Fit Bit for Christmas?

I got it! Now what do I do? I am interested in who else got a fit bit for Christmas or recently and how you are using it. What is most useful to you. How can i get the most use out of it. What I need to know.

As you can see I don't know hardly anything about it but I think I will like it. I exercise every day and do different types of exercising; weights, running, walking, yoga...

Help me please...
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Replies

  • FrankWhite27330
    FrankWhite27330 Posts: 316 Member
    I got one. Hrm is not accurate. It's a gizmo.. steps are not accurate. Stairs are however... the sleep thing to st seemed cool. I would not stake any claim to it. Going today to buy chest strap HRM.
  • nutmeg2576
    nutmeg2576 Posts: 18 Member
    I got the Charge HR. So far, I like it. HR monitor on mine seems to be accurate, the sleep study was interesting. Im curious about the calorie goals though, because I linked my Fitbit to MFP, and MFP says I was under my calorie goal yesterday, but Fitbit says I was over. Not sure how to make that jive. I only wish it had a feature to deliver a small shock every time I reach for pizza, chips, or brownies.
  • I got a Flex, and so far I am loving it. I am confused about the calories between it and mfp as well. LOL @nutmeg2576 I need mine to do that, too!!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Be clear on what you are using it for

    1) fitbit is a great pedometer to estimate your daily steps and adjust your activity level..it's clever it learns over time and gets more accurate, make sure you set it up properly to stride length, age,weight, time zone

    2) an HRM is a interesting guideline for how many calories you burn during steady state cardio at a decent intensity level eg running, cycling, rowing

    3) a 24 hr wearable HRM is a great tool if you have a heart defect and need to monitor your hr 24/7

    The rest of it I am unconvinced by

    Why do you need to track sleep
    What is the point do monitoring your HR all day ..if you're hot or anxious it will increase but this does not convert to additional calories burned, if you're taking yoga or lifting weights there is no direct conversion to calories burned

    If weight is your goal use it as an estimator and adjust based on your weight across 6-8 weeks

    I love my fitbit but the key thing is estimating your food intake appropriately (digital scales to weigh) and using the data wisely
  • mrsmac7051
    mrsmac7051 Posts: 4 Member
    nutmeg2576 wrote: »
    I got the Charge HR. So far, I like it. HR monitor on mine seems to be accurate, the sleep study was interesting. Im curious about the calorie goals though, because I linked my Fitbit to MFP, and MFP says I was under my calorie goal yesterday, but Fitbit says I was over. Not sure how to make that jive. I only wish it had a feature to deliver a small shock every time I reach for pizza, chips, or brownies.

    Hey do you have the goals for each set the same. Like goal to lose 1 pound per week
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    3) a 24 hr wearable HRM is a great tool if you have a heart defect and need to monitor your hr 24/7

    fwiw if one really needs to be measuring HR 24/7 as part of a treatment regime then I'd hope that the clinician requiring it would expect a clinical grade device, rather than low end consumer grade.
  • mrsmac7051
    mrsmac7051 Posts: 4 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Be clear on what you are using it for

    1) fitbit is a great pedometer to estimate your daily steps and adjust your activity level..it's clever it learns over time and gets more accurate, make sure you set it up properly to stride length, age,weight, time zone

    2) an HRM is a interesting guideline for how many calories you burn during steady state cardio at a decent intensity level eg running, cycling, rowing

    3) a 24 hr wearable HRM is a great tool if you have a heart defect and need to monitor your hr 24/7

    The rest of it I am unconvinced by

    Why do you need to track sleep
    What is the point do monitoring your HR all day ..if you're hot or anxious it will increase but this does not convert to additional calories burned, if you're taking yoga or lifting weights there is no direct conversion to calories burned

    If weight is your goal use it as an estimator and adjust based on your weight across 6-8 weeks

    I love my fitbit but the key thing is estimating your food intake appropriately (digital scales to weigh) and using the data wisely

    Hi. My job is (kinda) very physical so I do like to get credit for being active on the days I Wk 10 hours so I enjoy the all day hr monitoring and on the days that I don't work it does engourage me to get up and do something more active than just my regular 3 mile Wk out. So it dies benefit me
  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
    Yahoo!! I got one too!! I spent yesterday just messing with it and setting it up. Today I mean business with it :)
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    mrsmac7051 wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Be clear on what you are using it for

    1) fitbit is a great pedometer to estimate your daily steps and adjust your activity level..it's clever it learns over time and gets more accurate, make sure you set it up properly to stride length, age,weight, time zone

