{"id":48967,"date":"2016-04-12T07:15:14","date_gmt":"2016-04-12T11:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=48967"},"modified":"2016-07-14T16:10:42","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T20:10:42","slug":"how-to-use-a-fitbit-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/tech\/how-to-use-a-fitbit-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Insider Tips to Level Up Your FitBit"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"7
Photo: Fitbit, Inc.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the scale gets stale<\/a>, we\u2019re always looking for fresh ways to track progress. And luckily, it\u2019s never been easier to monitor your health and fitness<\/a>. Virtually anyone with internet access and an extra few bucks can hop on the quantified self<\/a> bandwagon.<\/p>\n

For proof, look no further than the ubiquitous Fitbit, which in 2015 reported 9.5 million<\/em> active users<\/a> and 21 million Fitbits sold, each boasting a range of features, from a simple step counter to sophisticated sleep and heart rate monitors. Curious just how intense your HIIT workout<\/a> was? Or need a daily reminder to kick your sedentary ways to the curb? This gadget has you covered, whether it\u2019s creating new, healthy habits<\/a> \u2014 or simply reinforcing them.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 20 Meal Prep Pics from the Healthiest People on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we synced up with some of Fitbit\u2019s most dedicated users (most of whom are Daily Burn 365<\/a> devotees, too!) to steal their best-kept tracking secrets. Once you get your hands on the device \u2014 or finally dust it off \u2014 success is yours for the taking.<\/p>\n

7 Insider Tips to Level Up Your Fitbit<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. Find your angle.<\/strong>
\nTrackers can do a whole lot of things \u2014 but there\u2019s no need to commit to the whole kitchen sink. \u201cExperiment [to] see what aspect of your Fitbit\u2026works for your health and wellness routine,\u201d says host and university professor Hilary Russo. For Russo, a participant in Daily Burn\u2019s live, daily workout show<\/a>, it\u2019s all about the food diary.<\/p>\n

Your function of choice might change over time, as well. For example, says primary school teacher Sarah Adam, \u201cEven though I am no longer trying to lose weight, I love seeing my resting heart rate<\/a> get lower and knowing that I am getting fitter.\u201d Keep your focus on whichever aspects of the gadget suit your needs and goals at any given time. And don\u2019t feel pressured to use tools that don\u2019t appeal to you \u2014 that\u2019s a surefire way to lose motivation.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Daily Burn 365: New Workouts, 7 Days a Week<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Make every step count.
\n<\/strong>\u201cOn a good day, I try to get to at least 10,000 steps<\/a>,\u201d says university administrator Deirdre Folkers. \u201cSometimes my work keeps me at my desk for nine or more hours, so this can be a challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a competition\u2026 We are all striving for our personal bests.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Because of her demanding work schedule, Folkers has learned to get creative when it comes to meeting her goal. \u201cI now visit the women’s room across the building from my office in order to force me to walk further,\u201d she says. \u201cI also will take a quick walk around the building as a fast break. At home, I may take a swing around the block if I notice that I’m close to my 10,000 steps. And I no longer feel bad when a trip to the grocery store is carried out inefficiently \u2014 I just count those extra steps that it takes to backtrack for half and half as extra steps towards my daily goal!\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>3 Walking Treadmill Workouts Just for You<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Pay as much attention to your body as you do to your device.<\/strong>
\n\u201cSince using my Fitbit, I have had a goal of 10,000 steps a day,\u201d says full-time mom Sarah Fontenot, who\u2019s proudly able to reach her target most days. Perhaps even more valuable. though? Using the device daily has made Fontenot more aware of her body\u2019s signals, particularly on days when she\u2019s not able to hit her steps goal.<\/p>\n

She\u2019ll ask herself: \u201cAm I being more sedentary today? Am I feeling sick? Am I just in need of a rest day after doing a lot of workouts recently?\u201d The answers to these questions prove valuable in several ways, says Fontenot. \u201cKnowing the reason for why I may be behind helps to shed any feelings of guilt when I may have just been in need of a rest day. It’s also a reminder to get up and move if I’m having a less active day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Fitbit
Photo: Fitbit, Inc.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Be brutally honest.<\/strong>
\n\u201cThe food diary is a really honest way to keep it real,\u201d says Russo. \u201cKnowing what you\u2019re [consuming] and what portion equates to what amount really\u2026 opens your eyes. It\u2019s what helped me on my weight loss journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Russo isn\u2019t alone in this regard. Research consistently finds that keeping portion sizes in check<\/a> is an effective strategy for anyone pursuing weight loss. And that doesn\u2019t have to mean restrictive. Learning to identify healthy portion sizes can help ensure you\u2019re able to continue eating the foods you love. (Yes, even high-fat foods<\/a> such as cheese and fatty meats.) But in order to learn what constitutes a healthy portion size for you \u2014 and to determine whether you\u2019re consistently eating the right portions \u2014 you have to commit to recording the whole truth (and nothing but the truth).<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>5 Super-Smart Ways to Avoid Portion Distortion<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Get nerdy with it.<\/strong>
\nProgress graphs, FTW. Regardless of which aspects of the tracker you choose to use, log into the online app component and see your progress laid out in visual form. Not only can all those graphs and pie charts be a great way to boost both accountability, they can help keep you stay motivated, too. \u201cI try as much as I can to enter all of the calories I am consuming in a day,\u201d says Fontenot, who appreciates the app\u2019s food log. \u201cWhen I can visualize how many calories I have consumed\u2026it really helps me to make smarter choices throughout the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 6 Printable Meal Planning Templates<\/a><\/p>\n

6. Make it social (but don\u2019t compare yourself to others).<\/strong>
\n\u201cThe Fitbit user forums are great\u2026 for questions, hints, tips and tricks,\u201d says Adam. And there\u2019s value in completing challenges, Fontenot adds. \u201cI love the ability to chat with other participants doing the challenges with me. It\u2019s so motivating to me,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

If you do opt in to the gadget\u2019s social features, just be wary of comparing yourself to other users. \u201cI find that it is not wise at all to compare notes with other people, as there are so many variables at play,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s not a competition\u2026 We are all striving for our personal bests.”<\/p>\n

7. Use it.<\/strong>
\nEveryone interviewed stressed one tip above all others: If you want your Fitbit to assist your health and wellness goals, then you actually have to use it. \u201cPut it on when you get dressed, and keep it on throughout the day,\u201d says Folkers. And remember to look at it periodically so that you can course-correct throughout the day (instead of realizing at bedtime that you only walked 500 steps).<\/p>\n

Using the device on a daily basis will also help keep you accountable<\/a>. \u201cI believe that consistently wearing the Fitbit will give the best overall picture of how I am doing with my activity level,\u201d says Fontenot. Similarly, \u201cUsing the food tracking and water tracking consistently helps me stay accountable, and I believe that accountability is essential to achieving my health and fitness goals.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On the tracker bandwagon, but unsure where to invest your focus \u2014 or how to make it stick? Listen up to these four FitBit devotees for tips on achieving new levels of wellness. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,25,10,16],"tags":[287,322,104,103,341,362,283,319],"class_list":["post-48967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-apps","category-gear-gadgets","category-tech","category-tracking","tag-apps","tag-gadget","tag-goals","tag-motivation","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2walking","tag-tracking","tag-walking"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48967"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48967\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}