Advice on buying a Fitbit

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teresajslim
teresajslim Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi , I've been using MFP for 6 weeks this time round and thinking of buying a Fitbit , I am working on being a healthier happy me, without the need of anti depressants from which i did gain a fair bit of weight taking them,i have a lot of weight to loose and wondering if anyone has found them helpful on your weight loss goal , I have the support of my husband and sons as we are all wanting to loose weight and become healthier , so it's easier to keep up with out autistic ADHD son lol

Would like advice on which one is a good one to get as I have no idea :)

Thanks Teresa :smile:
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Replies

  • heng16
    heng16 Posts: 1 Member
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    I have the same question - response anyone?
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    There are a lot of fitness trackers on the market. Do some research - so you can figure out what features you like.

    I love my Fitbit One. It clips to me - which I like because I don't wear a watch. I would not want a wrist-style tracker. I can set goals for calories to burn in the day, miles, steps. My husband however couldn't find what he wanted in a Fitbit (either the Flex or One) and got a Polar Loop a couple weeks ago. It doesn't set a step count goal but he sets an activity level. It gives him suggestions on what to do to hit that goal. Like in the evening it might tell him to jog for 25 minutes or to walk for 60.

    Different things to consider: wrist or clip on? Water proof or not? What do you need it to track? Do you want something HRM compatible? (This was a nice detail on the Polar Loop, though Hubby has not yet bought the compatible HRM.)

    Some of the major brands: Vivofit by Garmin, Fitbit, Polar Loop, and there are others.
  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
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    I have the Zip and I love it! For me it just made so much more sense. It's half the price of the One and the Flex. The Flex goes on your wrist (which I didn't want). The Zip uses a watch battery that lasts about 5-6 months VS the one and flex that need to be charged once a week.

    The only thing the Zip doesn't do that the other two can do is it doesn't monitor sleep (meh, for me) and it doesn't count floors climbed (I kind of wish it did).

    For me the Zip just makes so much more sense but it really depends on what you want out of it. If the floors climbed and the sleep feature are a must for you, you have to decide if you want something that you can tuck in your pocket or bra or if you want something you have to wear on your wrist 24/7.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I agree with the poster who said check them all out and decide based on what suits you better.

    I checked a few of them out and ended up getting the JawBone UP...it is a wrist one that tracks steps, food (and syncs with MFP), sleep patterns, extra exercise, moods even...

    It's not water proof but is water resistent...

    The UP24 is blue tooth and with the latest update the battery lasts about 2 weeks vs 7 days...mine is not Bluetooth (I plug it into my headphone jack of my android) and the battery lasts about 10 days.

    I love it...it has made me more conscious of my movements esp since I have an office job.
  • saraklemowitz
    saraklemowitz Posts: 2 Member
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    I have a flex and I really like it. I have been so much more active since I got it because I feel ashamed when I look down and see i'm only at 20% of my daily goal... so many nights I go for a walk or jog when I otherwise wouldn't have thought about it. No matter which one you get the app is great and syncs with MFP.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Ps-the Polar Loop does not sync with MFP. Maybe soon? I have to admit, Hubby's Loop is pretty nice. If I didn't already have my One I would probably want it. (Except for the must be worn on wrist detail.) It is water proof and being able to use a HRM w/ cardio for a more accurate burn rate is nice. That's one area Fitbit is lacking...
  • rgrady33
    rgrady33 Posts: 48 Member
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    My journey back into MFP started when my wife bought me a Jawbone UP24 for Father's Day. No matter what you get, having a fitness band is a great way to track your activity! I highly recommend getting one. The great thing about them is they interact directly with MFP and other apps: I record a workout in MapMyFitness, it syncs to MFP and my UP app, and done! My neighbor has a Fitbit and was jealous when I was showing him the app for it.

    A comment about my experience: My UP24 suddenly failed after a couple of months. They sent me a new one, and I hope it lasts. If you buy this one (which has a great app and what has been described as top-of-the-line sleep tracking) then I suggest you get a service plan. No fitness band is waterproof so this is very important for what you pay for. I am not a service plan kind of guy, but if I could do it over again I wouldn't hesitate.