    2) an HRM is a interesting guideline for how many calories you burn during steady state cardio at a decent intensity level eg running, cycling, rowing

    3) a 24 hr wearable HRM is a great tool if you have a heart defect and need to monitor your hr 24/7

    The rest of it I am unconvinced by

    Why do you need to track sleep
    What is the point do monitoring your HR all day ..if you're hot or anxious it will increase but this does not convert to additional calories burned, if you're taking yoga or lifting weights there is no direct conversion to calories burned

    If weight is your goal use it as an estimator and adjust based on your weight across 6-8 weeks

    I love my fitbit but the key thing is estimating your food intake appropriately (digital scales to weigh) and using the data wisely

    Hi. My job is (kinda) very physical so I do like to get credit for being active on the days I Wk 10 hours so I enjoy the all day hr monitoring and on the days that I don't work it does engourage me to get up and do something more active than just my regular 3 mile Wk out. So it dies benefit me

    Yes that's the pedometer function ...
  • FrankWhite27330
    FrankWhite27330 Posts: 316 Member
    How do I set stride???
  • tjcuts339
    tjcuts339 Posts: 188 Member
    How do I set stride???
    Got my HR 2 weeks ago .It takes some time to build a memory of your actions and activities eventually it will be pretty accurate on all things mention ed above par with MFP. Remember log food on MFP not fit bit will put you I ver on calories. Perfect for day to day fitness. If you are a hard core triathlon athletes there are better choice. Fit bit hr work well for day TO day maintenance achievement.
  • ekruska802
    ekruska802 Posts: 79 Member
    I got one too! Somehow said I was 700 calories under yesterday. Today it's not syncing my steps at all, and it counted my horse riding as my own steps (went from 2000 to 8000 after I hopped off the pony). I assume it takes some time to get used to, so I'll keep noodling with it.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »

    Many thanks for your posts, santa brought me my first fit bit too and I'm still in the midsts of setting it up/figuring it out :D
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Be clear on what you are using it for

    1) fitbit is a great pedometer to estimate your daily steps and adjust your activity level..it's clever it learns over time and gets more accurate, make sure you set it up properly to stride length, age,weight, time zone

    2) an HRM is a interesting guideline for how many calories you burn during steady state cardio at a decent intensity level eg running, cycling, rowing

    3) a 24 hr wearable HRM is a great tool if you have a heart defect and need to monitor your hr 24/7

    The rest of it I am unconvinced by

    Why do you need to track sleep
    What is the point do monitoring your HR all day ..if you're hot or anxious it will increase but this does not convert to additional calories burned, if you're taking yoga or lifting weights there is no direct conversion to calories burned

    If weight is your goal use it as an estimator and adjust based on your weight across 6-8 weeks

    I love my fitbit but the key thing is estimating your food intake appropriately (digital scales to weigh) and using the data wisely

    For the sleep, it was helpful to see if I was overdoing exercise or if something else was happening. Not the specific hours but the change from the norm.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    ekruska802 wrote: »
    and it counted my horse riding as my own steps

    They measure vibration and assume that it relates to steps, hence being very dependent on the type of exercise one does.
  • ekruska802
    ekruska802 Posts: 79 Member
    ekruska802 wrote: »
    and it counted my horse riding as my own steps

    They measure vibration and assume that it relates to steps, hence being very dependent on the type of exercise one does.

    This is helpful! Thanks!
  • tjcuts339
    tjcuts339 Posts: 188 Member
    ekruska802 wrote: »
    ekruska802 wrote: »
    and it counted my horse riding as my own steps

    They measure vibration and assume that it relates to steps, hence being very dependent on the type of exercise one does.

    This is helpful! Thanks!
    You will understand. All the features. First it has to have Data to
    Estimated. Two weeks wearing. You will be able to understand. Better, As far as the heart monitoring. If you do hard core cardio you con track rate. When. Running, Also open app and look at rates after run, I find it interesting. To see rate drop the more in shape you become,
  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
    Thanks for all of your posts. I have my fit bit up and going. I ran 5 miles yesterday and the heart rate piece as I am running, lifting, and grocery shopping are all interesting. I still don't know what I am looking for however. I have the surge, i think. I am still trying to see exactly what I will use it for.
  • FrankWhite27330
    FrankWhite27330 Posts: 316 Member
    I just got a fitbit hr. Also today bought myself a h7 polar strap. Huge diff in heart rate. Max hr on fitbit 155. Max on h7. 184. I was running on treadmill. During this time. Also as I got sweaty fitbit showed blank fpr heart rate

    Calories were 300 less on fitbit. During my 80 minute gym session
  • ashbee03
    ashbee03 Posts: 274 Member
    I got one too! Also confused. I went to work and walked around a bit and said I burned 2000+ calories... No way!
    I work out and do cardio and never burn that much.

