My girlfriend is trying to lose weight, and is incorporating running into the mix. She currently uses the Nike running app on her phone and uses that, but was interested in upgrading to buying a Fitbit, or a Nike Running Band. The reviews online are kinda spotty, so has anyone here used one? Have any reviews or advice?
What about getting the Nike shoes that have the chip in them that sync with the app? I was pushing her to do that because I think it’s cool/might be a bit better.
You don’t need the Nike shoes to use the Nike+ app anymore - it comes on the iPhone and you might be able to download it to other phones, correct me if I’m wrong. It for sure comes on the little iPod Nano. I use it all the time without the chip in my shoe. The chip is obsolete now.
Sorry, no advice on the fit trackers - I’ve been researching them myself so I’ll be following this thread too. I just wanted to chime in about the Nike+.
I have a FitBit Flex (the kind you wear as a bracelet) and I really like it. I pretty much wear it 24x7 except when it needs to be re-charged which is about once a week. It re-charges very quickly by the way.
As for the FitBit itself, it is kinda amazing how well it works. I really like the app for my iPhone and the online dashboard for keeping track of my activity and stats. Very full featured with lots of cool information and tracking. You can link it the FitBit to many common websites/apps too. I have mine linked to my profile at MyFitnessPal so any food I eat or exercise I log there automatically sync’s back to my FitBit’s app/dashboard. I also really like on the FitBit how it can monitor you sleep activity. As I have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine, it is always nice to just get that secondary confirmation of my sleep patterns.
Anyway, let me know if you have any specific questions and I’ll try to respond.
My wife uses a FitBit, wears it more or less 24/7 (it grades quality of sleep). She loves it. She’s a nurse, so on surgery days she hits her “steps for the day” goal by lunch; other days she’s walking the dogs before bed to get it. She feels it keeps her accountable and motivated.
I have a Basis Band. It’s a ridiculously expensive pedometer produced by company with an amazing marketing department. I bought it because it had great prerelease reviews and good reviews shortly after it finally became available.
It does track a number of things (calories*, heart rate, steps, sleep, skin temperature), but the web UI is awful, there are no mobile apps, and there is no way to import additional data or export additional data (so that you can track activity alongside food or find some better way to use or display the info they’ve got). It’s also not durable - I’ve had mine for about 6 months; the strap pops apart every time I look at it funny. There are better choices.
Do not buy this.
I have a jawbone UP, and I prefer it to my previous fitbit experience. I find it’s mostly accurate in terms of steps. The alarm wakes me easily and I particularly like two things - the “powernap” mode and the ability to set a reminder to get up and move every so often. I have a desk job, so I have it set to vibrate at 45 minutes of inactivity. With that, I’ll get up and go for a walk - around the office or the building, depending on how much time I have just then.
This is actually my third band, fwiw. Two were replaced under warranty. Though it says you can wear it in the shower, I’d recommend against that - I think that’s what killed the first one, and the second one just died one day. The company was great about replacing though. I’ve been using the band for a little over a year at this point (I think 
)
I have a fitbit zip and I love it. It does a great job of keeping you accountable, logs steps into an online database and you earn badges as you meet certain goals and milestones. It is easy to use and they issue them at my work as part of a program where if you participate and meet certain goals (# of steps in a specific period, etc.) you earn discounts on your health insurance.
I use the Polar Loop. They all have different features. But they are intended to be worn 24/7 as they also have sleep monitors as a part of their features.
Generally, they are used as motivators to stay active. In that respect, one is probably as good as the other.
My FitBit counted my driving as steps and going over overpasses in my car as stairs, so that was no help at all. I was climbing stairs more often and then I missed a step and fell, breaking an ankle and a wrist and spent 9 weeks in hospital and rehab. I’m trying to use it for sleep tracking but haven’t found it helpful except documenting how poorly I sleep. So I can’t recommend the FitBit.
I have the Fitbit One. I love it. Wear it all the time unless it charging. It does motivate me to get out for a walk, even on days I’m feeling lazy just because I have a goal of 10,000 steps/day. You can track how your friends are doing, too, and that helps because we try to beat each other to the most steps in a day or week.
Mine does not count driving as step or activity. It does count walking up hills as climbing flights of stairs, though.
I’ve got a Fitbit Flex (wristband). Before that, I went through two Fitbit Zips (lost both of them, sigh). The Flex was actually given to me as part of my company’s annual “get healthy” push, and if I wear it consistently and make certain step goals, I get small rewards periodically.
I must say I do like it - it helps motivate me to burn off a few extra calories. Not to mention, if I look at the burn rate, I see that the slice of cheesecake would require an hour on the treadmill.
It also syncs to several apps such as My Fitness Pal - I like the food tracker on that better than the Fitbit-based one.
Hah - forgot my one real grumble: The workplace health thing requires you to hit 5,000 or 10,000 steps to earn points. Trouble is, I’m tall - and the same walk that gets my husband (shorter than I) 5,000 steps gets me quite a bit less. We took a 5 mile walk one weekend and I barely broke 11,000 steps, and he got 13,000. So I have to exercise longer and harder to earn my points.
So I see a huge variety of Fitbits used! And they almost all have good reviews, so I’m under the impression that it doesn’t matter too terribly much WHICH one I get, since they all seem to work in and around the same.
Would anyone wanna weigh in on whether or not to spring for a Bit/Go/anything else?
You are an awesome help everyone and my mom is even interested in this thread now =)
I think the main differences are the Zip ($59) only tracks steps, calories and miles walked. It clips on to your waistband, bra or other garment. The One ($99) tracks everything, but is also a clip on. The Flex ($99) doesn’t track floors climbed, but is a wristband style.
My reason for choosing the One is that I didn’t want a wristband, and I did want sleep and floors climbed tracking.
I have used the (now recalled) FitBit Force for six months and love it. Mostly for tracking steps/distance and active minutes. Stairs are iffy, tracking by altitude change seems disconnected from reality. It says I sleep restlessly, but so does my wife.
I find it to be a good encouragement to keep up with brisk daily walks and I am in much better shape and am losing weight.
Recalled as in manufacturer recall? or you took it back?
I have a FitBit One, which I love. I had one which failed (it would record steps but neither my iPhone nor the FitBit dashboard could ‘see’ to sync. It was exchanged with no problem. I’m not allowed at my work to wear anything below the elbow, so I clip the One into my bra and it does get me moving more than I otherwise might do.
Really? No watches or bracelets? No rings? Is it a safety thing due to the nature of your job, or just a bizarrely restrictive dress code?
No, nothing. I’m a nurse and it’s an infection control issue.
:smack:
My wife is a nurse. At my clinic, no less. You’d think I would have thought of that.
I have a FitBit One and LOVE it! I’d have went with a Flex, but I don’t carry a iPhone or Android (I carry a Blackberry Z10, the FitBit doesn’t synch to it) so I wanted a device with a display.
I’ve worn mine everyday for the last 2.5 months and I’m happy to say I’ve lost 20lbs!
A really big part of this is the fact that 4 of my buddy’s also got one and we’re “following” each other. I’ve caught myself more than once thinking about skipping my nightly run but I check the “leaderboard” and see someone has passed me in total steps for the week. I can’t have that! So I hop on the treadmill and bang out 6 miles!
I’m waiting for the new “Force” to be released (I’m assuimg they’ll re-release it at some point). I want a wrist band with a display that will do elevation and sleep.
Oh yeah, FitBit also sells a Wifi scale that will synch to your account as well. I’m thinking of getting one of those as well.
Hope this helps!
MtM