Anyone wear a "fitness tracker" (Fitbit, Withings, FuelBand, etc)?

[Melensdad]

Just curious if anyone here counts their steps, measures their heartrate, take O2 readings of their blood, etc. with a "fitness tracking device" or even with just a simple pedometer?

I used to wear a Fitbit religiously, taking it off only to charge it, until it stopped charging after just over a year of ownership. Loved tracking my workouts, but always wished for more information.

Now there are newer models that do all sorts of things, and the upcoming Apple Watch looks to have amazing potential for tracking fitness in ways that are not yet even considered.

Anyone?

 

[SYates]

Nops! Why? SY

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I use the FitBit Charge. It does everything but the heart rate and blood oxygen stuff. The sleep tracker is useful for monitor the effect of my CPAP. Coupled with the FitBit application, it tracks food, blood pressure, heart, and glucose from manual entries. Steps, stairs, calories, distance, and activity intensity are all automatic. I suppose it is a gadget, but my older model gave me rewards like this while I was on the Camino:

 

[clearskiescamino]

I have the fitbit flex and love it. Have used it on one previous Camino.
It can be a bit awkward charging every 5 or so days but that can be gotten over.

There is another thread active about fitbits
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...agement-of-a-fitbit-friend.30765/#post-264519

Pm me if you would like to add me and "compete"

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Just curious if anyone here counts their steps, measures their heartrate, take O2 readings of their blood, etc. with a "fitness tracking device" or even with just a simple pedometer?

I used to wear a Fitbit religiously, taking it off only to charge it, until it stopped charging after just over a year of ownership. Loved tracking my workouts, but always wished for more information.

Now there are newer models that do all sorts of things, and the upcoming Apple Watch looks to have amazing potential for tracking fitness in ways that are not yet even considered.

Anyone?

Why should you?? Peter.

 

[dougfitz]

I now wear the Garmin vivofit 2 rather than a Yamix pedometer. The Yamix didn't work well when carrying a pack - I think the waist strap interfered with its operation somehow.

Why? Because in my day job it is too easy to stop moving, and setting a step target motivates me to walk around more.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Why should you?? Peter.

It is behavior therapy that works!

Two things work in dieting, for example, and they cross all diets.

1. a food log
2. the touchy-feely group thing

It is the "feedback" that sustains behavioral change. If you set a goal of 10,000 steps per day, a tracking device shows you how your are doing on your goal. If you are 3,000 paces short, perhaps an after dinner walk will reward you with achievement of the goal.

As with all behavior modification, it works for some but not for others...

 

[nidarosa]

Two (actually, strictly three) things have made me walk more: a fitbit Flex and a pair of Pacer poles. It's the encouragement, the quantifiable info and the something 'other' measuring and acknowledging your efforts, ie other than yourself and other than other people. Works for me, and as @clearskies mentioned, there is a thread for those who want or need a/more fitbit friend(s)!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I take my JawBone. What I really use it for is as an alarm clock since it vibrates rather than rings and will not wake others up. I now know that I walk between 30 000 and 40 000 steps on a day on the Camino. Had initially bought it to monitor my sleep. When at home I like that it reminds me to walk or drink water every 30, 45 minutes, whatever I programme.

 

[Melensdad]

Nops! Why? SY

Why should you?? Peter.

Really there is no need for it other than to provide you with information/feedback about your walking, exercise, activity levels, etc.

But clearly it is not a 'need' item.

I think many other replies here sum up the various uses for these things. I still miss my Fitbit Flex and the way it motivated me. I've delayed buying a new one because I was looking at the Withings Activite POP or possibly the Withings Pulse O2. But clearly the ultimate activity tracker may actually be the fancy/expensive new Apple Watch.

 

[GreatDane]

I walked with a FitBit Force. Mainly out of curiousity to see how many steps and KM. Fun to see some days I'd add an extra 5 -7 km in the evenings wandering around towns!

 

[Shepan2]

Just curious if anyone here counts their steps, measures their heartrate, take O2 readings of their blood, etc. with a "fitness tracking device" or even with just a simple pedometer?

I used to wear a Fitbit religiously, taking it off only to charge it, until it stopped charging after just over a year of ownership. Loved tracking my workouts, but always wished for more information.

Now there are newer models that do all sorts of things, and the upcoming Apple Watch looks to have amazing potential for tracking fitness in ways that are not yet even considered.

Anyone?

