To think fitbits are largely a load of bollocks

[ihuli]

Well, more the 10,000 step thing. Which is all people I know seem to use them for.

Basically most of the steps are used shuffling around indoors and a bit of cooking. The odd small stroll.

So you can then justify no other health attempts such as a healthy diet or actual exercise that causes exertion.

Ok, I’m aware not very fitbit user fits this model and they probably have loads more functions, but I know a hell of a lot of people who are reasonably rotund or unhealthy who do this. Then justify sweet treats. Just tracking ‘steps’

I can sympathise, I’m peri-menopausal and it’s shit. And I’m not a shining example myself, but I do thing it’s best not to kid yourself you’re fit or healthy with the 10000 step thing if you do little else, plus acquire steps through stuff like typing sometimes.

It’s not a criticism of people as such, it’s that this marketing sells an unhealthy easy answer for profit. When people need to be told to get their heart rate up, eat fruit etc. People love the easy solution

As you said, some use it to just count steps done walking around, some use it as a proper mean to check their fitness when they do intense sport.

In the end, doing 10K steps, even if just shuffling around is better than nothing and those who do are not so much likely to be the one to go one to do intense sport in the first place.

I lost 20lb after getting a Fitbit, and have maintained it. I'm in a sedentary job, now I get up and go for 2 walks a day. It was the kick I needed to show how sedentary my lifestyle was, and when I was counting calories I found it motivating "earning" more by going for walks, I don't like running etc, I lost it all through walking and eating less, Fitbit just made the process more visible for me.

But yes I don't expect it to be 100% accurate.

I am still amazed that anyone can get to 10,000 steps shuffling around the House. On Lazy house Days I am lucky if I get 5,000.

Yesterday I walked home from work, but got the bus in and fell short of the 10,000 target. That was a half hour Brisk walk.

I lost loads after getting my Fitbit. I had kidded myself that my daily dog walk was a long way, turns out it wasn’t. It was also an eye opener to see how few steps I did on some days. As a result my life style has changed dramatically.

Mine underestimates calorie burn by about 10% but I think a lot do overestimate and some by a fair bit. My friend’s had clocked up 600 steps before she got out of bed the other day. I think unfortunately it’s luck of the draw as to what you get. All my weight loss has been by using the calorie burn number from Fitbit, recording food in Nutracheck and making sure that over the space of the week the difference equates to the amount of weightI wanted to lose this week eg. 3.5k deficit for a pound.

Also find the sleep info helpful and the resting heart rate info- I know if I’m sickening for something with that or if stress levels have gone too high. They are only a guide but a useful one I find.

The only time I've hit 10,000 steps at home is a day I was going ab extreme deep clean, skirting boards, floors etc etc. I remember being very chuffed! Certainly not "shuffling" about. On a Sunday I've been known to do as little as 2000

And that's the whole point isn't it...just because I was at home doesn't mean I didn't burn calories, you can bet I burned loads extra that day compared to my lazy Sundays.

@AwkwardFucker how do you do that? I feel like that’s something that might motivate me!

If you are Australian it’s the qantas well-being app. I get 10 points per day just for sleeping 12am-6am. I average 18 points per day for steps. Average an extra 85 points per week for steps. Sometimes more, sometimes less depending on how much I love. Either 20 points or 50 points per week for my friends challenge, depending if I come first or second. And I have an Apple Watch now instead of a Fitbit, so I get an extra 10 points per day for a 30 minute walk.

It works out really quite lucrative, I’ve only been doing it since February and almost have enough points for return flights to the US.

Step counter doesn’t track shuffling round the house. It’s not super accurate, but good to keep me motivated.
I check the sleep tracker every morning.
Also like the relax function which helps me get off to sleep

I've never understood the sleep tracking thing. I know how well or how badly I've slept because, well, I was there.

I also don't really get the thing about wearing it on your wrist, so that it potentially tracks steps when you're sitting absolutely still. The ones that you put into a bra seemed to me much better, but they seem to have discontinued them.

Apple Watch is far better. It actually does count steps only. I use both and Fitbit is always around 4.000 more steps

Mine has changed me. I was an overweight sloth, who now runs about 20 miles a week.

I used mine to track sleep and it was wildly inaccurate.

I used to get a load of steps when I was knitting ! It's all about that arm ...

I quite like the 10000 steps not because I think that’s magical but at weekends especially I can be VERY lazy in a way I just genuinely wasn’t aware of before I bought one.

I’m toying with the Apple Watch now though which I believe it better?

Does it really matter if it’s the accurate to the last step, if you are more active the step count is higher, if you lie about the house it’s much lower.

Hats the motivation surely.

You know when you've had a good walk

I bloody love mine.

I’m think it is pretty accurate about the steps but I love the notifications so I can be away from my phone or my phone can be on silent in meetings and I can see who is texting or calling.

But I really like the heart rate tracking to keep an eye on how fit I am.

"Basically most of the steps are used shuffling around indoors and a bit of cooking. The odd small stroll"

Surely unlikely? I use fewer than 1000 paces per day if I don't go out. And under 6000 (usually) for. a 5k run.

I reckon I need to cover about 5 miles a day to get 10k paces, and and wouid really like to know is people reach 10k on much less than that.

(I use Garmin, not Fitbit, but the result is much the same)

starry I can have a good walk and still only get to 6000 steps ..: it pushes me to move a bit more which isn’t a bad thing is it?

I love mine. I’m prone to depression and self hatred and having visible proof that I walked X thousand steps a day and clocked up X minutes of vigorous activity can be very helpful to me. I’m not too fussed about the accuracy of it. As long as it shows I’m improving or maintaining things month on month or year on year I’m happy in myself.

I lost mine going through airport security a couple of years ago and found it very hard to motivate myself to get up and move without it. Now I have a new one AND a back up ‘emergency ‘ Fitbit.

I am still amazed that anyone can get to 10,000 steps shuffling around the House. On Lazy house Days I am lucky if I get 5,000.

It's the same for me Dollymixture22. There's no way I would hit 10K steps from spending the day at home.

I do agree with others who say it helps you to realise how sedentary you can be. I would often nip into town in the car, but now make the effort to walk in. It takes longer, but I feel better for it.

Mine stopped working and couldn’t be repaired. The help desk said they knew it was a fault with this model, but couldn’t offer a solution. Waste of money.

Yes @TheStuffedPenguin! I found knitting got my 'steps' up too. Of course, then I felt like a total fraud😀

My tracker was a cheapy one. The app which supported it no longer works, but I must admit I liked the daily kick up the arse. They aren't a cure-all, but I think they can be useful.

I think it's all in the right direction. It's got people thinking about how little they move and trying to improve that. It's a good thing.

You just aren't going to get the majority of the population doing strenuous exercise, same as you won't get them to stop eating junk food. This is better than nothing!