Fitbit or no?

kristen5286
kristen5286 Posts: 329 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello everyone! I'm starting back up again and looking to get a Fitbit (or something similar) to help track my exercises etc. I've never had anything like this before. Any and all advice on what to buy is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Replies

  • lynnbasa
    lynnbasa Posts: 2 Member
    I used a fitbit for a couple of years until I realized how inaccurate it is. Now I use Runtastic and I love it. (I know, I sound like a paid ad, but I'm real). Its supposed to be able to sync to your myfitnesspal data but I haven't been able to figure out how to do that so I just transfer the data manually into my myfitnesspal. It's really accurate because it connects to GPS instead of counting steps. It can tell how fast you're walking or jogging by the distance you cover. You put your height, weight, age in the settings so it gives pretty accurate readings.
  • poisonesse
    poisonesse Posts: 573 Member
    I have a FitBit Zip, and I just checked... they no longer make them! lol Shame, it was rated one of the best and most accurate pedometers on the market. But that was ALL it did, no heart rate info, no sleep info, it was strictly a pedometer worn on the waist or the bra. Still does a fantastic job, but since it's not available anymore, guess I'm not much help. :p
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    For good quality reviews on most of the more well known fitness/activity trackers on the market, check out DCRainmaker's website.
  • kristen5286
    kristen5286 Posts: 329 Member
    Thank y'all so much for your feedback! I really appreciate it!
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    indianwin2001 wrote: »
    I've been using Garmin watches since 2012. Way better and much more accurate than Fitbit.

    Also drastically more feature packed. For people who like toys (that's me!) the features can be motivating. I have a friend from work who likes to tell me how many steps he got, then I email him a map of where I hiked and rode, there's an elevation chart attached, etc. I have a map of where I swam on the way home yesterday.

    Also, Fitbits seem to die right after the warranty period is over. I used a Garmin Edge 800 for almost a decade. I had a Garmin watch on when I got hit by a car, watch continued to function and the screen looked like brand new afterwards. You can see exactly where I was from the recording when I got hit.
  • BurningSkies2018
    BurningSkies2018 Posts: 64 Member
    I tried wearing a fitness tracker for some time and it left a red band around my skin that was generally uncomfortable.

    That said, I do like to have a way to monitor things, but I don't have the funds for one of the nicer ones at the current moment. If I do try again, it'll likely be a Garmin, though.
  • PiscesIntuition
    PiscesIntuition Posts: 1,372 Member
    I was searching for the article I read. I haven’t found it yet, but here is one that lists studies as well: https://www.livescience.com/56459-fitness-tracker-heart-rate-monitors-accuracy.html
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    Just to give another point of view.

    I’ve never owned a tracker, I don’t even look at the steps my iPhone counts unless I am answering a question on here.

    I lift, walk, swim, practice yoga and do a number of different classes. All of these I initially logged and used MFP’s Calorie burn. Once I had enough data I worked out my personal calorie burn for my various activities an have just used those numbers.

    If I was off on adventures like NorthCascades, or was a more competitive athlete like Aokoye, I would probably find a need for one, but I am just keeping myself healthy and active.

    I’m also not someone who enjoys number crunching, so am happy working with ballpark numbers to get the results I want. (Lost 30lbs and maintained for 10yr without a fitness tracker)

    Again, just giving a different point of view. I have nothing against them, they are just something I haven’t found a need for, yet. If I ever have a need, I won’t hesitate to get one.

    Cheers, h.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    PiscesIntuition wrote: »
    I was searching for the article I read. I haven’t found it yet, but here is one that lists studies as well: https://www.livescience.com/56459-fitness-tracker-heart-rate-monitors-accuracy.html
    middlehaitch wrote: »
    If I was off on adventures like NorthCascades, or was a more competitive athlete like Aokoye, I would probably find a need for one, but I am just keeping myself healthy and active.

    Speak of the devil, and the devil appears. 😉

    It's always been a pet peeve of mine that people still say a fitness tracker is accurate, or ask of it is. Even the simplest of them has many things to tell us, and it does a better job at some of them than others.

    Yesterday, at about 1 am, I was hiking through deep woods trying to get back to my car. The trail went past a backcountry camp, which had myriad side trails to camp spots, the bathroom, etc. The trail turned here and I would up following the wrong one, to the cooking area. The map page on my Garmin watch confirmed my friend's theory that we were going in circles trying to get unlost. It also confirmed that we were on the correct trail when we found it. That would have been much harder with just head lamps.

    It told me the hike was 29 miles when in reality it was about 20. So, is it accurate? Well, the map page is, and the location of the trail is. For distance measurement, not so much.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    middlehaitch wrote: »
    If I was off on adventures like NorthCascades, or was a more competitive athlete like Aokoye, I would probably find a need for one, but I am just keeping myself healthy and active.

