Instructions for your Fitbit
Using your Fitbit
Syncing your Fitbit device with your Fitbit account updates your physical activity, heart rate, and sleep information, and will help you share that information with us.
These instructions explain how to set up and use your Fitbit. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us (859-562-0112) or email us (restky@uky.edu).
In order to use your Fitbit, you’ll first need to create a Fitbit account. It’s important to fully charge your Fitbit before you start setting up your account. After creating your Fitbit account, be sure to follow the instructions to sync your account with Fitabase.
About your Fitbit
As a study participant, you’ll be asked to wear a Fitbit each day. This Fitbit will be yours to keep after you complete the study.
When wearing your Fitbit during your everyday life, please place the Fitbit about one finger width above your wrist bone on your non-dominant hand (the hand you don’t write with).
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You should take your Fitbit off when you bathe, shower, or swim and put the Fitbit back on when you finish.
When wearing your Fitbit during a workout or physical activity, you may want to move your Fitbit up to be 2-3 finger widths above your wrist bone.
Using Your Fitbit:
Tapping on the screen will “wake up” your Fitbit, and you should see the time displayed. Next, swipe/slide your finger up on the screen to see basic information about your daily activity (including your daily steps and calories burned).
You should plan to open your Fitbit app at least once each day to make sure you’re syncing your Fitbit with the app regularly.
If you’d like, you can also purchase a different band for your Fitbit to make it your own. Replacement bands are available online through Fitbit (https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/products/accessories.inspire-2) and through many third-party retailers such as Amazon and Walmart.
Tracking Your Physical Activity:
Your Fitbit will automatically track your heart rate and activity by counting your steps, calories burned, and flights of stairs climbed.
You can also set up a daily goal for the number of steps you take. Your Fitbit will default to a goal of 10,000 steps per day, but you can change the number of steps for your goal in the Fitbit app.
Your Fitbit may also send an hourly activity reminder, which will make your Fitbit vibrate and display a message asking you to move around.
Tracking Your Sleep:
Your Fitbit will automatically track your sleep. When you wake up in the morning, you can take a look at information your Fitbit recorded about your sleep in the Fitbit app.
The manual for your Fitbit is available at this link: https://help.fitbit.com/manuals/manual_inspire_2_en_US.pdf
Fitbit setup without an existing Fitbit account
Step 1: Download and install the Fitbit app from the Apple App Store (if you have an Apple phone or tablet) or from the Google Play Store (if you have an Android phone or tablet).
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If you are using an Android phone or tablet, you may automatically get a message asking you to begin the set-up process. If you get this message, tap on the message and follow the instructions on your phone/tablet.
Step 2: Once the Fitbit app is installed on your device, tap on the icon for the app and then tap on Join Fitbit. Depending on your device model, you may see either one of the images below on your screen.
Step 3: You will be asked which type of Fitbit you are setting up. Please tap on Inspire 2 and then tap on Set Up.
Step 4: Enter your first name, last name, email address, and a password you will remember into the designated spaces. Then tap Next.
Step 5: You will be asked to verify the email address you entered on the last screen before you can continue with setting up your Fitbit. Please check the email address you used to create the account to see if there is an email from Fitbit. If so, you will find a hyperlink to verify your email address in that email.
Step 6: Fitbit will ask you to review and agree to its Privacy Policy. Please read the policy and tap I accept to continue setting up your Fitbit.
Step 7: Next, Fitbit will ask you for your age, biological sex, height, and weight. Enter this information and then tap Create Account.
Step 8: You should receive a second message regarding privacy. Please read the policy and tap I accept to continue setting up your Fitbit.
Step 9: Next, you’ll receive a message about charging your Fitbit (see image below). If you have already charged your Fitbit, tap Next. If you haven’t charged your Fitbit, please charge your Fitbit before continuing.
Step 10: After charging your Fitbit and tapping the Next button, you’ll receive a push alert on your Fitbit with a four-digit code. You will enter this code into the Fitbit app using a keypad.
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While your Fitbit is connecting to your device, you may receive push notifications on your device asking if you want to grant the Fitbit app permission to access your location, contacts, or device data. Please know that the REST-KY Study will not have access to location data or your personal contacts.
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You may receive a message asking if you want to enroll in the Fitbit Protection Plan. This is not required for participants in this study. If you do not wish to enroll in the Fitbit Protection Plan, tap Not Now.
Step 11: Next, you’ll see a series of instructions about how to use your Fitbit. For your convenience, we’ve provided screenshots of those instructional screens in the Using Your Fitbit section of these instructions.
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Finally, you may be asked if you want to purchase a Fitbit Premium membership. Please note that you do not need to purchase a Fitbit Premium membership to participate. If you do not wish to purchase one, tap on the “X” in the upper lefthand corner of the screen (see next page).
Congratulations! Your new Fitbit is now set up. You should now be able to see information from your Fitbit (including the number of steps you’ve taken and your heart rate) in the app.
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If you don’t see this information or if you don’t see your Fitbit on your Fitbit account, you can contact Fitbit Customer Service at (877) 623-4997 or you can chat with a customer service representative online by visiting https://myhelp.fitbit.com/s/support?language=en_US
Once you have setup your Fitbit, it is important that you sync it with Fitabase.
