Tell Fitbug your tips for squeezing exercise into a regular day and read MNers feedback on the Fitbug Orb. Chance to win two free Fitbug Orbs. NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the 50 Mumsnetters who tried Fitbug Orb.

Here’s what Fitbug say: “The system sets you personal targets each week for steps and food, helping you improve your lifestyle at a rate you can gradually adjust to, so it’s not a hardcore exercise regime or a diet that you do for a short time, but a way of improving your habits for the long term."

Testers: We’d like you to post on this thread twice. First with your initial impressions, and then a couple weeks later letting us know how you got on. Please answer the questions below but feel free to add any other thoughts you may have.

First impressions:

Q1. Why did you want to take part in this product test?
Q2. What were your first impressions of the Fitbug Orb when you opened it? Did you like the look of it? If so, why? If not, why not?

Non-testers: What’s the easiest form of exercise that you manage to squeeze into a regular day? Do you have any tips to fit exercise easily into your day to share with other Mumsnetters? Maybe it’s taking the stairs to your office on the top floor of the building, or walking your children to school each day. Whatever it is, we’d love to hear it.

Everyone who adds their thoughts to this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a pair of Fitbug Orbs (worth £50 each).

Thanks,

MNHQ

[bluebump]

Non Tester:

I bought something similar (and cheaper) to this so I can twist around whilst watching telly and I feel like i'm doing something on the days when I don't go for a run. It's not going to burn off fat but at least makes me feel like i'm doing something.

I also do some squats/lunges/stretches when brushing my teeth sometimes but my main form of exercise is going running two-three times a week with a friend. I go after work/school etc as I am on my own with my DS so can't squeeze it in at any other point in the day.

[jetSTAR]

First impressions:

Q1. Why did you want to take part in this product test?
Having had my 2 babies (now 4 and 2!!) there is a lot of excess baby-weight to shift, but I’m severely lacking in motivation and am hoping that having a gadget to us will give me the motivation I need to lose at least a stone in weight.

Q2. What were your first impressions of the Fitbug Orb when you opened it? Did you like the look of it? If so, why? If not, why not?
It looks very hi-tech, sleek and nice (mine is white). I did like the look of it because it is minimalist and simple. I also like the feel of it (this is important to me!! I like things that feel nice!)

I am finding the set up a bit of a struggle though – may need to ask tech savvy brother to help me… How do I tell if it is working or not??? Have tried following instructions from website etc but it not straightforward and so I’m giving up for now

[Nydj]

msFITs thank you - have just done as you suggested and it works!

[Darquesse]

Non tester

I squeeze exercise in by walking the school run and I try to do the 30 day shred on an evening once the kids are in bed although this means sometimes doing it at 9-10pm I do feel better for having done it.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I have one evening and a weekend morning for particular activities and fit in the rest where I can.

[NellVarnish]

Tester - latest update

Dongle arrived today, tried on PC using Windows XP. Error message appeared telling me the software has not passed Windows and was not compatible with Windows XP - could damage my system.

Then I tried the dongle in DD's newish laptop using Windows 8 - got the same message as someone up thread, msFITs? which said:

Could not connect to Fitbug dongle. Please connect the disconnect the dongle from your computer and plug it back in again.

Did as it asked even though the instruction wasn't actually particularly clear - Please connect the disconnect the ...

So basically I've STILL not got a working bug and it is doing my head in frustrating.

Have emailed the long suffering Customer Services once again ...

Watch this space. Good job I didn't part with £50 for this. What with this and the new MN Mobile site my brain is MINCE.

[Lent1l]

Tester

I wanted to be part of the test as I have a 2.5 year old and a 3 month old and want to try and get rid of the baby weight and be more aware of the amount of exercise I am getting.

I liked the packaging and how the orb looks. I like that there are several choices for how to wear it so I have chosen to have it discretely attached to underwear as suggested so that it is just there all day and my eldest doesn't keep asking what it is and whether she can have it!!!

[HeySoulSister]

Still waiting for mine, early next week I'm told. What a disappointment!

[snowymum12]

Non-tester. I find that walking is an amazing way to shed excess pounds and can fit into the busiest of lifestyles. If I can, I make sure that I have a brisk walk every day and always try to leave the car at home and walk if I can. I feel less stressed and generally in a better frame of mind. It is harder now I've got a baby and a toddler but not insurmountable (thanks to my sling and pushchair!). For a bit of 'me time' I run 3 times a week. I always do it once the children are asleep; it's free and can be done anywhere.

[RedKites]

Non-tester. I try to do lots of walking (and pushing the pushchair) with the DC, as it's good for me, but also hopefully setting up good habits for them.

[affafantoosh]

Nell and MsFITs I am having dongle nightmares too. It just won't work at all - "connect the disconnect the" ...?!

I am pretty close to just returning it and withdrawing because life is busy just now and this is not helping me lose weight or be healthy. Quite the opposite - I'm spending a long time sitting on a sofa swearing at gadgetry, and I could now murder a huge glass of wine and some comfort pretzels

[SaltySeaBird]

InculKate Thank you for your detailed, well written and entertaining review! I didn't get into the product test but I'd been aware of the product for some time and mildly interested in purchasing one.