    I’m also not someone who enjoys number crunching, so am happy working with ballpark numbers to get the results I want. (Lost 30lbs and maintained for 10yr without a fitness tracker)

    Again, just giving a different point of view. I have nothing against them, they are just something I haven’t found a need for, yet. If I ever have a need, I won’t hesitate to get one.
    I forget that I could logically be classed as an athlete so thanks for that :)
    I agree with you 100% though - I don't need my Garmin Forerunner. I only bought one because I made a deal with myself that if I swam consistently for a month and a half or two, that I would buy one. My rowing is neither helped nor hindered by it and my (currently indoor) cycling isn't really helped by it at all. My power meter (that was an arm and a lege and that's despite getting it 50% off)? Yes - that's been useful, but not so much my watch.

    That said, I do enjoy numbers a lot. I let various software do the calculating and I do the looking at current and past performance and my resting HR.
  • kristen5286
    kristen5286 Posts: 329 Member
    Thanks everyone! My partner ended up surprising me with a Galaxy Active watch 3 days after I posted this! It has been amazing and I still love it 1.5 years later!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,985 Member
    edited December 2020
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    indianwin2001 wrote: »
    I've been using Garmin watches since 2012. Way better and much more accurate than Fitbit.

    Also drastically more feature packed. For people who like toys (that's me!) the features can be motivating. I have a friend from work who likes to tell me how many steps he got, then I email him a map of where I hiked and rode, there's an elevation chart attached, etc. I have a map of where I swam on the way home yesterday.

    Also, Fitbits seem to die right after the warranty period is over. I used a Garmin Edge 800 for almost a decade. I had a Garmin watch on when I got hit by a car, watch continued to function and the screen looked like brand new afterwards. You can see exactly where I was from the recording when I got hit.

    The problem with garmin is that they don't really have an up to date tracker. Oh yes, there are lots of watches, but if you want something smaller that doesn't look like a sports watch there's only a 2 year old model. The squared venu looks ok (if still too big), but it doesn't have an altimeter. That means if I want to wear this thing day in and out, and track how many stairs I walk i need to switch on the gps - which means the battery is empty after a day. And GPS signal inside sucks anyway. Plus it doesn't have a function for hiking. But there's golf as first option, which you can't disable. Thus not useful as an actual tracker. I'm still hoping that they come with an actual small tracker in the new year, but I fear they will also omit the altitude tracker there as well.
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    edited December 2020
    Love my Fitbit! I credit it with my success. In part, because with it's help I figured out that I am naturally lazy and need to make the effort to move during my day! I've used one since the end of 2013. It is a good way to track/measure my movement or activity level in general. It is not necessary for everyone - but it is an important part of my day to day and a way I hold myself accountable.

    As to accuracy on calorie burn, that will vary from person to person. My BMR is ~1230 and my Fitbit shows if I move little (3000-4000 or lower steps per day) that I burn a total of ~1500 per day. If I move more, for 10k-12k steps (some of it daily activity/errands, some cardio) then I burn 1900-2000 per day. For me these #s seem accurate, and reasonable, based on my weight patterns considering Fitbit data and MFP food logging.

    There are several reputable brands of trackers, and each has various models depending on what features you want/need.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    i have had several and have used them off and on over the years.

    i don't eat back many calories most days so I don't really have an opinion on that.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited December 2020
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    PiscesIntuition wrote: »
    I was searching for the article I read. I haven’t found it yet, but here is one that lists studies as well: https://www.livescience.com/56459-fitness-tracker-heart-rate-monitors-accuracy.html
    middlehaitch wrote: »
    If I was off on adventures like NorthCascades, or was a more competitive athlete like Aokoye, I would probably find a need for one, but I am just keeping myself healthy and active.

    Speak of the devil, and the devil appears. 😉

    It's always been a pet peeve of mine that people still say a fitness tracker is accurate, or ask of it is. Even the simplest of them has many things to tell us, and it does a better job at some of them than others.

    Yesterday, at about 1 am, I was hiking through deep woods trying to get back to my car. The trail went past a backcountry camp, which had myriad side trails to camp spots, the bathroom, etc. The trail turned here and I would up following the wrong one, to the cooking area. The map page on my Garmin watch confirmed my friend's theory that we were going in circles trying to get unlost. It also confirmed that we were on the correct trail when we found it. That would have been much harder with just head lamps.

    It told me the hike was 29 miles when in reality it was about 20. So, is it accurate? Well, the map page is, and the location of the trail is. For distance measurement, not so much.

    As a former Girl Scout, I always feel like I am cheating when I use MapMyFitness and a map of the state park on my phone ;)

    (I don't use MapMyFitness for calories - just for the map. I don't recommend this for deep woods as it won't track without cell reception.)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    My FitBit One was ok, but I kept losing it, and when I lost it for good did not feel the need to replace it. I went back to my "dumb" pedometer.

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