Fitbits.... yes or no.

Fitfortat
Fitfortat Posts: 47
in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm considering getting a fitbit to help with tracking my fitness level. I'm overweight but I have a very physically active job. I unload trailers for 10 hours a day and can also end up walking 10-12 miles a day throughout the warehouse. So I have a very hard time figuring out what my calorie intake would be and I know I also do very well with having numbers to actually smack me in the face. So I would like to know if any of you have tried the fitbits and what you thought of them and how they worked for you. Thanks for your input everyone. EAT LESS MOVE MORE SMILE OFTEN AND LIVE FULLY!

Replies

  • The1FitGuy
    The1FitGuy Posts: 1
    Yes: Fitbit Ultra is a great tool to be able to supplement your knowledge of how your body burns calories. When you set it up (online) it takes into account information from your profile to establish a baseline BMR.

    It then learns from your nutritional information (recorded daily) as well as Manual Adjustments that Fitbit does not pick up.
    Example: Since its based on an accelerometer principal, it detects movement like walking and climbing bot say riding a bike or say a Stationary Bike in the gym. IN that case you would input the Activity based on time, RPM calories burned if you know it and it takes that into consideration in calculating your Next Days nutritional requirements.

    Fitbit has it's own calorie/nutritional logs similar to MFP however, I dont think either is as good as LoseIt app that Syncs with Fitbit.

    One other MAJOR item to consider and where MFP needs to make updates. You need to seriously look into Body Composition and not just using Body Weight as a goal factor. If you exercise you will increase Lean Body Mass (LBM) or Muscle. This you want as this is what regulates your metabolism. You need to look into what your Current Body Fat % is and use that as a guide. Currently MFP has no way to record this and don't even get me started on how grossly inaccurate BMI is.

    BTW: I DO NOT work for FitBit but I am a pleased owner of one and have been using it now for (4) Months. It's not perfect...but its the best device on the market at present time. The addition of a Hear Rate Monitor in (1) single device would be optimal. There is a firm currently working on this, but it is several months away from market.

    Hope this helps
  • picimadar
    picimadar Posts: 68 Member
    I love my Fitbit! Coordinating it with MFP is a great way to track your ACTUAL activity level. Fitbit also sends you a weekly report on your deficit, steps for the week, etc etc. Very helpful for tracking how many negative calories you're actually at!

    I even had technical difficulties with mine, and the company sent me an new one after one email complaining about it. Bam, just like that. They have great service, good forums of their own, and the device itself works great. I never have to worry about knowing my TDEE or how much to eat anymore!
  • fiveohmike
    fiveohmike Posts: 1,297 Member
    I have a Fitbit Ultra, a Bodymedia Fit LINK and a Polar FT7 Heart rate monitor.

    In all honesty I find my Bodymedia FIT much more accurate for tracking caloires during the day. Plus I like the reporting functionality better.

    Something to consider :)
  • beckylawrence70
    beckylawrence70 Posts: 752 Member
    I love my Fitbit, neat lil gadget to track steps, walking, calories burned, stairs climbed, etc......
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I have had mine for about 2 weeks now and I love it! I was amazed to see that even though I am pretty sedentary, I have enough activity daily to make it hard for me to have a decent net calorie intake daily! By the end of the first full day with my fitbit, I was eating a 300 calorie snack in an effort to boost my net calories to a decent level.

    Another thing I like is the function that monitors your sleep. There are nights that I KNOW I slept like ****, and now I have visual proof--a chart that shows me that I woke up 15 times, or that my longest stretch of sleep was only 3 hours.
  • balancejenn
    balancejenn Posts: 234
    Bump
  • Fitfortat
    Fitfortat Posts: 47
    Thank you, it does, and most definitely BMI is the worst factor to judge yourself. Mine says I"m grossly obese due to my height and weight. I am overweight, but I only wear a size 12 and am quite muscular, so I totally ignore BMI
  • picimadar
    picimadar Posts: 68 Member
    Same here. I'm 5'1" and wear xxs shirts and a size 2 jean, and I'm barely in the 'overweight' category on the 'obese' end. BMI is B.S.
  • TwtyMami35
    TwtyMami35 Posts: 99
    Yes. I bought one the month after I joined MFP and I am very satisfied!
  • hsandall
    hsandall Posts: 106 Member
    I love my Fitbit to show just how active I am and calories burned...Measures sleep as well...
  • BubbaLax
    BubbaLax Posts: 36 Member
    Fitbit rocks! I have been using it since my weight loss journey started. It is fun and very motivating.

