To Fitbit or not to Fitbit

24

Replies

  • sun_fish
    sun_fish Posts: 864 Member
    I've had my Fitbit One for a couple of months now, and am near my goal weight. I think it really depends on what you want to do with a fitness gadget. For me, I just wanted to track steps to make sure I was staying active throughout the day, and for tracking sleep as I have always had some sleep issues. I didn't care about specific calorie burns so knew I didn't need an HRM.

    My Fitbit One has turned out to be exactly what I wanted, and I love it. Seeing a lower steps count gives me incentive to be more active, and the sleep tracker is giving me some insight into my sleep cycles.
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
    I have a fitbit one, and love being able to track my steps and stairs.

    I had an ultra before, but it stopped charging after a year. Had a great experience with their customer support who made it possible for me to get my One at half price, even though I live outside the US/Canada and the Ultra was beyond warranty.

    Haven't washed one yet, though I have showered with the One more than once, because I do sleep track and forgot to take it off.

    If you're a gadgety person who likes to track numbers, itll probably help you
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    I have had a fitbit for 18 months now. First and One, now a Force.
    I would not be without it. For me it is the single best motivator to get me moving more. Before MFP and my fitbit, I would take the most direct route, now I actually take the longer way just to get more steps in. It is just what I need to get me to move more. It is amazing. I have heard from others that their customer service is second to none. People have lost their fitbits and the company has replaced them for free. I will be 63 at the end of September and 2 years ago I would never have believed that I would be where I am today. I owe it all to MFP and my fitbit. The old cliche is so true, "if I can do it, most anyone can do it". If you have no health concerns.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I got my zip off of ebay for 15 dollars new, but I got lucky, most go for 30-40. Get a zip, it's cheap, covert, cute and does not count steps when you move your hands like other bracelet-type trackers. If you don't care for sleep tracking and don't climb too many stairs, zip is your best bet. Look around ebay for new ones.

    A note though, their new dashboard update is not that great. If you are over 40 or have vision problems it may be difficult to look at without glasses. They are looking into the contrast issue though and may resolve it soon (it's uglier than it used to be, but I can live with ugly if certain elements did not blend into the background so much)
  • larrodarro
    larrodarro Posts: 2,512 Member
    The only electronics I use is a $10 wrist watch and the bathroom scales. I've been in maintenance about three months, and I usually stay within a pound of 176, my goal weight. I did wash and dry my wrist watch after swimming in the river, and it still works. I do count calories eaten and burned still, but I think I will try to it without a net soon.

    Larro
  • CrystalFlury
    CrystalFlury Posts: 400 Member
    My fitbit definitely eased my mind about going into maintenance and increasing my calories.

    I found out that I burn *less* calories than MFP predicts for me at sedentary.
    Therefore, I need to get up and move just to have a sedentary calorie burn! Ugh.

    However, I've been following my fitbit calorie burn daily, and have been maintaining since June.

    I believe I can relate to that!!! I calibrated my husband's pedometer he bought a while back from Amazon (one with great reviews) for myself and I tried it a couple days and realized I am below the recommended 10,000 steps a day (this is not including exercise). I know I burn few calories in every day life because I'm very sedentary during the day which explains why overeating hits me so hard. I wouldn't be surprised if I should really be eating 1300 or less calories a day to maintain. Right now, my calories on MFP are set to 1400 because I feel guilty being below that because of what everyone says about, "oh, you're starving yourself sitting at a low intake...". I love food too much also so that makes a 1300 or 1200 goal a challenge.

    I'd consider a Fitbit but I don't want to feel like I'm relying on ANOTHER electronic to maintain/lose a few pounds.
  • moijo75
    moijo75 Posts: 11
    Ive been looking at geting a fitbit, i already have a SYNC watch but it doesnt bloody sync with my samsung.. so i could buy an iphone or a fitbit.. but which one? :huh:
  • zenhiker2014
    zenhiker2014 Posts: 84 Member
    I love my fitbit one. Ive found it helps to wear it on a leash to keep from losing it. And people are correct the flex will only count steps if you move your arms

    Actually it seems to pick up on steps quite well even if you're not swinging your arms. I fooled around when I first got my flex, walking around the block while deliberately moving my arms and then again with my hands in my pockets etc. It recorded a very similar number of steps both ways. I've been using it for 9 months or so now and no complaints about it "missing" steps.
  • Meorainthemaking
    Meorainthemaking Posts: 22 Member
    I LOVE my Misfit Shine: waterproof, runs on battery for 4-6 months, functions as a watch, tracks multiple activities, steps, calories burned as well as sleep in a small, simple, sleek aluminum disk that takes a beating flawlessly. I wear it 24/7.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
    I found I needed way MORE food than the fitbit predicted, but as it has no 'gain' function there was no way to allow for this.

