Anyone regret getting a firness tracker?

[Vantreesta]

This is the pedometer I have and I LOVE it! I have had it since I think about 2010. I have had to replace the clip and the strap but it is still working great. Before that I had another of their accelerometers and loved it until it did die. I also wear a Fitbit Flex and I know a lot of people assume the wrist trackers overcount steps, but my Flex is pretty consistently 400-700 steps a day lower than my pedometer (although occasionally it does count more, but I consider my pedometer my official stats for the day; the Flex is great for sleep tracking trends and for the challenges). New Lifestyles products have historically been used as benchmarks to test the accuracy of other step counters. I test mine periodically against known distances and have found it to be very accurate.

http://thepedometercompany.com/nl1000.html

[BigBadBetty]

I did regret the heart rate monitor. I really became a slave to it. I felt let down if I couldn't get my heart rate high enough. I spent so much time monitoring my heart rate instead of enjoying the workout. I was reluctant to get a Fitbit. All my friends got one so I caved.

I enjoy the Fitbit because I use it differently than the HRM. I use the Fitbit as an activity tracker not a workout tracker. I am trying to be move active when not working out. I would work out and then spend the rest of my time sitting. My friends and I do weekly contests. I am not super competitive, but I certainly don't want to come in last place.

[Sue B]

I kind of regret getting a Fitbit, because they have quality issues. I went through several charging bases (a VFer generously sent me one because it took weeks for them to replace them) and the Fitbit itself died in a year.

But I'm very pleased with my Vivofit 2. It doesn't have to be charged, it's waterproof enough for me to swim or shower with it, and it works as a HRM if I add a belt.

[kalliope999]

Originally Posted by toaster

(Also, I don't currently have a smart phone, so I would lose any syncing functionality.)

Beth, at least for the FitBit One, there is a tiny USB thing you can plug into your computer, and the One will sync to that whenever you're near it, automatically. It's small enough that you can just leave it connected to your computer all the time. Just FYI!


And since Omron pedometers were mentioned, I have a recommendation for a different model. I have owned and loved an older version, and have gifted a few times, the rectangular tri-axis variety. It's thinner and a little sleeker than the oval one, and since it has the tri-axis, you can also put it in a bag or pocket instead of having to clip it to your waist.

The HJ-321 tracks moderate/aerobic steps in addition to counting all steps, and the HJ-320 is similar but doesn't have the aerobic step feature.

[Mopsy]

Thanks for the odometer recommendations. I just spent my workout time researching different models (oh the irony!) and the HJ-321 is the one I'm leaning towards. I'm afraid I'll end up mowing my lawn even when it doesn't need it.

[lreidgreen]

Didn't read through the whole thread but I wore my Fitbit One fairly regularly and found it useful. I didn't bring it on my recent vacation because I was afraid of leaving it somewhere. I couldn't find it when I got home but then after sorting laundry found it attached to a sports bra. So it is not working now having been through the washing machine. Has anyone resurrected one after being water damaged?
I think a bracelet type tracker would be annoying, but the fit bit one gets "lost" easily so I do not want to invest in another one. There is an app on my phone that tracks my steps but it annoyingly sends me notifications on my status and I can't figure out how to disable it.

[yogapam]

I got this Striiv pedometer after my FitBit caved when I got it wet. I don't wear it daily unless I am away on vacation and not doing formal workouts. We always do a lot of walking on holiday and I like to see how many steps we put in. What I like about it is that it's rechargeable and lasts a good week on a charge. My FitBit Flex never went that long on a charge.
https://www.amazon.com/Striiv-Smart-...eywords=Striiv

[Mopsy]

Okay, a couple of questions before I click "purchase". How does a pedometer count steps if it's around your neck or clipped to any upper body clothes? Will it count steps if you're marching in place, doing a Leslie workout? It sounds like it uses GPS, calculating the distance, divided by the stride length, so it won't work while marching in place. But the descriptions say they don't use GPS, so it should work. I guess I'm skeptical.

I have three in my shopping cart

[mtnmom]

My fanaticism for a fitness tracker wanes very quickly. I had a pedometer app on my iPod and it was interesting to note how many miles I walked when I hiked.

Then I got an Omron Pedometer. I quickly found out how to deceive it. I could rack up 1000 steps just going back and forth between my kitchen sink and stove when cooking dinner. Once I found out it was so naive, I got bored with it.

I got both the Jawbone Up version 1 and Up version 2 for free (DH hired as a consultant to improve it as it didn't handle being wet). I really, really liked the feature on the version 1 that mapped out your route when I went hiking (it somehow integrated with google maps), and they nixed that feature on version 2! It was interesting to know what my sleep patterns were and validate it when I felt I had a restless night sleep - but what difference did that really make? Ya, I feel like crap, I didn't sleep well - oh here's my Jawbone to prove it! .... So?

So ya. Interesting experiments but nothing ever sticked.

[toaster]

Originally Posted by Mopsy

Okay, a couple of questions before I click "purchase". How does a pedometer count steps if it's around your neck or clipped to any upper body clothes? Will it count steps if you're marching in place, doing a Leslie workout?

Louise, they supposedly have a tiny pendulum that uses a magnetic field. Personally, one of the reasons I got frustrated with mine is because it seemed to count steps so poorly--it was supposed to count if in a purse, on your waistband, bra, etc., but it seemed variable given the location, probably because it makes it harder to pick up the swing of your hips (which I believe is what makes the pendulum move).