The FastDay Forum

Hi
I've just done my 2nd Fast day, all good so far, I have seen several people mention FitBit, which is a gadget I was aware of but felt was a bit expensive for what it is. I'd be grateful if any FitBit users could share their experiences of using it, and whether they feel it is worth the money.
I have also looked at MyfitnessPal, which has the benefit of being free. Any thoughts about which is more useful? I have a Pedometer, well will have when I replace the battery.

Thanks
Sian

I use My Fitness Pal to track my calories (both fast and non fast days at the moment). Same user name as on here.

I use my fitness pal app, I love being able to log my weight and watch the graph go down. I've lost 71lbs and can honestly say that app has been life for the past 18 months.

Thank you to both Witchy and Roth, I have just registered on MyFitnessPal, I am Siansp on there. I do love a gadget though, so am still browsing reviews of the FitBit. Maybe if my Pedometer doesn't work once I've got a new battery I'll relent and get one, though I can't see the point of paying an extra £30 to have it monitor my sleep!
And HUGE congratulations to you both on the weight loss

I have had a fitbit or just on a year. It is a really motivating tool. The website is great with a lot of information and the customer service is without compare. Well with the money. The ultra or the one count steps , flights of stairs and sleep. You can sync with mfp and it calculates calories runt etc. I love it

Thank you Mousie, I just went out and bought the zip version, luckily the 3rd local store I tried had it. Now to get it set up - much more appealing than housework !

I have a fitbit zip and its a great little pedometer. I wear it every day and have done for a couple of months and it still encourages me to walk more when I might have hopped in the car. I try to get to 10000 a day which I know isn't that much but it's a start. I haven't got into the community side of it all yet and wish I had an iPhone 4S to sync it to but still love it. Would like the one to encourage my stair climbing really.

10000 what? It sounds quite a lot of anything!

For the cost of the fit bit, for more accuracy it might be worthwhile investing in a Heart Rate Monitor with strap so that you can see if you are within your calorie burning range. Most have calorie counters on them, so you can see how much energy you use when taking the stairs instead of the lift or walking /cleaning or for those who like to exercising. I wear mine all day, to get an indication on how active I am. Our bodies use energy (calories)every minute of every day, however there is no harm in boosting how much energy we use by getting off the couch and doing some exercise. http://www.heart-rate-monitor.co.uk/ is a good rescource if you are looking to do some research, and it is always worth looking on Ebay.

Dominic, Joltek meant 10,000 steps a day which is the target recommended by the British Heart Foundation.

Thanks Sian, it still sounds quite a lot to me!

I use Myfitness pal and I use Runkeeper. They are both free and I log how far I walk each day. I'dont run but it uses GPS so can't pretend to go out by shaking pedometer lol.

You can create goals on Runkeeper as well as work outs. I like it because IT'S FREE

Another smartphone app worth considering in endomondo. The pro version, on android at least, included a pedometer. It's also very good for both logging where you have been and keeping you up to date on info. I have used it during my brisk walking exercise and if you have headphones on it tells you things like average speed and pace per mile. Useful if you have a target in mind. At the end it syncs with the website and you can see a plot of your route included speed etc. Just don't trust its estimations of calories burnt as it appears to be in the high side. When I was being more obsessive about keeping a calorie target I would put the walks into myfitnesspal and use its estimation of calories.

I like Runkeeper! I do run but not very much but like how easy it is to use and like that it tells me when I have bettered personal bests/distances etc!

Hi
I use my fitbit one & my fitness pal. They serve different purposes for me & work in complement to each other. I love them both. MFP is so comprehensive, it can track everything I eat. Both are great for helping me tweak all the data & make mindful, informed choices. They're so easy, you'll love them.