How have you benefited since you started using your Fitbit?
retirehappy
Posts: 3,837 Member
For me, for the first time ever, I am seeing a real relationship between my calories in and calories out. My Fitbit reports are showing me @1lb per week weight loss and I am seeing that result, it doesn't come off in a week, but after a couple of weeks, yeah, the weight drops off. I LOVE this result. I am also getting outside a lot more to walk, both in my neighborhood and area lakes, I get to see the birds and other wild life everyday, and that makes me a happier person. My husband is also joining me on those walks, so we are spending some quality time together not just watching TV or cleaning around the yard and house.
I'd love to know what benefits others are getting.
I'd love to know what benefits others are getting.
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You pretty much nailed it. I feel motivated to weigh all my food and log it because I am confident that I know how many calories I'm burning. I move more - I try to make sure I have some steps in every 15 minute period shown on my activity tile (during the day, of course). I'm also walking outside more, with my husband. However, that isn't really directly attributable to the Fitbit as we didn't start the walking until I'd had the Fitbit for most of a year. It is costing me money, though. Without it, I probably wouldn't have spent $500 on a standing desk (which I love!).0
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I have dieted for years....
I think for the first time, I'm truly realizing how inactive I am/was and why losing weight is so difficult. I am learning that getting off the couch and moving really DOES make a big difference! I also feel like for the first time that it truly is a lifestyle change rather than a "diet and exercise".
In the last 5 weeks, I've lost 10 lbs...still enjoying everything that I always have, just eating less, and moving more...0 -
My Fitbit (well Fitbit's since I own a Flex and Surge...I also had a zip, but I gifted it to my mom) has been worth every penny. It's been a definite eye opener. When I first got a Fitbit, I was such a couch potato that even a workout wouldn't bring me up to MFP's estimate of what I should burn as a Sedentary person. That's just bad. Bad I say. I mean, I'm not disabled. There's no reason for me to be that much of a couch potato.
The website is amazing. I love graphs that compare your calories in and out. I also love that it syncs with trendweight, because trendweight takes all the scale fluctuations and smooths them out so that I can see whether I'm losing or gaining or maintaining.
I'm now to a point that I even get positive adjustments on my rest days and my activity level on MFP is set to Lightly Active.0 -
It let's me see how many cals I burn at work. I'm a nurse and didn't realize how many MILES I do in an 8 or 12 hr shift. In 8 hrs I average 5 to 6 miles and for a 12 hr shift I do between 6 to 7. Before I got my FB I was using just MFP so I wasn't aware of how many cals I was burning and could eat on my work days, I just went by the amount MFP told me I could have. Which meant I was leaving A LOT of uneaten cals. And from what I understand, if you under eat your body holds onto the fat to help feed the body. I make sure that on my off days that I walk for at least 5 miles so my intake on those days gets to be around the same as my high cal burnt work days.0
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Oh yes, for me just seeing how much or little I move in a day is really motivating. I've been using the Fitbit for a little over a year and have lost about 40 pounds! This tracker coupled with My Fitness Pal is a very good reality check. What you think you eat or the amount of exercise you do, vs. the real time tracking is eye opening.0
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Having the negative calorie adjustment has showed me just how damaging inactivity can be!0
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I've lost 13lbs in 100 days....Fitbit made me aware of how much I didn't move...and now I move a lot more!0
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I've lost 7 lbs since getting my Charge HR and started wearing it on March 9th. I LOVE IT. It is very accurate for me and has helped me see exactly what I need to do to take the weight off. Before my Fitbit I was losing weight inconsistently, and yo-yo'ing. I now have seen steady progress that makes me feel confident I can reach my goal weight0
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I was considering whether to buy a Fitbit or not. I'm glad I found this thread.
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I'm also in the hooray for Fitbit crowd. I have had a few lazy days and it's shocking how little I can move. No wonder my diets kept "failing." Now I have both MFP friends and actual, real life friends on Fitbit. The latter is especially important because I know that people I know well can see when I'm active and when I'm not. There are consequences to not hitting my 10,000 +. I find myself doing more housework because, steps. While waiting, pacing instead of sitting because, steps. At the office, walking instead of phoning or emailing to answer that question. Walking in the neighborhood, even if I only have time for a quickie because, steps! And weirdly, craving hiking. What is UP with that? Good times.
And my Charge HR is showing me a steady decline in my resting heart rate in the last 3 months, which is a function of my 18 pounds lost and lots of steps!0 -
Within a month of buying my Fitbit last summer, I joined the gym, because it seemed like a more efficient way to get in my steps. Now I go 6 days/week--a habit I've never been able to form before--and I love it. The Fitbit challenges have caused me to step even more, and I went from averaging 17k steps a day to averaging 24k steps a day. Having the calorie adjustments in MFP allows me to EAT with confidence and continue to lose weight. For the first time in my life I feel like I have a sustainable lifestyle that I'll be able to maintain once I reach my weight loss goal. Fitbit changed my life.0
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I like my Surge for tracking exercise and runs. Even though the heart rate monitor isn't 100%, I think it averages out over the day. I usually always hit my goals early in the afternoon and that takes a lot of stress out of deciding what to eat.0
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I have set a goal of 10,000 steps per day and I have accomplished that goal for 7 consecutive days. Now my Fitbit has completely died - wont charge or reset. I did order a new one!0
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The most amazing result is surely getting more active! If you don't get obsessed over the exact number of calories is a perfect motivator! I started walking more, and taking stairs, and it changed my overall health, although I do boxing and workout regularly, there is still some change that can be done and it really works! Changing little things makes a big difference and fitbit helps
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I found that now that both my husband and I have one, plus friends to compete with, it really gets us up and moving more. I had a garmin Vivofit that initially I loved, now I love this one even more. Plus there are no more nights as to who is going to walk the dogs, we fight over it so we can get more steps in. Plus it's about more quality time. I spend time out with my husband, dogs, and son (1 year), and we walk all the time now. Plus I've only had it for a few days :-)0
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It got me off my butt! I do low and moderate intensity workouts, but the bulk of my activity is just pacing. Between MFP, Fitbit, my hubby, and my support team at the health center I am down from 262 to 180lbs. Still have more to go as I am only 5'2.5", but I feel like it's doable with the help of my tools and team. (Editing to add that I started at 5000 steps/day last September, then went to 7500, 10K, and now 15K as my goal. I usually get between 10K-20K per day.)0
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CoachJen71 wrote: »It got me off my butt! I do low and moderate intensity workouts, but the bulk of my activity is just pacing. Between MFP, Fitbit, my hubby, and my support team at the health center I am down from 262 to 180lbs. Still have more to go as I am only 5'2.5", but I feel like it's doable with the help of my tools and team. (Editing to add that I started at 5000 steps/day last September, then went to 7500, 10K, and now 15K as my goal. I usually get between 10K-20K per day.)