 

[Tia Valeria]

No. We have a simple pedometer which takes a small replaceable battery (lasts about 6 months). It does show calories used and number of steps taken plus aerobic steps but we simply use it to see how many kms we have walked in practise/training walks and how many kms actually walked per day when on the Camino. It is very accurate and we like to see the distances when not walking recognised stages.

 

[jpn321]

I am planning to take my Jawbone Up. Very encouraged to read from others who have taken their fitness trackers. I have been using mine for about a year and a half and really like the feedback it gives as well as the silent alarm clock.

 

[Melensdad]

The ONE thing that concerns me, if I buy a replacement Fitbit Flex, is the need to recharge it on the trail. Mine was typically good for 7 days before needing a recharge, my wife's was good for 6 days. The one thing that attracts me to the Withings POP is that is has an 8 month battery life, so it would easily last the entire Camino and it includes a watch too. What I don't like is that it does not include any additional functions beyond the what I had with my Fitbit.

I would like the additional functionality that some of the others offer like a heart rate monitor and oxygen saturation monitor too. Of course, all those features (and more) only come with units that have about a 1 week battery life and need recharging. With the upcoming Apple Watch being the only one that really incorporates everything you can dream of, simply because of the ability to write "apps" for the watch.

For those of you unfamiliar with these things, which are really just fancy pedometers, here are a couple links:

http://www.withings.com/us/withings-activite-pop.html

http://www.fitbit.com/home

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Withings

I have a Withings wireless scale and a wireless blood pressure monitor. The products are reliable.

My iPhone is in a battery case that also has a USB port. I can charge my FitBit from my phone battery. The iPhone and battery case need the plug adapter and charging cable every few days. One advantage of the battery case is that I can charge it without the iPhone installed. If the battery is stolen, I still have the phone! The battery about doubles the weight of the phone, but has a flip cover that protects the screen.

 

[pudgypilgrim]

Tia Valeria, which pedometer is that, please?

 

[NualaOC]

My husband wore his Garmin GPS watch. I was a little 'disapproving' (judgemental!) of this idea. However, when we got home it was nice to look back over each day and see where we had walked.

 

[Melensdad]

My husband wore his Garmin GPS watch. I was a little 'disapproving' (judgemental!) of this idea. However, when we got home it was nice to look back over each day and see where we had walked.

And that is one of the things that I like about these little devices! Many allow you to sync up to an iPhone or your computer, you can track your walking path, your distance, your speed, the intensity of your walk (often in as little as 5 minute increments) so you know which part of the walk was easy, which was difficult. So many fascinating little bits of information that these devices can provide by way of feedback.

But still, there is no "need" for these things if you are a true minimalist.

I just find they help provide a bit of motivation, a bit of information, and nothing bad can come from that

 

[Tia Valeria]

Tia Valeria, which pedometer is that, please?

Ours is now 6 years old but this seems to be the nearest of the same make (Omron) and price

 

[Deleted member 3000]

a true minimalist

Something you won't find on the Camino!! Even the barefoot pilgrims I saw had backpacks.

 

[Andpartner]

Like Tia, I wore my little Omron pedometer. I like knowing how far I'd walked. Sometimes it was very useful to use it with the Brierly map and see if we were close to the next coffee stop.! I found it very encouraging and reassuring

 

[Mike Savage]

I use the FitBit One and find it motivates me. Especially since we have 3 generations of family using it and motivating each other daily.

 

[Graham-R]

Can you tell when my short Camino was??
I have the fitbit but I am considering upgrading for the Heart Rate version when I Camino again!

Graham.

 

[dougfitz]

Let me guess - Sarria to Santiago in the week leading up to Palm Sunday last year, followed by a quiet week in the office and a longer walk on Easter Monday to work off the chocolate you over-indulged in on Easter Sunday

 

[pudgypilgrim]

Thanks very much, Tia Valeria.

 

[offtrail1]

Just curious if anyone here counts their steps, measures their heartrate, take O2 readings of their blood, etc. with a "fitness tracking device" or even with just a simple pedometer?

I used to wear a Fitbit religiously, taking it off only to charge it, until it stopped charging after just over a year of ownership. Loved tracking my workouts, but always wished for more information.

Now there are newer models that do all sorts of things, and the upcoming Apple Watch looks to have amazing potential for tracking fitness in ways that are not yet even considered.

Anyone?

Well - my kids (and grandkids) just got me a Fitbit Charge for my birthday - did I need it? I don't think so - but I'll take it, wear it, and likely even learn to use it. Might be fun to see how many steps equal a Camino day. Starting from SJ on May 9.

 

[Jacobus]

Just curious if anyone here counts their steps, measures their heartrate, take O2 readings of their blood, etc. with a "fitness tracking device" or even with just a simple pedometer?

