Fitness Nuts

[hellodolly]

I picked this item up off a news article. It is one of many devices guaranteed to make every fitness nut ex static.

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Alice Truong, Special for USA TODAYShare

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Here are ideas for the fitness buff, or couch potato who needs a push. Budget selections too.

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Story Highlights

• Jawbone Up fitness tracker is back, and improved
  

2:07PM EST November 24. 2012 - You know the type: the person who without fail always chooses the stairs over the elevator, the one who orders a salad with no dressing, the annoying friend who actually shows up at the gym and keeps her new year's resolution.

For the overbearing health nut, we have some great gift ideas this holiday season. Heck, these suggestions even work for the couch potato in need of some encouragement.

Jawbone Up: a durable, full-featured 24/7 fitness tracker

One of this season's hottest health trackers actually made its debut about a year ago. For the brief period of time the Up was on the market, it was Jawbone's fastest-selling product, but it was quickly pulled due to hardware issues. The Up's initial downfall can be traced to minuscule amounts of water entering the band and the electronic components breaking due to its flexible nature. But roughly one year, 200 hardware designs and 16,000 man hours later, Jawbone is back with a new and improved tracker with a more durable build — one that will tolerate being on your wrist 24/7 in spite of sweat, water, heat and soap.

So what does Up ($129.99) do? The tracking device you wear on your wrist uses sensors to measure sleep quality and count steps, distance traveled, floors climbed and calories burned. The Up also includes a silent vibrating alarm clock that will gently nudge you awake at an optimal time during your sleep cycle so you wake up refreshed, not groggy; related to this, you can set an alarm for efficient napping — typically about 26.5 minutes, give or take depending on the person. The band will also send you an occasional vibration to remind you to move if you've been idle for too long. One of its main drawbacks though is that the band doesn't update wirelessly. However, the ability to do so directly from your mobile device (just plug it into the headport jack) is a nice feature.

Combined with the gorgeous corresponding app, you have a comprehensive health dashboard that will keep tabs on how you're feeling and what you're eating and drinking to find trends and draw insights on your lifestyle.

[hellodolly]

Another item

In the fall, Fitbit refreshed its Ultra tracker with two new smart pedometers: the Zip, left, and One.(Photo: Alice Truong for USA TODAY)

By no means is the Jawbone Up the end-all, be-all of fitness trackers. Another much beloved one is the Fitbit, which earlier this fall refreshed its Ultra tracker with the Fitbit One ($99.99).

On top of a redesigned build, the One packs a few more features. In addition to its old functionality — tracking steps, distance, floors climbed, calories burned, sleep quality — it now includes a silent vibrating alarm clock. Unlike other silent alarms, such as the Up's, this one doesn't time the alarm to your sleep cycle, instead waking you at the time specified. More welcomed though is the seamless syncing with Bluetooth 4.0, which will automatically send your health data to your dashboard. (Those without Bluetooth 4.0-enabled phones can update wirelessly with a USB dongle.)

Compared with the Up, the Fitbit One's biggest weakness is that it's not worn on the body. As a tracker that's affixed typically to pants, belts and bras, the Fitbit isn't built to be on you at all times. For example, it'll resist sweat, but won't survive a shower. Yet part of the Fitbit's charm is its ability to give you bite-sized information on your day's status on an easy-to-read low-powered screen. You won't get the same type of feedback from Up's hardware.

For those on a budget: It's worth considering the cheaper Fitbit Zip ($59.99). For $40 less, it's missing a number of features, including ones related to sleep and the ability to count stairs climbed.

[hellodolly]

Another item

In the fall, Fitbit refreshed its Ultra tracker with two new smart pedometers: the Zip, left, and One.(Photo: Alice Truong for USA TODAY)

By no means is the Jawbone Up the end-all, be-all of fitness trackers. Another much beloved one is the Fitbit, which earlier this fall refreshed its Ultra tracker with the Fitbit One ($99.99).

On top of a redesigned build, the One packs a few more features. In addition to its old functionality — tracking steps, distance, floors climbed, calories burned, sleep quality — it now includes a silent vibrating alarm clock. Unlike other silent alarms, such as the Up's, this one doesn't time the alarm to your sleep cycle, instead waking you at the time specified. More welcomed though is the seamless syncing with Bluetooth 4.0, which will automatically send your health data to your dashboard. (Those without Bluetooth 4.0-enabled phones can update wirelessly with a USB dongle.)

Compared with the Up, the Fitbit One's biggest weakness is that it's not worn on the body. As a tracker that's affixed typically to pants, belts and bras, the Fitbit isn't built to be on you at all times. For example, it'll resist sweat, but won't survive a shower. Yet part of the Fitbit's charm is its ability to give you bite-sized information on your day's status on an easy-to-read low-powered screen. You won't get the same type of feedback from Up's hardware.

For those on a budget: It's worth considering the cheaper Fitbit Zip ($59.99). For $40 less, it's missing a number of features, including ones related to sleep and the ability to count stairs climbed.

And last but not least we have

Withings scale charts weight, fat percentage over time

From a user standpoint, Withings' Wi-Fi Body Scale ($159) is amazingly simple. Step on, stand still and the scale will tell you your weight, body fat percentage and BMI. Since the scale is connected to your home wireless network, all this information is sent to a dashboard that tracks these stats over time, which you can view on the Web and on your mobile device.

For those on a budget: Consider the Wireless Scale WS-30 ($129.95), the newest member of the Withings family. The scale, which launched in the U.S. in November, doesn't measure body fat percentage but will track your weight and BMI over time. It's also easier to set up (no PC required) thanks to integrated Bluetooth.

[Orac]

I have been using the fitbit device for a few months and find it very useful - mainly for the internet dashboard which i find ideal for calorie counting. Biggest drawbacks are lack of android app and the food database is heavily brand based so misses off a lot of foodstuffs i have here though it can be manually update. The withins scales mentioned above are also compatible with the fitbit internet dashboard and should update it automatically though i have not tried them.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect App

[robblok]

I have used a similar device for me it did not work super good. It under estimated rowing and overestimated my normal burn. But i already knew that my normal burn is slow.

But i thought that it would do better as the normal formulas available bease of the sensors.

The calorie logging is a good thing though.

[soundman]

Nothing really to do with Chiang Mai specifically.

Moved to health forum.

[SoloFlyer]

I use a fitbit. By no means a nut, but makes for good tracking etc

[Genericnic]

Hi all.

I'm looking to get the Fitbit One. Anyone know if it is available in Thailand (preferably Chiang Mai)?

David

[robblok]

Hi all.

I'm looking to get the Fitbit One. Anyone know if it is available in Thailand (preferably Chiang Mai)?

David

To be honest stuff like that is usually not available and if it is its triple the price. Ebay is your friend, this might not be an answer you looked for but i am sorry to say i think its the only answer you will get.

[TheJayMan]

I have a Fitbit One and I find it very useful, I use the Fitbit Dashboard to track my weight and I use My Fitness Pal to track my food intake and my exercise. MFP has a better selection of foods and exercises and it syncs with the Fitbit website to transfer the data. My Fitness Pal makes an estimate of the number of calories an exercise burns and lets you correct the estimate if you wish.

Both Fitbit and MFP have android apps that work on my phone. The Fitbit needs my laptop with the Fitbit Bluetooth dongle to sync the step count to the website because android doesn't support Bluetooth 4.0 yet. It you have a current Iphone, the Fitbit app on it can sync directly with the Fitbit.