Fitness Tracker: Worth It?

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chivalryder
chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm looking a getting a Fitbit Zip, but for the money, is it really worth getting? If you've gotten a fitness tracker, does it really help motivate you to get out and get more active?

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  • katrishamaile
    katrishamaile Posts: 16 Member
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    I have a Jawbone Up and I enjoy the information it gives me. Not just logging my activities, but also my sleep. My lack of sleep has been something that I didn't take full notice of until my tracker starting getting on to me about it. I've gone from an average of 4-6 hours of sleep per day to 7 now. It has made a world of difference in how I feel everyday. Many trackers also have alarm options for sleep and inactivity.

    I also like how I can track an activity specifically and see my approximate calories burned. I wear mine on my ankle for most of the day after learning that it didn't track accurately on my wrist if I was carrying an object or not swinging my arms.

    There are many different devices, so I would also recommend you really shop around before purchasing one.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    Price is a big factor for me. That's why the $60 for the Zip is appealing, compared to $100 or $130 or $150 for anything else.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    It doesn't really motivate me to move more, but I'm pretty lazy. It does help me feel more confident that I am eating in a deficit and will continue to lose weight. I eat 1600-1900 and it tells me I am burning 1900-2400. Even if my numbers are off a bit, I am still under and on the right track.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    I have read that they are surprisingly accurate for calorie burns. They're all within 10% of what the actual burn is, which, for a simple devce, is pretty good.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    I just go at Fitbit Zip. I like that it's convenient and I don't need to track my sleep. I already know it's irregular. I like the fat I can just clip it on my bra and forget about it. I had a more involved one and didn't like it. I've been tracking my steps with a phone app, but it doesn't sync with MFP.
  • StarsAreMyOcean
    StarsAreMyOcean Posts: 61
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    Couple years ago, I didn't see the value in a fitness tracker...thought they were too expensive for things I was already sort of calculating on MFP.

    Reality, I bought a Fitbit One one a few days ago and love the thing. It makes tracking easy and I love "competing" against it daily to meet my goals and even beat my personal records. I missed my 10k step goal by about 100 steps yesterday...I almost jumped out of bed and ran around in a circle until I went over. I also like the sleep tracking features but I know not everybody needs or wants that feature. Hopefully I'll be able to use the data from that to improve my sleep cycle.

    Definitely agree with katrishamaile about shopping around. Look what features you want, look at the user interfaces for computer programs and apps for the devices and look at price. You will find something that meets your wants and needs.

    For me, I loved the features of the Fitbit One, but price was a factor so I held off for a while. Last week the burgundy color was on sale at Best Buy for $70-something. Saved about $20, which is a lot for me (though I think of anything $20+ as a lot, call me cheap :X)
  • dancingj2
    dancingj2 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    I use a simple step counter and that does motivate me. I check it throughout the day and it keeps me moving. You could start with a $5-$10 step counter and, if that works, buy the more expensive tracker.

    For me I have thought about getting one of the more advanced trackers but I like the simplicity of a step counter. Also I tend to loose or drown my counters. I would hate to do that to a $100 tracker.
  • 2wawas
    2wawas Posts: 44 Member
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    Fitbit One...3+ years now...over 50 pounds lost. It's ABSOLUTELY worth every penny you spend. Sync it with your MFP and they are an awesome duo!
  • Teresa_3266
    Teresa_3266 Posts: 298 Member
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    I've been reading anything I can on the FitBit. I even joined the FitBit group on here to read more about it. The expense is high so I want to make sure it's worth it to me. I'm all for anything that can keep me motivated, but I also don't want it to just be a novelty item that I quickly get tired of.

    Also, I'm torn between the Zip and the One. If I don't care about tracking my sleep why would the One be better than the Zip? That is an answer that I'm been searching for.
  • 2wawas
    2wawas Posts: 44 Member
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    I should add.....50+ pounds lost and KEPT off for 3 years!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    I've been using my Fitbit Flex for 7 months - I totally love it and it motivates me big time :)
    I average 14-16k steps a day whereas before my Fitbit I probably only did 8-10k...I am however a competitive gal and have quite a number of friends from mfp also as Fitbit friends so this helps keep me going on days I don't feel like it I don't want to see friends pass me on the leaderboard LOL

    Also I love the total calorie burn and it does seem pretty accurate - its really worth spending your hard earned dosh on :)
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    I've been reading anything I can on the FitBit. I even joined the FitBit group on here to read more about it. The expense is high so I want to make sure it's worth it to me. I'm all for anything that can keep me motivated, but I also don't want it to just be a novelty item that I quickly get tired of.

    Also, I'm torn between the Zip and the One. If I don't care about tracking my sleep why would the One be better than the Zip? That is an answer that I'm been searching for.

    The One does keep track of flights of stairs, the Zip does not. I have a Zip, and love the display screen. It will show the calories, steps, miles, time. It also has a face that changes depending on how close you are getting to your goals (mine typically makes this face: :tongue:). There may be other differences as well, those are off the top of my head.
  • Savlona
    Savlona Posts: 84 Member
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    Wondered if something like this would track my cycling if worn on my ankle?
  • Laurenloveswaffles
    Laurenloveswaffles Posts: 535 Member
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    Are you just wanting one to see how many steps you're taking, or to see how many calories you're burning? If you're doing it for the calorie burn, don't waste your money. Like every kind of HRM and step tracker, it's just an estimate. For step tracking, it's pretty accurate and can help get you motivated. When I had my Fitbit Flex, I wanted to walk more to reach my 10k step goal. But it was a waste of $100 to count how many steps I take. If you're wanting one to track your sleep, they have free phone apps that work better.
  • eomuno215in541
    eomuno215in541 Posts: 201 Member
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    I hav the Fitbit Flex. I'd recommend it. Go to QVC, see if they have them still, then you can use flex pay and maybe get extra bracelets included. It does motivate me. The exercise adjustment in MFP takes calories away from me, but that's not a bad thing :smile:
  • titianwasp
    titianwasp Posts: 139 Member
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    I use the fitbit one. LOVE IT!!! If you are lazy to begin with, it's not going to make you less lazy. But if you are motivated and want to keep focused on your goals, it's amazing.

    It integrates with MFP. It tracks my flights of stairs, and extremely cool, it measures the duration and quality of your sleep which can be a huge factor in your weight loss. That was one of the biggest values for me.

    Love it love it love it. Worth every penny! Seeing my friends cheer me on, or even better, surpass my number of steps for the day, is HUGELY motivating. Do it.

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