Anyone have a Fitbit?

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Replies

  • DoingItNow2012
    DoingItNow2012 Posts: 424 Member
    I'm trying to decide between the bodymedia fit, bodybugg, and fit bit. Anyone know how the accuracy compares among the three?

    Do a search in the boards - somebody did an extensive comparison between fitbit and (I think) the BFM. I last looked at it in April before I got my fitbit.

    Thanks I did do a search before. Either I was not using the right key words or what I found wasn't what I was looking for. However, I did another search on google. and got some good info. I am not 100% sure on the difference in accuracy, but have decided to go with a fit bit. It is cheaper in the long run. If the estimate is off, it's not by much or it is underestimated. Plus I already have a HRM so I can verify calorie burn from exercise. Plus it syncs with myfitness pal.

    BTW: Amazon has it for $89 right now.
  • DoingItNow2012
    DoingItNow2012 Posts: 424 Member
    Here is a great review of Fitbit vs bodybugg

    http://tweakfit.com/fitbit-vs-bodybugg-reviews
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    How do you synch your fitbit with MFP? Is there a way to enter your calories burned according to fitbit into MFP?

    there is a button here on MFP under the tools tab that says "add a fitbit"...then when your fitbit syncs ( when you get near the base station), it sends your step info to MFP. If you do something it cannot accurately track, you add it to MFP under cardio and it will over write that time period with the calorie burn you say you had (ie when I do strength, it only recognizes the steps, not the effort, so in my exercise log I manually add X minutes of strength training for like 100 calories).

    IDK exactly how it works, but MFP knows how many calories you have burned from MFP
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    Had mine a few days and am undecided yet as to whether to log my exercise seperately, from my hrm reading, as the fitbit seems to come up short when I go cycling. But then I don't know whether i remove the fitbit exercise makeup and add my own or what ?

    Also not sure the best place to wear it. I currently wear mine on my sweatshirt collar.

    When you cycle, take note of your start and finish time. Then go to MFP and under cardio look for cycling...put in your start time and duration, then overwrite the number of calories MFP says you burned with the calories burned from your HRM. Your cardio log will look something like this :

    cycling
    start time 10am
    45 minutes
    you burned X calories ( this is where you put in your HRM calories instead)

    ETA: wear it on the center part of your bra. That's where all the cool girls wear it :D
  • KSCarnivore
    KSCarnivore Posts: 37
    I've been using Fitbit for about 3 months now. It's an amazing tool to raise your awareness of your level of activity. As a stay at home mom, I've come to realize that without a focused effort to exercise, I might only move 3,000 steps a day. Now though I am determined to move 15,000 steps a day minimum. I've recently crossed the million step mark.

    In addition, you might like to sync your Fitbit with EarndIt.com to earn rewards for your level of activity. If you don't want the free rewards that are available, you can donate your points to charities around the world.
  • missredk8
    missredk8 Posts: 9
    Just got my fitbit yesterday but its not zeroed overnight - its been sat in the dock and everything has zeroed except the calories which says I have managed to burn 743 calories - help!! how do I reset it?
  • nhga47
    nhga47 Posts: 118
    Yep, I have had mine for about 3 months now. I LOVE IT! Ticks me off when I forget it at home! So far my best log is 26000 steps. It keeps me honest and tells me if I have been sitting on my *kitten* too much for the day. LOL. I have also started insanity. OMG! It does live up to its name. So hopefully between the fit bit, MFT and Insanity I can get rid of this beer gut! :)
  • skbarton
    skbarton Posts: 141 Member
    Just got my fitbit yesterday but its not zeroed overnight - its been sat in the dock and everything has zeroed except the calories which says I have managed to burn 743 calories - help!! how do I reset it?

    When you set it up at the fitbit site, you input your time zone. The unit resets at midnight and zeros everything out. When you get up in the morning there will be calories burned because you burn calories while sleeping. I typically have about 300 or so calories on it when I get up. It won't matter if you are wearing it for the sleep mode or if it is in the dock - it will give midnight to the time you get up credit for calories burned.
  • daliaxh
    daliaxh Posts: 8 Member
    I just started using my fitbit yesterday and am really excited about how it keeps me constantly conscious of calories in and out.

    Question: Since it functions as a pedometer anyhow, should I not bother logging in a 3-mile walk when I do that as one of the workouts for the day? Or should I log that in because I need to keep track of specific, dedicated workouts?
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
    I am a gadget geek, and I LOVE my FitBit! I'm so glad I purchased it. It comes pretty close to what all those TDEE and Daily Calorie Needs calculators tell you. You'll be surprised at how much you really burn in a day. You'll find you can lose weight eating so much more than MFP's default 1200 when you learn how much your energy needs really are. You can eat according to your FitBit.

