Like a lot of people today who work involves computers, I sit at my desk a lot. This has led to the spreading of the waistline and the raising of the weight on the scale. I know I should exercise more, but I lack motivation. The one thing that does motivate me is being able to keep track of the numbers. I have tried to keep track of my progress manually, but usually that only last for a few days. I would quickly forget to do it, and when I did do it was probably not very accurate. I started to look into different devices that I could use to keep track of my exercise routine. I have tried to use Runkeeper on my phone, which works well, except that to use it I have to bring my phone with me and not all my pants have pockets. I needed something that I could clip on to my pants or shirt. After looking at several products I ended up getting the Fitbit Ultra

The Fitbit Ultra is 2 inch in length and 1/2 inch across. You can clip it directly on to your pants or shirt. It also comes with a belt clip in case you are wearing thick pants. There is also a wristband. The setup is fairly easy, the first step is to register at the Fitbit website. It will ask for your height, weight, age and goal. Then you have to place the Fitbit into its base and plug the base into your computer via USB. Once you’ve paired your device with your account the two are than linked. The Fitbit Ultra is built to be worn all the time. It keeps track of the number of steps you take throughout the day and the number of miles. It can also measure how many stairs you climb during the day. Although I haven’t quite figured out how many stairs you have to walk before it will register. You can log your food and water intake through the Website. It also allows you to record a specific event like a morning run or walk. The Fitbit will also work if you use a treadmill or a bicycle. Although according to the forums, it doesn’t measure the increase calorie outtake when you increase the incline. It is not waterproof, so you cannot wear it while swimming. You can also wear it at night using the wristband to keep track of your sleep patterns. To see how you are doing throughout the day you simply push the button on the Fitbit and the numbers will appear, as you push the button again it will cycle through the various options. The Fitbit Web site also has an active and helpful community which I appreciate.

Some people in the reviews on Amazon and also on the Fitbit Web site question its accuracy. I wore it Friday on my morning walk and also used RunKeeper, both had very similar numbers when I finished. In my mind consistency is more important. For example if I walk a route on Monday and the Fitbit says I walked 2 miles on Monday and I walk the same route on Tuesday it should again say I walked 2 miles. I do think with some exercises like bike riding you have to experiment on where to place the device to get the most accurate measurements. The other main complaint was the lack of customer service, I tend to avoid customer service if I can help it so I really can’t comment on that.

If you are getting into an exercise program and want to keep track of your progress, Fitbit Ultra is a good way to do it. Do you use the Fitbit or a similar device, and do you like it.