
CiCi924 Posts: 34
in Fitness and Exercise
Really considering getting a Fitbit, once I have a little more money, and I was curious to see what you guys think of them.
Are they accurate at counting the calories you burn/your steps?

I've been wanting to get a pedometer for a while, but a few of my friends have Fitbits and just love them. I'd be interested in seeing how much I walk a day and get a better estimate of the calories I burn when I work out. I figure it'll motivate me to walk more and get more exercise. The sleep thing on some of them could be cool, since I've been having trouble getting to sleep lately.

I was thinking about either the Flex or the Force; I think having it on my wrist would be better than forgetting it's on my clothes when I throw them in the wash.

What do you guys think?

Replies

  • CiCi924
    CiCi924 Posts: 34
    bump
  • Bsking78
    Bsking78 Posts: 11 Member
    I bought a force I wanted to track my steps since I do a lot of walking at work but I am disappointed in it and plan on returning it for the fit it one. 2 things the clasp is horrible google it's reviews. I ware another bracelet with it. I tie the bracelet to the fitbit so it doesn't get lost when it falls off. And it will fall off at some point Hope you notice it when it happens. 2nd I get in and out of my car for work 10-15 stops a day and too often it will add 200-300 steps each car trip. I want to switch to fitbit one because I understand this is not as much of a issue while in your pocket. If it didn't automatically down load data and track sleep I would just buy a cheap $20 pedometer. And I'm seriously weighing that option now
  • cactuswax
    cactuswax Posts: 77 Member
    I got a flex for Christmas this year... Love it! It's been really motivating, especially because of the friends element; makes for healthy competition.

    You can also track how well you slept, and it syncs up really easily with MFP. The device itself is tough to snap on the first few times, but after that it gets easier to attach. The only potential downside is that the strap can catch of things and get pulled off your wrist.. This happened to my brother a few weeks ago and he lost it in a parking lot.. He contacted the fitbit folks, and they sent him a brand new one! All they asked for was his original receipt!

    Great tracker and great customer service... Highly recommend getting one.
  • KatyE213
    KatyE213 Posts: 447 Member
    I have the Fitbit One and I love it. I had the Ultra before that so as you can see I really wouldn't be without it now! I love the way it interacts with MFP and for me its been really helpful. You need to bear in mind that it isn't accurate for tracking your burn during some kinds of exercise, but its brilliant for tracking walking/running. I would highly recommend it.
  • Napier_mum
    Napier_mum Posts: 88 Member
    I have a fitbit one and I LOVE IT! I mainly got the one because I walk with a stroller so my arms don't move. I am actually really glad I did. I have never forgotten to take it off or put it on and I have two toddlers so my brain is mush! I just clip it into my bra and off I go but you can wear it in your pocket as well. I think if you put it in the coin pocket it would be even better so you know it isn't going anywhere. The case is non slip anyway.

    I only got mine in December but it has motivated me so much more. I love seeing how many steps I am doing a day and I quite often go for extra walks just to get a higher number of steps than the previous day. I started off struggling to get to 10k steps a day and now am usually around 15k.

    I have my fitbit synched to MFP and load my food here and let the fitbit tell MFP my calories burned. It updates a fairly frequently and will let me know how many I have burned over and above my BMR. Seems fairly accurate for me but I try not to eat all the exercise ones back anyway so it isn't hugely important to me.

    Sorry, bit of a novel but I really do love my One! I even have to go and buy new trainers tomorrow because I have walked so much that I have worn out my usual shoes.
  • DannPM31
    DannPM31 Posts: 32
    My wife got one for Christmas. She loved it, but I think it overestimated calories burned. She also literally got burned by an apparent battery leak (Google it). That being said, the company was very prompt to refund the money and very professional to deal with. She got a Jawbone after that and loves it even more. Personally, I'd recommend the Jawbone.
  • 2essie
    2essie Posts: 2,848 Member
    I had the Ultra to start with and loved it. I had it for 15 months and the case cracked. I emailed customer services and they sent me a new 'One' free of charge. Again they just needed a copy of the original receipt. I wouldn't want to be without my fitbit. I love it and their customer service is amazing.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Have fitbit force. Love it. Have no issues with the clasp, it doesn't count steps in my car, and the tdee it gives me daily is usually around 2100-2250, which is where I'd already figured I was (via deficit counting and rate of loss).
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    what's teh sleep thing?
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
    I've had a One for a year and looooove it! As a nurse it had to be a non wrist device for me.

    I got it when starting maintenance and it must have been about right on cals burned because I am still in the right place weight wise. This is after 30yrs of wt loss and regain, it has been integral as a tracker and motivator.

    I keep it set at a 250 cal deficit (I eat extra at w/e) and if I haven't earned the cals as the day goes on (I entered them in MFP the night before) then I get moving - mainly my mini tramp which it works brilliantly on. I also walk a lot (I mountain walk on hols and like that it picks up ascents, as floors climbed, unlike most devices which often don't even register steps on a long slow ascent). I do weights 2x wk and add that in the exercise log. Everything else I do the device picks up.

    I would honestly get one the same day if I lost mine. I wear it on my waist as a rule. Boob jiggle added steps for me lol.
  • Cookie_4
    Cookie_4 Posts: 152 Member
    I LOVE MY FITBIT ZIP! I got it as a gift for Christmas, too, and have been using it ever since. It's super small, I clip it to my bra strap and don't even feel it. It seems pretty accurate and it helps me to be more active. When I check it and see how little steps I've taken, I'll hop up and walk around a bit or run an errand to get my step numbers up!

    Also awesome that it syncs w MFP. The one I have doesn't track my sleeping pattern but I'm not really interested in that and I like the Fitbit Zip because I don't like wearing things around my wrist. You can find it online at different sites for less than 50 dollars. Did I already mention that I love it? :)
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
    ps - I'm a rubbish sleeper too but found if I was awake I'd consciously jiggle my wrist so it knew lol. That seemed counterproductive so I don't do that bit now b ut found it useful for a snapshot.

    I read that Magnesium 500mg in a chelated form helps and started it 2wks ago. I've never slept so deeply and look 10yrs younger after an entire adult life of poor nights. I still wake for a pee (because I refuse to curb my liquids in!) but go back to sleep now- it's a ruddy miracle and means poor Hub doesn't get nudged for "breathing loudly"!

    I use Magnesium Orotate 500mg from Amazon because the citrate version can affects some people's tums.
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
    I won't say "love" but I find the fitbit flex best for me, wearing it on my wrist means I don't need to work out where to clip it to my summer frocks or pjs as I mooch around the house.
    Steps seem pretty spot on and calories match MFPs estimate for my level of activity.
    Don't like it on all the time so once I figured I slept better than I realised I take it off at night now
  • Woogl
    Woogl Posts: 1
    The force is solid, I love mine. Follow the link below for a vid on how to clasp it properly. I haven't had the force come off once.
    Also if you're getting steps from driving, just add the times you were driving as an activity under "automobile" and it will negate those steps.
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
    I've had my flex for a week now and I'm loving it. I've just managed to log my sleep the last couple of nights and its interesting to see if you've had disturbed sleep or not. Apparently last night I was at 99% sleep efficiency!

    I use my fitbit more as the step counter and to encourage me to be more active, but I still use MFP to log my calories burned and use that as my guide for how many cals I have left to eat so I don't overestimate anything.

    Definitely worth buying tho, got mine off Amazon for £67
  • CiCi924
    CiCi924 Posts: 34
    Thanks everyone, I'll definitely do a little more research!

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