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Original poster

Do I need a Fitbit?

124 replies

newrecruit · 11/01/2015 19:42

Honestly. Do they actually help it just a bit of a gimmick.

I have about 3 stone to lose but haven't quite got round to starting yet. Hmm

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Looking for a gadget to track steps, calories, and all that jazz? This thread is a little old. Check out our round-up of Mumsnetters’ favourite fitness trackers for the low-down on Garmin, Fitfbit and some other -cheaper- alternatives. MNHQ.

OP posts:
StatisticallyChallenged · 15/01/2015 15:17

It's sitting at home waiting for me Grin guess what I'll be doing this evening...

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 15/01/2015 15:22

Ooh. Jealous. I want a Fitbit Charge HR too (currently have Flex) bit its only available (in 2 weeks) in large black in the Uk Sad

Fitbits are awesome though, doubly awesome when you sync them with MFP. Can be very shaming though - was managing about 500 steps/day over Xmas Blush

StatisticallyChallenged · 15/01/2015 15:26

I actually still have a small on order from UK, I've not cancelled it yet. I was waiting to make sure this one arrived!

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 15/01/2015 15:28

That's interesting - I guess demand means they have sold out of the smalls...

CruCru · 15/01/2015 16:24

I think what I like about my Fitbit is that it means I don't resent having to get up to do things - they all add to my step count so it's an added bonus.

StatisticallyChallenged · 15/01/2015 17:50

First thought - anyone thinking of ordering check the wrist measurements! It gets worn about a fingers width above your wrist bone and the small is properly small. I have wee wrists, have to get huge numbers of links taken out of watches, and I'm on the 6th of the 8 hooks (i.e. only two looser ones available)

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 15/01/2015 17:52

Plus I think the sizing is different to the flex, so dont assume!

nbee84 · 15/01/2015 18:34

Agree re the sizing. My wrist measures 16cm which I think is quite small. I tried a friends small on and I was needing to put it at it's biggest size, which was ok and quite comfortable.
But I decided to order the large for a couple of reasons - I've recently lost nearly 3 stone and hopefully not if I put the weight back on then it possible won't fit. Also, when/if the novelty wears off then my dh can use it - there's no way the small would have fitted him.
Since getting it I have also started wearing it slightly looser at night - I get toasty warm at night and though I wasn't finding it tight you could see the indentations on my wrist when I took it off to shower.
There is an overlap in sizes on the small and large - small is 5.5 - 6.7" and large is 6.3 - 7.9"

StatisticallyChallenged · 15/01/2015 21:00

Just tested out the exercise function...40 minutes of weighted hula hooping later and so far I like. It did record it as steps too, but my old one did that too, i think it's because my arm bobs up and down rather a lot!

301 calories for 40 minutes...who knew hula hooping burned 450 cals an hour!

EleanorAbernathy · 15/01/2015 23:09

I've just ordered a Fitbit Surge and am just a little bit excited now! Grin

I've been interested in getting a fitness tracker for a while, and I also run and a cat has eaten the strap on my Garmin so was in the market for a new running watch anyway - so ever since I heard the Surge was coming out I've been patiently waiting as it combines everything I'm after! :)

I printed out the sizing guide and the arrow pointed to the crossover bit between the small and large, so I've gone for a large to be on the safe side.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 16/01/2015 09:02

What sizing guide did you print out?

Bumbiscuits · 16/01/2015 09:21

I got a small. My wrists aren't particularly small but there was no medium available. The tightest setting on large would have probably been ok too.

StatisticallyChallenged · 16/01/2015 09:55

It's on the fitbit website. with the heart rate monitors, bare in mind that they recommend wearing it 2-3 finger widths above your wrist bone when exercising - for me that means I have to loosen it one place.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 16/01/2015 10:11

Just the bit that lists the measurements? I thought maybe she meant there was some sort of paper template you could print out and wrap around the wrist.

StatisticallyChallenged · 16/01/2015 10:22

www.fitbit.com/content/assets/chargehr/charge_hr_sizing_guide.pdf

EleanorAbernathy · 16/01/2015 14:07

Here's the one for the surge
www.fitbit.com/content/assets/surge/surge_sizing_guide.pdf

In the reviews people seem to get the most accurate heart rate readings wearing it slightly further up the wrist.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 16/01/2015 14:14

Huh. They were well hidden! That's great - thanks!

letsplaynice · 16/01/2015 15:01

I have the flex & love it (cos I'm a geek) but find the calorie goals mental unless you set it manually. It's was telling me to eat 2000 a day.

lynniep · 16/01/2015 15:06

I love mine. Have a charge. As a couch potato by nature with an inactive job, I find it quite motivating. If I don't do my 10000 steps a day I have a little jog in the living room of an evening to get my heart rate up and increase my steps done. I've forgotten to wear it once when I left the house and I was gutted! But no, you don't need one.

BumgrapesofWrath · 16/01/2015 15:07

I had a fitbit flex, and thought it was very user friendly. However, it isn't as accurate at measuring steps as others similar on the market, as if you wave you arm about it will count it as a step!! Found my Garmin Vivofit to be much more accurate, but not as user friendly

grumblepuss · 17/01/2015 12:53

Stats - how are you getting on with it? Is it as magical as we hope?
I got an email yesterday saying mine should be with me at the tail end of next week.

StatisticallyChallenged · 17/01/2015 13:49

I'm getting on pretty well with it. My calorie adjustment for yesterday seemed crazily high so I am watching it quite carefully today and so far I'm not seeing anything that actually looks wrong. It does, for me, tend to show a higher calorie burn than the machines in the gym do, but I am quite lazy and never bother to set the weight on them so they just use a default which I think is probably less than I weigh Blush. I also suspect they underestimate a bit because I'm fairly unfit, so 'running' at say 7.5km has my heart firmly in the cardio zone and even hitting peak whereas for someone fitter that might not be much of a challenge!

Yesterday I did just over 20,000 steps, which included going to the gym and doing c25k, rowing for about 15 minutes, and then did half an hour of weighted hooping in the evening. And taking my huge cat to the vet which amusingly sent my heart rate in to the cardio zone!

HeavenKnowsImMiserableNow · 17/01/2015 17:21

I've been using my mobile to track my steps but as I don't always have it on me and it does use the phone battery up, I'm getting a wristband tracker.

I really like the look of the FitBit Charge HR but the weekly charging and remembering not to get it too wet sounded like too much of a faff for me so I've one of these on pre-order - www.withings.com/uk/withings-activite-pop.html. It will track my walking, running and swimming and the battery should last for 8 months :)

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 17/01/2015 17:48

Ooh. That's pretty!

nbee84 · 17/01/2015 20:38

Heaven - love the look and features of that tracker!