VETS... this is so confusing.

Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracker - FitBit and all others.

1/2 the people that I talk to say you should definitely have one, the other 1/2 say it is a waste of money.   What do you guys HONESTLY think?    

Researching them online, looks like the FitBit One (mini that attaches to clothing) or the FitBit Flex or the FitBit Force seem to be top choices - although no heart monitor.        I would lean towards the FitBit One because "bracelets/watches" bother me.     HOWEVER  I don't have extra money to just throw out the window sooooo is it another helpful tool to go along with our VSG tool  or  more of a gimmick that really isn't necessary?                      Thanks all!

If you use it, it can be helpful, but it's not necessary.  I lost weight without it and most of did too.  It's easy to get caught up in buying new things.  It's really not about that, it's about what you eat mostly and how much you eat and how well you track it.  You could buy it, try it and if doesn't really do much for you, return it.  I think there is so much disagreement about it's usefulness because different people have different needs and different styles of tracking things.  I used a pen and a notebook.  Very old school, but quite useful still.  :)  There is no right or wrong answer here, it's about your personality and what you like.

Necessary - not one bit.  Interesting, yes.  I have the FitBit One and found my sleep patterns interesting.  I also have a heart rate monitor that straps across my chest (under your shirt, LOL, I almost didn't buy it because I didn't want to look like a geek!).  Also interesting, especially when paired with a phone app (I use Endomondo) so you can track where you walked/ran/biked, how long, elevations, heart rate, and all sorts of other cool things.  

This summer, the heart rate monitor and Endomondo definitely had an effect on my exercise - it was a challenge to do just a little better every week, and they helped me track that.  The last month, nothing has gotten me to exercise.  But I knew this was coming - I feel this way every winter, and know that my mood will life significantly in March.  

If you're trying to get in your steps throughout the day, FitBit is neat - it's small enough so that you don't even know it's there (I put it on my bra between the cups).  If you're trying to track scheduled exercise periods, I'd say to first try Endomondo or MapMyWalk - they both have free versions.  If you like them well enough to buy a heart rate monitor to integrate to it, you'll have to upgrade to their premium version, which is about $30 a year.

And the bonus?  Everything I've mentioned interfaces with MyFitnessPal, so you can see your food, liquid, and exercise all in one place!

I would not have found it helpful the year after surgery because weight loss is fairly easy during that time...motivation is high for the most part. However, I got a Sync Burn watch (and i used to have the body bugg pre-op) and they most definitely help keep me motivated to keep plugging away at my goals. it doesnt do much other than motivate me....it cant count my calories I eat, and the calorie burn is only an estimate and i wouldnt really rely on it too much.

One thing I might recommend though is a simple pedometer because keeping track of your steps can help keep you moving more.

Okay, I would not necessarily consider me a vet but I am one year out.  I had/have a Fitbit One.  I used it religiously for about 6 months and then I stopped.  It is good information and kept me motivated but actually if I had to do it all over, I would get some kind of a heart rate monitor instead.  The Fitbit One will count your steps but it does not measure your intensity so as far as calories burned etc, is not necessarily accurate.  My kids and I challenged each other for a while and it was a game but it is not necessary unless you need/want that type of motivation.  If you get one, make sure you do not throw it in the washer!  If you happen to put it in dry rice right away and hopefully it will dry out.  If not, contact the company and see if they will work with you.  (Unfortunately, I know from experience)

I just bought a fitbit Force.  For me, its a constant reminder that I should get up and walk around while I'm working from my home office.  Its almost like the function isn't as important as the reminder.  This is how much of my success has been driven....I've looked for things that make each day of the journey interesting.  So... a new toy isn't a bad thing... you can only buy so many clothes before the closet bulges.

Terry

Terry your a guy.  Girls can NEVER have too many clothes or shoes ;)

DO NOT tell me that!  My wife Hannah is getting her sleeve tomorrow.  I can't handle it if her closet becomes a swirly never ending vortex for clothes and shoes!! The Horror... The Horror. :)

I was starting to struggle a bit during weight loss with motivation, and one of the strategies that works well for me is infusing novelty into the process.  I bought the Fitbit Utra for this purpose.  I used it consistently for a few month**** goal, and it started collecting dust after that.  Even though I used it a short time, it was still worth it to me because it was a nice jolt of enthusiasm that took me the rest of the way to goal.  So, it really depends on you.  Is it worth it to you if you use it for a while and set it aside?  Is it only worth it if you consistently use it long term?  Is it worth it if you use it for a while, set it aside, but pick it back up again months later? 

I'll ask the obvious... silly... question.

What IS a FitBit?