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FitBit pros and cons??
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I my fitbit alta for awhile, but found that it aggravated my disordered eating. Having the constant calories burned reminder turned exercise into something less about fitness and health and more about that number. I checked it wayyy too much.
Someone without a history of eating problems will probably not experience the same problems though. I eventually stopped wearing it and switched to MFP and have been doing wayyy better ever since! I sit down in the morning and pre log breakfast and lunch, and then when I get home from work I log my snacks and dinner. I only need to think about it 2-3 times a day and I don't get obsessed that way. Exercise is also more fun now!1 -
On the other hand, I'm a recovering disordered eater as well and I love my Fitbit. I don't find it triggers my disordered eating at all.
Just posting this to note that depending on where you a person is in their recovery they may be just find with a tracker. If you're not sure how you'll do, maybe start off with just a cheap one for a while to see how you handle it.
*Universal "You", not the OP2 -
MommaDeQuatre wrote: »So it seems that it mostly keeps track of your steps for you?? I do weight lifting and am active through several other means, I guess it would benefit me on my hiking adventures or when I'm walking up and down the orchard?
I Have a Charge HR and a flex. I have the flex for when I am in the water only. I wear my Charge 24/7 (except swimming and showers)
it tracks my sleep,
weight lifting,
walking,
running,
treadmill,
regular steps,
biking,
yoga,
Hiking,
it reminds me to move with a buzz,
silent alarm for wake ups,
active minutes,
floors climbed,
Heart rate while working out and
Resting hr,
miles walked,
calories burned (total)
it also tracks if I move at least 250 steps in 1 hour at least 10 hours a day.
and for reference it gives me about 35 calories burned for weighlifting for 20mins..
I do sync it to mfp for the adjustment but I don't always eat it back.3 -
I just use the iPhone step counter on MFP.
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I too was hesitant to get one as I wondered how different it would be than just carrying my phone. I now don't know what I would do without it as it keeps me accountable -- I have a desk job so it really helps me think and act on moving more, or parking farther away if I am not walking somewhere.
Other minor benefits:
It tracks my sleep patterns (when I move, wake and am restless) which I love because I can monitor my sleep better
It tracks my heart rate - which keeps my in tune to my body state
It signals me to get up and walk after sitting too long
It syncs with MFP and MFP syncs with fitbit so I only have to log my stuff into MFP but all my exercise and activity calories are posted
It serves as a watch, and believe it or not, I actually like being able to look at my wrist to tell the time instead of my phone.
I have the Charge HR.5 -
I have a Charge 2 and I love it. I love the silent alarm since I wake up extra early two days a week to do strength training and it's better than silencing the alarm clock and apologizing to my still-sleeping spouse. I also love the fact that it will track different types of exercise. It is a good motivator, and now I have the activity reminders set, so I am consciously moving around more during the day (which is much healthier for my heart since I work a sedentary job). I also appreciate the sleep tracker function for nothing other than the curiosity of spying on myself in my sleep.
Cons: I am right handed and fish left handed with a spin caster. The Fitbit racks up all kinds of steps when I'm reeling my bait in. It also managed to rack up about 10K steps when I was driving on a 6 hour road trip. In other words, don't rely on it when you know it's racking up false steps. Definitely don't rely on it to calculate extra eatable calories for you.1 -
I'd never buy a fitbit because they don't make one that is useful for swimming. I don't care what else it does.
The dudes that track swimming well are expensive. But i finally broke down and bought the new Garmin Fenix 5X. The display is large enough to read without keeping a pair of readers poolside.
It has features for hiking like topographical maps on board.
Only used it for swimming so far and wear it as a watch through the day. I'll check the hiking feature when I get home from this month long business "adventure" in China. (12th month long trip in 3.5 years)1 -
Does anyone have problems with wrist located trackers erroneously adding steps when not walking? I have a Jawbone Up that clips at the waist but I'm looking to upgrade. At work, I move files and do a lot of paperwork and I'm worried about over estimating of steps taken. Thoughts?0
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Does anyone have problems with wrist located trackers erroneously adding steps when not walking? I have a Jawbone Up that clips at the waist but I'm looking to upgrade. At work, I move files and do a lot of paperwork and I'm worried about over estimating of steps taken. Thoughts?
