I want to share a good link that explains the potential pitfalls with activity trackers. These devices, like the Fitbit and others, are a common way for people to track their exercise and other physical activity. Regular physical activity is important for good health, including cardiovascular health and maintaining healthy bones and joints. Activity is also important for weight loss and long term weight maintenance following bariatric surgery. We recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days of the week.
Fitness trackers are a great way to measure physical activity and to ensure you are meeting your physical activity goals. They can cause problems for people trying to lose weight however, when the calories burned as measured by the activity tracker are added to the daily calorie budget. This link explains the issue in more detail.
At Aspiring Bariatrics we encourage regular physical activity and support anything that helps people to incorporate this in to their lives. Just beware of the calories burned measurement provided by physical activity trackers and use it as a measure of day to day activity, not a reason to eat more.