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

Found it!

Non tester
I fit exercise into my day my taking the stairs and doing a dvd after I've put the kids to sleep.

Tester: Ive been using my orb for a week now. Ive found the sleep to be fairly accurate, even though I wear it on my waist (hate anything on my wrist). The steps counter has motivated me to go for a walk most evenings to make 10,000 steps.
Im having to use a laptop to add food as the website on my phone wont acknowledge items I am trying to add.
Id really like to know how many steps I should be aiming for per day, and I'd love a challenge or 2. Does anyone know how to get challenges? I wondered if it collects data for a week then allows access? And also if it then gives you a number of steps to aim for? Otherwise I'm simply using a pedometer.

I've kind of grown a little bored with mine

I have quite a physical job so I add it in under extra activities as light to moderate cleaning! Think it way overestimates steps. You can definitely tell I do less on my days off tho!

Going to take it for a run and to a bootcamp class on Monday, then a few hours in work afterwards. See what it makes of that!

Oh and to add, I was that the sleep track logged middle if the night activities!

soulsister that made me laugh, a lot

Non tester

I keep a sling under the buggy so when dd gets tired if we go for a walk then I can carry her. That's an extra 2.5 stone to use as weight training!

I also get up early to exercise before the DC's wake up, it's tough though and I can imagine it'll get worse as it gets colder.

I've just started cycling and have a baby seat to put ds into so that I can scoot around with him on the back.

Non tester.
I always walk to and from work it takes me roughly 20 mins so thats 40 minutes a day squeezed in.I have a stepper in the landing at the top pf the stairs and everytime i go upstairs for something i do 100 steps it soon adds up over the day.I also squeeze in a dvd workout 3 times a week-i love the 30 day shred as its a good all rounder and only lasts 20 minutes.
And at the weekend i take my youngest to the local adventure playground where we run about ,climb and swing on the tree top ropes-its exhausting and i always feel like iv had a good workout after it!

Non tester
I do loads of pelvic floor exercises all day, when I'm making the lunches, ironing, washing up! Sometimes I only have time for this but I feel that it's doing something. I always use the stairs and never the lift in the shops,and try and run up stairs at home. I also hang out the washing very quickly, lifting only 1 thing at a time from the basket so I have to bend down and up about twenty times each load.

Hurrah! Praise the Lord! Of the Dance, of the Rings, of the House! My orb is ...

WORKING!

Well it's uploading my steps now. But not my sleep. And I did 14000 steps or something yesterday walking round IKEA that's probably correct.

But I can't help but feel it's a just pedometer in Fancy Clothes. I LOATHE the fact it logs you out every time, so you can't be logged on to two devices at the same time, so annoying. And the fact you can't enter your food into the app is ludicrous. I cba entering it all when I get home after a long day and it makes it all too easy to forget those little sneaky morsels.

Still, progress of sorts I suppose, two weeks in.

(It's Nell btw in my Slimtember name change guise)

SoulSister

Did anyone else think the Fitbuggers would be joining us on the actual thread, chatting and offering solutions?

Do you think they are sitting in their office rueing the day they organised a Mumsnet trial?!

Tester

I now have my dongle but still not working grrr.

have emailed yet again for more help :(

I applied to do this test and was disappointed not to be chosen (not because I'm particularly deserving, just because I really wanted it!) but I have to say, this thread has made me feel much better. As an advert for Fitbug it's not the most glowing recommendation, is it? I'm not particularly techno-savvy, or patient, and all these issues testers have had setting it up would have driven me nuts.

Well mines been fine. Not had any problems and switching between different apps has been fine too. Not sure is be happy to pay £50 for it tho

Taking fitbug on a run this morning!

Q1. Why did you want to take part in this product test?

I have never been particularly sporty but as I have got older I have lapsed into some bad ways. This never really bothered me as I have stayed slim due to a pretty active lifestyle with 4 children and a part time job. However, over the last couple of years I have developed a bit of a mumtum and a chocolate habit. Therefore I need to pull my lifestyle back towards healthy and to avoid middle age spread. I also would like to apply for work which involves travel again and this will involve long hours and lots of energy. I applied for this product test with the hope that the Fitbug would encourage me to be more active which in time should diminish my waistline and improve my fitness levels. I have never used anything like this before but it looked a better option than joining a gym.

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 was well packaged, in that it took several minutes and a knife to open. I got the black one which as has already been said resembles an electronic tagging device. I think it might look better if it could tell the time too. The orb itself is shiny and resembles a giant minstrel, and slips into the plastic holder which goes on the wrist or ankle. My wrist is quite small and I have cankles but it can fit around both. I haven’t used the clip yet as it looks a bit flimsy but will give it a try over the next few weeks. I was able to set it up pretty quickly. The app simply counts steps per day and advises you how many times you wake up in the night. To get more information you have to logon to the website. On a positive note it has motivated me to make time for a daily walk. Also there are recipes on the website; the creamy wholegrain vegetable pasta was delicious and very easy to make.

Non tester.
In a normal day it will be a 15 min run or a half hour horse ride, both longer at weekends. In the winter the Davina DVD comes out. Holidays are much more active, walking, climbing skiing etc

Hoo feckin ray! The dongle works, it actually bloody works! Fitbug customer services have been nothing but helpful, I really can't fault them. Eventually followed a link they emailed to install the drivers manually (not sure why they couldn't be detected when plugging the dongle in).

So I wore it late last night, overnight and on the school run this morning. I was quite surprised to see view done over 2500 steps just from faffing around this morning and walking half way to school and back. It's quite encouraging I must admit and looking forward to seeing my totals later on.

Haven't yet used the website for targets or any of that jazz so will look into that over e next few days.

Mine doesn't seem to be working anymore. I'm also uncomfortable now with the idea of this thing collecting data about me and recording it on their intenet site. I don't thunk I am getting anything out of tjis deal as it is putting me off from using it!

Looking like a tagging device around the wrist isn't helping, either!

S the product test over now or are we required to do more?

I finally have a working fitbug, after loads of help and a step by step help from a nice customer service man yesterday I am happy it's now working.

tracked my sleep last night and looked pretty accurate (woke 4 x thanks DD )

I had apparently done 5000 steps by lunch although I forgot to swop it over from the wrist band to the belt clip - does anyone use the wrist band during the day at all ? I fins it easier to wear like this

Tester

Q1. Why did you want to take part in this product test?
I'm a wannabe fit person. I read a lot of stuff online, read up about the latest gadgets and aids to help stay fit, I've started the 30 day shred, and not got far. I'm a bit of a quitter it would appear as I type this
I guess I'm hoping that the Fitbug would give me a tangible idea of how little/much I am doing each day and help me to wise up a little bit?

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 got the black one so I was happy enough there. Like the wriststrap but like all of these devices, I wish it had a clock or something on it to give more value while you're wearing it.
Apart from that, I thought it looked good.

So......onwards (I hope!)

Non-tester.
Luckily a gym has opened near where I work and so I just bob in on my lunch I have become a master of showering and changing super quick, Clark Kent aint got nothin' on me