Save or Splurge? Fitbit Aria

When I was in college, I started my own personal blog to get in the habit of writing and to document my travels. I was asked to review products for Verizon due to my young, technologically-savvy readership. I had a blast testing out all sorts of tech toys.

Fast forward to today. I’ve started a new blog with a similar audience. I reached out to Verizon’s Chicago team and will continue my technology reviews with a different twist. I call it “Save or Splurge?” because technology is never (well… rarely) cheap, but can certainly be worth the cost. Although the products are provided to me on a free rental basis, I’m given no direction on how the review should be written. So rest assured, lovely readers. What you’re getting from me is 100% no-bullshit.

Fitbit Aria: A Review

Fitbit Aria
Source: http://amzn.to/1I2KxVh

So I decided to start my reviews with a product I’ve been lusting over – the Fitbit Aria Scale. I’m pretty obsessed with my Fitbit tracker (the Flex model). I’ve convinced many of my friends to get one so we can participate in weekly step challenges – I’m always first or second, and it gets super competitive 🙂 What initially drew me to the Aria scale was that it pairs with any Fitbit tracker. If you’re like me, you like things that connect seamlessly. This would explain my obsession with Apple technology – each device is a specific extension of the others. I use my Fitbit not only to track my steps, but also to use that data to sync with MyFitnessPal to get a more complete picture of my health. So why not add the extra step?

So let’s talk specifics. The Aria is not cheap, especially by my standards. At $129.99, it’s a product you have to justify before swiping your card. The Aria can support up to 8 different users’ data – perfect if you live with another person who owns a Fitbit tracker. If you don’t, you can still use the scale on Guest mode without a Fitbit. The scale uses wifi to sync with your Fitbit account and track your data – no manual input required! The Aria scale tracks body fat percentage and lean fat so that the other numbers it tracks (weight and BMI) give a more complete picture of your health. This calculator shows you if you’re within a healthy range of body fat based on the type of lifestyle you lead.

I had the Fitbit Aria for about a month and weighed myself at least once a day (sometimes more). The battery stayed strong throughout my time with it. From a health perspective, it was beneficial for me to see the day to day changes in my body (and what stayed the same). Since your weight can fluctuate a few pounds everyday, it can sometimes be frustrating to see a higher number on the scale than what you expected. Having additional data made these fluctuations more bearable. Having a Fitbit (pedometer) has already helped change some of my health habits for the better. I make more excuses to walk instead of taking public transportation or cabs. And as previously mentioned, it’s gamified fitness in challenges against my friends. Having the Fitbit Aria Scale has made me more aware of what I eat and my fitness routine – I can see the changes on the scale everyday.

It’s worth mentioning the Fitbit Aria’s competition: the Wi-Fi Body Scale by Withings. It uses Twitter to keep you honest by tweeting your results to your Twitter followers. Definitely a good feature for someone looking to make a change, but it’s also more expensive than the Fitbit Aria at $159.99.

So what should you do? Save or Splurge? I would say this is right in the grey area. If you’re not super into health and fitness, you’re wasting your money by purchasing a scale that gives you more than the basic data most people seek from a scale. If you’re into data as it applies to your own personal health trends, you probably already own a Fitbit, and additional accessories are within the realm of possibility. Plus, if you’re into fitness, you’re probably already getting these measurements done at the gym or with a personal trainer… it’s so much more empowering (and convenient) to do it yourself.

What fitness technology do you think is worth a splurge? Let us know in the comments!

By Maddy Osman

Maddy is the founder of Chicago Cheap Ass. She loves to read, travel, cook, and play with her adorable dog Leonidas.

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