Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Tag: FitBit

Lost FitBit? Use Your Phone

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On June 12, 2015

In General Cogitation, Technology

FitbitI have been using the same FitBit for over two and a half years now so losing it would give me a great deal of angst. I have probably convinced dozens of friends and family to get their own FitBits and it sometimes baffles me when they say they can’t find theirs (I’m very OCD about checking my pocket probably once an hour for my FitBit, even if I have been sitting for an hour). So the obvious excuse, when I taunt them, is they “lost it” *sigh*

Well now that excuse is no longer valid. An update to the phone app a few weeks ago will now allow you to link multiple devices to one account, including your phone. You can now add your phone to your FitBit account as a “Mobile Tracker” and it will record your steps just as your FitBit would (granted I don’t know if the accuracy is the same).

If you don’t know how to hook up your phone as a tracker, I can help you out (unless you have already performed a search on Google and found the answer in the FitBit forums). You will need to have the FitBit app installed on your phone which you can get from the App Store or the Android Store.

Once you have the app installed and you have launched it:

  • Tap on “Account” at the bottom of the screen.
  • Tap “Set Up a New Fitbit Device” – which should be right in the middle of your screen.
  • Tap on the “MobileTrack” option at the bottom and follow any additional prompts.

This should set your phone up as a tracker and it will only track the basics (i.e. it won’t track sleep, stairs, etc). I use this option when my FitBit is charging and I am still going to be somewhat active – because every step counts! Once it has finished charging (or you find your by gone FitBit) I would remove the phone, which I recommend as only one device can be tracking steps at a time. Steps from all devices will be aggregated on your FitBit account.

So there you have it. If you have lost your FitBit or its charging, and you have a phone that supports all the functionality of the app (I believe the FitBit app still has functionality issues on iPhone 4) then you no longer have an excuse for your lower rank on the leader boards 🙂

Keep Calm and Walk On!

Inundated with Wearable Tech

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On October 31, 2014

In Technology

WearableFitTech2Microsoft actually got ahead of the competition (for the first time in about 15 years) and released a competing product for Fitbit‘s and Apple’s not-here-soon-enough watch. In fact they even beat Fitbit to the punch despite their recent announcement of new products (Charge, Charge HR and Surge). It just takes Apple or Microsoft to get involved and now the market is already starting to saturate with wearable fitness tech. Prior to this tech craze the only wearable fitness tech anyone really knew about were Fitbit, Nike Fuelband and Bodymedia Fit.

Now that Microsoft and Apple have entered the market we should all prepate to become inundated with hundreds of wearable tech options. The flame wars will begin soon. Google will probably have one out by the end of the next quarter and all of us will be taking cheap shots at the short comings of the others tech because, lets be honest, we all like to exploit the inadequacies of the competitor (I am definitely guilty of it).

I have had my Fitbit for nearly two years and I’m not really in the market to replace it. If, hypothetically, I were in the market for an updated fitness device, I wouldn’t be looking at Microsoft or Apple purely based on the cost. Anything above $130 is just a little above my price range for something that just needs to measure my steps and activity levels; however I am not a fitness nut. I don’t jog/run, I don’t lift weights with any regularity, so perhaps I’m not the target market for these expensive wearable tech devices – which is entirely possible, after all I didn’t do the market research for these guys. Be that as it may, my hypothesis is still that these companies are taking advantage of a popular trend right now, which does make business sense, but doesn’t always render quality products.

Regardless of which of those theories is correct, its actually an encouraging trend. Perhaps it will be the motivation people need to live healthier lives; the Fitbit has certainly helped me to lose weight and keep it off. I’m certainly a fan of people making the effort to become more fit instead of mandates and soda bans coming down from the government.

Btw, if you hadn’t heard about Microsoft’s latest gadget, its the Microsoft Band. It does actually look pretty neat but I’m not excited about that price tag.

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

While Still Drinking Pop

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On March 10, 2014

In General Cogitation

scale-edMy total weight loss goal was 60 pounds. The closest I came was 55 pounds before I plateaued again. Granted I haven’t been working out as much as I was a couple of months ago. I attribute most of that to the busy Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday and the obnoxious, freezing weather we have had this winter. I’ve been pondering if perhaps I may not actually lose those last five pounds.

As many of my friends have pointed out, when I talked about my weight loss, as you lose weight you also gain muscle. As the old adage goes, muscle weighs more than fat. I am still fitting very comfortably in my smaller shirts and pants; therefore I can only surmise that while the scale doesn’t reflect having achieved my weight loss goal, I think I actually have reached that point and now its only a matter of maintenance and toning.

I have been asked, quite often, what I did to lose the weight. After all, there are a plethora of weight loss fads and diets out there. I have posted a blog (or two) about this before. I talked about how I bought a FitBit and, using a couple of other phone apps, I managed my calories and increased how much I exercised each week. It’s all about portion control and exercising regularly.

In fact, I didn’t even have to change how much pop I drink (3-5 cans a day), which is a big win in my book! There were so many “studies” and white papers posted about how cutting out the pop would help you lose weight. Well, perhaps I was the exception; or perhaps I would have lost weight quicker had I stopped drinking it. I wasn’t in any kind of hurry so I didn’t care if it took twice as long, but everybody’s body chemistry is different. Besides, pop is my vice. It is my spice. My crack. My … precious!

Be that as it may, the good thing is that I lost the weight and, so far, I’m keeping it off. My clothes fit better and I have a lot more energy, which is important since I have the kid on the way.

/cheers!

How I Used FitBit To Lose Weight

By

On May 9, 2013

In General Cogitation

chartAs you can see from the graph I pulled from the FitBit phone app, I have been losing weight steadily since I purchased my FitBit back in January. During that time many have asked me what I have done and the FitBit has been one of the main components.

There are several options to choose from if you are thinking about buying a FitBit and it all depends on what you want to track and how much you are willing to spend. The cheaper option ($59) is the FitBit Zip which will just track your steps and sync it with the phone app and website. If you want to track your sleep and stairs then you might want to look at the FitBit One (this is the one I have, its $99). The One comes with additional features such as a silent alarm and a wrist band to use at night. The newest model is the FitBit Flex, which has all the same features (and price) of the FitBit One but it can be worn in the shower and, allegedly, can be worn while swimming up to 10 meters below the water (I don’t know, water and my FitBit still makes me skeptical).

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