Anyone using fitbit?

It's a small device that attaches to your clothing and records your steps each day, calories burned and stairs climbed.

There's also a decent food tracker on the fitbit website.

I'm finding it pretty useful. It tells me I'm burning an average of about 2,800 calories a day and eating an average of about 800.

I love my FitBit!!

 I just got mine like 2-3 weeks ago!  I lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvve it!

I use it to track with my MFP app :)

I love my fit bit.  I do not rely on their calorie tracker though - way too high an estimate.  I sync it with MyFitnessPal and do my tracking there.  MFP uses a much more conservative, and realistic, calorie estimate and has a much better food tracker.

 

 

So FItBit overestimates the number of calories you're taking in, or underestimates?

Not the calories in - the calories OUT.  It overestimates what you burn.

 

If I believed its numbers I should have an 11,000+ calorie deficit this week.  I should have lost 3 lbs of fat.  Thats not reflected in reality.

When I go on a run, My fitbit will estimate me burning 2000 some odd calories.  My HRM will figure about 600, MFP comes in with close to that same number when it syncs the FitBit data.  Where all three sources disagree I take the heart rate data over the other two.  But the fact that my HEart Rate Monitor is in closer agreement with MFP gives me confidence in their data.

Hey there,

What kind of heart rate monitor do you have? I've been thinking of getting one for the same reason that Fitbit seems to way overestimate my calories burned. The selection out there is mind boggling...do you like yours?

Thanks!

I have a Polar FTM600 heart rate monitor with the chest strap.  Heres what to look for:

 

1.  Continuous reading - You want one that constantly monitors your heart rate and provides real time feedback.  If you have to stop your workout and touch electrodes, that defeats the point.  Also a continuous reading one will let you monitor your heart rate and adjust when you fall out of the training zone

 

2.  For one that calculates calories, you want one that lets you put in detailed personal information including Age, weight, gender, etc.  This is especially important for determining training zone and calories burned.  The calories burned is not measured directly but calculated using a formula - all of these factors are used to determine the correct formula.

 

3.  Don't get too carried away with price - choose something in the middle.  You probably don't need the $600 dollar model with the GPS and the MP3 player.  Alternately, if you get a $30 dollar one at Wal Mart you are getting what you pay for.  I've compared my polar both to my doctors measurements and my blood pressure cuff.  It has agreed well with both.

Also, maybe you dont need a full monitor.  Both Wahoo and Scosche make chest straps with Apps that will let you use your smart phone as a HRM.  I have been considering these options myself since I am an iPhone addict.  Several apps will take information directly from these sensors like MapMyRun+ or MapMyWalk+.  

Hi

I have a bodybugg and previously when I lost weight I could work out my calories in vs calories out exactly.

This time it is a disaster.I should be losing sooooo much more if I look at the stats but hey,as long as I burn as much as possible.

ME TOO! I've been an avid Bodybugg wearer since about 6 months after I got my lapband. That means I've been wearing one for 4 1/2 solid years. Before VSG surgery I would set my deficit to lose 2.5 pounds a week (so about 1250 a day) and trust, every month I lost 10 pounds. Period. It may not be exactly 2.5 a week on the scale, but within 4 weeks it all worked out to the right amount. It was so accurate that the difference between my weight change and calorie input was ONE CALORIE. I'd say that's pretty close. Now? Nowhere close. My deficits are closer to 1800 to 2000 now, and my weightloss is at a standstill.

I've never been one to believe in "starvation mode", but I don't know...somethings going on there. I guess it could just also be that I've been going up and down the scale for so long that I've finally jacked my metabolism so much that it's no longer going to do what it's suppose to do. Who knows. Good to know I'm not alone though :)