    Also confused if I do an elliptical workout, do I enter it into MFP? Or just let Fitbit add it? Lol
  • tjcuts339
    tjcuts339 Posts: 188 Member
    Away s add exercise on MFP the two will synchronize and show on both bit and MFP app. As far as that calories count no making no sense don't quite understand that one yet.
  • natboosh69
    natboosh69 Posts: 277 Member
    I got one too! Not going to sync it with MFP but will be interesting to see cals burned and HR, especially when I quit smoking after NY :)
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    I just got a fitbit hr. Also today bought myself a h7 polar strap. Huge diff in heart rate. Max hr on fitbit 155. Max on h7. 184. I was running on treadmill. During this time. Also as I got sweaty fitbit showed blank fpr heart rate

    There are a number of challenges with optical HR monitoring that mean it can be less reliable than ECG monitoring. Sweat, skin tone, arm hair, or just not being tight enough can all contribute to measurement errors.

    In terms of whether 155bpm or 184bpm is more meaningful, that depends on effort. I'll comfortably run 12-13 miles at around 150-160, but can exceed 200 for sprint intervals. Only you know which is more representative of your effort.

    Personally I think HR on something like a Fitbit is a waste of time in most circumstances, regardless of whether it's optical or not. You can't relate it to anything else, so it's meaningless data.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    ashbee03 wrote: »
    I got one too! Also confused. I went to work and walked around a bit and said I burned 2000+ calories... No way!
    I work out and do cardio and never burn that much.

    What kind of work do you do?

    As upthread if it's something that involves a lot of arm movement then you may get a very high false positive reading.
    Also confused if I do an elliptical workout, do I enter it into MFP? Or just let Fitbit add it? Lol

    Assuming that you have the Fitbit platform synchronised with MFP then log it in Fitbit and let it flow through. That allows Fitbit to account for any steps measured during the session and avoids double accounting.
  • whiteblossom14
    whiteblossom14 Posts: 240 Member
    Had mine for a while. Maintained for a month now. But put on weight over Xmas so it will be handy again to lose weight.
    Wouldn't be without it. Love it
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
    ashbee03 wrote: »
    I got one too! Also confused. I went to work and walked around a bit and said I burned 2000+ calories... No way!
    I work out and do cardio and never burn that much.

    What kind of work do you do?

    As upthread if it's something that involves a lot of arm movement then you may get a very high false positive reading.
    Also confused if I do an elliptical workout, do I enter it into MFP? Or just let Fitbit add it? Lol

    Assuming that you have the Fitbit platform synchronised with MFP then log it in Fitbit and let it flow through. That allows Fitbit to account for any steps measured during the session and avoids double accounting.

    Just a word of caution, you don't always get the number of steps on an elliptical to match the calorie burn. That may be a bonus for some people. Some activities also don't lend itself well to steps. If you have the right time and date, the activity can override the information in Fitbit for that specific time.0fvd6bghlopa.png

  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
    ashbee03 wrote: »
    I got one too! Also confused. I went to work and walked around a bit and said I burned 2000+ calories... No way!
    I work out and do cardio and never burn that much.

    Also confused if I do an elliptical workout, do I enter it into MFP? Or just let Fitbit add it? Lol

    Your Fitbit is counting all the calories you burn during a 24 hour period, even when you are sedentary. It resets and starts over again at midnight.
  • Abakan
    Abakan Posts: 361 Member
    I ordered myself a fitbit which should be here in a few days but after reading the posts here I may send it straight back as they don't sound as if they're very reliable. I was looking forward to knowing what my daily calorie burn is and also knowing what my HR is while working out...... not much point in having one if there not very accurate.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
    Abakan wrote: »
    I ordered myself a fitbit which should be here in a few days but after reading the posts here I may send it straight back as they don't sound as if they're very reliable. I was looking forward to knowing what my daily calorie burn is and also knowing what my HR is while working out...... not much point in having one if there not very accurate.

    There are many success stories of people using fitbit and being satisfied. Check the return policy and at least give it a try before returning it. Its accurate enough for many people to reach and maintain their goals.