To Fitbit or not to Fitbit....that is my question

Michelletrk
Michelletrk Posts: 53 Member
edited November 16 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys looking for some input, I'm goign to be starting the insanity work out, I have read mixed reviews, some say they are amzaing and other say wayyyyyy inacurate.......what do you think?

Replies

  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    For consistant step based activity (walking and running) fit bit is awesome. For more inconsistant step based activity ( I line dance so there is alot of variation in step rythm, size, and direction) it does not track that very well. For a general idea of your TDEE it might be useful. For accurately estimating calories burned from insanity (I am not that familiar with that workout since I have never done it but I think it is alot of hopping around up and down crossfit type movements) I think you would be better served by a chest strap HRM.
  • Michelletrk
    Michelletrk Posts: 53 Member
    Thank you!
  • Codefox
    Codefox Posts: 308 Member
    Depends on what you're trying to do with the Fitbit. They're great for keeping track of how many steps you took. That metric isn't incredibly useful for workouts. But if you have a sedentary job (like I do) then devices like the Fitbit are great reminders to get up and move every so often. Medical research indicates that the benefits of working out are offset by hours of sitting every day so even though I'm a very active triathlete, I still wear a Vivofit so I remember to get up every hour or so and take a walk.
  • MarcGreenfield
    MarcGreenfield Posts: 27 Member
    I wear my FitBit for Insanity, It does get a bit confused on the floor excercises where your wrst is bent but allround for heartrate i find it works well.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    What problem are you trying to solve with it?
  • callie252
    callie252 Posts: 7 Member
    I have a polar watch with heart rate monitor I wear for my workouts. I want to get fitbit to help push me to be active more throughout the day. If your wanting just excersice go with watch with hrm chest band.
  • Michelletrk
    Michelletrk Posts: 53 Member
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    What problem are you trying to solve with it?

    2 things, one my company gives us "health bucks" to offset our portion of our insurance, however to receive them you have to use Humana Vitality, to get "health Points" on there you have to have a device track your work outs or go to a gym. so that is number one, number 2 I have no idea how many calories I burn doing insanity to log on MFP, and am just trying to get in better shape.

  • Michelletrk
    Michelletrk Posts: 53 Member
    callie252 wrote: »
    I have a polar watch with heart rate monitor I wear for my workouts. I want to get fitbit to help push me to be active more throughout the day. If your wanting just excersice go with watch with hrm chest band.

    Believe it or not I don't have a computer, just a tablet and a smartphone, I heard with the Polar Watch you have to have a computer to download the info, do you know if that is true?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Michelletrk wrote: »
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    What problem are you trying to solve with it?

    2 things, one my company gives us "health bucks" to offset our portion of our insurance, however to receive them you have to use Humana Vitality, to get "health Points" on there you have to have a device track your work outs or go to a gym. so that is number one, number 2 I have no idea how many calories I burn doing insanity to log on MFP, and am just trying to get in better shape.

    For number 1, a fitbit is a reasonable solution. Personally, I wouldn't get too wrapped up in the actual numbers, just use it to show that you are active for your insurance.

    For number 2, nothing is going to give you a good, reliable answer to that. Making an assumption like 5 cals per minute (so 150 cals for a 30 minute class) is going to just as "accurate" as a fitbit or any other device will be.
  • SKME2013
    SKME2013 Posts: 704 Member
    Yes for Polar watches you need access to a computer for updates, downloading sport profiles and more. You can just get the Polar H7 heart rate strap and download the free Polar Beat app, which works great and for that you do not need a computer.

    On a general note: Fitbits are great for step based activities. Best for measuring steady state cardio exercises is a device with heart rate strap. Wrist straps are so far not very reliable. For it to work you need to put your personal stats into the app/ watch...such as age, gender and weight.

    For non steady state workouts, such as weight lifting, heart rate straps are pretty useless.
  • holliehatesyou
    holliehatesyou Posts: 85 Member
    Just chiming in that FitBit has great customer service, if that makes a difference to you. Mine stopped charging and officially died on Friday. They had a new one in my hands the following Monday (yesterday).
  • LovingLife_Erin
    LovingLife_Erin Posts: 328 Member
    I love my flex! It has really motivated me to get off my butt and move more during the day. I find myself walking in place to get my steps in, or going the long way when I walk places. For that alone, it is worth it, in my opinion.

    I input all non-step activity to it, and find that the calories burned seems fairly accurate, for me, based simply on how much I'm losing (when I calculate my calories in/out). This probably won't be the case for everyone, but it has been a great tool for me.
  • Michelletrk
    Michelletrk Posts: 53 Member
    Thanks everyone!
  • emmacken
    emmacken Posts: 161 Member
    I've been wearing a Fit Bit Flex since August and I absolutely love it. It gives me instant feedback on how active (or not) I've been. I use it mainly to track my steps throughout the day and I'm not entirely sure how accurate it is when I do other activities, like a workout video. Since you mentioned Insanity, it almost sounds like you're looking for a heart rate monitor rather than a fitness tracker.

    I work as a high school band teacher, so it ends up counting funny things like drum lessons, trombone lessons, and conducting as steps taken. At first, I was a little concerned that I was cheating myself, but I've been losing at a pace I'm comfortable with, so I just go with it. I've also read complaints about it counting steps when driving, but with my hour commute to work, I've never experienced it.

    Since you mentioned that you don't have a computer, I'd like to point out that while the Fit Bit is Bluetooth compatible, you do need to have a newer phone model for it to work. I have a Samsung Galaxy Exhilarate and that particular model does not allow me to sync my Flex with the app on the phone. I do have a desktop, so I just sync up when I'm nearby, but it would be nice to have an accurate step count to refer to rather than flashing dots.

    Good luck finding the product you're looking for!
  • Michelletrk
    Michelletrk Posts: 53 Member
    I got a Fitbit charge! Loving it so far still trying to figure all the bells and whistles lol
  • OhioGuy37
    OhioGuy37 Posts: 99 Member
    I have a Charge HR, building a nice challenge group on there. If you want to connect shoot me a message

    Thanks!
  • gsayler860
    gsayler860 Posts: 25 Member
    I have a fitbit HR and do insanity. So far it works pretty well. I have not had any real issue with it measuring my heart rate. I hike it up a bit on my arm and tighten the strap one notch. It's tight enough to keep from flopping around but not uncomfortable. I don't know how accurate the fitbit algorithm is in determining calories burned but the HR tracking seems to work well IMO.
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