Is Fitbit worth it?

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rowdylibrarian
rowdylibrarian Posts: 251 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been thinking about investing in a Fitbit or something like it. I'm a newer exerciser, so I really don't have a good sense of what I'm doing, or how effective I'm being. I'd mainly be doing walking and elliptical land exercise, with some water aerobics probably thrown in, as well. (I'm guessing that Fitbit wouldn't like going in the water!) I'm also hoping that seeing my progress will help to encourage me to do just a little more. Have you found it to be worth the money? Advice? Thanks! :)

Elizabeth
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Replies

  • cynthials
    cynthials Posts: 213 Member
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    I've had mine almost a year and a half and still wear it every day. I love it and would definitely recommend it. You can set goals to hit step counts, calorie burns, or overall activity level for each day. And it is definitely NOT water friendly!
  • Kristinemomof3
    Kristinemomof3 Posts: 636 Member
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    We were at a class reunion this weekend and I met three fitbit users and hopefully my dh will get me one now.
  • jasonheyd
    jasonheyd Posts: 524 Member
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    Fitbit's nice for general activity tracking, but not great for figuring out how effective your exercise routines are. For that, I think you'd want a HRM.

    I set my profile to "sedentary" on MFP, and then let Fitbit adjust up from there based on how active it thinks I am on a given day. If I'm more than sedentary, Fitbit sends a calorie adjustment to MFP.

    I also use a HRM, which I link to Fitbit (via the Digifit on my iPhone). That way my exercise, tracked through the HRM, is factored into Fitbit's calorie adjustment as well.

    It seems to work pretty well. I get anywhere from a couple hundred to a thousand calorie adjustment normally. Over the past few days I've been laid up from some minor surgery, and the Fitbit calorie adjustment's been a big fat zero... About what I'd expect since I've been about as sedentary as I've ever been. :)

    SO, yes I have a Fitbit, yes I like it, yes I think it's worth it. :)
  • coullmom
    coullmom Posts: 133 Member
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    YES, YES, YES
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 768 Member
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    Yes. Love my Fitbit. I log all of my food on MFP & let Fitbit adjust my #'s based on my activity level.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    I never did, because it just seems so simple to me.
    I just use MFP to log food and count calorie burn; it works.
    Simple.
    And here is another reason I do not use it.
    Every fat person I know in real life who fails to lose weight has a Fitbit. And they go on and on about how far they walk and how much activity they engage....yet they remain fat. And they never seem to have time to go to the gym for a real workout or hit the road for an actual walk, jog or bike ride.
    That taints my view.
    But people here on MFP love them and have been very successful, and MORE POWER TO THEM!
    My friends here love their Fitbit, and that's great.
    Decide for yourself.
    I see it as worthless, but that's just my take. Good Luck whatever you decide:flowerforyou:
  • Faeriegirl74
    Faeriegirl74 Posts: 187 Member
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    Love mine!
  • meowstrom
    meowstrom Posts: 37
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    I've had mine for about a month, and had my heart rate monitor for about a week, I value my heart rate monitor more.
  • doonesbury
    doonesbury Posts: 281 Member
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    T O T A L L Y ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
  • Lauren8239
    Lauren8239 Posts: 1,039 Member
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    Once you have a fitbit, it own you, you don't own it, lol. I've had mine since May and I can't imagine being without it. The calories you burn every day just doing your business is an eye opener. I'd recommend it for anyone.
    There is also a fitbit club on facebook, and they take it seriously, and have dropped a lot of weight because the fitbit challenges you to do better.
  • laurels12
    laurels12 Posts: 54 Member
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    Hell yes!!
  • bSTARl
    bSTARl Posts: 13
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    bump
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    I never did, because it just seems so simple to me.
    I just use MFP to log food and count calorie burn; it works.
    Simple.
    And here is another reason I do not use it.
    Every fat person I know in real life who fails to lose weight has a Fitbit. And they go on and on about how far they walk and how much activity they engage....yet they remain fat. And they never seem to have time to go to the gym for a real workout or hit the road for an actual walk, jog or bike ride.
    That taints my view.
    But people here on MFP love them and have been very successful, and MORE POWER TO THEM!
    My friends here love their Fitbit, and that's great.
    Decide for yourself.
    I see it as worthless, but that's just my take. Good Luck whatever you decide:flowerforyou:

    I am still obese....I have a fitbit. I have been going to the gym 3-4x per week since February with only 1 or 2 exceptions. In the last 5 weeks since I got my fitbit, I have lost 5.6lbs by eating a TON. The fitbit is merely a tool to make you aware of how much you are moving, and how you can eat more if you move more and STILL lose weight.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    Once you have a fitbit, it own you, you don't own it, lol. I've had mine since May and I can't imagine being without it. The calories you burn every day just doing your business is an eye opener. I'd recommend it for anyone.

