9 Best Ways to Use Fitbit for Weight Loss

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I have been on many, many diets and generally, I am successful for the first few weeks and then I stop for one reason or another. This time is different. In addition to eating a healthy diet and exercising every day, I discovered a very helpful tool. I discovered Fitbit which I think is one of the best tools for weight loss. Fitbit is a smartwatch that collects different personal data and gives you detailed information which you can see on your watch and mobile phone. 

I purchased a Fitbit Versa in May 2019, and I immediately loved it. Essentially with a Fitbit watch and Fitbit app, you can count your daily steps and distance, track your activity minutes, log your meals, water intake, sleep patterns, and many more. All features will help with your weight loss goal and help improve your overall health.

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Calories Burned

Most importantly, for the first time ever I know my calories out or calories burned. Fitbit uses your basal metabolic rate (based on your weight, height, age, and gender) to estimate the calories you burn all day, and specifically, you can see what you burn exercising.

This was amazing to me. In the past, I relied on estimates on what I burned, for example, on a walk. Sometimes if you are using an exercise machine, like a treadmill, you can also get estimates of calories burned during that session. 

However, I was never able to see my calories burned grocery shopping, waiting for the train, watching TV, and so on. But now I can see in real-time the number of calories I burn with any physical activity, as well as, lying on the couch or sleeping. And of course, I can see how many calories I burn at the end of the day, each day, and every week.

If weight loss is basically having a caloric deficit between calories in and calories out. Now you have your calories out right on your wrist and phone! If your goal is weight loss, your Fitbit can also tell you the minimum calories out you need each day to lose one or two pounds a week.

Your weight loss journey is dramatically easier once you know the number of calories you burn for the entire day. And this is the main reason why I think Fitbit is one of the best tools for weight loss. In my case, I need to burn 2973 calories per day to lose one pound per week and I really do try to get at least that every day.  

It will also let you know what portion of your workout your heart rate was in the fat burn, cardio, or peak zone. If you are a numbers person you will love dissecting the data from your activity level.

The CDC recommends that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week. Some experts recommend up to 60 minutes a day if you are trying to lose weight. Whichever guideline you choose, you can track your daily and weekly exercise minutes with your Fitbit and count each and every calorie burn in real-time.

Your Fitbit will also automatically detect your physical activity and how many times a week you exercised for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. t’s a little thing, but I feel so accomplished when I see that I have met my goals.

But in case it doesn’t automatically track your exercise, you can add it manually yourself. For example, I have to manually log my workouts on my stationary bike. Furthermore, you will have a record of your activity minutes per day and the number of days per week that you exercised.

Guided Programs

Your Fitbit will also help you start your lifestyle change with guided programs that you can follow. For the beginner, there is a one-week Intro to Healthy Habits which introduces you to track your steps, active minutes, and calories burned. 

If you are trying to cut out sugar in your diet, there is also a guided program for that. You can also get access to other programs, in particular, fitness programs with a premium membership (free 90-day trial, after which it will be a $9.99 per month subscription fee). 

Counting Steps

If you are trying to get a daily step count of 10,000 steps (or any other step goal) a day, your Fitbit will also automatically count this for you. Your new Fitbit defaults to a minimum of 10,000 steps a day. But you can lower it (or increase it) if you want.

Also read Is 10,000 Steps a Day Good for Weight Loss

Simply being more active is beneficial if you are trying to lose weight. And walking is one of the best ways to start your fitness goals. Of course, you can count your steps from your daily walk, but like other wearable devices, your Fitbit will also record your steps from all of your activities throughout the day. I find that when you count steps it’s an easy way to get off the couch and have a short walk while watching TV, on social media, talking on the phone, and so on. 

I find it is very motivating knowing the steps that I have taken so far and the number that I have left to do. Sometimes, I take a few more steps before I go to bed to round up to an even number of steps or miles that day. Also, I am encouraged to take at least 250 steps per hour during the day with a gentle reminder from my watch 10 minutes before the hour ends if I have less than 250 steps that hour

You can also see the number of miles that you have accomplished at any moment and at the end of each day. This is one of the many great ways you can use Fitbit for weight loss.

Also read 30 Day Step Challenge for Overweight Beginners

Fitbit also rewards you with badges when you have completed a number of steps in a day with a minimum of 5,000 steps, and in increments of 5,000 steps, to a maximum of 100,000 steps. It may sound silly now, but even cynical me wanted to earn these badges. So far I have all the badges up to 35,000 steps.

You also get badges for distance covered since getting your Fitbit. The minimum is 26 miles (or almost a marathon) and the maximum is 12,430 miles.

Obviously, the more steps you take or miles you walk, the more active you are, and the more calories you burn. A huge benefit and tool for those of us trying to lose weight.

Also read: Best Walking Shoes for Overweight Women

Floors

My Fitbit Versa also counts the number of floors or flights of stairs that I have taken. The default is 10 floors per day, but once again you can adjust this number or remove it. 

I was so out of shape when I began this weight loss journey that I was out of breath from walking up one flight of stairs. So I was interested in counting my floors as well and I used it to gauge my fitness level and progress.

Your Fitbit senses when your altitude increases at least 10 feet. However, I should tell you that it’s not perfect. Some random movements count as floors while there are times when a flight of stairs does not register as a floor.

Also, like steps, Fitbit has badges for the number of floors you take in a day. The minimum is 10 floors and the maximum is 700. You also get badges for the floors you have conquered since getting your Fitbit (500 – 35,000).

