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

I love mine. It tracks my sleep and my heart rate very accurately, which is useful. The calories burned aren’t 100% accurate, but they’re close enough that it really helps with weight management.

The step function isn’t perfect, but it’s a good guide. Yeah, it’ll add some steps due to wrist movement, but a few hundred extra steps doesn’t invalidate the thousands you actually did. If you’re over optimistic like me it’s a good reality check. You can’t kid yourself about being run off your feet when the watch says 2000 steps.

They are totally inaccurate and a waste of time. You need gps to track your distance correctly,

Ok, maybe I'm completely missing the point, but my phone does most of the things a fitbit apparently does? And I actually have to move my backside and legs to track the steps when my phone's in my pocket or running belt, rather than just move my arm in a seated position to 'count' a movement! Various apps also track my calories and period cycles.

About the only thing I don't do on my phone is track my sleep in any detail (it just assumes my sleep ours when my phone is not moving and I'm not using it any more, I think) but that's a small thing.

When my phone does almost all the things people are praising their fitbit for, but actually counts steps more accurately than something that gets waved around on my wrist, I'm sticking with my phone.

Or am I missing something really obvious? Happy to be educated!

Yes agree. I will do a 2 hour long dog walk and then pop to town and back and will have done 10,000 steps. My mum, who wears a step counter, claims she too has done 10,000 steps around the house. She’s very unfit and overweight.

MrsFrankDrebin

I'm not allowed my phone at work, I assume many others are in the same boat.

Mine doesn't generally count steps just shuffling around the house, only if I'm doing something more active. So pottering around the kitchen cooking would earn me nothing, but vigorous cleaning would. Of course, it probably isn't 100% accurate, but it at least gives me an idea, and more importantly, it makes me aware.

I don't find it that easy to get 10,000 steps on a normal working day. I went out for a half hour walk yesterday (37 active mins according to my fitbit) and only got around 4000 steps from that. Weekends tend to be much easier.

I find that the fitbit definitely motivates me to move more and sleep more, and it has had a similar impact on other people I know. If it occasionally counts steps that I don't do, so what?! The data itself isn't important.

In the summer I was wearing mine and it congratulated me on my 20 minute aerobic workout. I’d actually been standing at the sink scraping potatoes. They’re not accurate at all
What do people expect will happen if they wear a wrist tracker and do something involving shaking and waving your wrist around?
Just take the bloody thing off at those times.
Takes 4 miles for me to do 10,000 steps. My house isn't big enough to get that knocking about at home.

I’m glad some people have got moving, but I’m not totally convinced they are a step in the right direction. They give complacency for many, that they do enough with steps. Knitting and peeling spuds are good examples, teachers marking is another example I’ve heard.

People I know more often than not are justifying step counts and actually slowly creeping up in weight. I’ll say for example I need no exercise, meaning I popped out for milk and did a bit of cleaning maybe (but no exercise) and I get told a smug step count they did in response. A level of walking that in no way prompts health.

Mrs frank. I don’t always carry my phone with me, it’s often in my handbag on the floor. I also love the heart rate tracker on my watch.

I suppose we are all different. I use Fitbit for running and swimming - phone wouldn’t really cut it. Depends what activities you are doing and how you use your phone.

The steps gauge has no scientific base and was plucked out of the air by a Japanese chap who was marketing pedometers

The heart rate on Fitbit it very dubious, whereas wearing a HRM strap for exercise etc is very good option and inline with medical hrm

Gimmicks that have made plenty of money and people happy

I know for example yesterday I walked to the station and back, 1.5km each way. Then an lunch 3km round to get something, so 6k of average walking. Then 20min yoga.

Why do I need to add up the additional steps I got being on my feet during the day? Reasonably it’s not going to impact my weight or health, and it’s not a reason to eat more certainly

@AuntieStella I also use Garmin and find it’s a lot stingier with the step counts than the tracker I had before. Definitely doesn’t count arm movements. I never get anywhere near 10k just doing day to day stuff.

Don’t think any of them are that accurate, but it’s obviously gets people moving which can only be a good thing.

