Any tips for a newbie?

[SunsetRunner]

I just got my Fitbit couple days ago. I'm still learning how everything works. I have about 50 pounds to lose. Does anyone have any helpful tips that would help me lose the weight with Fitbit? Thank you in advance for any help.

[Jeroen]

Use the calorie tracker in the app, this will help you motivate to lower your daily intake!

[deepfritz]

yes, my advice get a heart rate monitor as well, so you can work in your "zones" so that your body doesnt become complacent with your workouts.  If you have 50 pounds to lose, a ketogenic diet probably not a bad idea. I have lost 70 pounds with my ketogenic diet. I would recommend reading some of lyle mcdonalds articles on them. Also eat clean, monitor your calories in vs out, use a digital scale to monitor your portion sizes so you arent over eating without realizing it.  Avoid processed foods as much as possible. Set a budget on the amount of calories / day you can eat and stick to it. This is what I have done to lose 70 pounds so far. Good luck on your diet!

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@SunsetRunner wrote:
I just got my Fitbit couple days ago. I'm still learning how everything works. I have about 50 pounds to lose. Does anyone have any helpful tips that would help me lose the weight with Fitbit? Thank you in advance for any help.

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[oldscguy]

I lost about 70# and hit the plateau.  During the loss period (about a year) I did about 12K per day,and watched calories actually using weight watchers.  I dropped weight watchers, walk now about 15K per day, and gained about 20 back.  Difference.....more alcohol (cold beer in summer), not eating quite as well, and lost the anger that drove the loss.  Still have 40 to go and need to get angry again.  For the non-athlete, I'd stongly suggest that while all the walking is good, what goes into the mouth is 80% of weight loss.  Good luck!  

[Heybales]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:
I just got my Fitbit couple days ago. I'm still learning how everything works. I have about 50 pounds to lose. Does anyone have any helpful tips that would help me lose the weight with Fitbit? Thank you in advance for any help.

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Use the tool correctly.

Select reasonable weight loss goal - with 50 to go, 1.5 lb or 750 cal deficit is reasonable. Try to do more and you'll likely end up with less anyway when averaged out.

At 25 to go, 1 lb weekly.

10 left, 1/2 weekly.

Log all you eat, and weigh everything but liquids. Calories is per weight, grams, not volume, cups or spoons.

Manually log exercise that Fitbit is going to underestimate. It already underestimates your day in general. So lifting, elliptical, bike, rowing, swimming, stair master, ect, log and take the calorie burn.

You merely need to eat less than what you burn. Burning more just means you get to eat more, and hopefully at level you'll adhere to and can sustain the diet.

But don't imagine bigger is better, usually not short term, definitely not long term.

For instance, if that 750 deficit sounds big and you like to eat at least 1750 daily, set your daily burn goal to 2500. That way when you reach that goal, you'll know what you'll be eating.

Other tip, don't get stuck on the tile for the instant figure of calories In / Out, which is one spot in time, and many don't find useful if your daily is well planned. Use your tile for Eating goal, how much left.

[Marcy]

I only put my weight in Fitbit when it went down but not my weight when it went up. That motivated me to lower my best weight and not get discouraged.  

Using the weight graphs helped with plateau phases.  The graph showed I was continuing to lose weight at a constant rate over time even though I thought things had stalled.  

I set a step goal that forced me to find ways to add extra steps throughout the day.  This helped me lose weight in part because I stayed more focused on fitness/weight loss, avoiding lapses.