Fitbit flex vs other fit bits?
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kitty20031985
Posts: 3 Member
I picked up the Flex tonight and have it all set up. But I'm worried of the accuracy of calories it will count for me. Now I wonder if I should have spent the extra $50 and got the HR fitbit?
Who has had the flex? Who likes them? Doesn't like them?
Who has had the flex? Who likes them? Doesn't like them?
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I've only been using the flex a couple weeks now, I'm definitely moving more. So far it has been good for me but I don't know the details on the other ones.0
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Do you do a lot of non-step based cardio - biking, elliptical, stair climber, rowing, ect?
You'll need to manually log it with device you have - HR model would be better for that specifically.
Either one you need to manually log lifting.
The other 23 hrs of your day is calculated the same way on either model - steps.
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I find the flex is accurate enough for me. I've been using it for a year, eating back every calorie, and maintaining (which is my goal). I think it actually gives me a lower estimate but I have days where I go over here and there and it all works out. I mostly walk and lift, and I log lifting on the Fitbit site.0
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kitty20031985 wrote: »I picked up the Flex tonight and have it all set up. But I'm worried of the accuracy of calories it will count for me. Now I wonder if I should have spent the extra $50 and got the HR fitbit?
Who has had the flex? Who likes them? Doesn't like them?
All Fitbits calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), the calories necessary to maintain your current weight. I lost the weight & maintained just fine with a Fitbit Flex.
I upgraded to the Charge HR because it has a real buckle rather than the clasp, it has a heart rate monitor—and it comes in purple. It's entirely a matter of personal preference—and price.0 -
My wife has a Flex; I have a Surge. Really the only thing that would be worth upgrading for her is to see the step count on the device - it is a pain to have to dig out your phone and sync every time you want to see. I suspect (hope!) that the HR is used to get a more accurate calorie count, but she's only really counting steps. I got the Surge because I run and want to know when I need to speed up or slow down to get my HR where I want it.0
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I use a Flex. I mostly just walk, though sometimes quite fast. It works for me. That little buzz at 10k steps is a motivating thing for me. So are the challenges. You'll get those things with any Fitbit, I think. So, it's more what you want or what activities you do. Flex doesn't seem to know anything about elevation as far as I can tell. One of the others might do that better. And Flex doesn't show heart rate. Other's do. So, like heybales and editorgrrl said, it's really about what you do and personal preference.0
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Flex doesn't seem to know anything about elevation as far as I can tell. One of the others might do that better.
Fitbit stair count doesn't affect your burn in any way—it's just a fun motivator. It's based on changes in air pressure, so you can get lots of "flights" walking outdoors on a windy day.0 -
There really is no good calorie burn calculator out there. I use a Flex to track my steps throughout the day, but change over to a Polar H7 when I do steady state cardio.
There's a high degree of error in calorie burn algorithms just like nutritional labeling ~20% margin of error. The accuracy of HRMs increase in long steady state cardio activities like run/bike/swim, but that's about it. Additionally there's a high degree of error in reading HR from the wrist.
Not that any of this should stop you from getting one - it's a fantastic motivational tool, but just make sure you err on the side of caution when calculating your CI and CO.0
