What is my best Fitbit tracker combo?

February 12, 2014 10:25 AM

I got a Fitbit Flex for myself for my birthday and am having a difficult time working out the best way to link it to various sites in order to maximise my motivation. I've set my stride length and increased various targets but how do I successfully link and track my Fitbit using the following: Endomondo, MyFitnessPal, Earndit?

I was using Endomondo to track long walks because it was very easy to sync with the other two sites but I am now working closer to home so find myself walking ALL the time. This makes it pretty annoying having to constantly pause and restart the app on my phone. Pausing and restarting the app seems to affect my step result using the Fitbit as any steps taken inbetween don't seem to be counted.

Although Endomondo seemed a more accurate calorie counter when syncing with MyFitnessPal, it doesn't seem to work as well with the Fitbit (even with the new step counter option).

Is there a simpler way to track everything and still earn points? I'm hesitant to leave Earndit as I need something like that to keep me motivated but feel that there must be a good way using links.

posted by joboe to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

I have fitbit. I use myfitnesspal and runkeeper. I'm pretty competitive. The social aspect of fitbit (my friends have them) motivate me the most. Is there a metafilter group you can join to further motivate you?
posted by bleucube at 10:48 AM on February 12, 2014

I haven't used fitbit since I sent my old one to an accidental watery grave in the wash, but Fitocracy has a pretty sizable and (seemingly) active Fitbit group. I don't think they have a away to sync Fitbit yet, although I could be wrong about that.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 10:55 AM on February 12, 2014

Response by poster: Totally not threadsitting but just realised that I should point out that I'm on Android as that may be relevant to app suggestions. Thanks!
posted by joboe at 11:00 AM on February 12, 2014

Best answer: Connect your MyFitnessPal & Fitbit accounts. Enable negative calorie adjustments in MFP. Do not log any step based activity—you’ll get calorie adjustments in MFP. Have you already linked your Endomondo & MFP accounts? (I don’t use Endomondo, but I have both a Fitbit & an UP connected to MFP, and it never double dips.) Log non-step based workouts either in Fitbit (that’s what I do) or in MFP. If you log in MFP you’re asked for start & end times, and MFP overrides your step data during your workout.

The whole setup will take some trial & error to find what works for you. (For example, you may need to change your MFP activity level and/or enable/disable calorie estimation in Fitbit.)
posted by editorgrrl at 12:00 PM on February 12, 2014

Not so much about streamlining your app setup, but for extra motivation i link my fitbit with myfitnesspal and then with Gympact (=$$ in my pocket every week) and with weightlessproject.org for the feelgood/charity motivation.
posted by PardonMyFrench at 12:16 PM on February 13, 2014