Since buying the Fitbit Charge HR for my boyfriend when it first came out I've always been a little jealous of him knowing how far he'd walked in the day and how many calories he'd burned. It wasn't until January this year that I properly thought about buying my own. Since then I've been hooked. I've put it to the test for weeks and I finally feel like I know all the good and not so good things about the Fitbit Charge HR.
Pros
Motivation
Since getting my Fitbit I've been a lot more active. Nothing strenuous but I've been doing a lot more walking. With a step goal of 10,000 a day I'm motivated to go a walk instead of sitting on the couch after work. It's good to see the steps adding up, the calories burning and my heart rate rising (sometimes).
Community
It's so easy to connect with friends through the app and set up step goal challenges. The one we do quite often is the Workweek Challenge. If you're competitive and determined to win you'll go the extra mile (literally). I definitely do the most walking if I'm in a challenge.
Heart Rate Sensor
I used to use a Polar FT4 watch with the strap on heart rate monitor for doing workouts. I started to find it a pain having to strap it on and then not having it when I was doing some impromptu exercise (like taking my class into the playground for a run around!) That's the reason I got the Charge HR instead of some of the other Fitbit options. You can track your heart rate without any hassle. When you're starting a workout you just hold the button at the side and you're good to go! It also recognises when you're going a walk or doing sports without doing anything extra. It's interesting to see when you're in the fat burning zone. It also means you get a more accurate idea of how many calories you're burning.
The App
The Fitbit connects up, via bluetooth, to your phone and the super easy to use app. Through this you can see all the essential details about your movement. You also get badges when you reach new goals, another nice little motivator. I'm loving the sleep tracker too. It's good to see how many hours you get and how restless you've been. You can also set up an alarm which means you can be woken up peacefully with a buzz on your wrist.
Cons
Charging
My Fitbit needs charged every couple of days. Even though it only takes an hour or 2 it's a real pain. I don't want to charge it over night because then it doesn't track my sleep but there's no way I'll do any steps while I'm charging it- they don't count!! I'm always forgetting and there's been a few days I've been caught out. The charging cord is really short too which is a nuisance.
The Price
I actually bought my Fitbit second hand because it's rare to see them on sale for less than the RRP. The price has only gone down by about £20 since they came out last year but it's still a lot to pay. I'm happy with my basically new version.
Since getting my Fitbit I've worn it every day, moved a lot more than I used to and found my motivation for exercise again. I can't believe how competitive I am too! I've also convinced some of my friends and family to get themselves a Fitbit - maybe I should be on commission. Do you have a exercise tracker? Do you need some extra motivation to get moving?
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