Considering Fitbit Flex, any users?
Makoce
Posts: 938 Member
Im going into maintenance and Id love a more accurate account of my exercise & TDEE.
Everyone on here seems to be a big fitbit user/advocator and Id like to know if its worth the 100$.
I would plan on syncing my fitbit to MFP, how does all this work and what are the benefits/pros/and even cons of getting one??
Ive done a little looking but Im still confused on how it works and how you use it. I dont really get it.
Everyone on here seems to be a big fitbit user/advocator and Id like to know if its worth the 100$.
I would plan on syncing my fitbit to MFP, how does all this work and what are the benefits/pros/and even cons of getting one??
Ive done a little looking but Im still confused on how it works and how you use it. I dont really get it.
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Replies
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I love my FitBit One!
I got mine to keep me active, I am not sure what you need to know but I will try and explain how I use mine.
The setup is easy, you log in choose a user name and password, it will ask for some data, much like signing up for MFP.
Yes, It does sync with MFP and Walgreens if you shop there, and a few other apps that let you earn points, etc. for the step that you take daily.
I log my exercise on MFP and it translate over as Active Minutes to the FitBit app, the app will also show you the calories that you burn but you have to be aware that this show like your living calories - like when I wake up I have no steps but calories burned - I personally ignore that because I use MFP for that.
FitBit One can track your sleep (others can as well, you have confirm which ones) for me it was a novelty that I used the first week or so.
FitiBit will note your calories eaten and calories left, but again though it has a deficit calorie count, I find MFP easier. It also logs your water, some say it is easier to log on the FitBit app than on MFP.
You can add friends and keep up with how many steps you have for the week, and at the end of each week you get a progress report - this I love it helps me to know what I am doing and if I can do better!
One small con - the syncing of the FitBit Calories adjustment seems to sync on different schedule than everything else, not a big deal unless you have gone for really long walk (no tracked) and want to know how many extra calories you burned. The adjustment is how your excess non tracked walking is calculated.0 -
So it doesnt add exercise calories automatically to MFP?
What does syncing it to MFP do exactly? Change your calorie goals to a number much like TDEE or??
Im just a little confused how it can be worth the money and what exactly it does that MFP cant do, other than have a little more accuracy in your BMR/TDEE and such0 -
Anyone else?0
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It does automatically add calories to MFP if properly linked. There are literally dozens of threads already covering the issue already populating the message boards with answers to almost every conceivable question about fitbits.0
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It does automatically add calories to MFP if properly linked. There are literally dozens of threads already covering the issue already populating the message boards with answers to almost every conceivable question about fitbits.
I used the search feature and couldnt find what I was looking for, but thanks0 -
I've had the One (lost during a car accident) and now have the Flex. I think the One was better as it could measure you going up stairs, where as the Flex can't.
But the Flex is more convenient and wearable.0 -
I have the flex and like it so far.., I let it adjust my calories for me and it seems to do a good job. I'm a nurse working 12 hour shifts so on those days I walk a lot more than days off even tho I'm not technically doing a workout that I would have logged otherwise but with the flex it still adds calories which helps keep me from getting to hungry but am still losing so overall I think it actually does a better adjustment than just logging regular workouts without it. And you wear it like a bracelet so you don't have to think about it0
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I have the fitbit one and my husband has the fitbit. He uses his to ensure he gets at least 10,000 steps a day. I primarily use my fitbit to ensure I stay active on the days I don't go to the gym. If I don't go to the gym I try to get minimum of 10000 steps and 10 sets of stairs. I also recently got the Aria scale that syncs with fitbit. Personally I don't think the scale is worth the $ but it is nice that it syncs automatically and I don't have to remember what the # actually was. I'm not sure I would pay the extra $ for the Fitbit flex as I like my Fitbit one. A friend of mine got the Fitbit flex and had to take it back because it broke her arm out.0
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I have the Fitbit Flex. I bought the Flex and the Fitbit One to try and compare at the same time. The Flex is the one I decided to keep because it is more convenient. I leave it on 24/7 so there is no fear of forgetting it as I rush out the door. I am able to keep the Flex on when I do Aquafit or swimming whereas the One is not waterproof. No, it does not count the stairs but it does count your steps as you take the stairs. It sync's up with MFP and calculates your calorie burn. It is great!!! I would highly recommend it.0
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I love the fitbit. I have worn the fitbit for 1.75 years. It is very motivational.
