Fitbit helpful, but not key to weightloss

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Stefanie Tillman was 67 pounds heavier 15 months ago. She says her Fitbit helped her lose the weight.

We first met Tillman and her co-workers a year ago on one of their daily lunchtime walks. Back then, they were challenging one another, step-by-step with their Fitbits.

Back in 2016, she gave her Fitbit and the support of her friends credit for her success, so far.

"If I don't have my steps in, I will get my steps in by the end of the day," Tillman said.

But now, those motivating co-workers are no longer part of her life.

"I think in the beginning, it was definitely a driving force," Tillman told FOX 13's Dr. Joette Giovinco, admitting the motivation has dropped off. "We all went our different ways in our career paths, so we weren't able to walk as much at work."

Without the constant support, some members of the group struggled to keep their step counts up, while Tillman began stepping up her fitness gains.

"I pretty much plateaued and I wanted more progress. I hit my weight loss goal and wanted to tone up," she remembers.

Now, five days a week she's found new support at Fitness Envy Boot Camp in North Port. With her Fitbit still tight on her wrist, her use of the device is changing.

"I do use it a lot, but it’s a tool now," she says.

No longer just counting steps, Tillman has brought her Fitbit game to a new level tracking her heart rate, sleep, and calories burned.

"It’s a way to keep myself in balance. It’s basically facts that I did this many steps and I burned this many calories versus, 'Well, I know I got an hour at the gym.' Well, now I know exactly what I got at the gym," she tells us.

Bootcamp owner Tammy Delliquadri finds the Fitbit is a great tool to have in her workout arsenal.

"It's really cool for me because, each class I like to have a certain amount of calories that they burn. I track that to make sure we are hitting those goals," Delliquadri said.

Although it's been a great side-kick in her weight-loss journey, Tillman doesn't attribute all of her success to her Fitbit.

"I don't think a magic diet, a magic workout, a magic Fitbit. I don't think one of those things is going to bring you success. I think it's the will power in yourself to want better and then you have to set yourself up with the right tools to be successful," she said.