All Fitbit Users Please...
Shanel0916
Posts: 586 Member
I have been thinking about purchasing one for at the least motivation to get moving. I would just like to know which one do you have? Do you like it? Is it helpful? What real purpose does it serve for you with your weightloss or maintaining?
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Also thinking about this! Really interested to hear people's thoughts.0
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It boils down to what you would like your fit bit to do and what you want to track.
http://www.fitbit.com/compare
I have the Fitbit Charge. I like it. It holds its battery pretty well. It automatically tracks sleep without me having to remember to put it in sleep mode. It's a reminder for me to get up and move more.0 -
I have the One and I'm very happy with it. Have worn it since Christmas 2013. Recently Hubby got a One, and my son got a Flex. Son didn't like the Flex, as he felt it didn't count steps when he was holding things. Like walking the dogs and holding a leash - his arm didn't swing like normal. Didn't count steps. So he traded it for a One.
Research the different models and their features. Try to figure out what works for you. Its a great tool to measure your daily activity, and the social challenge features are nice as well.0 -
StaciMarie1974 wrote: »I have the One and I'm very happy with it. Have worn it since Christmas 2013. Recently Hubby got a One, and my son got a Flex. Son didn't like the Flex, as he felt it didn't count steps when he was holding things. Like walking the dogs and holding a leash - his arm didn't swing like normal. Didn't count steps. So he traded it for a One.
Research the different models and their features. Try to figure out what works for you. Its a great tool to measure your daily activity, and the social challenge features are nice as well.
It is a myth that you have to swing your arms to get steps counted with a Flex.
I have a Flex and love it. I swim and do water aerobics so I needed something that can be worn in water and the Flex is the only Fitbit model that qualifies. I have found the step count to be very accurate and the estimated calorie burn also seems to be closer than any other estimates. The longer you wear it, the more accurate it will get because it will have more data to calculate from.
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Was not a myth for my son. He went on a walk w/ my husband & 2 dogs. Flex showed very few steps for a 2 mile walk.
The Flex IS the only Fitbit device that is water resistant. Surprised they didn't go there with some of the newer models.0 -
I started with a flex and downgraded to a Zip because I wanted to wear it in my bra or pocket
I was successful with both - both losing and maintaining - it was accurate estimates (after a few weeks of getting used to it)
And I wouldn't be dressed without my fitbit now
I am not keen on the wristband HRM versions though - I think it's marketing spiel gone wrong and will not be any more accurate an estimate than a basic one .. because the formulae that underpin an HRM conversion to calories is accurate in steady-state cardio only .. I use a chest-band HRM during purposeful cardio / workouts and overwrite fitbit steps on MFP
that said others seem to love them but they've never been able to counteract my scepticism0 -
They are nothing but a high tech gimmick although some people find them motivating. I have never felt the need to have my steps counted by a high tech gadget or a mechanical pedometer.0
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StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
The Flex IS the only Fitbit device that is water resistant. Surprised they didn't go there with some of the newer models.
They actually tried but could not guarantee the results. The Charge HR originally was rated water resistant to 5 meters but proved unreliable in real-life testing so it was downgraded to "splash proof" by the time it was released to the general public.
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I started with a flex and downgraded to a Zip because I wanted to wear it in my bra or pocket
I was successful with both - both losing and maintaining - it was accurate estimates (after a few weeks of getting used to it)
And I wouldn't be dressed without my fitbit now
I am not keen on the wristband HRM versions though - I think it's marketing spiel gone wrong and will not be any more accurate an estimate than a basic one .. because the formulae that underpin an HRM conversion to calories is accurate in steady-state cardio only .. I use a chest-band HRM during purposeful cardio / workouts and overwrite fitbit steps on MFP
that said others seem to love them but they've never been able to counteract my scepticism
I'm kind of skeptical too. I may be replacing my flex in the not too distant future and have thought about going with something that has a HRM, but I am leading towards "no" for just that reason. I am not sure I will get any more useful information than I am already, especially because of the swimming.
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I have a One and think it really helps in terms of motivation. Initially I ordered the Flex but didn't like the feeling when wearing it on the wrist. Also, I wanted to be able to wear it every day and the flex just doesn't seem right for some of the more elegant outfits I have.
It doesn't have a display either. With the One you can always check how many steps, floors, miles you have taken already during the day.0 -
How do they work in a workout class? I do a lot of at home workouts, so I would love to find something that works well for both when I am out and about around the farm and when I do my actual workouts!!
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Racharmarie wrote: »How do they work in a workout class? I do a lot of at home workouts, so I would love to find something that works well for both when I am out and about around the farm and when I do my actual workouts!!
Any step based tracker will work great for workouts, except things like lifting, swimming, and biking. You really need some kind of heart rate monitor for those activities (except lifting, nothing is very accurate determining calorie expenditure when doing that) if you are not going to use general database calculations.
