Any Fitbit users? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

petra65 · 03-08-2010, 08:35 AM

I'm not a normal poster on this forum but I know there has been a thread about Bodybuggs and Gowear Fit. I have been seriously considering getting a Gowear Fit but last night I was thinking about this a little bit more. I have a very public job and I live in the deep south. This will likely be a bit of a challenge for me. I had already thought about the beeping being a problem but now I'm thinking just wearing the thing when it gets hot outside is going to be a problem. I'm going to have to be constantly be explaining what it is and what it does and just not what I want to be doing all day.

I have done some reading about Fitbits online so I am aware that they are much smaller and much more inconspicuous which is a definate advantage. However, I also read that they are better for more "casual users". So I'm wondering if there are people here who use them and what their experience has been? I don't do what anyone would call strenous exercise but probably moderate exercise-yoga, pilates, and have recently fallen in love with Wii boxing. Is it adequate to pick this stuff up? Would appeciate some real life experience before I make a decision. Thanks.

astrophe · 03-08-2010, 08:57 AM

I got mine for xmas and while I still have to learn to remember to put it on, I'm liking it when I do.

I keep it in my pocket. It is small -- about the size of my thumb.

It has a place for food logging on the website, so you get that as well as the activity log and sleep logs.

I also use FitDay, and it seems as accurate if not slightly more accurate than Fit Day at estimating food log/activitiy log stuff.

I do not have another way to check on sleep, but I am going to guess that it is fairly accurate for sleep based on its being accurate for food/fitness estimates.

It does not work with a heart rate monitor like Sport Brain... but again it seems among the most accurate of the estimates.

For me, it was a nice complement to the HRM I already had/have.

I like the USB dock and the automatic upload any time I am near the dock. I like the size and discretion. There's no beeps, noises, or bulk to it. It can hold up to 7 days info but with the automatic uploading, that's not a problem for me since I'm at the laptop daily. It needs to be docked to charge the battery, but I'm not having any problems with that. The wristband to wear it to sleep could use another two seams in it to keep the fitbit from slipping around inside it, so I'll probably sew it myself when I get a chance. But that's not a deal breaker or anything.

HTH!

A.

petra65 · 03-08-2010, 07:04 PM

Thanks. Do you feel like it gives you enough information to be useful or do you feel like it was a waste of money?

ubergirl · 03-08-2010, 07:40 PM

Why does gowear fit beep?

MomtoThree · 03-08-2010, 10:41 PM

The only times my go wear beeps is if I am downloading info and when I put it on to let me know it is working. The rest of the time it is silent and I forget I am wearing it.

PeanutsMom704 · 03-08-2010, 10:44 PM

If you have the display watch, it beeps when you reach one of your target for steps, calorie burn or minutes of activity.

PeanutsMom704 · 03-08-2010, 10:46 PM

Petra -

you must be a braver soul than me, because I NEVER go sleeveless! So even in the summer, I'll be able to put the armband high enough up on my arm to be covered by a short sleeve shirt.

If I ever lost enough weight (and it would probably also require surgery) to look good in something sleeveless, I'd wear the GWF proudly and be happy to explain what it is. But since that is pretty much never going to happen, I don't need to really worry about it! lol!

petra65 · 03-09-2010, 02:05 AM

Peanutsmom-the problem for me is that if people do see or hear it while I'm at work, particularly patients, I'm gonna have to explain it. And given my job, its important that the focus be on them and not on me. I don't want to constantly be explaining my "issues" to patients. That's not appropriate. If I had a different job, maybe not such a big deal but I don't. So inconspicuous would have some major advantages even if I have to give up some accuracy in the process. I just want to make sure I'm getting enough info to be useful and I think the general consensus I'm getting is that yes, I will get enough info to be useful. Gowear Fit definately gives MORE useful info.

I don't know where you live, but I guarantee you that if you lived in MS, you would go sleeveless in the summer. You don't know what hot is until you live down here.

mulder1921 · 03-09-2010, 03:30 AM

I also work with patients on a nightly basis and have not had to explain it even once yet. Mine has never beeped while wearing it except when I put it on for the first time. Even if my display beeps around other people, they just assume its an alarm.
I've had my GWF on my arm continuously since Jan. 1st ( except for showers) and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Just my 2 cents.

petra65 · 03-09-2010, 12:13 PM

Mulder-I'm a psychiatrist. Probably not what you expected but I think you can see my point. Patients are going to ask me what the heck that thing is. If I was just buzzing in and out of patient rooms, maybe not so much-but that's not the case.

PeanutsMom704 · 03-09-2010, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petra65

I don't know where you live, but I guarantee you that if you lived in MS, you would go sleeveless in the summer. You don't know what hot is until you live down here.

ah, but you don't know how much I hate my upper arms!! lol!! It gets hot enough here in the summers (blazing sun and temps can go into the 100s) but I still don't do sleeveless in public.

But I can absolutely understand your professional concerns and agree that the Fitbit is a more discreet choice and therefore a better option for you. I hope you find it as helpful as I've been finding the GWF - it is really making me aware of how little movement I got throughout the course of the day. I'm making a much more focused effort to get up and walk around for even a couple of minutes every hour. Today I'm up to 24 minutes worth of moderate activity so far (at 10:30 am), which doesn't include any exercise.

petra65 · 03-09-2010, 12:55 PM

Peanutsmom-that's great! I'll let you know after I get it. I read a lot of reviews on the internet. About 75% were positive so I think it will be fine. They are on backorder. I ordered it last night and they said it should ship by the end of the month. The other advantage besides it being small and less expensive is that the website is free-no monthly subscription cost. A lot of the beta testers lost weight using them so they were able to convert the info into usable data to lose weight.

LesliesMom · 03-09-2010, 02:31 PM

Petra -

I love love love my fitbit. I got mine right before New Years (how convinient). I use it daily and love the site and the fact that I dont have to pay any fees. Their support is wonderful. Log on to the site now, and create your profile, that way you are ahead of the game when your fitbit arrives.

Feel free to PM me with any questions.

Angie

petra65 · 03-09-2010, 05:01 PM

Thanks Lesliesmom. I did log onto the website today since I am home sick and was looking around. It does look like they make an effort to solve any problems that people have run into. I currently keep a computerized food log that I really like. I'm not sure if I want to completely convert to their log because it appears to be limited in a fair number of ways but we'll see. They really need to beef up their activity section or at least make a way to add a custom activity for things that aren't in their database. I'm glad to see that you are enjoying yours so much.

astrophe · 03-09-2010, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Thanks. Do you feel like it gives you enough information to be useful or do you feel like it was a waste of money?

I felt it was reasonable at $100 ish and I got my money's worth. I didn't bother getting it from fitbit because it was backordered. I got it from

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/78078?promo=search

and got it pretty fast. But again, this was a xmas time.

A.