How does fitbit zip work

Computer : Download and install the free Fitbit Connect software on your computer. Create an account with a username and password and log in. Follow directions to link your Zip to your Fitbit. While still logged into your account, plug your USB wireless sync dongle into your computer, make sure your Zip is within 20 feet of your computer. Enable Bluetooth 4. Open the Fitbit App, log into your Fitbit. Link your Zip to your device by using the Fitbit App not through Bluetooth.

Syncing will occur automatically through Bluetooth every time you open your Ftibit App. NOTE :. Fitbit does an excellent job on their website and manual with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions on how to connect and sync your Fitbit tracker to your computer and mobile devices like smartphones or tablets.

While being able to easily track your progress online or from your mobile app is really great, what I love most is the social aspect.

You can connect with friends and family and even strangers and share and compare your performances. You can even set up challenges and competitions. Fitbit even has a Facebook group you can join. Who needs an exercise buddy when you can reach out to a whole bunch of buddies for motivation? So now you are ready to go online to your Fitbit. You must log in from your computer or mobile device to view and enter all your recent fitness data using the online dashboard or the Fitbit App.

You need to manually log in the start time and duration of activity workouts like cycling, swimming, tennis or yoga where step counting may not be accurate. Logging data manually also comes in handy if you forget to clip on your Zip; just enter the distance you walked or ran. Although the Fitbit Zip does not track your heart rate, you can manually log your resting, normal, and exertion heart rate, blood pressure and blood glucose measurements. The ability to log in your food intake makes it an excellent tool for customizing your weight loss plan.

It calculates the amount of calories you should eat each day to reach your goal weight and then depending on your activity level for the day, it adjusts the amount. At midnight of the time zone you selected in your profile, the Zip conveniently resets automatically to zero. The data registered so far on your tracker will not be deleted.

Next time you sync your Zip. The Fitbit Zip will register and keep up-to-the-minute data of your daily steps, calories burned, and distance traveled for up to 7 days without syncing and your daily activity summary for up to 30 days. Even though it is not necessary to sync every day although it is recommended you definitely must sync within 30 days to be able to access and view all your data on your online dashboard.

All your stats are stored on your online Fitbit. You will also receive an email once a week with a summary of all your stats. I especially love this because I work on a computer all day long and the last thing I want to do in the evening back at home is to log into my computer again. A weekly summary suits me just fine. If you are working with a personal trainer or a doctor on a fitness or health plan, these weekly stats can be conveniently forwarded to them so they can keep an eye on your progress.

The Fitbit Zip is available in 4 colors on Amazon: charcoal, blue, lime and magenta but Fitbit. The Fitbit Zip Wireless Activity Tracker can be worn in a shirt or pants pocket, on a belt or waistband, or on a bra. Users have suggested wearing it with the display facing in to prevent it knocking against something and thus making it more secure. Play around with the different ways of wearing it until you find which one is the most comfortable to you.

Its small size makes it very discreet so beware not to forget to remove it from your clothing before doing the laundry. Customers have reported that the silicone clip seems to be very durable and reliable and less likely to fall off or come unclipped.

If you have a latex allergy, Fitbit claims the clip to be safe and will not cause itching, chafing or a rash. The Fitbit Zip uses a replaceable lithium 3V coin battery CR which usually lasts from 4 to 6 months. The good news is that the battery is quite inexpensive to replace.

A little battery door tool is included with your purchase. If not, you can use a coin. Just make sure after installing or replacing the battery with the numbers facing up that you lock the battery door snug and flush with back of the tracker.

Users suggest always having an extra battery on hand as there is not much notice given before the battery runs dry but not to worry, any tracked data will not be lost if it does. If you experience a problem with very short battery life, you need to make sure you have installed the latest firmware updated version by going on your computer to the Main Menu of Fitbit Connect and clicking the Check For Device Update or using the Fitbit App for your mobile devices.

To conserve battery life, your Zip sleeps during periods of inactivity. Zip will go to sleep after approximately 20 seconds if no steps are recorded.

You can connect with friends who have Fitbit and challenge each other. Buy Fitbit Zip from Amazon. The Zip is small, only 1. It is a 3-axis accelerometer, so you could also just carry it in a pocket. Here are the basics of this model:. The Fitbit Zip is one of the most basic Fitbit models available. It runs silently on a replaceable battery, counts steps, and does not require a smartphone app to use it. However, you can still access your activity data if you choose by logging on to your account online.

The Fitbit Zip slips into a silcone jacket that has a clip. The clip is very secure, but any such clip isn't foolproof. You can wear the Zip clipped to your waistband or bra, or simply carry it loose in a pocket or your purse. It's not waterproof, so you can't wear it swimming. As it doesn't track sleep, there is no need to wear it to bed. You can buy different colored silicone jackets for the Zip to change its style, and third parties even have holders to convert it to a wristband.

The Fitbit Zip has proven to be durable. You can expect it to last for years if you don't accidentally launder it. What you get with the Zip:. The Fitbit Zips tracks steps, distance, calories burned, and provides the time of day. It does not track sleep, heart rate, or other workout data. It also provides a fun smiley feature to engage the user.

To see the different data screens, just tap the screen. The numbers display large enough for most aging eyes to see without reading glasses, although it doesn't have a backlight for nighttime use. The little icons that denote steps, distance and calories are harder to make out without reading glasses. There is no stopwatch function to track individual workouts, although you can use the Track Exercise option in the mobile app to do so if you carry your phone with you.

There is no sleep quality monitoring, and there is no tracking of stair climbing. You also can't review past days on the Zip itself, you have to go to the app or website to see data from previous days. Unlike newer models of Fitbit, it doesn't track inactive time and give you an inactivity alert. You can use the Fitbit app or web site to track what you eat and balance calories in vs. The app also allows you to track your weight either by entering it manually or connecting to their WiFi-connected Aria scale.

You can track individual workouts with the Fitbit app using their "Track Exercise" option. This will allow you to get steps, distance, calories, and time for individual workouts. Fitbit plays well with other online fitness and health tracking databases. You earn badges for milestones such as daily steps, lifetime steps and distance. The Fitbit app has social functions for connecting to other users and participating in challenges, as well as posting your achievements to social media.

The Zip is great for those who don't want to have to recharge their fitness monitor every few days or who don't want to wear a wristband activity monitor.

If you're traveling, that's one less recharger cable you need to bring along. The Zip is expensive for a simple pedometer but is a very good price for one that uploads data to an app or computer.

With all of the features of the Fitbit app, you may not need them built into the pedometer itself. The Zip isn't given a prominent place on the Fitbit site, but it is still available in their online store. Alternative models to consider are the Fitbit Flex 2 and Fitbit Alta. These are wristband models but you can remove the tracker itself from the wristband and place it in a clip to wear on your waistband or in a necklace pendant.