    Some cons though:

    1. If you do some kind of strength training, aerobic, circuit training, a regular HRM is better at measuring calorie burn.
    2. If you swim, forget about it. The FitBit is not waterproof.
    3. If you run, a Garmin or some other GPS tool works much better. The FitBit is not accurate with mileage and pace. I rely on my Garmin instead.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    I just started using my fitbit yesterday and am really excited about how it keeps me constantly conscious of calories in and out.

    Question: Since it functions as a pedometer anyhow, should I not bother logging in a 3-mile walk when I do that as one of the workouts for the day? Or should I log that in because I need to keep track of specific, dedicated workouts?

    You don't need to log anything like walks, runs, dancing, housework, yard work. That 'steps-based' stuff it tracks fine without you doing anything. If you log workouts for some other reason besides just knowing how many calories you burned in a day, I suppose you could log your walks. If you log them on the Fitbit site, you're just overwriting 'detected' info with 'database' info, though.
  • debjo18
    debjo18 Posts: 2
    I've had for about a week (traded for my GoWear bulky unit) and I have to say that I LOVE that myfitnesspal, fitbit, and Endomondo link together. I (just yesterday) got rid of my old scale and picked up the fitbit Aria scale and LOVE THAT TOO (although it was a shock to see how "off" my old one was.

    These tools are here to help us, to educate us, and to give us control!

    Good luck and stick with it!

    Debbie
  • carmax54
    carmax54 Posts: 2
    Hi, I'm new here and was wondering what I FitBit is and what it will do for me? The same questions about the scale I see so many mentioning.
    Thank you!
  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
    Question: Since it functions as a pedometer anyhow, should I not bother logging in a 3-mile walk when I do that as one of the workouts for the day? Or should I log that in because I need to keep track of specific, dedicated workouts?
    If you want to keep track of specific dedicated workouts, push and hold the button at the beginning of your exercise and push and hold it again at the end. When your fitbit synchs, it will set aside this time as a separate workout (still counting the calories, steps, changes in altitude in your totals) under your activities log.
  • 31beautiful
    31beautiful Posts: 3
    IT APPEARS I NEED TO CHECK THE FITBIT OUT AND MAYBE INVEST IN ONE. THANKS
  • missredk8
    missredk8 Posts: 9
    Just got my fitbit yesterday but its not zeroed overnight - its been sat in the dock and everything has zeroed except the calories which says I have managed to burn 743 calories - help!! how do I reset it?

    When you set it up at the fitbit site, you input your time zone. The unit resets at midnight and zeros everything out. When you get up in the morning there will be calories burned because you burn calories while sleeping. I typically have about 300 or so calories on it when I get up. It won't matter if you are wearing it for the sleep mode or if it is in the dock - it will give midnight to the time you get up credit for calories burned.

    Thank you so much for telling me that! thought it was busted!! was very upset! :)
  • carolemack
    carolemack Posts: 1,276 Member
    I had had mine for a few months now. I love the the tracking of steps and activity level but don't care for the calorie burn. I have put all my info into fitbit.com and weight and all and have linked it to MFP but it will say that I only burn like 80 calories doing 30 minutes of aerobics/cardio which can't possible be right. Other than the caloire part, I think it is awesome.

    I wear mine on my bra usually but if my shirt is thin or I think it can be seen, I wear it on my pants pocket.


    The Fitbit will calculate the steps you take during your cardio workout but it can't determine effort, that is why the calories burned are low. You really need to use a HRM for activities like that and then overwrite the calories burned with what your HRM says.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    I had had mine for a few months now. I love the the tracking of steps and activity level but don't care for the calorie burn. I have put all my info into fitbit.com and weight and all and have linked it to MFP but it will say that I only burn like 80 calories doing 30 minutes of aerobics/cardio which can't possible be right. Other than the caloire part, I think it is awesome.

    I wear mine on my bra usually but if my shirt is thin or I think it can be seen, I wear it on my pants pocket.

    Most cardio activities it does a pretty good job of estimating calories for. What are you doing when it gives you that 80 calories for 30 minutes of aerobics/cardio? Unless you're on a bike, it should be roughly accurate.

    Or are you seeing a 80 calorie "Fitbit adjustment" sent to your MFP goal and attributing that to your workout? That's a whole other thing.
  • 1mjmack
    1mjmack Posts: 1
    Myfitnesspal site says it is linked with fitbit and I logged in food in myfitnesspal but it doesn't show up on my fitbit site. ODes anyone know how do do this or do I have to put my food intake on both sites or do I need to sign up for myfitnessplan?
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    No, mine synchs. There is a way on both sites (or one, not sure which) to link them. Look under your profile area at the top right part of the Fitbit dashboard, pick Share and then Applications. I think that's all it takes.

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