Should I invest in a fit bit?
 

I need motivation to excersise, I've heard a lot about Fitbit, anyone have one and what would I our recommend and best place to purchase ?

My guess is it comes down to what information you want to aggregate. If you have a smartphone (iphone or droid) there are lots of free apps that count steps and way more like speed, time, calories burned, etc...if you don't mind having a phone in your pocket when you walk or run than I'd say forget the fitbit...just my two cents...

Thanks, that's why I asked...

I LOVE my fitbit. It is always on my wrist - no fumbling for a phone - and it doubles as a watch. I love seeing my number of steps - I can challenge myself gradually to increase. I have the Charge HR which includes heart rate so I can monitor when I'm doing higher intensity exercise, but if you go down to just the Charge it's cheaper. I don't think I'd get the Flex since I believe it doesn't display all the information (i think you need to see more of it on your phone). Mine shows me time, steps, stairs, distance, heart rate. And when I sync it to my phone it lets me see how well I'm sleeping, as well.

Thanks for your response, much appreciated!

i like it; have had it for two weeks now. definitely helps me get in a fair amount of walking (> 10000 steps per day) as well and 10 or more flights of stairs. i also use to track the food i eat and compare to what i burned even though CICO is not may main concern but still like to see a deficit most days.
gw

Than you , hope you have continued success

a followup: i've now had the fitbit for a month; i can say it definitely prods me to keep up the activity. i.e.: 10,000 steps per day, 10 flights of stairs, etc. it almost becomes a game / challenge.

Plus logging the food intake and comparing to output (i know CICO is not really part of low carb but fun to track anyway).

nice to use the phone or pc interface to see additional information and look at history and trends. i definitely recommend it now.

gw

Thanks again, I think you have convinced me, where did you get yours?.

Just a suggestion - don't limit yourself to Fitbit brand, there are others. I have a Garmin Vivoactive. I got it for $189 (CAD) on amazon when it was a deal of the day. It came with a heart monitor and it's waterproof, so if I actually liked swimming, I could track that. It regularly gets dunked in the dishwater at work and I don't have to panic. :lol:

Research the model you're looking at before you buy - it seems they all have bugs and/or quirks that drive some people nuts. Mine, for example... people who do combinations of sports hate it because it's extremely sluggish to switch between activities. That doesn't apply to me; I'll never be a triathlete. :lol:

Mine syncs up with MyFitnessPal for calorie counts, but I hate MFP and, as mentioned, CICO is silly.

I got mine at Costco ($149) but I believe they are the same price other places. I believe Costco throws in an extra watch band. I got the charge 2; I believe it is one of the lower end ones but good enough for my needs.

gw

I am cheap. I went with the Garmin Vifofit a couple of years ago. It cost much less than other more trendy options. Other than price, what I liked most about this version is that it uses a normal watch battery. I don't have to charge it every few days. In fact, I didn't have to replace the battery for 18 months. I loved that. I never took it off and it did help motivate me to keep my step count up each day.

Then about 6 months ago it stopped syncing with my phone after an android update. I bought a newer Garmin Vivofit 3. But again, I'm cheap. I bought this one on Amazon...

Garmin Vivofit 3 - Certified Referbished

I've been happy with it. It came to me plain box in new condition. Like my old one, the battery on this model will last over a year. BTW: after another android update a few days later my old one started syncing again. My daughter now uses it. So the problem was not the Garmin. It was the android update.

I also have a Fitbit Charge 2 and I love it. I actually have 4 of them because each time a new one came out I upgraded. I am a gadget junkie.

Because of this, I agree with Kristine that you should research all the different manufacturers, see which features you want, read reviews.

They are NOT 100 % accurate. Some arm movements doing other things can chalk up additional steps. This bothers some people. But it's an activity tracker, and folding clothes is an activity. LOL Also, sometimes I can climb a flight of stairs and it won't register. You should be aware of these things before you invest your money.

Does nobody else have a problem with the straps on these devices? I was very happy with my Garmin Forerunner, but it is now held together with duct tape. I wish they would design them so you could go to the market stall where they fit New batteries and get a new cheap strap.

You can buy some replacement straps on the internet, Amazon and such. I got a replacement band for my Fitbit Charge 2 at Walmart in the entertainment department. They had quite an assortment for various fitness trackers. <$20. I could have bought one cheaper off the internet, but I chose Walmart so I could easily return it if there were any problem, such as it didn't fit. They accept most anything back on return.