I used to wear a Fitbit religiously, taking it off only to charge it, until it stopped charging after just over a year of ownership. Loved tracking my workouts, but always wished for more information.

Now there are newer models that do all sorts of things, and the upcoming Apple Watch looks to have amazing potential for tracking fitness in ways that are not yet even considered.

Anyone?

Having had 2 heart attacks and being a diabetic I take a heart rate monitor and a blood glucose monitor. I had restrictions placed on my heart rate lifted recently so that heart rate monitor won't be going back to Spain with me next time but I am stuck with the glucose monitor. For diabetics (I am type 2 non insulin) I recommend taking a monitor whether or not you have good control. First of all the white bread is pretty much the only bread available. Second you get french fries with almost every pilgrim meal. Despite the upward pressure about three weeks of constantly walking 20 k or more there is a large possibility you will start to suffer low glucose levels which most diabetics know is imminently dangerous.

The last device I take is "common sense". Seems to work for most things.

Jim

 

[clearskiescamino]

Two (actually, strictly three) things have made me walk more: a fitbit Flex and a pair of Pacer poles. It's the encouragement, the quantifiable info and the something 'other' measuring and acknowledging your efforts, ie other than yourself and other than other people. Works for me, and as @clearskies mentioned, there is a thread for those who want or need a/more fitbit friend(s)!

Linda
It won't be too long before you are top of my list of fitbit friends.
Another 2 days!

 

[jpflavin1]

I loved my Jawbone Up Band until I took it on the Camino. Two consecutive years it broke down after five days. Not sure what the issue was, possibly to much sweat, but I was very disappointed in it's Camino performance. Other than that, the device worked great for home use.

I would agree with Falcon that the reminder of not yet having achieved a daily goal is motivational. I also liked the reminder vibrate when sedentary to long and the sleep monitoring function. A beneficial health tool.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[mla1]

I have a fitbit flex. It was fine until it stopped charging after about two months. This is a defect that some of them have....People send them back and they are replaced - but I would not get this model again.

 

[Nicklas Lind]

I was thinking about bringing my Jawbone Up because I thought it would be fun to have a look at the steps taken after the journey. But I decided not to because one of my wishes for my journey is to leave all electronic gadgets at home and enjoy the moment.

It would be nice to have the vibrating alarm clock functionality of the Jawbone Up, but that would require me bringing my iPhone, which I won't.

Whatever you choose, remember to not let it get "in the way" of your journey.

Buen Camino!

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

I brought my Jawbone Up on my last camino a lot of steps and not so much deep sleep.

 

[Paul_L]

I wore a Fitbit One until it fell off going to the loo in the rain in the bushes in Navarra somewhere! I asked support if they could track it if someone found it and set it up, which they couldn't, but they have posted a new one to my home address which was lovely of them.

As a family we loved guessing how many steps we have taken during a day. It was also useful for comparing different days, and I imagine as well as getting an idea of how far one walks in preparation (we didn't though a I bought it duty free leaving Australia).

I also agree about having a target helping keep us motivated. I remember on a couple of days being a short distance before a target and walking around the block (or even up and down the hallway on one day when I was 20 steps short!). On a preparation walk we were tracking once the kids took the phone to add a couple of hundred metres and tried running in the shape of their names so it would appear on the map! (using the app, mapmywalk and an iPhone)

 

[Walton]

We took our Garmin Vivofits. One for her and one for me.
One year battery life - gives you the time, number of steps and estimated distance walked each day. Waterproof to boot - handy for showering.
You can sync with a Garmin App and keep a record of your daily efforts
Not essential but a lot of fun
The only downside occurs on those long days when you know from the guidebooks how far you have to walk to the next cafe or stop, and then after looking at your Garmin, that you are not even halfway yet!

 

[Kanga]

Warning - this is an old thread and the information may be out of date.

 

[Walton]

Thanks Kanga - I didn't realise that.

It came up on the "Latest Posts" window on the right of my screen. That's why I answered it without realising the date.

Wonder why it came up seeing the previous post prior to my post was made in 2015?

Anyway, my Garmin post is 2018 and up to date.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I take my JawBone. What I really use it for is as an alarm clock since it vibrates rather than rings and will not wake others up. I now know that I walk between 30 000 and 40 000 steps on a day on the Camino. Had initially bought it to monitor my sleep. When at home I like that it reminds me to walk or drink water every 30, 45 minutes, whatever I programme.

Does the app still work then? Broken Jawbone