As I wrote two weeks ago, I got a new Fitbit through TD Bank’s promotion. In short, I’m loving it and it definitely motivates me to move more throughout the day. I may or may not have been doing laps while babysitting the other day just to hit 10,000…
And on the BEST days, I reach over 20,000 steps. It’s the small things, people…
Anywho, I thought I would share my initial thoughts on the Fitbit.
Pros:
1. Tracks my steps and encourages me to move- I guess this is an obvious one, but knowing that 10,000 steps is a goal really pushes me to take the stairs, walk the longer way, or get up from the computer every once in awhile and move a bit. It’s just so satisfying to see those little 5 dots lit up!
2. Tracks my sleep- I’m not really sure how accurate this is, but it’s interesting to see the stats on my sleep each morning. I like the see how often I’m awake/ restless and can tell that the hour before I get up is the worst hour of the night.
**It usually doesn’t say 0x awake. Often, it’s over 5 times**
3. The dots on the front screen- Since there is no actual screen on the Fitbit flex, the dots give me a ballpark range as to how many steps I’ve taken that day. I get a little too excited when I get another dot!
4. The Fitbit app- The Fitbit app is easy to use and understand and it shows me my steps/ calories burned/ active minutes/ sleep, and more- all on the home screen! I can see a more detailed view just by clicking on certain items.
I don’t really use the website all that much because in order for it to sync, you need to be close to your “dongle”, which means you can only sync from one computer, unless you carry the dongle with you.
5. The battery- The battery lasts 5-7 days, which is pretty good if you ask me! i only have to take it off once a week and let it charge for about 3 hours, which I usually do while I’m doing homework or just hanging out. I charged it last week while I went to the gym, but still managed to log 16,000 steps that day! It was a long day 🙂
Cons:
1. No screen. I know I put this as a pro, but not having a screen on it makes it impossible to see my exact stats at any given point in the day. Sometimes two dots will be solid and a third will be flashing and I’m like….is it 4,100 steps or 5,900?! I guess I need to take more steps to find out 😉
2. It only counts “active time” as time taking steps- Foooooor example, I went to the gym last week and did the Kettlebells class, which just might have been the hardest class I’ve ever taken. We did squats, lunges, and jumps for 40 minutes, and when I checked my Fitbit, it said I had 4 active minutes! EXCUSE ME!!! I’m not sure if it’s designed that way, but plyometrics don’t seem to register. I’m taking steps! Just vertically, instead of horizontally 😉 Also, if you look at the screen shot above, it says 7,933 steps, but 0 active minutes. I went to a 40 minute spin class AND ran/walked for 10 minutes on the treadmill, yet I haven’t done anything active? Are you picking up what I’m putting down?
3. It could fall off- Maybe it’s just my own inabilities, but the snap seems to get caught on my clothes often and there have been a few times I’ve almost lost it. Nooooo. Don’t leave me, Fitbit.
4. Condensation in the band- The actual Fitbit is a little piece of plastic, while the band you see people wearing is just holding the Fitbit. While the Fitbit is “water resistant”, it is not water proof. After a long, sweaty workout, my band often has condensation in it for a few hours, which I assume is not good for the Fitbit. I try to remember to take it off and dry it out, but I think it needs a couple little vents, if that makes sense.
Overall
I really, really love having the Fitbit and would recommend getting one for anyone that works well by visual motivation and stat tracking. Knowing what I know now, I don’t think I would pay full retail for the Fitbit, since it can be lost quite easily and for other reasons listed above. I am, however, happy to have gotten it through the promotion and I think you should all try to get one, too!
For more reviews on Fitness products, see here: