The new Fitbit flex looks really cool. I used the clunky old-school version Body Media armband when I was losing weight - I got REALLY TIRED of answering everyone's questions about it. This is much more discreet and it seems like it delivers the same type of data. I am intrigued. Perhaps I can ask for one for my birthday?
I was wanting new shoes for my B-Day, but this may be what I get. My B-day is in a month and 6 days....I hope its worth $100. But lord knows I have thrown $$$ away on worse things.
”Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”
Tomas
Tell me, how does it really track sleep? I mean, if you are truly asleep and toss and turn, it would register as "awake", right?
Anyway, I just got one for my wife's birthday and tried it out. I walked 2 miles and it registered 1.7, but, I have no idea what it uses for stride length out of the box.
I did see that it has a setting in your account data for running and walking stride length, so, when I give it to her, we'll set that up. But, she wants it just for steps anyway.
As for steps...well, in that 2 mile walk, I lost count, but I think it's pretty much correct. maybe 100 steps off one way or the other, but, close.
I walked up a flight of stairs and it registered (apparently it has an altimeter), but, I also walked DOWN a flight of stairs, and it didn't register that. Not sure if it's supposed to or not.
Got it at REI today for $80. It was normally $100, but members get 20% off on most stuff until tomorrow (Memorial Day), so that was nice.
She uses MyFitnessPal, so that's nice that it plays well with that. All stuff we can figure out, I guess.
Jeff
Ms Chenandler Bong
Oh, I'm interested! I have a bday in 2 weeks, will mention not-so-casually to DH.
Marathon and ultra marathon runner. Sour Patch Kid addict.
Chasing the bus
My company bought me a Zip, as part of a health insurance get-health-points-keep-your-insurance-rates-lower program (administered through www.staywell.com). So I've been wearing it to get points for stuff I already do. I gave up on calorie counting, 'cause I got bored with it, but might give that a try, after hearing the reviews. I doubt I would buy one for myself. If I wanted to track steps, I'd find an iphone app.
Anyway, 15,000 step days are no prob., and I have logged 30,000 step days. I don't pay attention to distance, since the program is to get a million steps and get 500 points, and I'm over halfway there in about 5-6 weeks.
I haven't tried the sleep function. I use the motionX sleep app on my phone for that. It does a good job tracking light sleep, deep sleep, awake, and effeciency, supposed to wake you only when your in light sleep, and then switches automatically on waking to the HR measure function for resting HR.
All in all, I question the usefulness for someone motivated enough to get out and run most days of the week, but again, I might try the calorie function...I just hate counting calories though.
John
“You're either on the bus or off the bus.” ― Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
My wife tried an iPhone app and it drained the battery too fast.
I doubt I would buy one for myself. If I wanted to track steps, I'd find an iphone app.
That is the problem with the motionX app. I hoped something else would be less electron hungry, but maybe not.
Since I'm toying with the idea of getting a Fitbit Flex or a Nike Fuelband I had a question specific to the Fitbit.
The sleep tracking feature is pretty neat, I imagine it'd be really cool for a few days. What I don't see is how it's actually useful past the novelty stage. I'm not a stats geek, so I wouldn't look at trendlines and neither would I keep enough records to do correlations between foods and sleep patterns.
I don't mean to step on any toes, I'm just seeking to reconcile people praising the feature in reviews with my thoughts about whether it'd be useful to me.
Thanks for any insights!
MY wife was going to hook me up with one for my b day, but apparently it is out of stock in many places.