Do I need a Fitbit if using MFP

[Rizzledizzle]

I need to lose a few stone and have read all about the virtues of MFP. I aim to run four times a week and change my diet. Do I need a Fitbit to help me with my weight loss and if so which one do you recommend? I want to see the amount of calories that I am burning whilst exercising. Thanks for any tips.

I have a fitbit flex but you don't need one with mfp. I do find having one motivational though.

I like the fact that my Fitbit will tell me how many calories I've burned, which is great to 'earn' a bit extra for teatime or for a snack. I never found my fitness pal great for tracking steps

It has estimates of calories burned for lots of exercises. Clearly a fitbit or similar would be more accurate but its not essential. If you want to lose weight you'll be usually better off eating within your recommended calories anyway regardless of whether you exercised or not. With that in mind, the estimated exercise calories from MFP can be more of a motivation rather than a green light to eat more than your allowance iyswim

You don't need a fitbit for mfp but it does help.

If you are interested in calories burned though exercise you get a far more accurate reading of calories burnt with a chest heart rate monitor with watch. I have an old Polar one which I use for swimming, exercise classes and running, when I use to do that :( Much more accurate than Fitbits.

That said Fitbit's are better for giving you a good estimated number of steps in a day and encourages you to stretch yourself by increase number of steps per day and reminds you to get up and move every hour.

I have an original Fitbit Charge HR and that was an upgrade from a Fitbit One (which I passed to my mum) Not sure which is the best one out of the newer models but I love mine.

I aim for 11000 steps a day which is 5 miles of walking for short me. :)