    If mine broke today, I would buy a new one in heart beat!
  • tbresina
    tbresina Posts: 558 Member
    I love my fitbit, it is on me every second of the day except to shower! I know I will always use one......
  • mandalu292
    mandalu292 Posts: 68 Member
    Yes! Love mine as well... :)
  • drdortch
    drdortch Posts: 16 Member
    YES !! YES !! YES !!

    I have had my fitbit a little over a week and I LOVE IT ! :love: I wear it every it expect for the pool and the shower. Best of all, no one knows I have it on.

    It automatically updates when ever I am near my computer.
  • Chuckal
    Chuckal Posts: 5 Member
    I too have a fitbit. It's a pretty cool tool. I think my steps are off and needs a little calibration, but it is a real encouragement to me. I get within a few feet of my computer and it uploads my steps to fitbit dashboard, which pushes it over to mfp. I find myself doing little things like standing and walking to increment that counter. The feedback helps me go.

    I find it takes me between 5 - 10 minutes to fall asleep. It's really cool.

    Check out craigslist. I was able to buy mine for $50 new in the box by being a little patient.
  • kimnsc
    kimnsc Posts: 560 Member
    Fitbit rocks! I have been using it since my weight loss journey started. It is fun and very motivating.

    If mine broke today, I would buy a new one in heart beat!

    Exactly ^^That!!! I did lose mine and was out replacing it the very next morning!!
  • cheryl5115
    cheryl5115 Posts: 154 Member
    Like some of the others I bought mine just after starting MFP. I love it and will replace it if something happens to it.
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
    I also really like mine. I use it a bit differently to many others in that I take it off when I exercise. For me the fitbit is a tool to ensure I move enough in my daily life. I've got myself entered here as 'lightly active' and I think that 'sedentary' might have been closer to the truth many days before I get the fitbit. Now with the fitbit I make sure I walk an average of 10,000 steps a day and climb 20 flights of stairs. For me that justifies being in MFP as lightly active.

    Anyway it's been well worth the money and a few friends from work also bought one when they saw how happy I've been with mine and they've been happy with theirs too.
  • daryllynn515
    daryllynn515 Posts: 17 Member
    Absolutely! I'm in the exact same boat! I work shipping and receiving and also am walking around constantly at work. I never really knew exactly how much I walked around until I got the fitbit. I was shocked! I avg. about 3 miles a day!
    I was a member of weight watchers 3 times and yes, the program does work, but I found that when I got my fitbit and joined MFP, I no longer needed weight watchers. The Fitbit had made all the difference and it's fun! I have friends from work that use it also and we make a game as to who can get the most steps, which increases the excercise I'm getting. I've lost 7 lbs. so far and I'm not paying a monthly fee.
    Go for it! You'll be glad you did!! Best of Luck!! :flowerforyou:
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I also really like mine. I use it a bit differently to many others in that I take it off when I exercise. For me the fitbit is a tool to ensure I move enough in my daily life. I've got myself entered here as 'lightly active' and I think that 'sedentary' might have been closer to the truth many days before I get the fitbit. Now with the fitbit I make sure I walk an average of 10,000 steps a day and climb 20 flights of stairs. For me that justifies being in MFP as lightly active.

    Anyway it's been well worth the money and a few friends from work also bought one when they saw how happy I've been with mine and they've been happy with theirs too.

    why not leave it on, but use the function to *mark* when your exercise took place? I wear mine while on the treadmill and doing strength training, and when I go to log my exercise here on MFP it asks me what time I started, and how long I did whatever activity. I'm kind of afraid that if I don't keep it on, I'll forget to put it on! Last night I put it on the charger, and this morning I went out back to feed the chickens, THEN I remembered I didn't have it on :( I probably missed out on 200 steps!
  • spirit80
    spirit80 Posts: 327 Member
    Love it, hit 25,000 steps yesterday.... I was beat!
  • julrose68
    julrose68 Posts: 1
    After reading all of these "love notes"- I'm ordering one today. I'm sure it will be something I can't live without. My hope is that by next summer my biggest problem will be where to clip it on my bikini (a girl can dream)! Thanks so sharing.
  • Fitfortat
    Fitfortat Posts: 47
    Thank you all sooooooo much for your input! These are the things I sooo needed to know. I think I really need to challenge myself and with all the support on here and the inspiration and a Fitbit, I will tear this weight loss journey to shreds. I have to say MFP folks rock, you are a great group of people. If only the whole world could be as kind and supportive of our differences and challenges as we are on here!

    EAT LESS, MOVE MORE, SMILE OFTEN, AND LIVE FULLY!!

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