making the switch from fitbit to apple watch...

bananabeannn
bananabeannn Posts: 110 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
has anybody successfully done this? I just bought the *cutest* apple watch, I love its face and band...but I love the fitbit app. can the apple watch track sleep like fitbit? how is it for tracking steps/activity? and how is the heart rate capability? i have the charge HR...and am debating returning this gorgeous apple watch.

Thanks!

Replies

  • Bocch
    Bocch Posts: 191 Member
    I have the Apple iWatch and for those of you that don't know, you will need the Apple iPhone to work with the watch. I used to have the Garmin vivofit and was ok with it. I saw the vivofit on the biggest loser and wanted to try it. I was disappointed with the vivofit when I found that when I removed the watch before going to sleep it was still tracking my sleep. How it did that? I have no idea. I like the Apple iWatch better then the Garmin. To use the watch you will need to load apps on your iPhone. Your watch and phone should have been previously synched up so that when you load the app on the phone your watch will recognize the new app. There is an Activity tracker and it is there where it will count your steps. The activity tracker runs nearly constantly. It has a standup reminder not a go and walk reminder. The reminder will give you a "tap" on the wrist. If you wear the watch to sleep you will get a reminder to stand up. I do not wear the watch when I sleep. I find no need to know how I sleep. I sleep fine for a person my age. I sleep very soundly after a day of exercise or a day of doing yard work. The one thing you might find difficult to deal with is battery charging. You will most likely have to charge it more frequently then the fitbit or the vivofit. That is not a problem for me. So, did I clear things up or make them more confused for you?
  • mean_jeannie
    mean_jeannie Posts: 44 Member
    I love my Apple Watch but I've never had a Fitbit so I can't compare. I can only say that the step count and heart rate measurements work well for me. When you start using it for tracking workouts, you will have to carry your iPhone with you so it can calibrate, but after that you can leave your phone and it will sync up with it when they come together again. Sometimes I open my watch app on my phone and check my progress on my watch at the same time to make sure it does it! :wink:
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    I'm thinking of switching to the Apple Watch as well, so bump!
  • empressjasmin
    empressjasmin Posts: 170 Member
    I have a FitBit Charge HR and also had an Apple Watch. I returned the Apple Watch and still have my Fitbit. My main reason for returning the Apple Watch was that it just does a little too much and became a distraction from what I needed it for, exercising and tracking! I think the Fitbit is a much better fit if your main reason for purchasing an Apple Watch is to track exercise.
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    I have a FitBit Charge HR and also had an Apple Watch. I returned the Apple Watch and still have my Fitbit. My main reason for returning the Apple Watch was that it just does a little too much and became a distraction from what I needed it for, exercising and tracking! I think the Fitbit is a much better fit if your main reason for purchasing an Apple Watch is to track exercise.

    I plan to use it for tracking, music, and notifications...So I think it may benefit me more than my Fitbit Alta :o
  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
    I don't know if the Apple watch tracks sleep - I always charge it overnight so I know it's good to go for the next day. I find the step tracking pretty good, and while the calorie adjustments seem high, but if I actually eat around those cals I do lose weight as expected.

    I like the workout app on the phone - though it's basic, it works for me, I like being able to see heartrate, pace etc as I go. I use Runkeeper on my phone alongside the apple watch if I want feedback for intervals though.

    Its more than a fitness tracker for me - the things I use the most are the timer, calendar, Tripit (for flight details, hotel addresses etc when I travelling, great to see them at a glance on my wrist), weather, start/stop music/audio from my phone without having to find my phone. Currency exchange and time zone conversion were also fantastic when I was overseas at Christmas time.

    The activity tracker is cool, though I haven't had a Fitbit so I can't compare. I did have Misfit Shine but that was so much more basic (and the app was horrendous at the time) that it doesn't even compare. I think it is as good or better than my Garmin watch for activity tracking and heartrate.
  • KimiAR
    KimiAR Posts: 117 Member
    Another Apple Watch devotee
    Here. I don't have experience with the Fitbit but compared to my moms, they track the steps in the same ball park (same walk). I use it for its other capabilities as well- I like the notifications for texts, that I can "catch" a call without scrambling for my phone (4 kids it's a wonder I can ever find it!) and do some other things w it. The fitness app is simple and clear which is all I need :)
    Like some one mentioned earlier, I charge mine over night so not sure about apps that could do sleep stuff. You'd have to look in the App Store
  • ChasDomenici
    ChasDomenici Posts: 11 Member
    I have both (Apple Watch and Fitbit) and I have to say I love the Apple Watch way more! The activity tracker is very much like the Fitbit in that they track the steps the same way. The Apple Watch interface with the activity is a lot nicer though and I like the mfp app! The biggest adjustment is the size and weight of the watch compared to the Fitbit lol!
  • staceyhicken
    staceyhicken Posts: 1 Member
    edited January 2017
    I have a FitBit and an Apple Watch. I've used my Fitbit Charge for years and my Apple Watch was a gift so I'm using that now: I think that the Fitbit is better overall. It works better, the app is really good and it works with MyFitnessPal much quicker and includes your full day of calorie burning and adjusts it on MFP accordingly. The Apple Watch only sends over the recorded exercise you do through the 'workout' app and I find that if you don't log in MFP the same day, it won't add the workout after that, whereas Fitbit will backdate all your recorded activity. The bonus with the Apple Watch is you can wear it while swimming although I haven't checked to see if it can record a proper swimming session, I've just worn it on holiday. I just love the Fitbit app and doing challenges with my other Fitbit friends. The sleep tracker on Fitbit is great as well and is really insightful - you have to charge your Apple Watch every night so can't use it to track sleep. Hmm I might just start wearing both! Haha.
  • indiacaitlin
    indiacaitlin Posts: 691 Member
    I've switched from a FitBit to the Apple Watch and love it! The activity app is pretty good and gives your steps and distance etc. Not seen much on there about sleep but there might be other apps to track things like that?
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    AW from Fitbit here. Never looked back. If you browse Reddit there's a lot of good info on apps and usage in the AW subreddit. There are a number of sleep tracker apps. You will need to charge each day so work that out if you intend to wear it to sleep.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    @staceyhicken FYI - I charge my Apple Watch for 30 mins in the morning while I get ready for work and 30 mins at night during dinner, and that works great. When sleeping, I turn off the "wake screen" feature so it doesn't flash when I roll over. The alarm feature works great.
This discussion has been closed.