    One easy illustration of what it missed: my wii fit would count my steps during wii step as far higher than the fitbit did.
  • ilfaith
    ilfaith Posts: 16,769 Member
    I got a Fitbit several months ago when I was doing a walkathon fundraiser and needed to record my steps and sync them with the organization's website. I've been wearing it ever since. I do think that it motivates me to be more active (although even on what I consider my more "lazy" days, I rarely have trouble exceeding 10,000 steps...unless I am sitting in the car for 10 hours a day as I did last week.) I especially like having the Fitbit to track my steps when I am away from home and can't get my normal workouts in. Even if I am not logging an aerobics class or tennis match, my Fitbit still syncs my steps with MFP.
  • monih10
    monih10 Posts: 577 Member
    Definitely get one.....I've only had mine for about a month.....and I love it!!
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    BTW, I have been researching which of these pedometer things to get for my son, who needs to track for a medical condition.

    Saw an interesting article that said that basically 10% of people are naturally 'self tracking'. They like to play with it, are motivated by it, and keep using them. (They also like logging food.) Another 20-35% use them when pushed a bit by others or in a social group where everyone tracks (like at work where they push it or they are in weight watchers). The rest just stop using them by 6 months.

    So before you invest, think about whether you will use it. I do love the zip. But I loved my pedometer before that and I do really like logging food.
  • einzweidrei
    einzweidrei Posts: 381 Member
    My fitbit definitely eased my mind about going into maintenance and increasing my calories.

    I found out that I burn *less* calories than MFP predicts for me at sedentary.
    Therefore, I need to get up and move just to have a sedentary calorie burn! Ugh.

    However, I've been following my fitbit calorie burn daily, and have been maintaining since June.


    Just an FYI---FitBit also had me at less calories than MFP and I moved my maintenance calories up from both. FB had me in the 1800s, MFP had me in the 1900s and I moved myself up to 2K. I just ignored FB and did what I wanted to do and I haven't gained a pound.

    I actually don't like FB and find that it's a piece of junk.
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
    I liked my fitbit but after about 6 months I started to get a sore under it. My friend has a really bad red reaction after about 2 months
    This is a known problem and although not everyone gets this reaction I can no longer recommend fit bit flex or force.
    People have suggested lining it with medical tape etc but I don't want to mess with that sort of option. Not sure how that would go when doing gardening or dishes. so no more fitbit for me.
    Fun while it lasted.
  • yogini_kate
    yogini_kate Posts: 2
    I've got a polar loop, which works like a pedometer, but can also sync to a polar HRM (the bluetooth ones). I like it because it tracks everything - steps and exercise sessions - in one place. It does do a calorie calculation via the Polar website, and can also be synced to an app on your phone so you can monitor how you are doing.

    I've found adding the pedometer/step based challenge in addition to my normal exercise/healthy eating has been really beneficial - all the extra walking has helped improve my mood and reduce stress as well as help increase the number of calories I burn.

    Definitely recommended (although not the cheapest option when you combine the 2)
  • zenhiker2014
    zenhiker2014 Posts: 84 Member
    Saw an interesting article that said that basically 10% of people are naturally 'self tracking'. They like to play with it, are motivated by it, and keep using them. (They also like logging food.) Another 20-35% use them when pushed a bit by others or in a social group where everyone tracks (like at work where they push it or they are in weight watchers). The rest just stop using them by 6 months.

    That is interesting. I'm definitely motivated by data so I guess it's no wonder the fitbit made such a big difference for me!
  • WhyphenN
    WhyphenN Posts: 3 Member
    LOVE the fitbit...have had mine since April of 2013. Easy to use and I love how it syncs to my phone and myfitnesspal. It can't calculate motion from things like biking, but that's fine. At the end of the week, I get an email with a weekly fitness report too (total steps, average steps per day, best day, least active day, etc).