Fitbit setup with an existing Fitbit account
Step 1: If you don’t already have the Fitbit app, download and install the Fitbit app from the Apple App Store (if you have an Apple phone or tablet) or from the Google Play Store (if you have an Android phone or tablet).
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If you are using an Android phone or tablet, you may automatically get a message asking you to begin the set-up process. If you get this message, tap on the message and follow the instructions on your phone/tablet.
Step 2: Once the Fitbit app is installed on your device, tap on the icon for the app and then tap on Login.
Step 3: Enter your login information in the spaces provided on the next screen.
Step 4: When you log in, you should see your Fitbit dashboard. To add your new Fitbit to your account, tap on the Account icon in the upper lefthand corner and then tap on Set Up a Device.
Step 5: You will be asked which type of Fitbit you are setting up. Please tap on Inspire 2 and then tap on Set Up.
Step 6: Next, you’ll receive a message about charging your Fitbit. If you have already charged your Fitbit, tap Next. If you haven’t charged your Fitbit, please follow the instructions to charge your Fitbit before continuing.
Step 7: After charging your Fitbit and tapping the Next button, you’ll receive a push alert on your Fitbit with a four-digit code. You will enter this code into the Fitbit app using a keypad.
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While your Fitbit is connecting to your device, you may receive push notifications on your device asking if you want to grant the Fitbit app permission to access your location, contacts, or device data. Please know that the REST-KY Study will not have access to location data or your personal contacts.
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You may receive a message asking if you want to enroll in the Fitbit Protection Plan. This is not required for participants in this study. If you do not wish to enroll in the Fitbit Protection Plan, tap Not Now.
Step 8: Next, you’ll see a series of instructions about how to use your Fitbit. For your convenience, we’ve provided screenshots of those instructional screens in the Using Your Fitbit section at the end of these instructions.
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Finally, you may be asked if you want to purchase a Fitbit Premium membership. Please note that you do not need to purchase a Fitbit Premium membership to participate. If you do not wish to purchase one, tap on the “X” in the upper lefthand corner of the screen.
Congratulations! Your new Fitbit is now set up. You should now be able to see information from your Fitbit (including the number of steps you’ve taken and your heart rate) in the app.
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If you don’t see this information or if you don’t see your Fitbit on your Fitbit account, you can contact Fitbit Customer Service at (877) 623-4997 or you can chat with a customer service representative online by visiting https://myhelp.fitbit.com/s/support?language=en_US
Once you have setup your Fitbit, it is important that you sync it with Fitabase.
Charging your Fitbit
We ask that you charge your Fitbit anytime your Fitbit sends you a low battery warning (which is sent when the battery gets down to 20%). It’s important that you charge your Fitbit during the day to make sure that you can wear your Fitbit while you sleep. Try not to charge the Fitbit when you know you’ll be engaging in exercise or other physical activity.
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Your Fitbit battery will typically get down to 20% after 3-4 days if you charge it fully when you plug it in.
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Some Fitbit users like to have a charging plan that they stick to every week, like charging their Fitbit while they are in the shower every Monday. You may wish to develop a charging plan that makes sense for you and makes it easy to keep your Fitbit charged up enough to get through each night.
To charge your Fitbit:
Step 1: Locate the Fitbit charging cable. The charging cable is pictured below.
Step 2: Plug the USB end of your Fitbit charging cable (circled in green) into a USB wall charger or computer port.
Step 3: Connect the other end of the charging cable (circled in red) to your Fitbit.
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You will attach the cord to your Fitbit by lining up the gold metal on the charging cable with the gold metal on the back of your Fitbit.
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Once the charging cable and Fitbit are lined up, snap the Fitbit into the charger by gently pressing the Fitbit and charger together.
Step 4: Let your Fitbit charge for at least 2-3 hours until the battery is fully charged.
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You’ll know that your Fitbit is fully charged when the battery icon is full and a smile appears on the Fitbit screen.
Step 5: Once your Fitbit is fully charged, remove it from the charging cable.
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Slide the thumbnail of your hand between the back of your Fitbit and the charging cable (as shown in the picture to the right)
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Gently push on the cord with your nail until the cord unsnaps from the Fitbit
Setting up Fitabase
Fitabase is a software that will sync with your Fitbit. It is important to complete these set-up steps so that the researchers will be able to access and analyze the data collected by your Fitbit.
You will receive a link to Fitabase from the research team. If you have not received this link or cannot find it, please contact the research team by calling us at 859-562-0112 or emailing us at restky@uky.edu.
When you select the Fitabase link, you will be taken to a page that looks like the image below. Select “Connect” to begin the syncing process.
On the next page, enter the email and password you used when creating your Fitbit account. Then select "Sign In."
Please select “Allow All” so that Fitabase will be able to function properly. Then select “Allow” to proceed.
That’s it! You have now successfully synced your Fitbit with Fitabase and you should see the follow screen saying that your Fitbit account has been linked. Thank you!
