Activity Trackers - are they worth it?

[Julie2011]

I wasn't going to buy another one but I gave in and got the Smart Bluetooth Sports Activity Bracelet one that Groupon had on offer for £15.It came today. The day I haven't been outside the door.

Let me know what you think of it. Is it accurate? I have found my Jawbone Up Move doesn't record all my steps. I would rather it was more accurate because it really spurs me on to rack up the steps. The other functions are good.

 

[Cavegirl21]

Let me know what you think of it. Is it accurate? I have found my Jawbone Up Move doesn't record all my steps. I would rather it was more accurate because it really spurs me on to rack up the steps. The other functions are good.

I'll have to download something on my phone so I can see if they track the same. One stride of someone else can be bigger or smaller than another person so they can do more or less than you. How do you know yours isn't accurate? In the old days you use to be able to set up your stride with your pedometer.

 

[Julie2011]

I'll have to download something on my phone so I can see if they track the same. One stride of someone else can be bigger or smaller than another person so they can do more or less than you. How do you know yours isn't accurate? In the old days you use to be able to set up your stride with your pedometer.

I tried it alongside my old pedometer and it kept missing steps. I wasn't sure if my pedometer whether my pedometer was inaccurate or the Jawbone so I walked 500 steps along the road counting as I went and the Jawbone recorded 348. I also do an exercise programme on my Wii called Step to the Beat (or Walk it Out in the US). I use a dance mat and it missed a load of steps from that recorded on the wii. I am wearing my Jawbone with a wrist strap and I wonder if it doesn't count steps if I am not swinging my arms, e.g. when I am holding something. I like the other features but

 

[Cavegirl21]

I've been wondering that when wearing it on a wrist.
Put it in a pocket and go for a walk x amount of steps counting then see what it says.

 

[Cavegirl21]

I have found where I can change the step stride. Will have to wait until tonight to set everything up properly.

 

[Maidinheaven2399]

Ive been looking at fitness watches too & reading lots of reviews that say the straps arent very reliable and they get lost/broken also although theyre waterproof its only for 30 mins and a certain depth (i think it was 30m but dont quote me). Have a look on Amazon as there are lots of reviews but it gets a bit confusing so have a pen & paper ready to note which ones you lime the look of. X

 

[Pierce]

Anybody use Google fit on android phone?

I've got another omron pedometer on order.

I've tried the Microsoft band and it's very nice but my skin reacts to the 2 metal points on the back. So can't wear it.

 

[ceebeee]

I've got a Fitbit One. I chose it because it was cheaper than some of the wrist ones but also because you can clip it to your clothing and have it hidden (mine goes in my bra but you can put it almost anywhere apparently).

It does sleep tracking, which is great as I'm trying to improve my sleep as well as steps but isn't a fancy heart rate one. But as I'm not big into exercise I'm not bothered by that.

You get all the Fitbit online tracking and phone syncing.

Its great for seeing how active (or inactive in my case) you are but honestly, you only get out what you put in. It wont magically make you more active, you have to want to do it. Mine is generally a reminder now of how useless I am!

 

[Julie2011]

I've got a Fitbit One. I chose it because it was cheaper than some of the wrist ones but also because you can clip it to your clothing and have it hidden (mine goes in my bra but you can put it almost anywhere apparently).

It does sleep tracking, which is great as I'm trying to improve my sleep as well as steps but isn't a fancy heart rate one. But as I'm not big into exercise I'm not bothered by that.

You get all the Fitbit online tracking and phone syncing.

Its great for seeing how active (or inactive in my case) you are but honestly, you only get out what you put in. It wont magically make you more active, you have to want to do it. Mine is generally a reminder now of how useless I am!

My Jawbone UP is a lot cheaper than a Fitbit. It came with a strap and a clip but I use the strap as it didn't seem to record all the steps when I had it clipped on. I put it on my bra strap. Maybe I wasn't swinging my arms enough. I find that when I am carrying anything it records fewer steps, both with the strap and the clip.