    I recommend it!
  • Laura3BB
    Laura3BB Posts: 250 Member
    Saw an interesting article that said that basically 10% of people are naturally 'self tracking'. They like to play with it, are motivated by it, and keep using them. (They also like logging food.) Another 20-35% use them when pushed a bit by others or in a social group where everyone tracks (like at work where they push it or they are in weight watchers). The rest just stop using them by 6 months.

    Now tha's really informative!
    People saying they like their fitbits and have had them a few weeks...is not really informative.

    I've had mine a year, wore it religiously through my 20 pound- weightloss then maintenance, but I must say I'm tired of it now...
  • jparks341
    jparks341 Posts: 216 Member
    I like my fitbit a lot, it's a great little motivator. I used it when I started this journey and it's still helping me along the way.
  • vkdarling
    vkdarling Posts: 161 Member
    Love love loveeee my fitbit flex! It keeps me motivated and reminds me to get moving through out the day. I love the weekly e mailed "progress reports" that show how i did the week before. I would be lost without it and if it breaks or i lose it I'll be going to buy a new one the same day!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I'm in maintenance and have a fitbit. I definitely like mine. I find it's much easier to stay within my preferred range when I'm consistently hitting 10,000 steps.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I used mine a lot at first but I haven't used it in a year. I have a pretty good idea now of how many steps I'm having (which is way less in the Summer, sadly). But it was useful to know how many steps I did during grocery shopping, walks in the neighborhood etc.
  • hungrymarathongirl
    hungrymarathongirl Posts: 444 Member
    Go for it! I love mine. Great little motivator and wonderful customer service.
  • fvtfan
    fvtfan Posts: 126 Member
    I HATE my Fitbit!!! The only thing it is good for is a constant reminder on my wrist to move - that is good.

    The Fitbit really only measures steps (including stairs), it bases your calorie burn on that. I have a flex and unless I move my arm - it doesn't count the steps. So pushing a shopping cart, carrying children or groceries, etc. - doesn't add steps. In addition, I think the sleep tracker is worthless - especially if you or your partner move a lot during the night.

    And, if there is a problem - their customer service is horrible.

    I'd highly recommend something other than the Fitbit.

    WOW - I have had nothing but great experience with their customer service. My clip broke on my 2 year old fitbit one. It fell off and I thought I lost it. I ended up finding it after contacting customer service and they sent me a new clip for free.

    I love my Fitbit - feel lost if I don't have it on during the day.
  • kasaz
    kasaz Posts: 274 Member
    I had a Fitbit and liked it but also wanted a HRM. I had a Polar but it wasn't working properly. My husband bough a Garmin Vivo for me last week and I'm really liking it. Like another person said, the battery lasts about a year. It seems to do everything the Fitbit did and more, of course it also costs a little more.

    Also my Fitbit did go thru the washer once and was okay. In fact I'm passing it on to my son..
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    DH has a fitbit flex, and uses it to track his steps for the day only. It works well to remind him to get his exercise in for his high blood pressure, and he finds it motivating but not overkill. He doesn't log anything other than steps and he doesn't synchronize it with MFP (he's not trying to lose weight - he's using MFP to track sodium/potassium intake).

    I have an iPhone 5S which has step-counter capabilities built in. I wear my phone pretty much all day, so it's convenient for me. I have the Stepz app which has some nice charting capabilities and I also use the step counter in MFP. It does adjust calories, but I ignore those, and stick with my own targets. I've found the burns to be much more realistic than manually entering walks into MFP or using MapMyWalk. I mainly use it because it's on something I already use and I like data. I always go for a 1 hr walk every day, and that wouldn't change if I didn't track it, so I don't need an extra gadget.

    So the fitbit works for DH, but I don't need it.
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
    I use my Fitbit and HRM for maintenance (I specifically got the Fitbit after starting maintenance and continuing to lose weight). It has been brilliant. I have been maintaining for nearly 3 years now with no bother.
  • radmack
    radmack Posts: 272 Member
    Love my Fitbit!
  • Autumnfilly2005
    Autumnfilly2005 Posts: 232 Member
    I got a fitbit zip a few days ago and I'm sort of ambivalent about it. On one hand, it's nice to see an estimate of how much I move. On the other hand, mine doesn't seem to be very accurate. I think because I am fat, when I walk I jiggle quite a bit, which is causing a bunch of extra steps to be registered.

    And LADIES! If any of you are Plus Size on top--DON'T WEAR IT ON YOUR BRA! Yeah, wearing mine on my bra caused like 80 steps to be registered after only 12 or so. Just saying....

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