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Fitbit

(57 Posts)
MawB Sun 29-Dec-19 00:43:15

The inevitable has happened- the eating and drinking over Christmas has nudged my weight over the next “boundary” (won’t say what it is) and I dare not wait until the New Year to start my attempt to get it under control, so I am using a JL voucher to buy a Fitbit in an attempt to motivate myself.
What advice can anybody give me on how to make this work for me? I know I spend far too much time on my backside and despite having Hattie do not walk (or exercise in any way ) nearly enough.
All suggestions gratefully received! ?‍♀️? ?‍♀️? ?‍♀️

craftyone Sun 05-Jan-20 17:00:16

Ha!! angry

these fitbits are not so great. I have just one 1000 steps while sitting in my recliner knitting

craftyone Sat 04-Jan-20 18:40:37

My new charge 2 came today, such a palaver to get it to synch with my note 9 but its done. There is a lot to learn. I did some indoor cycling, sat up and swung my arms, fit recorded it as steps. I am ok with that. Heart rate is also working and I am recording the amount of water that I drink. I set my daily steps to 5000 because I don`t want to be disheartened. It does levels, I assume that is going upstairs. I am not sure if I am going to like fitbit as a make but am open minded and will persist to the end of its life, which I think is only about 18 months

LOL, at least it got me cycling

craftyone Thu 02-Jan-20 16:23:08

I just ordered a charge 2 and a woven strap. Next hurdle will be to get it linked on my phone. Fingers crossed

TwiceAsNice Wed 01-Jan-20 17:44:48

I like mine it monitors your steps and sleep. It’s also set to to show how many times you do 250 steps and hour and how much water you drink.

However the best way to lose weight is to cut out sugar and white carbs. I have lost nearly 2 stone and reversed my diabetes doing this. I have had a few treats and put on a few pounds over Christmas but will revert now to previous eating and will lose it again

Catterygirl Wed 01-Jan-20 16:42:35

I gave up dieting 15 years ago. Since then my weight has stayed exactly the same over Christmas, Easter and holidays all inclusive abroad. The desire for "naughty" foods disappeared completely as soon as they were no longer banned. I eat anything I like all day long but because it's allowed, I generally have horrible porridge. A small portion as absolutely hate it, but supposed to be good. Then soup for lunch and a large meal in the evening with wine. I have a Fitbit and walk. Weight never changes.

inkycog Mon 30-Dec-19 10:03:58

I think hustleing can work off a few calories? I'm in.

Parky Mon 30-Dec-19 09:43:03

Any of you older ladies want to join a workweek hustle challenge for motivation? If so message me and I will try and 'friend' you on fitbit

craftyone Mon 30-Dec-19 06:42:05

I am very interested, exercise has become minimal since I finished digging my patio out. Not many places to walk around here, I would rather walk in countryside but shops and back home would do. I can make a loop of it. My old fitbit used to be very inaccurate, amazing how many steps I did when I was going somewhere by car

I am happy with my basic equipment here: kettler stepper in the kitchen, cycle in the lounge, stairs, rebounder in the garage. My trouble is that I get bored so cycling while watching a film is perfect. Maybe I can set something up on a phone or tablet, so I can watch while rebounding gently

Is there any watch type recorder that counts in a stepper or cycle ride?

Smurf44 Mon 30-Dec-19 05:16:39

GrannyHall29
craftyone, you can get different straps for your fitbit on Ebay, I've got a silver, gold and a purpley one, all like a metal mesh type as like you the plastic fitbit ones gave me a rash on my wrist
I also had problems with the supplied rubbery plastic FitBit strap and bought a magnetic multicoloured strap on eBay which I find much more comfortable. It is much lighter and not sweaty like the original. Sadly it hasn’t made me any more active and I still do far less than my 6000 target on many days. Maybe I can go for daily walks when the better (drier) weather arrives.

natasha1 Sun 29-Dec-19 21:24:17

The reminder to do 250 steps an hour's is great, mine usually tells me at ten to the hour if I haven't done them. Easier to do on time off than sat on reception at work although a great incentive to do errands, tidy tables in the cafe etc is to.get extra steps in.
My mil says she's does about 2000 in the morning just getting ready, putting washing in a more dry washing away, rubbish out, washing breakfast things.
And I am always amazed how many steps I do doing jobs in town after work or in days off.
I drive to town but park about 1/2 mile away so that's a mile done in two easy portions.
Taking two small dogs for a ten minute walk twice a day is about 1,000 steps each time, I do walk quite quickly. But got to say with the dark nights and mornings leading into christmas.my walks got less and dogs spent more time in the garden, and steeps did fall.
Try and.get a group of friends.to have a weekly competition it all adds to the fun.
I will be back on it once I can get rid of the this damm head cold and get me strap fixed.
Good luck, start at 5,000 steps a day and then work your way upy brother in law does over 20,000 is almost 60 and has lost and kept off about 5 stone over the past few years.x

Qwerty Sun 29-Dec-19 20:41:12

How about signing up at a Local Authority Leisure Centre? You can pay a monthly fee that includes everything. I find this motivates me because you sign up for classes in advance. I do Pilates, all I can physically manage. The more classes I do the cheaper the membership seems - a great motivater! Signing up is a commitment and becomes part of your routine so you stick at it. You meet people, another bonus. Swimming is often included in the price. It might be worth trying! Good luck, and don't weigh yourself too often it really doesn't help and muscle weighs more than fat anyway.

