Fitbit? love or leave it?

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  • roller31
    roller31 Posts: 1 Member
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    I have had the Fitbit Flex for about 3 month i find it to be some what correct. I am a professional land survyor and it will track your steps but if you do alot with your hands it will gove you false readings. Besure to research your options before you buy. A tracker that fit into my pocket or attached to a belt would of been a better option for me. With that said, i am still able to get a pretty good baseline of activity everyday to compare. The only other issue i have seen is to be sure that the tracker you are interested in is compatible with your current phone/tablet or possible future phone/tablet.

    "Getting old is a state of mind I refuse to accept"
  • becomingbeautifultoday
    becomingbeautifultoday Posts: 131 Member
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    I got a FitBit Flex a few weeks ago and I’m loving it! It’s pretty accurate, and I find myself doing laps of the house at the end of the day to reach my step goal. The sleep tracking is really cool to. It not only tracks how long you sleep for, but the number and duration of when you wake up, and when you are restless. At the end of the week it also gives you the average time it takes you to fall asleep. Really cool. And the calories burned throughout the day is really cool too! If you can afford it, definitely get one!! I’m loving mine :)
  • lizzybathory
    lizzybathory Posts: 229
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    I don't have one. I actually thought about buying one, and came pretty close to it more than once... but it doesn't make sense for some people. Most of my physical activity I get when I'm riding a bike or doing yard work, and I just don't feel like the fitbit would capture that very effectively... despite being pretty active, I'm not exactly in the 10,000 steps camp.

    If you anticipate working on walking or running goals as a big part of your fitness or weight loss effort, then it might be nice. Otherwise, I feel like it wouldn't tell you much you don't already know.
  • lizzybathory
    lizzybathory Posts: 229
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    Also, when I do a run or something, it's easy enough to track it once with an app on my phone, and then I'll know the next time I run that route approximately how many calories to enter. I do the same thing with my daily bike commutes. I don't need to track it with a device every day; I've measured it approximately with my phone a few times, and now I just know what numbers to enter.
  • becomingbeautifultoday
    becomingbeautifultoday Posts: 131 Member
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    I forgot to mention as well that although I LOVE my FitBit, you have to have a pretty new phone to be able to sync it to your phone, which I don't have, so I don't know my exact steps until each evening when I turn on my computer and sync that way. And qworeje, I think you're right that the FitBit wouldn't track your bike riding. I think (the flex at least) uses the swinging arm movement of a person walking to count steps, and since your hands are stationary while biking it wouldn't count that.
  • lnxjenn
    lnxjenn Posts: 64 Member
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    Is that how it keeps track of the steps? That doesn't make much sense really... I clean during the day, so would that mess up my count? I dont' have a fitbit yet, but my mom has talked me into one. I do pilates and cycling as well. So, i'm hoping to use it for pedometer for curious for my work activity (walking, cleaning all day!) and hoping it might help me figure out what's going on and why i struggle.
  • andielyn
    andielyn Posts: 233 Member
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    According to the Fitbit Flex FAQ it does NOT measure arm movements. It won't count normal arm movements from things like typing, gestures, eating, etc. and WILL count steps when not moving arms like pushing a shopping cart or stroller.

    As for biking, no it does not measure that well because it is not a step-based activity. Your best tool for that is a HRM.
  • andielyn
    andielyn Posts: 233 Member
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    I had a fitbit but have to say I did not find it very accurate - even sitting at my desk typing would clock up countless steps, and driving caused it to log thousands of steps I just hadn't taken! You can get round the driving problem with apps like drivebit but you have to keep remembering to log the time or activate the app, and in the end I just got fed up with it. If I get something else I will go for a HRM.

    Interesting...I have a desk job and have been paying close attention to whether or not it is counting steps when I'm actually not and just typing or other movements and I'm finding mine to be dead-on accurate--it is only tracking steps when I actually get up from my desk and go elsewhere. It's also not counting steps in the car. I don't know if the dominant/non-dominant hand settings has anything to do with the differences we're experiencing. I actually use both my hands quite equally especially since I had a bad injury to my dominant arm/shoulder.

    So for example, I've been sitting at my desk, typing, doing all sorts of movements, reaching for things, working off a cart next to my desk, etc., but all seated. I force synced my Flex and it did not count one single step, despite all the arm and hand movement.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    According to the Fitbit Flex FAQ it does NOT measure arm movements. It won't count normal arm movements from things like typing, gestures, eating, etc. and WILL count steps when not moving arms like pushing a shopping cart or stroller.

    As for biking, no it does not measure that well because it is not a step-based activity. Your best tool for that is a HRM.
    The other day I hit goal while I was standing still in the shower washing my face...

    I've only had mine for a week, and I don't use it to determine calorie burns, and I don't link it to MFP. I use it as motivation to move more; more than I did the day before, more than my friends, whatever. I find it very effective for that. However, a pedometer did the same thing for me. I'd always try to find a way to get a few more steps in. But, my pedometer fell off all the time, and I basically wanted something I could put on my arm and just leave on all the time. (The sleep stuff has been interesting too.)
  • chadya07
    chadya07 Posts: 627 Member
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    i was skeptical too. i couldnt get anyone to really explain the difference between it and a pedometer. so i bought a pedometer at rite aid for 14 dollars. and it did count my calories... but... i ended up not wearing it much because all it did was count my steps and i could have just as easily used time to do that... i also forgot quite often, and it always fell off my waistband, which was where i had to wear it.

    it was ok but... i dont know. i bought a fitbit zip(at walmart the green one is 60 but they give you a 20 dollar walmart gift card with it)... because someone finally enlightened me.

    fitbits value is that it syncs with myfitnesspal, does all your math for you, and you dont have to think about it at all. at the end of the day and throughout if you walk near your computer it updates and calculates what you have left compared to what you have burned. it takes into account your tdee and calculated your calorie burn. it sends you a report every week about how much you burned, what your weekly calorie defecit was, etc. also its waterproof. and you clip it on your bra (or wherever) and dont even know its there. and its cute like a gigapet.

    hen i went on vacation last week it was awesome because i could check my walking throughout the day and trade them for goodies from my favorite places too. it was peace of mind and kept me from going overboard while having fun, but still getting my almond croissants and such that one must get when in seattle.

    the only thing i suggest is change your settings to show negative values or mfp wont give you an accurate sync, and when you input your non walking workouts, make sure you put in the start time correctly so it can adjust. .

    also, for the accuracy... i am not sure anything is totally accurate, i always assume it is off a little and dont eat back walking calories unless i go over my daily average of 10,000 steps and then only whats over. its pretty accurate though, i never have had it log when i am not actually up and moving.
  • chadya07
    chadya07 Posts: 627 Member
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    i should also add that pre-fitbit i was totally wrong in my estimates of how much i was walking when my walking included errands like... i dont drive so when i have errands we spend a whole day walking, bussing, and doing what we need. i assumed that since i stopped a lot, if i just counted half the time it would be right, like 6 hours out i would say three hours walking... once i started using my fitbit i found out it was more like eqivalent to an hour or maybe 2....

    its nice to know whats really up. it inspired me to check what else i was estimating wrong and turns out it was a lot... food...
  • Shawman1
    Shawman1 Posts: 5 Member
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    Leave it. Bought one for the wife, me, and a friend and we all returned them after a week and bought Garmin Vivofits. Garmins are great.

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