12 Fitbit uses you might not have tried that will totally change the game

Fitbit uses go far beyond what you might have thought it can do. Yes, sure, it can track your steps, and tell you how fast your heart is beating. But you might be surprised to learn it can do so much more besides.

No matter what kind of workout you tend to like — from yoga to Crossfit — you can find a way to use the Fitbit to the very best of its potential. It's not one of the best fitness trackers for nothing, you see. Here are some of the best Fitbit uses that you might not have even tried yet! Game changing. Seriously. 

12 Fitbit uses to totally change the game

1. It has GPS tracking

Even though plenty of devices have GPS tracking now, you might not have known that your Fitbit has GPS mapping capabilities. Not only does this mean that you’re able to track your steps and distance in terms of running and walking, but it also allows you to see exactly where you’ve been around your trails. 

This can also be extremely useful for safety and other purposes like that if you're out hiking and lose you way, presumably like the poor person in the image at the top of the page.

To use GPS, open the Exercise app and find the exercise you want to track. Swipe up from to open the exercise menu and, in the GPS section, click the GPS button to turn it on. Simple.

2. Music Controls

This is a convenient feature that not everybody utilizes on the Fitbit, but nonetheless, it exists and should be added to your armory of reasons why working out in a home gym is much better than a public space - you get to control the soundtrack.

Chances are, you will likely be using your Fitbit while you are occupied by working out. This means that it can be extremely helpful to be able to change your music right on your fitness tracker. Simply hook it up to your phone and keep it connected.

To control music on your phone via your Fitbit, you just need to connect the two with Bluetooth, which can easily be done in settings.

3. Battery Tracking

Ok, so this is a relatively lo-fi use, but if you're exercising for a long time then it can have a big impact, we promise. Yes, having your fitness tracker die on you is no fun at all, and defeats the purpose of tracking your workouts. 

Luckily, in Settings you can set up your Fitbit to alert you whenever the battery gets low so that you can charge it whenever you need to and make sure that your tracking continues smoothly.

4. Food Log

Did you know that it’s also possible to track your food and your diet using your Fitbit? This can be especially helpful for those who prefer to engage with home fitness and track everything on their own. 

The Fitbit allows you to track all of your food with technology like barcode scanners and calorie estimators that connect to a large food database that can pick up on everything that you’ve eaten and adjust your fitness and tracking to this information.

You'll find this capability in the Today tab, where you can click on the Food tab to add food you've consumed. 

 5. Heart Rate Training

The Fitbit uses technology that can also help you keep track of your heart rate. The Fitbit tracks your steps and is able to utilize that along with your heart rate information to determine exactly how active you are. 

Additionally, it doesn’t simply monitor your heart rate while you’re walking around and exercising. It also tracks your heart rate while you are sleeping and resting. This technology can also track your heart rate patterns over time in order to compare them with your other metrics of progress.

6.  Calling

Much like plenty of other fitness watches, Fitbits now allow you to call and answer phone calls from the watch itself. 

You can do this by using your headphones, or take the call simply using the watch.

7. Texting

Similar to the point about making phone calls by using the Fitbit, you can also text using the watch. Although this inevitably means that you will be sharing your data between devices, this can often be a good thing, as you can continue conversations even without your cell phone or laptop present.

8. Sleep Tracking 

With the Fitbit’s ability to track your rest with your breath and heart rate, it should come as no surprise that it can also track your sleep! There are so many different apps and logs that you can use to track your sleep manually, but there really is no comparison to the ability to track your sleep automatically with the technology that Fitbit uses to actually know your body. 

A real bonus for if you're wondering how to sleep better, this can tell you where you're going wrong. It's recommended that you wear a Fitbit on a snug wristband to get the best results

9. Create Groups 

If you want to have an accountability partner or you simply want to have a group with your friends where you can all share your data or even have a bit of healthy competition, you can use Fitbit‘s website to create groups and add your friends. 

From there, you can view the letter board to see your rankings and even have discussions and messages within your group. This can be a great way to involve your friends or make new ones! A bit of healthy competition, and all that.

 10. Tracking Progress Over Time

Even with all of the short term data that your Fitbit can provide you with, it’s also important to remember that your Fitbit can track your progress over time in a variety of metrics. 

Look back over the past few months or even at the end of the year to see how far you’ve come!

11. Silent Alarms

Traditional alarms to wake you up in the morning can be a pain both to you and to those around you. If you would rather be woken up gently by alarms that work with your body rather than sound, you can set up your Fitbit to wake you up in the morning with a silent alarm. This can be managed in the Today tab, and is the gentlest way we know to come round in the morning.

12. Use Other Fitness Apps 

One of the best kept secrets about Fitbit is that you can actually use it in conjunction with other fitness apps. Even though Fitbit is its own company, you can still link it with many of the best exercise bikes, like Peloton. And the Fitbit is even one of the best Alexa compatible devices, linking straight to your virtual assistant. If you tend to work out with other forms of technology, chances are, you can use it alongside your Fitbit.