    THIS
  • MsBaby117
    MsBaby117 Posts: 201 Member
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    Once you have a fitbit, it own you, you don't own it, lol. I've had mine since May and I can't imagine being without it. The calories you burn every day just doing your business is an eye opener. I'd recommend it for anyone.
    There is also a fitbit club on facebook, and they take it seriously, and have dropped a lot of weight because the fitbit challenges you to do better.

    Yep!! What she said!! :flowerforyou:
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    I love my fitbit, go a bit batty when I forget it, went back home one morning to get and have been known to go to the gym after work on a desk day to get my 10k steps in. So yeah, way worth it. I had been plateau'd for a month, got my fitbit and started climbing stairs and getting my 10k and have dropped 6 lbs in the month I've had it. Love it.

    Oh, but one caveat, for gym workouts (3 times a week for me) I so would not go without my HRM as fitbit cannot measure most of what you do in the gym except for the treadmill or ergometer, so they are both efficient tools for what they do.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    Options
    I never did, because it just seems so simple to me.
    I just use MFP to log food and count calorie burn; it works.
    Simple.
    And here is another reason I do not use it.
    Every fat person I know in real life who fails to lose weight has a Fitbit. And they go on and on about how far they walk and how much activity they engage....yet they remain fat. And they never seem to have time to go to the gym for a real workout or hit the road for an actual walk, jog or bike ride.
    That taints my view.
    But people here on MFP love them and have been very successful, and MORE POWER TO THEM!
    My friends here love their Fitbit, and that's great.
    Decide for yourself.
    I see it as worthless, but that's just my take. Good Luck whatever you decide:flowerforyou:

    I am still obese....I have a fitbit. I have been going to the gym 3-4x per week since February with only 1 or 2 exceptions. In the last 5 weeks since I got my fitbit, I have lost 5.6lbs by eating a TON. The fitbit is merely a tool to make you aware of how much you are moving, and how you can eat more if you move more and STILL lose weight.
    eat more?
    OK, I'll take 2....:bigsmile:
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    Options
    I never did, because it just seems so simple to me.
    I just use MFP to log food and count calorie burn; it works.
    Simple.
    And here is another reason I do not use it.
    Every fat person I know in real life who fails to lose weight has a Fitbit. And they go on and on about how far they walk and how much activity they engage....yet they remain fat. And they never seem to have time to go to the gym for a real workout or hit the road for an actual walk, jog or bike ride.
    That taints my view.
    But people here on MFP love them and have been very successful, and MORE POWER TO THEM!
    My friends here love their Fitbit, and that's great.
    Decide for yourself.
    I see it as worthless, but that's just my take. Good Luck whatever you decide:flowerforyou:

    I am still obese....I have a fitbit. I have been going to the gym 3-4x per week since February with only 1 or 2 exceptions. In the last 5 weeks since I got my fitbit, I have lost 5.6lbs by eating a TON. The fitbit is merely a tool to make you aware of how much you are moving, and how you can eat more if you move more and STILL lose weight.
    eat more?
    OK, I'll take 2....:bigsmile:

    Yep. There are days that I eat 1000 calories over what MFP has given me in the morning--2400-2600 calories in total, yet still barely hit my 1200 calorie net. Why? because I have walked 5+ miles just doing my daily tasks. I can hardly wait to take the kids to the zoo and see how far I walk just wandering around the zoo for a few hours!
  • Granny07
    Granny07 Posts: 31 Member
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    Yes! I love mine. I haven't had it long, have used it for a total of 6 days, but it is getting me motivated.
    Be careful if you are sweating a lot, don't ware it on your bra, or anywhere against your skin, where it can get wet. Put it on the belt clip and attach to waistband or pocket, or put the belt clip on the wristband and ware on wrist while doing vigorous exercise. You do not want to get it wet.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
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    It depends on how you choose to work out. The fitbit is not a replacement for an HRM. It is basically a pedometer that uses a computer to translate steps taken into calories burned, and is pretty accurate. If your chosen form of exercise revolves something other than running, walking, or jogging, though, then it is NOT worth it.

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