The only non-exercise activity it has logged as steps has been folding laundry. So now I just take it off when I'm folding. I get 10-17K most days and it's accurate. The majority are from purposeful movement, I.e. running or walking for exercise. I am basically a lump the rest of the time.3 -
I'd never buy a fitbit because they don't make one that is useful for swimming. I don't care what else it does.
The dudes that track swimming well are expensive. But i finally broke down and bought the new Garmin Fenix 5X. The display is large enough to read without keeping a pair of readers poolside.
It has features for hiking like topographical maps on board.
Only used it for swimming so far and wear it as a watch through the day. I'll check the hiking feature when I get home from this month long business "adventure" in China. (12th month long trip in 3.5 years)
@fishgutzy this is where you are mistaken. I have two fitbits...one specifically for when I am in the water...the Flex is waterproof for swimming boating etc.3 -
Does anyone have problems with wrist located trackers erroneously adding steps when not walking? I have a Jawbone Up that clips at the waist but I'm looking to upgrade. At work, I move files and do a lot of paperwork and I'm worried about over estimating of steps taken. Thoughts?
The only non-exercise activity it has logged as steps has been folding laundry. So now I just take it off when I'm folding. I get 10-17K most days and it's accurate. The majority are from purposeful movement, I.e. running or walking for exercise. I am basically a lump the rest of the time.
Which device do you have? I am having to replace my UP, as it fell off my pocket today and is lost. Luckily, it wasn't working all that great anyway.0 -
creatureofchaos wrote: »I don't understand the point of a FitBit - wouldn't your cell phone track your steps the same way if you keep it in your pocket? My iPhone does, and then syncs the steps with MFP. I've thought about getting a FitBZit because I like gadgets but it seems like a waste.
It is a personal preference. I may be in the minority these days, but I definitely don't like to carry my phone everywhere with me, and I hate trying to use a phone when running. Watches are so much easier when working out.4 -
I'd never buy a fitbit because they don't make one that is useful for swimming. I don't care what else it does.
The dudes that track swimming well are expensive. But i finally broke down and bought the new Garmin Fenix 5X. The display is large enough to read without keeping a pair of readers poolside.
It has features for hiking like topographical maps on board.
Only used it for swimming so far and wear it as a watch through the day. I'll check the hiking feature when I get home from this month long business "adventure" in China. (12th month long trip in 3.5 years)
I use a Flex 2 and it registers swimming. Not to the same degree of an HRM, but I use a Polar chest mounted HRM for that.0 -
@fishgutzy this is where you are mistaken. I have two fitbits...one specifically for when I am in the water...the Flex is waterproof for swimming boating etc.
But the flex has no display. It can't tell the user anything during the swim.
I swim too long to track laps in my head.
The pool where i swim in my China trips is 22m vs 25 yd at home. Fenix5X lets me set a custom length.
Display big enough that I don't need my glasses to see it.
For anyone who swims a lot, I'd recommend it.0 -
creatureofchaos wrote: »I don't understand the point of a FitBit - wouldn't your cell phone track your steps the same way if you keep it in your pocket? My iPhone does, and then syncs the steps with MFP. I've thought about getting a FitBZit because I like gadgets but it seems like a waste.
There's no way I'm carrying my phone around with me for every minute of every day. Besides I'd have to stop and charge it too many times. Phone counting steps = a big hassle for me.1 -
@fishgutzy this is where you are mistaken. I have two fitbits...one specifically for when I am in the water...the Flex is waterproof for swimming boating etc.
But the flex has no display. It can't tell the user anything during the swim.
I swim too long to track laps in my head.
The pool where i swim in my China trips is 22m vs 25 yd at home. Fenix5X lets me set a custom length.
Display big enough that I don't need my glasses to see it.
For anyone who swims a lot, I'd recommend it.
Well if you are using it to track that is different but your quote was Fitbit didn't make one useful for swimming...and it does.
not to be picky....
I get where you are coming from tho...for me if I am swimming I do it for a set time not laps...so for me it is a good thing.
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It's fine as long as you understand its limitations. For example calories burned and steps count tends to be 20% too high for me.
On the other hand it does pretty well as a watch, and I can skip songs without taking the phone out.1
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