Binkiebonk Sun 29-Dec-19 19:00:31

If you are really serious set yourself a target step count. Mine is 1000 steps a day. I either go to the gym, or sometimes like yesterday, I just go on a shopping trip and walk until I've completed my allocation. I can complete it at home too if I garden, clean and am on my feet most of the day. If 1000 steps is too much initially (it will depend on your basic fitness), set your target at 9000 or 8000.
When I go to the gym I have a target pulse rate of 140 I like to reach, as I know I will burn calories if I elevate my heart rate to this. And the raised calorie consumption continues long after you have cooled down and left the gym. In fact I believe if you visit the gym about 3 times a week your calorie consumption and metabolic are significantly raised throughout the week..

Jane10 Sun 29-Dec-19 17:04:12

Which Fitbit should I get? Are they complicated to set up?

Gingster Sun 29-Dec-19 16:22:53

I got a Fitbit for Xmas and I’m slowly learning how it works. I wanted to know how far I walk everyday day and have been surprised how quickly I reach 10,000 steps. I’m a bit doubtful how accurate it is. ?. I also wanted to see how I sleep - how long and how many times I wake up with restless periods. I haven’t been able to see my heart rate yet. I’ll ask one of the youngsters in the family. ??

Carol54 Sun 29-Dec-19 16:03:05

I like to walk first thing in the morning so in the winter dark mornings I use the Wii fit instead. It can get boring so I listen to pod casts or audio books while I'm stepping

Emelle Sun 29-Dec-19 15:42:11

Lisagran - That is good news! I am sure you will enjoy the group. I have enjoyed it so much that I have set new challenges for me and my cocker spaniel. The plan is to walk in the Yorkshire Dales and the Lakes more often and get up my local hill, Pendle at least once a month.

Lisagran Sun 29-Dec-19 15:18:46

Thanks for that link Emelle (www.walk1000miles.co.uk) - I have joined that group now and hope to start on the challenge next week. Looked up a local Walking for Health group and will try and join in with that. I’ve recently discovered I have high blood pressure, so hope more walking will help.
Good luck Maw!

GreenGran78 Sun 29-Dec-19 14:46:34

You need to walk 2.75 miles, about 5,000 steps, to work off the calories in an average chocolate bar! Exercise is more about fitness than weight loss.
My family bought me a Fitbit about four years ago, and it has been a great incentive to exercise more. I go to a weekly exercise class, an aqua-aerobics session and visit the gym twice a week.
Having said that, I have taken very little exercise since coming to visit my family in Australia, in mid November. Unless I get out before 6am it is usually just too hot. We did have a lovely beach walk today, though, as it has cooled off for a few days. I have managed, in spite of this, to lose a few more pounds through sensible eating. Luckily my appetite decreases when it’s hot.
Enjoy your Fitbit. You will certainly feel the benefit of taking more exercise.

Emelle Sun 29-Dec-19 14:34:20

There are challenge groups in the Fitbit Community. I am not quite sure how I managed to join mine but 'competing' even virtually is good motivation.
I am also in a Facebook Group and signed up to the challenge - Walk 1000 miles in 2019 soon to change to 2020.
www.walk1000miles.co.uk
There are walkers of all ages and abilities taking the challenge. It's very supportive with lots of ideas for walks. 1000 miles sounds a lot but it breaks down to less than 3 miles a day. It has made me get out almost everyday so I completed the challenge by the end of June and recently broke the 2000 barrier.

sluttygran Sun 29-Dec-19 14:08:38

I put my new Fitbit in the drawer and am ignoring it whilst I finish up the left over Quality Street.
Seriously tho', if you need to shape up, I recommend Slimming World.
I'm not a 'clubby' person, so I do it online, tho' I know loads of people who love the meetings, so maybe I'm an odd-bod.
Whatever - it works and it's very easy.
They do recommend a bit of exercise, so your Fitbit might come in handy, but my nutritionist daughter says its 80% food 20% exercise for good results.

grandtanteJE65 Sun 29-Dec-19 13:51:50

DH and I have found bikes with electric motors really helpful for getting out and taking more excercise

Years ago I had a very amusing book called something like "What every girl should know" - that wasn't the title, but I can't remember it. One suggestion was that a good way of keeping fit is to hoover your stairs wearing high heels. I don't know if it works, though.

Surely, Hattie could be tempted to take more walks if she got a dog biscuit or two on returning home? She doesn't look as if she needs to slim!

fluttERBY123 Sun 29-Dec-19 13:42:13

The way it works for me is that of I look at the step count after lunch and I have hardly moved I take a walk round the park/block. I make a point of doing longer walk if I know I won't be able to for a day or 2. (That's the theory anyway.....)

knspol Sun 29-Dec-19 13:35:29

I bought a cheap, basic treadmill and in the winter try to force myself to walk quickly on it for a mile every day, I listen to music while doing this and really it gets quite compulsive. Need to get some music that has a strong beat that you can match steps to, I use an old Tamla Motown CD and it works for me.

Meta Sun 29-Dec-19 13:31:17

My husband bought us both basic fit bits last Christmas and it changed my life. I have a reminder at ten to the hour so if I haven’t done 250 steps ( ie haven’t moved from in front of the tv) in that hour I know to get up and move around a bit. . I set a lowish target of 5,000 steps a day so I don’t get discouraged if I fail but now manage to exceed that most days. I then set up the food diary so I put in what I eat and it gives me the calories consumed- it is easy to set up a calorie deficit so you know if you’ve eaten more than you’ve used, I’ve lost two and a half stone since doing this . Just makes sense to use a bit more than you eat. I charge mine for the few minutes I’m in the shower each morning so never runs out. My husband records swimming, running, cycling and gym on his- he’s much more active than me. Make it work for you, they’re quite easy to use.

Jillybird Sun 29-Dec-19 13:23:32

Message withdrawn at poster's request.