I am someone who has not stuck with any product for more than 6 weeks.
I am on my third fitbit device. I washed one. I lost one at the airport.
I have replaced it twice because it is so valuable. if I lost it today,,, I would
go replace it tomorrow.
I strongly recommend the fitbit.0 -
I really like my Fitbit Flex. More than anything, it keeps me aware. I have it synced with MFP. It's always "given" me calories as my step count grows (I teach), but last week I told it to start "taking away" calories when I'm less active. Ouch! But it lets me see how my inactive Saturdays affect what I'm burning.
I'm a data junkie, so I love seeing my sleep stats, and the weekly progress report that is emailed to me is one of my favorite things to receive.
I also really enjoyed the year-end report that was sent.
I'm considering buying the wifi scale that syncs automatically, too, but I haven't decided, yet.
The $100 for the Flex, though, has been completely worth it!0 -
It counts steps but does it count calories during your cardio workouts too?
I sit mostly during the day and really just want it for accurate maintenance calories and more accurate exercise burns.0 -
Hey! I have the Force and I love it. It does better counting calories on cardio things, like the treadmill or running, etc. Weightlifting it doesn't quite grasp, which is fine for me because I'm not eating those calories back anyway.
The best thing for me is that it makes me move more. My friends include my best friend, an old school friend and my sister in law who is a policewoman (she is always on the top of my leaderboard LOL). It makes you want to move around more so you can keep up with them! Also, you can set a stairs goal. Mine is 10 flights per day. So I take the stairs more often.
The other thing i've noticed is that I had my calories set on sedentary and I would log my exercise calories. But for instance the 1/2 mile walk from my car to my office in the morning really does count as burning calories and I wasn't accounting for that before.
With the flex you also get sleep tracking. Some people don't use it but I LOVE it. I have an intellectual/stressful job so it's really important to get adequate sleep so my brain works. It tells you how long it takes you to sleep, and the quality of your sleep, and how long you actually sleep. I've been a lot better about getting my eight hours, and I actually feel guilty if I don't LOL.
My sync with MFP is fine. for instance I went to the gym this morning and did 30 minutes on the arc machine and 30 minutes heavy weight lifting and then a mile on the treadmill. It only gifted me 295 calories. Per the machines at the gym I burned 300 on the arc, 100 on the treadmill and I'm sure I burned SOMETHING lifting weights. You can manually go in to MFP and put the calories you burned, but I just go with the lower number since I've heard that the machines overestimate your calories burn in any event (plus its a heck of a lot easier ) 0 -
Do you have to buy a membership or anything on the fitbit site to use it or is it free0
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I've got a flex and have had it since Christmas.
I still use a HRM for specific workouts but for my day to day stuff the flex is invaluable. I have a very active job during the week but weekends I barely move lol
Even better it is free, unlike bodymedia, which is why I didn't get that as it all worked out too expensive for my liking.
Before the flex I used to use the scooby website to calculate my TDEE - 15% and I've found that the flex is almost the same, except days that are really busy or really lazy but now that I have it I can't imagine life without it!0 -
Do you have to buy a membership or anything on the fitbit site to use it or is it free
It's free.0 -
Do you just prefer hrm?
Or does it do a bad job?
I do a lot of treadmill and elliptical exercises when I do work out.
Other that hiking a lot when it's nice that's it. I sit at a desk all day.
Basically I guess I could sum It up like this-
Is it worth to get purely for exercise calories and a more accurate maintenance calorie level?
