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Calling all fitbit owners
Amanda82691
Posts: 298 Member
Hello Everyone! I have never owned a fitbit before. I have just recently pre-ordered a charge HR. (I went to buy it around Christmas time and was told they recalled them to work more bugs out) So I am waiting on mine to ship. However, I'm starting to have second thoughts on if I would actually use the fitbit on a regular basis or if I would find it helpful to me or beneficial rather then something that is just neat.
So I would love to hear the opinions of the users who already have one and have been using it? Is it really worth buying? Are they helpful and beneficial to you? If so how have they helped or in what way/area have then helped you?
I'm just afraid of spending 150 bucks on something that I won't use, or won't find beneficial.
So I would love to hear the opinions of the users who already have one and have been using it? Is it really worth buying? Are they helpful and beneficial to you? If so how have they helped or in what way/area have then helped you?
I'm just afraid of spending 150 bucks on something that I won't use, or won't find beneficial.
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Replies
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Amanda good morning. I've been a user since Dec 26, 2013 (obviously a Christmas gift) and to be honest I'm a true believer. I started with the Flex and quickly gave that to my daughter and replaced it with a Force (no longer available) and last week strapped on my new Charge (the Force replacement). It will seamlessly interface with MFP. I am fairly new to MFP and part of a 50 pounds by July group where I've discovered a great group of people focused not just on weight but the motivation and support needed to make life style changes. I spent quite some time last year comparing the trackers especially when Apple Watch was announced. I dismissed it because it has to be charged everyday and it doesn't track sleep. And that is really the key element to any weight management/fitness tracking/ life style improvement plan you may be pursuing. BTW, I did consider the Charge HR you have ordered but bad soccer knees have me walking not running so HR monitoring is a feature I would not use. Hope this long winded reply doesn't turn you off Fitbit. Hey if we had been walking and talking this reply would likely have logged a few hundred steps for us both.0
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The answer is... it depends. I really love mine. I got a One in Nov. 2013 and have been without a FitBit twice since. Once when the battery died and once at the beginning of this year when I washed my One. It drove me crazy to not have it. The first time, I was without it a few days until I got the One I'd given my sister back from her, since she wasn't using it (I'd bought both of them off eBay, so didn't have a warranty). The second time, I was resigned to live without it until the Charge HR was generally available, since I was already leaning towards upgrading and a few days later I was able to order one. I wanted a plum, but that would have taken 6-8 weeks, so I went with black. Two days before it arrived, my One came back to life.
It really motivates me to move more and gives me confidence that I've got the "calories out" side of "calories in vs. calories out" as close as possible. Which helps me to lose weight while not being miserably hungry. So, it makes a big difference for me in terms of both fitness and weight loss.
You don't have to be a runner to benefit from the HR function. I have bad knees and my cardio exercise consists of Zumba and walking. Both of those can get my heart rate plenty high and I like data, so having the all-day heart rate is interesting.
On the other hand. My mother and my sister both found it to be "meh" at best and demotivating at worst. This is ironic because they were both always much more athletic than I was. But, my mom is over 80 (with 3 knee replacement surgeries under her belt) and my sister had back surgery that resulted in permanent nerve damage and now, since I started exercising 2 years ago, I'm the one who gets the most exercise. Anyway, I think it really discouraged my sister - the former PE teacher - that she had trouble getting "Very Active Minutes" and even struggled to get the 10,000 steps she'd always nagged me about getting. My mom just decided that at her age, walking the dog and her other activities were good enough - and I think she's right. She's very active, capable and technically savvy for her age. (I am the engineer in the family - I think my dad would have loved the FitBit.)
My son had a One but had trouble with losing it. He didn't like to wear it clipped to his clothes, he preferred to just keep it in a pocket and it kept falling out. He did find it helpful, though, and is going to get a Charge HR. (Actually, he gets my black one when my plum one gets here.)
It can cost you money, though, over and above what the device costs. I just bought a standing desk from IKEA. I probably wouldn't have done that if my FitBit hadn't made me so conscious of how much time I spend sitting at my desk. Then again, I've gotten quite a few steps in while writing this message (pause typing, move a little while thinking, type again, etc.).
Sorry about the long message. It isn't a simple yes/no question. It depends on the person, so I thought I should give you as much info as I could.0 -
I have had a clip on Fitbit, the Flex and now the Charge HR. Every time I have worn the Fitbit I walk more. My first fitbit survived the wash twice, but could not handle the third time. I went without a Fitbit for quite a while and gained weight. I loved the Flex, it's sleek looking, you can change the wristbands and even hide it in jewelry made for it. I also loved that it is waterproof, and I wore it doing water sports. When I lost my Flex a couple of months ago I decided to get the Charge HR. There wasn't much of a wait, I signed up on the Fitbit website to be notified and it came right away.
Per Fitbit we will "soon" be able to use multiple devices with one account. Since I found my Flex, I'd like to wear that while paddling, or hide it in jewelry for dress up days, and then back to the Charge HR for my regular life.
Part of my motive in getting the Charge HR was all of the bells and whistles. I have a giant Note phablet and I'm always playing around with my phone. I figured if I'm going to "waste" time that way it might as well be for my betterment. So I did away with Candy Crush, registered with MFP, strapped on my Charge HR 24/7 and got my geek on. I've lost 10.4 pounds in 53 days. I'm 57 with a slow metabolism so I'm pleased with the progress. I love the automatic sleep logging and the HR monitor. I am not a runner but there are other ways to get into my peak zone and I like knowing when I have hit that. I went for a 2 mile walk this morning and would not have known my phone was ringing if my Charge hadn't been vibrating. I also like having something on my wrist that is an actual watch! And lastly, I enjoy seeing my resting heart rate decline over time. This means my overall health is improving. Which adds to the motivation to continue.
A huge factor for me is having Fitbit friends. These can be from MFP, but my greatest motivators are my own actual friends. Put the word out and you'll probably find them. Many times I'll see a friend ahead of me, and I'll go on a walk to top their number. And if I've got a lot of steps and they still pass me, I cheer them on, because I love them and we are all happy to see each other thrive.
Sure, I wish I were a naturally motivated person who ate right and exercised enough without prompting or reminders. But using these great integrated tools of MFP and Fitbit at least lets me behave like one. As long as I stick with them.0 -
I have had mine for a little over two weeks now and it's pretty down to the wire on how many calories I burn and with MFP integration it keeps me right on track for how much I can eat. I even tried to trip it up by eating junk food for a couple of days, logging it, and then comparing against my Fitbit to see if I would gain/maintain weight this week. Even ate all my available calories plus what Fitbit gave me back in my activity with nothing left over. Weigh-in today showed another 1.5 lbs loss! So I'm a believer.0
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