Have You Heard of FiBit?

Recently, tracking your everyday activities has become the rage in the fitness and technology world. And why not? The more we understand our bodies, and the more we can build technology to suit us, the better we can be at staying healthy and fit.

A few weeks ago, I discovered the website FitBit.com, where you can track your daily activity levels, exercise, food intake, and even your sleep patterns and track towards your goals. I know, I know, Nike Fuel and Jawbone Up have been out for a while, but not quite like this, in my opinion. Let me give you a quick tour.

FitBit has four products that you can connect wirelessly to an app on your phone, tablet, or computer. Here are the products:

Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband: Tracks the steps you take daily, calories burned, total distance walked or run, and your sleep cycle. That is, it tells you the quality of your sleep - how much you move around, how many times you woke up at night, etc. You wear it around your wrist so it wakes you up in the morning if you set the alarm. The alarm is a silent vibration so it doesn't bother your partner. Amazing, right? 

What's even better is that it is waterproof so you can take a shower with it. I just got the Flex and I am loving it so far. You can tap it at any point during the day and the number of LED lights will show you how you are tracking against your goal. I cannot rate accuracy of calories burned yet, but if I do notice it is inaccurate, I will be sure to let you know in a future post.

One Wireless Activity + Sleep Tracker: This does the same as the Flex, but it also measures stairs climbed. The difference is that you clip it on your clothes or put it in your bra or pocket. I would totally lose something I have to store in my bra, which is why I chose the Flex. But the Flex is newer so it has been backlogged for a few weeks. The One is much more available.

Zip Wireless Activity Tracker: The Zip tracks the steps you take, and calories burned. The battery for the version lasts 4 to 6 months, so you'd have to change it. However, the price of the Zip is about $40 less than the One and the Flex so I definitely see the appeal. If you are looking for a basic tracker, it is definitely worth the money.

Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale: This is not just any scale. It measures your weight (duh), but also your BMI and your body fat percentage. Goodbye to formulae! I haven't physically tried the scale, but from the reviews I have read, it seems to work pretty well. Some smart scales tend to have issues with their measurements, so I really do hope it works well.

Of course, after you buy the product, you have to set it up. If you have an Apple or Android device, it is pretty easy to set up an account, create groups, add friends, and compete with each other. I am currently competing with a few of my colleagues :) If you don't have an Apple or Android device, you can still download the software on your computer and sync your device to your computer using a wireless plug that comes with each devices.

I am loving FitBit right now as it makes me walk more and do more physical activity to meet my daily goals. It really helps to know how much you are burning just living.

If you are interested in trying the devices out, chck out FitBit.com, Amazon.com, Brookstone.com, Target, or a bunch of other retailers near you. Let me know what you think!

Cheers Eights & Weights!