I don't use one - but Apple Watch same function. I need to keep an eye on how much I'm walking. Even with dogs I sometimes struggle to do 10K so I find it a useful - if perhaps a bit random - measure of my activity in the day. Days I'm cleaning and walking I can get up to 15k so I don't agree that shuffling around the house is all bad! I also have days when it's raining, the dogs get minimal walks and I spend a lot of time in front of tv eating - and only do 3-4K steps - so it does help me and remind me that I need to do more. When I started watching my food and upping my steps the weight did come off and so it's good for me at peri menopausal age!

My older model fitbit used to track steps and stairs whilst I was driving which drove me mad, but my newer one (versa) doesn’t do that thankfully.

I love mine. I’m not bothered about the step count, I aim for the active minutes which forces me into exercise I wouldn’t have otherwise done, and ditto on calories. I know I want to burn 2400-500 calories a day so I can still eat properly and lose weight. When I’ve used it’s CICO system for weight loss, it’s worked so I know the calories are mostly accurate at least!

Ihuli - I suppose people will always be a bit stupid. Seeing you feel so strongly about it I suggest you don’t buy one😊🙄

You need gps to track your distance correctly,

Yes, I don't use my Fitbit any more but I use a gps app. At one time I used both for comparison and there was a big discrepancy, I discovered my usual route was actually half a mile shorter than what my Fitbit said. However they are a good incentive to get moving.

I love my Fitbit and it seems pretty accurate on steps and heart rate, when compared with the tally on the treadmill at the gym.

It certainly doesn't clock up random steps when I'm doing very little at home. Maybe it's to do with the model you have or how you set it up?

I find it motivating, which can only be a good thing! Since having it, I work out every day and enjoy seeing the stats pile up.

Each to their own, I guess. If it works for you, it's worth it - if not, don't bother.

Anything that helps people get off their arses (if they are able to) is a good thing surely. Inactivity is one of the biggest killers.

Surely all those people who's fitbit is counting marking papers or whatever have it on the wrong hand? It's meant to be on your less dominant hand...

I think if you're inclined to kid yourself then you'll find a way to do that even if fitbits don't exist. My garmin step counts and I find it a useful guage of how active I've been. I use it as a way to get me to do more steps in my very sedentary job. I still go to the gym and stuff. If it makes people walk when they would have driven then or take the stairs instead of a lift etc then it's a good thing.

I bought a pedometer years ago, when they were the "thing", you measured the size of your step to set it up, batteries in, I averaged 30.000, steps a day walking dogs, (night nursing) I saw various fitbit "watches" tested on TV recently, by runners, they were pretty inacurate.I wouldnt be interested in them, but then I am not interested in owning a "smart phone" either, which as another poster says, my DDs tell me, do all the same stuff. Cannot be many people who dont know you need to move more (probably) eat sensibly, to try and avoid a multiple of health problems.Housework does count as does gardening, here I am barrowing several tons of shingle, about 200 feet,amazing for tighening up bingo wings, far better than any excersise I have found!

I love mine, contrary to what another poster said I’m pretty sure I read an article that said in a comparison test FitBit was the most accurate, though still not 100%.

I have private medical insurance (through work) with Vitality. As a member you can link your fitness tracker to your account and earn points which give you rewards. Currently I get a free drink at Starbucks every week and 2 free cinema tickets a fortnight. Also if I keep my step count up high enough I can get free Amazon Prime.

I gave up on mine when i did 5000 steps as a car passenger from Edinburgh to Newcastle

I use mine for the calories burnt more than anything . I dont think its accurate for steps . I move my arms alot during the day ( job related ) so I could be doing something stood on the spot and it counts steps. So I make sure I burnt x amount of calories a day and climed x amount of stairs .

I do like the sleep pattern tracker and the clock function that vibrates on your wrist, also my texts come through , so I can have a quick look to see if it's important or not .

I have a fit bit charge 2

I used to use it as a watch but then the time went all weird and unpredictable on it - couldn’t reset it so I took it off as it was off putting wearing the wrong time and I haven’t worn it since.

It’s like anything, it’s down to the user using it correctly. I’m debating getting one (not necessarily Fitbit, I’m looking at a garmin) because I would like to know about heart rate during exercise.

The steps won’t really be my focus.