I realise now from yours and everybody else's reviews that it's totally not the product for me (I'm more of a runner than walker anyway) and as somebody who loves technology and would totally dive into a firmware update it would be a massive source of frustration. I'll stick to my Garmin products and just use Runkeeper when out for a decent walk with the pushchair!

[AngusAndElspethsThistleWhistle]

Non-tester: I try to fit in the 30 Day Shred into the small window of time between 9-month-old DD going to bed and DH coming home. Other than that, I try to walk for an hour a day while DD is sleeping in her pram.

I've lost 5.5 stones since January and feel so much more active. I have another 2.5 stones to go to be at a healthy weight but the end feels in sight now that being active is in my daily routine.

[AngusAndElspethsThistleWhistle]

Non-tester: I try to fit in the 30 Day Shred into the small window of time between 9-month-old DD going to bed and DH coming home. Other than that, I try to walk for an hour a day while DD is sleeping in her pram.

I've lost 5.5 stones since January and feel so much more active. I have another 2.5 stones to go to be at a healthy weight but the end feels in sight now that being active is in my daily routine.

[AngusAndElspethsThistleWhistle]

Non-tester: I try to fit in the 30 Day Shred into the small window of time between 9-month-old DD going to bed and DH coming home. Other than that, I try to walk for an hour a day while DD is sleeping in her pram.

I've lost 5.5 stones since January and feel so much more active. I have another 2.5 stones to go to be at a healthy weight but the end feels in sight now that being active is in my daily routine.

[AngusAndElspethsThistleWhistle]

Non-tester: I try to fit in the 30 Day Shred into the small window of time between 9-month-old DD going to bed and DH coming home. Other than that, I try to walk for an hour a day while DD is sleeping in her pram.

I've lost 5.5 stones since January and feel so much more active. I have another 2.5 stones to go to be at a healthy weight but the end feels in sight now that being active is in my daily routine.

[AngusAndElspethsThistleWhistle]

Blimmin' app!

[saintlyjimjams]

Non tester. I find it really hard to fit exercise into the day. I do have a severely autistic son so rarely get the chance to sit still, but also struggle to find the energy to exercise.
I have decided to join a 3 month fitness group in september. I run my own business from home so need classes that are during the school day but not too intrusive. I am hoping that will give me the energy to then do more things like running up & down the stairs or using our dreadmill. I used to walk rather than drive/bus, but now have nowhere to walk to regularly.

[Babycarmen]

Q1. Why did you want to take part in this product test?
I am a bit of a fitness freak so when I seen I was chosen for this I was delighted! I am running 3 10k races within the next 2 months (and I have never done one before) so i am hoping this will help me train.


Q2. What were your first impressions of the Fitbug Orb when you opened it? Did you like the look of it? If so, why? If not, why not?
I really liked the look of it, it looks modern and cool. And the wrist strap is really great, i dont like wearing bracelts or watches but this is so comfy I dont even notice it, plus I have TINY wrists so I am so chuffed that this fits really well.

[ArcheryAnnie]

Non-tester.

Fail to get DS into local primary school, have to walk 40 mins every morning to get him to school in another borough. Leave five minutes late so that it's a brisk march, not an amble. Walk back home. Repeat at 2.30

(He's now at secondary and goes there on the bus, so I've got fatter. Could really do with a gadget to tell me just how physically inactive I've become, and to inspire me to do more.)

[MimsyBorogroves]

Why did I want to take part in the test:
I've put on 2 stone thanks to migraine meds. I've stopped taking them, so I'm looking to gently increase my physical fitness and would like to monitor this. I also suffer from insomnia (as my old tablets caused mega drowsiness) so the idea of looking at my sleep patterns was very appealing.

First impressions:
I got a white one, which wouldn't have been my first choice for wearing on my wrist. Colour aside, it's quite attractive looking (DS2 thinks it looks like a stormtrooper) and small and compact. I like the fact it can be worn in different ways.

The set up was a pain in the arse. I couldn't figure out how to take the back off the bug (is it just me who thinks it opens the wrong way?!) and then I put the battery in the wrong way. I resented the fact that the instructions were a video, not written. I don't "do" watching things, so I, er, didn't I'd have been pissed off if I'd have paid for it, and for something that's supposed to fit into a busy lifestyle it seems a bit odd to make you sit through a video, even if it is only 7 minutes!

Sadly, I've had to request a new bug. Mine isn't counting steps accurately, nor is it upgrading the firmware at all, so I'm being sent a new one. This seems to have been sorted quickly, so whilst I can't fault the customer services (even late at night) it's clear that there are problems.

The app itself is very basic, and it is a bit annoying that it's so limited, and that a lot of the additional stuff (calories etc) have to be done through the website.

More details when I'm fully functional!

[affafantoosh]

Still waiting to hear back from customer services ... it's been radio silence since the manual driver installation they suggested didn't work.

[suebuckman]

Non tester.

I try and take the stairs at work rather than the lift. I always park some distance away when out and about at work or when shopping so that I have to walk the last bit. When taking the ironing upstairs I make 4 or 5 small trips rather than taking it all up in one go. Housework such as window cleaning or hovering is also good exercise.