Fitbit. Cost vs Effect

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ProcrastinationIsMyCrime
ProcrastinationIsMyCrime Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
I've never had one but am considering saving up for one. So, anyone who's got or had one, how much difference did it make?
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  • IvanOcampo
    IvanOcampo Posts: 226 Member
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    Some.
    I bought a Fitbit charge with a hr monitor (which is gimmicky and inaccurate)..
    Yeah it counts steps and tracks your sleep..
    Mostly I used it as a watch and haven't worn it in weeks..
    Guess it depends on what you want to get out of it.. I don't count walking as part of my cardio routine, so to me it made no difference.
    I liked the sleep tracking (which was also inaccurate).

    Alarm feature is good though.
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
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    It's like any other tool used in calculating. I have the One and used it synced with Mfp for a year. Problem was, I was using those steps as part of my calories burned total and being I'm close *ish to goal I was maintaining not losing. I stopped the sync and only use actual work outs for calories burned. I still use it to make sure I'm getting at least my goal of 12k steps a day.
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    I have the Zip. It doesn't have the bells and whistles like the other ones do but it fits my needs just fine. I find it to be accurate when I compare the distance to other devices and cardio machines. It's a clip on so I don't lose steps when I am doing activities where I am not swinging my arms. I also like the fact that it's discreet. There have been a lot of times where my Fitbit has helped me keep pushing myself during my workouts because I want to meet a step count goal. For me it's been a good investment.
  • LovingLife_Erin
    LovingLife_Erin Posts: 328 Member
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    I have a flex and love it. For me, I've found the calories burned estimates to be pretty accurate (although it may be off for others) based on comparing it against my intake to what I'm losing. I find it very motivating, which, really, is the best part of it. I'll march in place when waiting for the kettle to boil, or to get my steps in for the day. Using it to monitor my activity level has really gotten me up and moving more, which is probably the main point of it.

    If you want a tool to use to keep track of your general activity, or to help push you to get up and move more, then I'd recommend it.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    jkal1979 wrote: »
    It's a clip on so I don't lose steps when I am doing activities where I am not swinging my arms.

    You do NOT have to swing your arms to get a step count from wearables, that is a fallacy.

    I have the Fitbit Flex. I chose that one because it is the only one that can be worn in water, both showering and swimming. I also am absent minded enough that the chances of forgetting to put a clip on back on or throwing it in the wash are higher than a wearable. It was the best $95 I spent on myself. I didn't realize how little I moved until I got it and it has motivated me to get going. 102 lb. later, I am still moving and still rely on my Fitbit to give me helpful information.

  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    I have heard from others that when they are doing activities like pushing a stroller or holding onto the railings of a treadmill their steps have not been counted. I guess I should have worded it better. I'll blame the lack of coffee on that.
  • RedRockChic
    RedRockChic Posts: 69 Member
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    I started with the Flex and upgraded a few months later to the Charge HR. I can say I really enjoy the monitoring, accuracy is relative.. do you monitor your business already? Do you already have a baseline? I started by wearing mine for two weeks without any conscientious changes, then I based all of my goals and milestones and habits on the recorded value for those two weeks.

    I like having some "ownership" in my level of energy out and energy in :)
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
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    jkal1979 wrote: »
    I have heard from others that when they are doing activities like pushing a stroller or holding onto the railings of a treadmill their steps have not been counted. I guess I should have worded it better. I'll blame the lack of coffee on that.

    I think that's a "YMMV" kind of thing. My steps are usually counted when I'm pushing a cart at the grocery store. I don't hold on to the railings on a treadmill so not sure on that one.

    I love my Fitbit. I have a few friends with one also and we'll do step challenges throughout the week/weekend. It's been very helpful in determining my calorie burn.

    ~Lyssa
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    jkal1979 wrote: »
    I have heard from others that when they are doing activities like pushing a stroller or holding onto the railings of a treadmill their steps have not been counted. I guess I should have worded it better. I'll blame the lack of coffee on that.

    I don't do either (although I do push a grocery cart and get steps counted) but if that were happening, I wonder if the vibration from the stroller or treadmill going up the arm is confusing the tracker and it doesn't know if that vibration is from a step or something else. I tested the "arm swing" thing by walking with my phone in my fitbit hand and running the app with a continuous sync, keeping it still and watching the screen. I got every step I took counted. I also sat in a chair and swung my arm like I do when walking and I had no steps counted.

