41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
Good Way to Track Calories
I received this as a gift to replace a spreadsheet that I had been using at work to track what I had been eating. It is a better way to track caloric intake as I can have it with me all day and it starts you out with a reasonable database of foods.
The unit itself is designed to resemble a PDA with stylus/touchscreen interaction. It is made of plastic and...
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Just doesn't cut it
The first one I purchased lasted only a few days before it froze and all that appeared on the screen was a single black line. Nothing would make it do anything else, including the reset. It was replaced and the new one worked fine (although the screen was hard to read)until the batteries died.
Simply replacing the batteries was all it took for it to freeze...
I received this as a gift to replace a spreadsheet that I had been using at work to track what I had been eating. It is a better way to track caloric intake as I can have it with me all day and it starts you out with a reasonable database of foods.
The unit itself is designed to resemble a PDA with stylus/touchscreen interaction. It is made of plastic and is of lower quality than traditional PDAs, but is a good ergonomic shape/size and simple to use. The touchscreen is effective, although not as sensitive as PDAs I have owned. Both the touchscreen and the unit itself work well for what they are, and the quality of the materials lend to the reasonable price for the unit. There is a thumbwheel on the upper left side which can be used to adjust the screen's contrast, and this feature seemed to work well.
The software/PC link included allows the user to back up their data, as well as more easily add and edit the food database. It installed easily on my Windows XP Home Edition machine without problems, and the link works well if you follow the instructions provided. Data transfer from PC to handheld or handheld to PC involves transeferring all the data, not just updates, so it takes about a minute each time you transfer. It is a very basic program, essentially mirroring the software on the unit itself, but again does the job well.
Overall, I am very pleased with the HealthFitCounter thus far. It has improved my understanding of what I eat by tracking calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, fiber, sugar, and protein (where I only tracked calories and fat previously - I now know I eat WAY too much sugar). It becomes easier/faster to use as you add commonly eaten foods to your "favorites" list and add foods that were not preloaded with the unit. You can also use the preloaded food data to build up a meal when you eat out to approximate the caloric content (i.e. instead of "Chicken dinner at_______", simply select 6 ozs of chicken, add your dinner rolls, vegetables, and pasta, and the unit tallies the approximate calories into your daily totals.)
Overall I like this unit and am very satisfied. It is easy to use, always handy, unobtrusive, and it gets the job done.
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The first one I purchased lasted only a few days before it froze and all that appeared on the screen was a single black line. Nothing would make it do anything else, including the reset. It was replaced and the new one worked fine (although the screen was hard to read)until the batteries died.
Simply replacing the batteries was all it took for it to freeze again. Now when it is turned on, there is a plus sign in the upper left corner and a message across the screen stating "Located Left=top." Nothing gets rid of it, including Reset.
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I bought this to go along w/my use of the new diet product, Alle. This little calorie counter has a screen that is difficult to view. Lots of glare if not held exactly right. Entering new information takes a little bit of time since there are so many new foods that I was going to be eating & weren't currrently in their index. Once I got the hang of it it took less time to enter information.
It is amazing to see how calories, sodium, etc, add up. This is what makes this little counter so neat to use, the information you put in is just for YOU. It certainly isn't a Blackberrry but has the handheld feel of one.
The size makes it easy to take anywhere along w/a very nice instruction booklet.
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Arrived very fast.
#1 Free Batteries were dead.
#2 The Screen is so so dark you can not make out anything
#3 After 3 hours of attempting to link this to my PC, have given up.
$4 Limited, very limited on line tech support for device.
Will be going back tomorrow.
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I was so excited when I was told that a friend had bought this for me from my wish list and although I love it and it is exactly what I wanted and it works perfectly, it sadly does have some faults. In my opinion it is made of flimsy material - that being that it looks to be made of metal but it is really made of thin plastic. The touch screen is really a press hard screen and the screen is not backlit. These are not big things but if you are aware of these things you may think twice.
The only other thing that was of concern to me was that product does not come with the cord to download to your computer - but this is just another case of buyer beware.
But over all it is a fine product in the sense that it does what it says it was going to just not as nicely as it looks like it would
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Does not work with Vista.
No product/software support since 2004.
Battery life is short, no warning it is about to fail, you will lose all inputed data when the battery fails.
No back light, hard to read.
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Pay no attention to the bad reviews. I am the type of person who is sooo picky about products. I probably wouldn't have purchased this if I had read about it being cheaply made with no backlight so you "can't even see the screen."
The truth is:
Its cheap plastic. No backlight. Face gets scratched up. It can't connect to your computer.
SO What?!!
It also tracks everything from calories, fat, sodium, to protein. Something anyone who is trying to lose weight or gain muscle or both needs to be able to do easily. You can take it with you wherever you go. You can add in your own foods. I've had this thing for over a year and it's still working fine. Only changed the batteries once (thanks to no stupid backlight). If you want a fancier version of this product so buy a PDA and download the software (its even in color). If you want an awesome, inexpensive way to track what you are taking into your body, buy this!
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When I received my Health Fit Counter (3/08) it was disappointing that the Nutrition Guide had been used! Really! Someone else had taken notes in pen and had probably returned the machine as well and thoughtlessly the company had mailed it to the next order, unfortunately my address.
After short while later the entire Health Fit Counter stopped working. The batteries were new and it didn't even turn on. I regret wasting my money with the company. The customer service number is always busy. (No surprise there.)
I have found an great application for my reliable iPhone and am using that to track my diet. It cost $5.99
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I have owned this for 2 years and use from time to time. I would use a lot more, if I could get the software I purchased as an addon to work. Without the PC link, adding additional foods is tedious and time consuming to say the least. I have been on the phone many times with the owner and their customer service cannot be beat, but the software just doesn't work. If you want to just use this as a portable tool and don't mind manually adding what is not there, this is great; just like using a PDA. It certainly is a great idea and helps to track what you are consuming and keep on track with your diet.
I have decided to try a different counter, which I am hoping the software will work and I can use more efficiently.
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After reading some comments I was a little afraid to try it, but the HealthFit Counter gives me great features for a reasonable price. Just be sure to use it in good light, and you won't need to pay more for a back-lit device, assuming you could find one. This one works just fine in good light. I spent a little time reading the manual before proceeding to set up my HealthFit Counter. It probably took about twenty minutes for initial set up, which I personalized with my information (height, weight, activity level, caloric needs for my target weight, which the manual helps you determine). It was well worth the time to do it right the first time. Since then, data entry is quick and easy. I have had no problems, and find this helpful little device invaluable. It is small enough to slip easily into my purse or pocket, so I carry it everywhere. Tracking those elusive calories that might sabotage my diet is now routine, and I just spend a couple minutes after a meal entering data about what I have eaten. The HealthFit Counter makes it easy to enter information with a couple clicks, and I can even enter personal recipes using special ingredients, or new items that arrive in the grocery store, just by referring to the nutrition panel on the item I purchase and entering that info. Once you have entered new information, it is stored so next time it is just a click to enter. I track not only my goals, but calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, protein and my exercise for the day. Keeping a food journal - a record of what I eat and my actual activity, has been a real eye opener for me, and has helped me stay on track. I have never been able to stick to a diet and exercise routine before, and am thrilled to be losing weight and inches. Now I have energy and feel great about myself. I love the HealthFit Counter and highly recommend it.
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