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Fitness trackers

1K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  joker85 
#1 ·
I was curious if anyone here is using a fitness tracker such as Fitbit or Jawbone? Recently (after many years) I am exercising daily (walking mostly with some calisthenics)  so I am looking for a way to track my activity. The fitbit looks pretty decent and I was wondering anyone here is using it and how they like it.
 
#2 · (Edited)
My Note 3 came with Samsungs Pedometer software (S Health) to monitor the motion sensitive chip in my phone. It's OK. I do enjoy the feedback I get from it and find it useful. The caveat is that it's sensitive to motion beyond walking such as driving or mass transit. On the daily graph, it's easy to pickout those points and mentally subtract them from the total.  I suspect the fitbit is just as overly sensitive.

There is pedometer software in itunes/Play store that you can try out and see what you think of the concept. Saves you the bluetooth and extra charging hassles. For my tastes, these are all pretty snoopy pieces of kit in that they collect data about you that they don't necessarily keep private. To that end, I have rooted my phone and installed Xprivacy which gives me improved control over what data can be collected and shared.  
 
#3 ·
I decided to give the fit bit a try it has an app and blue tooth so hopefully it will be useful. Only down side is it is pricey in my opinion at 99.00. It seems to do a lot more than just a straight pedometer which is great but it might be more functionality than I need.
 
#4 ·
One of the reasons I finally broke down and got an android phone was to use the Map My Walk app. The simpler, free version works fine for me so far.  The only problem I have with it is those times I get back to the house and realize I forgot to push the "Start Workout" button.  Doh!
 
#7 ·
I used a fitbit for a long time and it was great. It tracks steps and distance and stairs and calories burned. It has cool little graphs to track your process. It has a sleep band if you want to track your sleep though I never did. The app is cool.

I never has a problem with it tracking distance during car or mass transit though it did track elevation. I contacted the company and thy helped me reset it which worked out the glitch. I no longer track though I wore a pedometer for many years.
 
#10 ·
I have been using "Cardio Trainer" a free app for Android (not sure if they have one for iphone or not) and I like for biking as it is also a GPS so I can map my rides and save them if I want to re-ride a route.
 
#12 ·
$99.00 seems like a lot to simply keep track of your exercise.

A pencil and piece of paper is much cheaper. But I'm old school.

Exercise should be done for enjoyment in my book. When you worry about putting it in a formula it detracts from the simplicity of enjoying the activity.

Teamfat, /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif for being able to keep the beer ration up. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif
 
#13 ·
$99.00 seems like a lot to simply keep track of your exercise.

A pencil and piece of paper is much cheaper. But I'm old school.

Exercise should be done for enjoyment in my book. When you worry about putting it in a formula it detracts from the simplicity of enjoying the activity.

Teamfat, :thumb: for being able to keep the beer ration up. :lol:
I feel the need to defend the use of such a device because it was such a great tool for so many years for me. My pedometer was am extension of me and I loved wearing it. In fact it was a very difficult decision to stop wearing it last month. And it was difficult not knowing how many miles I walk everyday at first. But overall as you say I am transitioning to exercising purely for pleasure than accountability.

However, a pen and pencil have no comparison to what a fitbit can do. The fitbit gives you real information. Without it what is there to write down?
 
#14 ·
@Zagut It really is about what works for each person in your a case a pencil and paper for others some app or nifty gadget. The goal is exercise and I don't it is in question our reasons for exercise our reasons are finding a way to be motivated. I do agree with you that 99.00 is a lot for a fitness tracker but for myself I tried other pedometers and just felt they were not very good for my needs. The fitbit is newer technology so I am giving it a try. Like I said to each his own as long as it helps you reach your goal none are right or wrong.
 
#15 ·
So true.

To each his own and if it works for ya the "Go for It" /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif

The important part is to get off the butt and actually move. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

I'm not a gadget kind of person. And the hundred bucks is more then I'd want to spend for one to see how far I walked.

But I have a 1/2 mile walk to the mailbox and being super accurate about it is low on my list.
 
#16 ·
But I have a 1/2 mile walk to the mailbox and being super accurate about it is low on my list.
I totally agree and your post made me laugh sometimes we get too nutty about the details and need to focus on just walking instead of driving to get the mail. After 15+ years of sitting at a desk I have made some major changes. Bought a standing desk and not stand more of the day instead of sit. Pretty consistently walking 3-5 miles ever evening after work. It has been discouraging to see how out of shape I let myself get but slow but surely I am seeing progress. Boy do I miss to days of my early twenties when I could lose 5 pounds just but running a few miles in the morning. :)
 
#17 ·
Glad I made you laugh. Laughter is what the world needs more of IMHO.

Besides I'll bet ya a good chuckle is good for at least 1/100th of a mile on that fancy do-hickey. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

I feel your pain as far as getting out of shape goes. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif

But I've come to look at it as not being out of shape. I see it as just taking on a different shape. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif
 
#18 ·
@Nicko the years do add up and being sedentary takes it's toll. I've read so many articles on how terrible it is for our body to have a desk job. What I liked about the fitbit is that every movement counts, not just the exercise but everything else. I found myself taking the stairs rather than the elevator, walking the long way home, parking my car further away from the entrance, getting out one subway stop early to walk the rest of the way. And when I was close to goal (12,000 steps per day) I would do some extra work around the house to meet the goal. Having the fitbit really does motivate you to find the opportunities to move more throughout the day.
 
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