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    It's a fancy pedometer.
  • peacefulsong
    peacefulsong Posts: 223 Member
    edited April 2015
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    The thing about the fitbit that I don't understand is how it's supposed to accurately measure calories burned without a heart rate monitor (I know the more expensive models do have one). According to their website they estimate based on the info about yourself you put in...but I can get that by going to any number of calculators all over the internet and not have to pay $100 for it. How can it know if I'm a lot more active one day unless that activity involves a lot of walking? For example if I clean out the garage one day, or do a lot of yard work, I'm not necessarily going to be taking a whole lot more steps than usual but I will be expending a lot more energy than a normal day. I'd kind of like to get one but the $100 ones seem like a waste of money and the HR ones start at $150 which is harder for me to justify.

    ETA: I'd like to add that I'm talking about general everyday activity, not dedicated exercise. I've been reading that the HR fitbits aren't very good at tracking exercise that isn't steady cardio.
  • hannah_godsmark
    hannah_godsmark Posts: 9 Member
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    I have a few friends that rave about them, started off with a jawbone but found the fitbit to be better, I'm also on the fence, procrastinating about getting one, weighing up if it's worth it so that was a useful post
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
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    The polar loop is supposed to count for if you have to use a stroller. It does not have a altimeter for stairs tho. It can be worn swimming to 20. It is waterproof and can be used while cycling. It is the only band that can hook up to a chest strap hr monitor which is the most accurate hrm. Tho both are bought separately. This is what I want. I initially wanted the fitbit zip but have heard many bad reviews so if im spending that much 20 more for a loop might be worth it.
  • Tubbs216
    Tubbs216 Posts: 6,597 Member
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    peacefulsong wrote: »
    The thing about the fitbit that I don't understand is how it's supposed to accurately measure calories burned without a heart rate monitor (I know the more expensive models do have one). According to their website they estimate based on the info about yourself you put in...but I can get that by going to any number of calculators all over the internet and not have to pay $100 for it. How can it know if I'm a lot more active one day unless that activity involves a lot of walking? For example if I clean out the garage one day, or do a lot of yard work, I'm not necessarily going to be taking a whole lot more steps than usual but I will be expending a lot more energy than a normal day. I'd kind of like to get one but the $100 ones seem like a waste of money and the HR ones start at $150 which is harder for me to justify.

    ETA: I'd like to add that I'm talking about general everyday activity, not dedicated exercise. I've been reading that the HR fitbits aren't very good at tracking exercise that isn't steady cardio.
    I think it works by knowing that you're 'up and down' and moving your body about, as well as how many steps. I find I get allowed a lot more calories after a big yard work/house painting/moving things around day than I would for just steps. It also knows the difference between a walk and a run, so I consider mine quite sensitive. The daily calorie burn it reports is consistent with all TDEE estimators and I'm losing weight at the projected rate, which makes me trust it.

    I have a One which I like because it's discreet. The only thing I really don't like is how it counts extra stairs when it's windy out.
  • Tubbs216
    Tubbs216 Posts: 6,597 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Sorry - double post.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    I just bought the Zip because all I wanted was to track my steps. I like that it automatically syncs up with MFP to indicate how many 'extra' calories I've earned from walking each day. Yeah, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but does exactly what I'd like it to do, so it's perfect for my needs.
  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
    edited April 2015
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    i like my surge, so far. it is bigger than I would like though.
  • momuv3princesses
    momuv3princesses Posts: 154 Member
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    Can someone with a Zip tell me what bells and whistles it does not have? I have an Ultra. I thought the Zip does everything that mine does?

    I love my Fitbit. It keeps me motivated to get in a certain number of steps. Days when I don't think about my Fitbit I really do not get in as many steps so I try to look at it throughout the day and be conscious of how many steps I am getting in. It really works for me! I think if you are unsure of spending the money on a more expensive one, I would get a Zip for half the price (Amazon was the cheapest).
  • Dave55412
    Dave55412 Posts: 88 Member
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    I bought a Surge on Ebay for $95. The guy that had it tried it for a week and didn't like it. I love it. It keeps me on track to hit my daily calories burned and the HRM lets me know when I need to put more effort into a workout. It makes me want to hit all the goals that I set.
  • alliesgettinghealthy
    alliesgettinghealthy Posts: 87 Member
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    I have the fitbit one and I find that it really motivates me to be more active. I used to get under 3,000 steps a day and now I get anywhere from 20,000-45,000 a day. I leave MFP on sedentary and seeing the extra calories added is motivating! I have found that the calories burn actually under estimates by about 250 calories a day.

    I think the difference between the one and the zip is that the one is rechargeable, counts stairs climbed, and tracks sleep. Personally I've stopped using the sleep tracking, I'll turn it on and off when I go to bed and wake up, but I don't wear it. I think the floors climbed is interesting but overall if you know you wouldn't really care about those things I'd save the $50 and go with the zip. :)

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