    Personally, this thing changed my life and my thinking. I showed it to 2 other people over Labor Day and they have them now, too. I highly recommend you get a fitness band!
  • joepage612
    joepage612 Posts: 179 Member
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    Some of them are not rechargeable and have a sealed shut, 1 year battery life. So keep in mind, if you buy that kind you will have to get a new one in a year. Or send it somewhere for a new battery.
  • dmoses
    dmoses Posts: 786 Member
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    I agree with the poster who said check them all out and decide based on what suits you better.

    I checked a few of them out and ended up getting the JawBone UP...it is a wrist one that tracks steps, food (and syncs with MFP), sleep patterns, extra exercise, moods even...

    It's not water proof but is water resistent...

    The UP24 is blue tooth and with the latest update the battery lasts about 2 weeks vs 7 days...mine is not Bluetooth (I plug it into my headphone jack of my android) and the battery lasts about 10 days.

    I love it...it has made me more conscious of my movements esp since I have an office job.

    I debated forever, trying to decide whether I needed/wanted a fitness tracker. I too have the JawBone UP24, and LOVE it! It has made me very aware of how much I move, how well (or NOT) I sleep and eat. I feel lost when it's not on! Mine is Bluetooth, and it usually lasts a week before having to recharge. It's immediate gratification, knowing how many steps I've taken and how many more I have to go. Very motivating!
  • KilaMarie88
    KilaMarie88 Posts: 29 Member
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    I had gotten the fitbit force for Christmas and used it for about a month before I realized it wasn't very accurate...I think this is because it's on your wrist...It would add on crazy amounts of steps while riding in the car for long drives and any vigorous activity with your arms (i.e. scrubbing counters etc,) would count additional steps as well. That being said....I got a fitbit zip and I LOVE it. It is VERY accurate at counting my steps and my active minutes (I will run on the treadmill 2 miles and then walk until I reach 45 minutes total, and it will say the exact same distance that I did on the treadmill and it will say "active minutes-45)

    I do sync my fibit to MFP, I have my activity level set as lightly active..I work 3 12 hours shifts in an ER and those days I receive a lot more calories back because I walk so much (around 20000 steps)...on my days off I may get an additional 300 if I am active/workout (around 10000-12000 steps)...if I have a lazy day or don't workout, I usually don't get any additional calories (I believe 5000-7000 maybe?)...which makes sense lol...On my days off it really encourages me to move more!!!

    Any other questions let me know ;)
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
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    I had the Fitbit Flex - a complete waste of $100. Not accurate, only measures steps, calories based on steps not exercise. My advice - Don't buy one!!!
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
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    I have the flex which I use to motivate myself to keep on my feet more and I have to be honest I love it. I also have a HRM which I wear for 'proper' exercise. I try not to eat into any calories I'm told I burn from my fitbit, will only do this if I'm desperate as I don't feel I've earned them as much as I have exercise cals
  • 42squared
    42squared Posts: 5 Member
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    I have a Fitbit Flex. I choose it partly due to it's water resistance (I can swim/shower with it on, and I'm forgetful enough that this comes in handy). It's really easy to charge, which I only really need to do ever 1.5 weeks or so. The whole thing feels pretty sucure on my wrist. I've lost pedometers in the past, which is why I didn't want to go with something like that. With Fitbit you do need to log certain types of excerise (like biking) since that can't be tracked with wrist movement. I find this pretty easy to do, and because It syncs to MFP I don't have to type that data in more than once.
  • N2Couture
    N2Couture Posts: 2,762 Member
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    I'm new to the Fitbit Flex. Got it
    about a week ago. I like it so far.
    It calibrates with MFP but it works
    for the steps you make mostly all
    other fitness needs to be input
    through the MFP excerice feature.
    Unless I have something else to
    learn. It does motivate me to
    ambulate more.I think the 2
    tools MFp/Fibit are nice together
    though. If you want to be hardcore
    you might want to buy a HRM.
  • Flookbird
    Flookbird Posts: 81 Member
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    I absolutely love my Fitbit flex! I love data etc so have the premium subscription on top of the basic info - it's great to see my activity levels are in the 97th percentile etc. so many days I have done a bit more to try and meet my goals - eg tonight while I was cooking I danced about and jogged on the spot while I was waiting for some chicken to cook! I've also been parking further away in the Asda car park and walking around more at playtime when I'm at work!