Food Log

Another beneficial feature of my Fitbit is that I can log my calories in for my meals and snacks and monitor my calorie intake. Many experts recommend that you keep a food diary or track your meals when you are trying to lose weight and eat fewer calories. I have used a food diary twice in the past, but I wasn’t consistent in recording my food intake. But with my Fitbit, I find it easy to log my meals. A great feature is the barcode scanner on the Fitbit app on your phone which you use to scan the barcode from a food package to record the calories or manually log your calories. 

The good news is that now you have calories in and calories out in one place on a dashboard on your phone! And you can see if you have a calorie deficit and, if so, how much. If you are aiming to lose one pound per week you need a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day. And your Fitbit can help you maintain a calorie deficit. What a powerful tool to manage your weight loss and improve your eating habits when used will dramatically help you in your weight loss journey.

A lot of people I know, use MyFitnessPal to log their food. I think that there are more food items on MyFitnessPal than there is on Fitbit. However, if you want you can sync your Fitbit with MyFitnessPal. I have found MyFitnessPal extremely useful with ethnic food. For example, I was able to find local Jamaican dishes on MyFitnessPal while I was on vacation. And therefore, I was able to continue logging my meals even on vacation. No excuses.

 

Also read The Top 5 Foods for Permanent Weight Loss

Water Log

 

There is no argument that drinking more water will help you lose weight. If you are trying to have eight glasses (or any number) of water per day, your Fitbit is a great tool to help you keep track of your water intake. And this will help you lose weight and have a healthy lifestyle. You have the option to log by glass, bottle, litres, or ounces. Whatever works for you.

Fitbit automatically defaults to eight glasses but you can lower or decrease that limit based on your goals.

 

Also read How Much Water to Drink Daily for Weight Loss

Sleep Score

Another Fitbit feature that I really like is the sleep score. When you wear your Fitbit to bed, you will wake up to statistics about your sleep. You can see if you had a deep sleep or how restful you slept. Research shows that there is a correlation between sleep and weight. Poor sleep can cause weight gain and obesity. So if you are like me and sleep is an issue for you, Fitbit might be a useful tool to help you sleep better and have more control over your weight.

There are two Fitbit guided programs that can help you get more sleep. Habits for Restful Sleep is a two-week program. Get More Sleep is also a two-week program but is only available if you purchase the premium membership (free 90-day trial, after which it will be $9.99 per month).

 

Also read Everything you Need to Know About Sleep and Weight Loss

Heart Rate

 

Your Fitbit is also like a heart rate monitor and will constantly check your heart rate and, depending on your watch display, you can also see your heart rate in real-time. This may not seem important now. But you will be able to see your resting heart rate and hopefully how it improves over time. Resting heart rate ranges between 60 and 100 beats per minute. The lower the number, the better your heart, and cardiovascular fitness. 

For instance, when I first got my Fitbit my resting heart rate was 80 beats per minute. It is now between 68 and 72 beats per minute. And according to Fitbit, my cardio fitness has improved from poor to between average and good for a woman my age. Not too bad and very motivating to keep me fit. Another advantage of using Fitbit for weight loss.

Weight

Finally, you can also track your weight on Fitbit as well. When you weigh yourself you can add your weight manually or you can sync your weight with a Fitbit or compatible scale. 

We have the Fitbit Aria 2 scale and in addition to my weight, it measures my body fat percentage and BMI. And of course, you can see this on your watch and phone and see your progression. If you are a numbers person, there are some cool graphs you can access with all of your data for one week, one month, 3 months, one year, or all time.

And you guessed it, there are badges you get, in increments of 5 pounds when you lose weight. Again a little thing, but it feels so great to be acknowledged for all your hard work.

Obviously knowing your current weight, how much you have lost, and even how much you still have to lose all in one place is helpful and why I really love using my Fitbit as an integral part of my weight loss journey.

Community Groups

Losing weight is hard and it does help to have some support and inspiration from others. Another advantage of Fitbit is there are communities for Fitbit users that can help, support, and inspire you. I belong to three weight loss groups on Fitbit and I am most impressed when I see group members’ progress photos or before and after pics. They sure keep me motivated!

They are many other groups you can join including, walking, cycling, healthy eating, and yoga. You can also participate in challenges with other Fitbit members. I know many people who love the challenge and friendly competition to see who will get the most steps in a day, the workweek or the weekend. A fun way to help you get fit and maintain your fitness and health goals.

You can post your badges and accomplishments to these groups and I have found people to be super supportive. And of course, you can ask for advice, rant, or simply say hello and make new friends.

Can a Fitbit Help You Lose Weight?

Can Fitbit help you lose weight? Yes! Fitbit is an amazing tool for weight loss! As you can see Fitbit has many features to help you not only lose weight but maintain and that is why I think you should add it to your weight loss kit. And I can honestly say that it has helped me lose 80 pounds in 8 months. The bottom line is that it is so easy and convenient to use your Fitbit for particularly everything that matters when it comes to weight loss. Diet. Exercise. Water. Weight. Sleep. Support. It’s all there right on your wrist and on your cell phone. It’s working for me and hopefully, it will work for you too.

There are different models so the first step is to pick the Fitbit model best for you and just start! You can’t go wrong with either one!

Fitbit Charge 5

 

Fitbit Versa 3

 

Have you had any success with using your Fitbit or a similar product for weight loss?

 

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