Congrats on that weight loss and having a support team
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It motivates me to move, definitely. At 4:45 I looked and saw I was only at 4000 steps. Went to take a walk and came home 5100 steps higher (I would have gone longer if it weren't for the wind).0
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It motivates me to move, definitely. At 4:45 I looked and saw I was only at 4000 steps. Went to take a walk and came home 5100 steps higher (I would have gone longer if it weren't for the wind).
Yeah, wind is frequently what kills our walks, too. I good breeze can be welcome on a warm day, but too much wind, or a cold wind, and I just don't want to be out there.0 -
It motivates me to move, definitely. At 4:45 I looked and saw I was only at 4000 steps. Went to take a walk and came home 5100 steps higher (I would have gone longer if it weren't for the wind).
Yeah, wind is frequently what kills our walks, too. I good breeze can be welcome on a warm day, but too much wind, or a cold wind, and I just don't want to be out there.
When I started I was like "do I want to do the 5K route?" By the time I reached where I have to turn left, I said no and went right and only did 2.3 miles.0 -
My Flex was a gift that came just at the time when I finally decided to deactivate my MFP account and do better managing my health. The Fitbit kicked me into gear immediately. I can't believe how it has changed my behavior. The first weekend I was stunned at how little I moved, just sitting still watching tv, playing solitaire. Now I am anal about getting in 5 miles every day, for me that's about 12500 steps. I agree with the poster above, I never sit still when waiting for anything anymore, I pace to get the steps in. The people who monitor the cameras in my building must think I am crazy as I pace when waiting for the elevator and if I am the only one on it I am pacing there, too! As for results, I have cracked down on my eating, I lost a couple pounds, I am getting into clothes I love again. I am 5 feet tall so 2 lbs make a difference on me. Sorry this is so long, I have just been doing this a month and do not yet have any friends with which to talk about this new found tool of mine!
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The stickies for this group has find friends, by the devices. I'm sure you can find some others who want to share Flex info. with you and maybe do some competitions. Sounds like it has been a good thing for you.0
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I am excited by my Flex. I have been gaining friends and been invited to some step challenges. I had a daily challenge yesterday with fitbit users around the country that I won. I also earned a new badge because I reached 20,000 steps for the first time since February 14, 2015 (when I was given my FitBit Flex). I have lost additional 2-3 pounds since then. I am trying to encourage my husband to get a One for his pocket so we can continue each other to move. I have to keep reminding myself not to make myself (or my family) crazy checking my progress all day. 0
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become more active daily. now appreciate that cleaning burns me 150 calories per day! now do more to hit the goals and love being able to lose weight and eat more and of course i got to meet some lovely fitbit friends who have different settings but share the same goal and thats to be healthy!0
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Just getting me to move more. The friends I have help me out to cause I have learned I'm fairly competitive.0
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Great to read about the wonderful experiences everyone is having bumping this so newbies can see them.0
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retirehappy wrote: »For me, for the first time ever, I am seeing a real relationship between my calories in and calories out. My Fitbit reports are showing me @1lb per week weight loss and I am seeing that result, it doesn't come off in a week, but after a couple of weeks, yeah, the weight drops off. I LOVE this result. I am also getting outside a lot more to walk, both in my neighborhood and area lakes, I get to see the birds and other wild life everyday, and that makes me a happier person. My husband is also joining me on those walks, so we are spending some quality time together not just watching TV or cleaning around the yard and house.
I'd love to know what benefits others are getting.
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Hi retirehappy. I got my fitbit about a month ago. I love it! At first I did nothing. Then we had a race with partners and did challenges at work for one month. It was competitive but fun, friendly and motivating. My partner (Jill) and I were the oldest contestants and we beat the young people (23 and 24 years). It is just motivating to keep up with everyone. Would love to "walk" with you and your husband via the Fitbit. If interested, send me an invite via the Fitbit at soeurj@gmail. Hope to hear from you. Linda (soeurj)0
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Hi retirehappy. I got my fitbit about a month ago. I love it! At first I did nothing. Then we had a race with partners and did challenges at work for one month. It was competitive but fun, friendly and motivating. My partner (Jill) and I were the oldest contestants and we beat the young people (23 and 24 years). It is just motivating to keep up with everyone. Would love to "walk" with you and your husband via the Fitbit. If interested, send me an invite via the Fitbit at soeurj@gmail. Hope to hear from you. Linda (soeurj)0
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