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StaciMarie1974 wrote: »I have the One and I'm very happy with it. Have worn it since Christmas 2013. Recently Hubby got a One, and my son got a Flex. Son didn't like the Flex, as he felt it didn't count steps when he was holding things. Like walking the dogs and holding a leash - his arm didn't swing like normal. Didn't count steps. So he traded it for a One.
Research the different models and their features. Try to figure out what works for you. Its a great tool to measure your daily activity, and the social challenge features are nice as well.
I find this interesting because I walk my dogs 6-7 days/week and never had an issue with it counting steps when walking them. I even did the route without the dogs to double-check and the readings were within 50 steps of one another.
I found another solution to get steps counted when doing things where my arms are stationary (i.e., mowing the lawn with a push mower), I just put it in my pocket and I get a pretty accurate step count.
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I have a One and love it!0
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Here's a link to the FitBit Group
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
There is a ton of information there: FAQ's and such
Most trackers are good at tracking step based workouts. Some trackers will link up to separate heart rate monitor, this is better for steady state cardio (cycling, swimming, zumba)....not Hiit, not circuit training or intervals. NO tracker and no heart rate monitor, is going to give you accurate estimates for strength training. ALL have limitations.
I have a FitBit One - I like that it counts stairs (Flex doesn't) - I like that it's descrete - It motivates me to get off my butt.
A "real purpose" for an activity tracker. There are people that have a few active days (ie: waitress) - but more sedentary days. An activity tracker helps you sort that out. You can find a more accurate average. Tracking steps on an old fashioned pedometer....and writing them down....would accomplish pretty much the same thing.0 -
jasonp_ritzert wrote: »StaciMarie1974 wrote: »I have the One and I'm very happy with it. Have worn it since Christmas 2013. Recently Hubby got a One, and my son got a Flex. Son didn't like the Flex, as he felt it didn't count steps when he was holding things. Like walking the dogs and holding a leash - his arm didn't swing like normal. Didn't count steps. So he traded it for a One.
Research the different models and their features. Try to figure out what works for you. Its a great tool to measure your daily activity, and the social challenge features are nice as well.
I find this interesting because I walk my dogs 6-7 days/week and never had an issue with it counting steps when walking them. I even did the route without the dogs to double-check and the readings were within 50 steps of one another.
I found another solution to get steps counted when doing things where my arms are stationary (i.e., mowing the lawn with a push mower), I just put it in my pocket and I get a pretty accurate step count.
The main problem with things like a mower (or a shopping cart or stroller for some people) is that the constant vibration will sometimes confuse the tracker and it doesn't know if the vibration is from a device or a step, so it doesn't count it. I have walked while holding my arm completely still (in front of me watching my phone set to the app) and every step was counted. I have also manually counted, then checked the Fitbit count and they were dead on. I have also sat in a chair and swung my arm like I do when walking and got no steps counted. Occasionally you can get a false step if you jerk your arm, but it seems to be balanced out by the occasional missed step. Overall, they are very accurate.
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Thanks everyone for your input sounds like the fitbit One is very popular I will do some comparing and invest in one.0
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Shanel0916 wrote: »Thanks everyone for your input sounds like the fitbit One is very popular I will do some comparing and invest in one.
Decide according to your needs and your lifestyle. I chose to not go with the One for 2 reasons: I needed something I could wear 24/7 including in the water and I tend to be absent minded and the chances of me forgetting to clip my One on in the morning or throwing it in the laundry with the bra I would wear it on are high.