Cause I'm afraid of calculators numbers and exercise burn estimates for maintenance because at least at a deficit there's room for error and you'll maintain. At maintenance your error is gaining so I'm nervous and thought fitbit could do all the calculations for me so I don't have to. I wanted to do TDEE so I don't have to move more in one day to eat more for that day. That's been burning me out. I want it all figured in for the week.0 -
I have the fibit one right now. I just bought the flex but I want to be able to monitor my steps. Can you still use them together or will one cancel out the other?0
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I have the fibit one right now. I just bought the flex but I want to be able to monitor my steps. Can you still use them together or will one cancel out the other?
I'm usually carrying stuff while doing my job so when I'm taking steps well the flex know that?0 -
I have fitbit flex. I like it, keeps me motivated to all or be more active each day to hit the minimum 10000 steps. I don't wear it while working out thus making me have to not rely on workouts to be active. I think it's a good tool for motivation. I stopped synching it with MFP because I did not want negative calories calculated.0
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Do you just prefer hrm?
Or does it do a bad job?
I do a lot of treadmill and elliptical exercises when I do work out.
Other that hiking a lot when it's nice that's it. I sit at a desk all day.
Basically I guess I could sum It up like this-
Is it worth to get purely for exercise calories and a more accurate maintenance calorie level?
Cause I'm afraid of calculators numbers and exercise burn estimates for maintenance because at least at a deficit there's room for error and you'll maintain. At maintenance your error is gaining so I'm nervous and thought fitbit could do all the calculations for me so I don't have to. I wanted to do TDEE so I don't have to move more in one day to eat more for that day. That's been burning me out. I want it all figured in for the week.
I do prefer an HRM but it's nowhere near as convenient. I wear my HRM just for my elliptical sessions.0 -
Still confused how I would use it for maitenance.
Just eat what it says I burned for that day?
Does that mean it's like MFP where you have to move more to eat more vs TDEE method?0 -
Do you just prefer hrm?
Or does it do a bad job?
I do a lot of treadmill and elliptical exercises when I do work out.
Other that hiking a lot when it's nice that's it. I sit at a desk all day.
Basically I guess I could sum It up like this-
Is it worth to get purely for exercise calories and a more accurate maintenance calorie level?
Cause I'm afraid of calculators numbers and exercise burn estimates for maintenance because at least at a deficit there's room for error and you'll maintain. At maintenance your error is gaining so I'm nervous and thought fitbit could do all the calculations for me so I don't have to. I wanted to do TDEE so I don't have to move more in one day to eat more for that day. That's been burning me out. I want it all figured in for the week.
I don't think it works very well on the elliptical (never use one when wearing it so am not 100% sure) but I like to include my exercise calories separately.
You will never have the same number of calories to eat with a flex, it changes the number you need to eat depending on how active you have been for that day, i.e. if you've been very active, hiking/walking or just generally running about and then the next day is a proper lazy duvet day then your calorie goal for each day will be different!
If you're looking for the same number for each day and you work out regularly (say 3/4 times a week) I would use a calculator like www.scoobysworkshop.com - that way no matter what you eat the same regardless of how much you move as it is all accounted for. As previously said I've found there is not a huge difference in numbers from the flex and the website estimated ones.
HTH
Edited to add - I think no matter what finding the correct calories for maintenance is a bit of a balancing act. You're weight will naturally fluctuate a couple of pounds but it's finding the happy medium so that those few pounds no longer matter. I'm only 8lb away from goal so will have to play with the numbers once I get there too! Well done for achieving your goal :happy:0 -
I have fitbit flex. I like it, keeps me motivated to all or be more active each day to hit the minimum 10000 steps. I don't wear it while working out thus making me have to not rely on workouts to be active. I think it's a good tool for motivation. I stopped synching it with MFP because I did not want negative calories calculated.
you can turn the negative calories off in "settings"0
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