    I also have real difficulties with sleep - I can fall asleep within minutes but I wake up loads having nightmares/hallucinations in the night. The Flex tracks sleep and while I'm sure it's not the greatest way to do this, it helps me to compare different situations. It's easy to see when I'm stressed/relaxed/have had some wine!

    Look at the different available options and see what information you're most interested in/motivates you most! Good luck!
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    I got a fitbit flex for my birthday and I don't like it. For the most part I only use my heart rate monitor when I work out and only use the fitbit for sleep. (Which isn't accurate either, IMO)
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    If you're really unsure, do your research. Fitbit isn't the only choice out there, and there's several factors which might affect your decision.

    Do you want it to sync with a phone app? If so, what kind of phone do you have, and does it use Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart, or ANT+? That will make a difference as to which tracker is right for you.

    Do you want it to connect to a heart rate monitor chest strap?

    Do you want to be able to change it's appearance, or wear it somewhere out of sight?

    Have you looked at the software and apps for each of the trackers you're considering in order to see what they offer and how easy they are to use?

    Do you want to be able to set your own goals? Swim with the tracker? Track your sleep patterns? Sync with MFP? Sync with other apps like Runkeeper or Endomondo? Do you want a wearable tracker, or a clip-on? Are you likely to lose it or forget about it when you get in the shower? Are you likely to be in situations where you can't charge for several days?

    These are all questions you'll want to look at before you decide.
  • rosevalleygirl23
    rosevalleygirl23 Posts: 55 Member
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    I have a fitbit one and have used it almost every day for a year. I love getting good numbers and the feedback I get from my fitbit friends. They dashboard is great, it can be a real motivator to get moving. I also like the silent alarm. A gentle buzzing is a great way to wake up!

    That being said, I think it can help with your fitness goals, but not necessarily with your weight loss goals. Just keep in mind, most of weight loss is going to be in the kitchen.
  • LFDBabs
    LFDBabs Posts: 297 Member
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    I bought a zip about 3 weeks ago. I LOVE, Love, love it! I started with the zip due to the price (about $65 at my Walmart.) I figured if I actually used it and found it helpful I would perhaps upgrade later on.

    I love this little gadget. I don't even know I have it on. It counts steps, calories burned, miles walked and has a watch mode. I personally don't care how many stories I've climbed, it still counts the stairs as steps. Ditto with the sleep feature.... don't care. It will still give you the calorie burn for your sleep time if you choose to wear it to bed. I wear mine every where except the shower and the pool.If I'm doing sustained cardio, I opt for my heart rate monitor for more accurate results, but it's really not that far off from the zip. You can sync it every day and see your results for the day/week.

    Best money I ever spent, other than weights :)

    Boils down to what is important to you as far as tracking goes. Syncs easily with MFP and most newer smart phones :)
  • luckydays27
    luckydays27 Posts: 552 Member
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    I have the FB One. It was the key to helping me get the calorie counts right for the entire day. I love it and have no regrets about buying it. I am down 75 lbs and know that it would not have happened as easily as it did without the FB.

    For full disclosure, I use MFP for keeping track of cal in (weight all my foods and log EVERYTHING). I use my Polar FT60 HRM for calories burned when exercising as I dont do step based exercises regularly. The FB keeps track of the calories burned all day long. I do have a personal trainer that I work with 3 days a week for strength training. My weight loss success is a combination of all of these things but the FB really helps with the TDEE number that varies for me based on my day to day activities.

    A year ago I did a comparison with the FB One and the Flex. The review is here with periodic updates.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/992573-fitbit-flex-vs-one-review

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