It has a sleep and food/water tracker. It knows when I am in deep or light sleep but recently I've been lying awake a lot of the night (My much loved cat was sick and then was put to sleep on Friday) and it thinks I'm asleep when I am not. It only cost me £14.99 at B&M, so I'm not expecting too much. I do record my food/drink intake and check the number of steps I've done a couple of times a day though and it spurs me on.

 

[Pierce]

@Julie2011 I'm sorry to hear about your cat.

I remember when we lost our pet dog to age. It's not easy.

 

[Julie2011]

@Julie2011 I'm sorry to hear about your cat.

I remember when we lost our pet dog to age. It's not easy.

Thank you. I am devastated. She was the most loving little thing and up until she got ill so healthy and active. She was six years old, and went down quickly with a disease for which there is no vaccination, no treatment and no cure. Absolutely heartbreaking.

 

[Pierce]

Awh ;(

 

[Cavegirl21]

I've given up on my wrist one as I done the vacuuming the other day and it said I done 5000 odd steps. I have a very small house so I couldn't of.:-/

 

[Julie2011]

I've given up on my wrist one as I done the vacuuming the other day and it said I done 5000 odd steps. I have a very small house so I couldn't of.:-/

It must have been the forward and back motion of your arm. I walked about a mile carrying a package against me and it recorded less than 83 steps. Frustrating!

 

[Pierce]

If you mow the lawn you will record 0 steps! Or shopping with a trolley.

It uses the swinging motion to record steps.

 

[Cavegirl21]

I will put it in my pocket when I go to work and see how many it tracks.

 

[lickthelid]

You want one with gps as well as the pedometer because then you get the benefit of both and it doesn't rely upon the jolting of your arm.

 

[Deborah Buckingham]

I think the best motivation when you have a Fitbit is joining a challenge i.e. Workweek hustle. That's what encourages me to increase my step count

 

[orangesuitcase]

I had become a bit obsessed with the health data on my iPhone. I could see that I wasn't very active at all, some days I wouldn't hit 3,000 steps. I learned pretty soon that it isn't accurate for me, as I didn't always have my phone with me and so there wasn't much point getting too worked up about it, so I let it go a bit.Even Saturdays and Sundays would show 100 steps because I end up wearing leggings and don't have pockets. Then I decided to make a conscious effort to keep my phone on me at all times but it wasn't sustainable - at work if someone needed help I would get up and go whilst my phone would be on charge etc.. Even Saturdays and Sundays would show 100 steps because I end up wearing leggings and don't have pockets.

I have lost 2st 1.5lbs since July, which I thought was brilliant but that's almost 6 months, which is rougly 5lbs a month, or 1lb a week. I feel for the effort I put in, in terms of sticking to the plan - I rarely drink, I don't have takeaways, I don't have binges etc... I just felt it should happen a bit quicker.

To cut a long story short, I bought a FitBit. I had £50 worth of Clubcard vouchers so put £35 to it and bough a FitBit Alta which I picked up yesterday. I had downloaded the app on Monday to give me a bit of a headstart and carried my phone around religously. Even carrying it in my slipper boots at home to log each step, as my leggings didn't have pockets!

I started filling out the food log too which I found interesting. I've been reading about your TDEE and calorie deficits and I think it's something I am going to keep an eye on. I have set myself an initial goal of 8k steps per day, but I want to try and have two days where I am over 10k steps.

I didn't exercise previously, just purely did SW, so I know I am on the right plan for losing weight, I just hope this will maybe get things moving a bit quicker. I'd like to lose another 1st 6.5lbs for sure, and I will reassess things after that. I am going to aim to be there for the end of March.

I am also going to keep an eye on my calorie intake. I have been worried about portion control with SW, how many carbs I eat. Worried is perhaps the wrong word as I was always losing weight, but maybe I do eat too many - I am hoping logging my food will help me understand that a bit better and maybe make different choices e.g. half a serving of rice with some salad instead of one full serving for myself etc...

Has anyone seen any weight-loss progression with a FitBit? I haven't explored the challenges properly yet, but I will.

 

[Cavegirl21]

I've had three different trackers plus my phone and they all register differently. They should only be used as a guide. They aren't true readings.

I've sold all mine as couldn't be bothered with charging them up, remembering to put it on.