FitBits....or similar???

[Justtheonemore]

Just a quick one. I really want an activity/calorie tracker such as the FitBit One and I was hoping for some advice from anyone who owns one?? Or something similar??

Just things like how much you purchased it for? How accurate you find it? Whether you'd prefer it to do more/less? Ease of use? How happy you are with it overall?

Or even if you bought one and found it a complete waste.

I'm hoping that if I know what I'm burning off I will ease up obsessing over every calorie I consume .

Thanks

[MrsMangoBiscuit]

I have a fitbit, linked up to my MFP account, so if I burn excess calories my target on MFP goes up. (I say target as I was doing EMTWL, so lots of healthy, balanced calories, not a max limit)

I loved my fitbit, you can set your stride length, and all your targets so it's accurate. The only thing it can struggle with is stairs/hills. You have to do 10' for it to count as a floor I think, and if the air pressue is doing something funny it messes with those readings.

The stop watch bit is handy if you're doing something like the shred, and what to track it properly. I also found it really convenient, it didn't get in the way, and was easy to hide.

I'm actually really looking forward to starting to use it again after this pregnancy, get back onto EMTWL and get shredding!

[postmanpatscat]

I have fitbit one, bought from Amazon with my birthday money as it's quite an investment. It's been a month now and I wear it religiously. It's motivating and I also have mine linked to MFP. Have you had a look at the fitbit website? It's free to join although you may be able to browse without registering.

[Wiifitmama]

I have had one for a few months now and it is the best piece of fitness equipment I have ever bought (and I have bought a lot!) I wea mine everyday and I have gone from realising that I only do about 3000 steps on days I am at home mostly, to doing 15000+ steps a day, everyday. One day last week I managed 25000 steps for the first time!

What I love about it is that it has educated me on how important it is to incorporate activity as part of everyday life (and my children are being educated in this right along side me) rather than going out and exercising. I was previously a runner, and a gym goer. But I am way fitter now from just walking loads everyday. It also educated me in how inactive my life really was. Unless I specifically went out to exercise, I was doing an awful lot of sitting.

As to accuracy, it is very accurate. I have compared it with friend's pedometers on walks we have done together. Very easy to use. I use it with my iPhone app so can always check my stats without digging it out of my bra where I wear it.

It has not however done what you said in your last bit about not obsessing about calories. And I don't want it to. I calorie count everyday to maintain the 110 pound loss I achieved. I don't look at the calories burned from my walks. I eat the calories I now I should eat eat day, and I use the fitbit to make sure I am staying very very active. I don't use it as an excuse to be able to eat more as I know I would gain weight.

I would not be without my fitbit now and can highly highly recommend it.

[Tortoiseonthehalfshell]

I have a fitbit One, and I adore it. Adore it to bits. I find myself moving SO much more - standing at the lights jigging from foot to foot waiting for them to change, dancing around the kitchen holding a toddler, all of that. I am obsessed by the data, though; I'm not sure I'd say that it's lessened any sort of obsession!

It was a real eye opener, because I honestly thought I had a 'lightly active' lifestyle even without doing any formal exercise, due to having two very young children. But actually, even on a day at home with them where we've been to the park, walked around the duckpond, etc., I have to go for a quick run in the evening to make up the 10,000 steps recommended. That was MAJOR for me, and it makes me look at "just a packet of crisps" in a totally different way.

Also, I stupidly lost my charger cord a few days ago. They're unique to the product, which is a downside, BUT I sent a plaintive email to fitbit asking why I couldn't find the link to buy replacement accessories...and they're sending me a new one for free! So, thumbs up to fitbit.

[deliasmithy]

Love my fitbit one!

Used to have the older style fitbit ultra. Avoid this as the design of it and its holster meant it fell off easily and it was lost forever within 3 months.

Dont really use the sleep function but wear it ever day. I almost feel naked without it now. Definitely has changed the way I view exercise and walking. I often walk around the block to get my steps up. Yesterday I walked to cinema and back instead of driving.

[whats4teamum]

I love my fitbit. It is the most motivating fitness tool I have ever used. It also gets the rest of the family off their backsides as if my steps are looking low for the day someone has to come for a walk with me.

I am currently shredding but plan to do couch to 5k when that is over.

Really recommend it.

We should have a mumsnet fitbit board.

[wohmum]

I agree with everyone else. Love my fitbit to bits and would not be without it.so motivating, to keep active whenever possible.

I too have linked with MFP and have lost about 23lb so far- but this is mainly down to 5:2 diet. I'm really using the fitbit to counteract a desk job where I can sit nearly all day. With this I make sure I do at least 11000 steps a day