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Started with a ZIP as it was cheapest but I didn't like having to buy batteries. Have a ONE now and it is great (had it replaced as original didn't work). I only care about the steps to help my awareness of being active so that is why I have the one. Very basic and affordable and also very small so it fits in my pocket or on my belt and doesn't get in the way. FITBIT support is easy to work with and like I stated when I had issues with the ONE they sent me a free replacement when their steps (reset, recharge, etc) didn't work. The community is large so you can get friends and challenges which does help the motivation. It was a big part of my fitness and weight loss.0
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I have the zip, very affordable and it clips to my sports bra or whatever I may be wearing, you do have to replace the batteries from time to time but they are cheap. I really love mine.0
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I have a fitbit ONE and I love it! I tried the flex first but I didn't like wearing it on my wrist and it did not count my steps when pushing a cart or something similar. I love the one because it clips to my pants and I wear it all day without worrying about it, it has never fallen out no matter what I have done, which is what I was worried about when I bought it. It is rubberized so it stays! I love the challenges on there with others makes me want to do better and beat them. There have been a lot of times I would have just went to bed but because I knew I hadn't been very active I would go for a walk. I love the accountability it gives me and feel naked without it!0
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I got a charge with the heart rate monitor about three weeks ago, and I absolutely love it. A few things I've noticed- mine does not track steps when my arm isn't moving, like when I'm pushing my son in the stroller. However, it does notice that my heart rate has gone up, so I still get activity points and my calorie burn increases. I also really liked FINALLY getting a better reading on how many calories my body uses in a day. I just couldn't manage all those TDEE, etc formulas. They gave me anywhere between 1200 and 2600 calories!!! What the heck?! Well, I can finally get a better handle on how active I am, which lets me work back into how many calories I need. In my opinion, having the heart rate monitor was ABSOLUTELY worth the extra cost. I love it!0
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I have a ONE for several reasons but the main reason I didnt go for a larger, more expensive one is I already ahve a Garmin GPS watch. I find the ONE great - stepcounting and sleep is really all I care about about. It depends what you want out of it. Are you a stat monkey or a stay-healthy type? THAT will dictate what you get.0
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I have a Charge HR and love it! I actually wore a Polar chest strap HRM and my Fitbit during several Zumba sessions and the Charge was right on with the chest strap HRM, so I'm happy with that aspect of it. I like being able to easily check my steps during the day (and estimated calorie burn) without having to sync with my phone/computer. I also like the alarm feature - I have it set to vibrate every couple of hours to remind myself to get up (desk job) and to wake us up in the morning. Finally, the call notification is nifty - handy to see who is calling when I don't have my phone on me (do I need to run to get it, or can it go to VM
) (the phone number shows up on the screen). 0 -
I have a flex and a charge. Love them both. Especially that I can now interchange easily! I use my flex for days I'm in or near water and my charge for normal day use. I wish the charge was more water resistant, but we can't have everything!0
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I've had a One for a few years. I thought about the Flex and decided I didn't want to always have to wear something on my wrist. I also read about problems with it accurately counting steps.
I find the One to be pretty accurate for any step based activity. Any other activity I simply log as an activity on the Fitbit page. I use the timer in the One to get start and stop times and then create an entry. For example, mowing gets you more calories than just walking around. For me, driving counts up steps because of bumpy roads. If I'm driving enough to matter, I'll create a "Driving" activity and it'll remove those phantom steps, etc.
I like it, but you do have to do some work for anything not step related to get very accurate results.0 -
I used to have the One, then upgraded to the Surge in Jan. because I wanted the HRM. Personally, I love to have the best data as is practical.
However, I would get the Charge HR if I had to do it again. The additional $100 for the Surge gets GPS for workouts, music controls, incoming call notification and text messages.
GPS - I rarely use because it burns the battery too fast.
Music Controls - Don't work with Android, and I can't use.
Incoming call notification - Doesn't work with Android (technically it doesn't work, isn't supported), and it actually does work with my Samsung Note 3 but is delayed. I get the notification AFTER I've either answered or ignored the incoming call.
Text messages - Doesn't technically work with Android, but works with my phone/phablet most of the time. Is also delayed about 30-60 seconds.
Ultimately, the extra cost for the Surge wasn't worth it because I don't have an iPhone. Still, the primary features - steps, stairs, sleep, HRM work well and I like the data. I've done sporadic testing of the HRM and have never been more than 2 bpm off when manually taking a pulse.
On Sunday, my brother and I were tearing down a shed (as far as we could get anyway). This was a fair amount of steps, but more of the effort was non-step based activity. Heart rate was elevated for about 7 hours of work and the Fitbit gave me 3.6K extra calories for the day. That feels about right since nearly all of it was manual work of prying, pushing, pulling, lifting, and a bit of hand sawing.
ETA: I eat back a lot of my exercise calories, so having more precise calorie output data helps me stay on track better.0 -
All I know is I used my One faithfully for 5 months and with good nutrition & constant motivation to move my bod lost weight. Then I stopped wearing it, gained it back. Got back to using it and am back to losing weight. I don't care if it is a gimmick. It has helped me be informed, focused and successful. My hisband has One too and we share our numbers and motivate one another.0
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I had a Flex but it had a charging issue (just out of warranty, of course) and I switched to the Charge HR. So far it seems very accurate and I love it. The FitBit in general just reminds me to get off my butt. I have an office job and I get focused and literally will not get out of my chair for hours at a time. The only thing I wish they had added to the new models is a vibrate reminder when I've been still too long. There are other brands that do have that. Maybe in the next generation.0
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Have worn a One for a few years and loved it. I kept it clipped to my bra as I often wear clothes without pockets. I got a Charge HR for mothers day and I find that it works really well. I am getting a far more accurate picture of calorie expenditure during the day and find the hr feature very useful. I was finding that the wristband for my One would come undone while I was sleeping so I had to hunt it down in the morning. No issues with the Charge, it is comfortable to sleep in and I like that it tracks my sleep without me having to set it as I occasionally forgot with the One. Both are really good units, it just depends what you need it to do.0
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