Is a fitness tracker worth it?

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sophielouise1476
sophielouise1476 Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Im so stumped on whether to get a fitness tracker, I need advice!!. I really want to keep track of what i am doing but are they worth the £100+ ???
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Replies

  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    I have a Fitbit Charge 2 and I like it. It's eye opening for how lazy I am on some days and how that relates to my TDEE.

    I think if you like data its worth it.

    It does help motivate me to walk a little more because I don't like see a very low TDEE:)
  • sophielouise1476
    sophielouise1476 Posts: 10 Member
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    Yeah thats the fitbit im looking into, I really think it will help to motivate me also!
  • Roosh513
    Roosh513 Posts: 57 Member
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    What are you wanting to track? Heart rate? Steps? Calories burned? Are you motivated by data? Just like MyFitnessPal, fitness tracking gadgets are just tools. If you buy a hammer, but don't really have any reason to use it, it might not be worth it.

    I just bought a Fitbit Charge 2 yesterday. For the longest time, I didn't feel like I needed a tracker since I was consistently losing weight. Now that I'm closer to my goal weight, the weight loss has slowed. My goal is to transition into workout performance instead of weight loss. I am using the tracker to get an estimate of how effective my current routine is, and whether it's necessary to start changing things up.

    Hope that helps! If you are still torn, you can always buy one, and if you don't like it or don't find it useful, you can return it :smile:
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    My daughter in law has one and we do challenges that she always spanks me on but its fun to be up at 9pm trying to at least get close to her step count:).
  • sophielouise1476
    sophielouise1476 Posts: 10 Member
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    Yeah I basically want to track HR, Calories, sleep, steps. So im motivated by all the data to continue my weight loss!! I think im just going to go for it! if anything it will benefit me and keep me motived!
  • embeers
    embeers Posts: 41 Member
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    YES!!! I THINK SO!! Worth every cent!!
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,222 Member
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    I have a Fitbit Charge and I only use it to track my sleep. The reason is that it overestimates my burns by a huge amount. And just for walking. I can only imagine what it would give me for other exercise. It more than doubles my walking calories (as compared to all other apps, pedometer, mfp and sites I've visited which all agree, as well as my own observations).

    I've heard that it works great for many. For me was a waste of money (and time, since the first couple of months I followed it and gained).
  • marelthu
    marelthu Posts: 184 Member
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    I find it motivates me to get active if only to meet my daily challenge. But don't pay attention to what it says about calorie burning because it vastly overestimates it.
  • sharonandwyatt
    sharonandwyatt Posts: 86 Member
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    I have a Fitbit charge HR (the older version). Will update one day but happy with what I have for now. My only exercise is walking so I enjoy getting lots of steps in a day and watching my available calories go up. My Fitbit syncs easily with MFP
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,146 Member
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    In my opinion, and according with what I read in the forums, people that cherish motivation and data find the tracker beneficial. I don't like gadgets, I don't care for data and I can motivate myself without one.
    Just do what is best for you.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,485 Member
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    I don't find them motivating.

    I have only tried a basic fit bit thoug. I found I am not interested in tracking how many steps I do, competing against myself, or others or needing to pace the house to reach an arbitrary 1000 steps.

    I worked out my TDEE from extrapolating info I had logged in MFP and that has worked well for my 7 years of maintenance.

    I am not interested in lots of data, nor my heart rate while working out.

    It is just something that is not for me.

    Weigh up how much use you will get out of it, then shop for the one that offers what you want. Don't focus on a brand name in particular.

    Cheers, h.
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
    edited March 2017
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    I just have a fitbit zip to check my steps and calorie burn. It is fun and it helps to motivate me to move a bit more. Wasn't really expensive either. But if you are looking to check track more than steps you will have to spend a bit more.

    Do you need one to lose weight no, but they can help motivation.
  • size102b
    size102b Posts: 1,370 Member
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    I find they can make you a little obsessive as you seriously want to get your steps in
    I have one and have up graded to a Fitbit blaze which comes this week as I know I need a kick up my *kitten* and that will make me move more becomes it's showing me I don't move enough

    Regarding being accurate no device web site or hmr is accurate you just eat 1/2 activity calories and if no losses you adjust the calories until you lose

    But I find trackers make you move more
  • maurihart
    maurihart Posts: 51 Member
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    I have an Apple Watch and love that it keeps up with my calories and heart rate. I def recommend.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    sophielouise1476 wrote: »
    Im so stumped on whether to get a fitness tracker, I need advice!!. I really want to keep track of what i am doing but are they worth the £100+ ???

    I have a Vivofit2 and find that it is worth every penny of the $90 USD I spent.

    What are your goals? What do you want out of a tracker? What is your lifestyle? Do you want something that counts steps or are you looking for something higher tech? Do you need something waterproof? Are you willing to charge it every few days or do you want something that runs on a watch battery?

    There are so many variables that determine if one is worth it to you.
  • annacole94
    annacole94 Posts: 997 Member
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    I'm just using an app on my phone (Google Fit). I had a simple tracker, and I liked it, but it broke and I found the app equally good and free.
  • 1234newman
    1234newman Posts: 31 Member
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    I use the free app 'S Health' on my Samsung mob. By way of examples, it has steps, time, distance and can instantly measure heart rate. Maybe there are other free apps that others can recommend.

    Saves buying and carrying two devices.

    There will always be discussions around the fine accuracy of any measuring device. More about marketing I suggest. Each to his own though and anything that helps and you can easily afford is OK.

    I am a procrastinator and the results keep me going. Not their annoying, distracting reminders though. There are far too many distractions in our daily living already. As long as I have data to enter in 'exercise' in MFP I am well served and some more food allowance for it which is a reward ;) . Cue->action->reward :)
  • spiffychick85
    spiffychick85 Posts: 311 Member
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    I love my fitbit...it definitely gets me motivated to move more. I won't go to sleep until I've hit my steps most days. I like that little extra push in the day.

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