Review: Fitbit Charge 5 for fitness and mindfulness on the go

I've been housebound with a dog who's recovering from leg surgery and know that it will be a few months before I can head back to any sort of "normal" routine. I knew that sleep, exercise, stress levels, and eating would be out of whack for a couple of months. (I’ve been through this before earlier this year). It so happened that the latest Fitbit Charge 5 had recently launched here in Canada and it would be an ideal time to check it out and see if it could help give me incentive to get back on track. I swapped out my previous Fitbit Luxe easily and my Fitbit Premium subscription continued. 

If you’re new to Fitbit, the Premium content is worth investing in. Like several other Fitbit devices, the Charge 5 comes with initial access to Premium that not only offers an extensive library of content, more on this later, but it also gives you insight on your personal health and wellness to help you take more control of life. 

SET UP: You’ll need to download the FITBIT APP (available for both iOS and Android) and connect your device. If you have Google Fast Pair (Android) there’s an even faster pairing set up. This is pretty straight forward.

If you’re already a fan of Fitbit devices, you’ll probably immediately notice the colourful and vibrant display on the Charge 5. 

Within the app you can add in your personal data like weight and sleep goals, change face options (there are 24 of them), add friends, access content, log food intake, and more. Here is where you will also get a full view of all your stats — daily, weekly, monthly. The app is where you’ll also need to sync your activity. I tend to do so at the end of each day. 

 

Not everyone wants to wear their devices 24/7 (I WAS that person but converted) but if you’re focused on learning more about your sleeping then the Charge 5 may be the right one for you. It has a slimmer design and the wrist band is comfortable to wear to sleep. I chose the option of a sporty band as it seems like a more breathable option for both working out and for sleep. I find I am swapping the band depending on my mood. Plus the options are great for season or outfit changes. By the way, the device should just fit comfortably on the wrist  — not tight and not too loose. 

The Charge 5 is also water resistant (up to 50m) and the silicone bands are ideal for if you’re swimming or taking it into the shower. Realistically, though I’m not one to wear it in the shower. That 10 minutes won’t change much but good to know the option is there. 

 

Face to Face: To view, simply raise your arm towards your face to view. When not in view, the face turns off so that anyone near you won’t see — handy if you want to keep that information personal. But if you like to see the face on display at all times, you can change the setting to have it “always on”.  Alternatively, you can also switch it to “quiet” mode or “do not disturb”  or “sleep” mode to help minimize distractions for you and for others. This is done right on the face of the device — handy, say if you’re in a dark theatre. 

Simple swipes up, down, left, and right is how you can access the most important and commonly used info on the go. Check your ongoing activity — weather it’s exercise, steps taken, a nudge to get moving if you’ve been sitting too long, timers, clocking in specific fitness workouts, Sp02 levels or if you want to access Fitbit Pay, notifications (like texts, calls, calendar reminders), alarms and just want a quick 3 minute moment to chill (using the EDA Scan). You can also log in your menstrual cycle and monitor your health over time. If you need to manage life with diabetes, you can also log in your blood glucose levels to keep in check. The Charge 5 also sends you notifications if your heart rate changes from your average rate. 

 

Stress Management: In recent years, Fitbit has included more tools to help us understand our stress levels. Right on the device is one of the handiest tools, the EDA SCAN. At anytime and anywhere Charge 5 users can take a read on their stress levels. I’ve even done so while on my transit commute to a work event. Simply take your opposite hand to which you’re wearing the device, and hold the side of the watch face for 3 minutes and just breathe as it counts down. The 3 minute duration is the devices default but you can adjust that anywhere between 2 to 7 minutes. Once you’re done you can immediately see quick data like your heart rate from the beginning to the end of the session. You can also log in how you are feeling immediately after the scan. The devices will also suggest a quick “hot tip”. Then the information will sync to the app the next time you’re doing so and there you can gain access to more insight on your personal dashboard. 

SLEEP plays a big part on helping to manage stress and having worn the Charge 5 (as well as other more recent Fitbit devices) throughout the night has helped me understand not just the duration but the quality of sleep that I’ve been getting. When I set up this particular device I had my sleep goal settings to ideally get 7 hours of sleep each night. I’ve achieved that, partly probably due to the pandemic and not having much to do at night, but with a few weeks of the device suggesting when it’s time to wind down the day, I’ve managed to train myself to do just as it has recommended. 

Every few days I’ve checked up on my accumulating sleep stats. Within the Fitbit Premium I can dive deep into insights to better understand the quality of sleep I’m getting and not just the number of hours my head is on my pillow. The SLEEP SCORE offers an analysis of my sleeping heart rate, stages (light, deep and REM), as well as patterns (restlessness, awake, sleep).  It will also offer up tips on how to improve overall sleep like suggesting I exercise earlier in the day or at least 3 to 4 hours before going to sleep. While my sleep score has tracked between fair to good, I can dive deeper into what’s happening. I’m trying to figure out ways to improve.

While none of us can control what kind of sleep we have each night, this insight is really fascinating and I’m learning to take steps on how to improve. For example, last night my REM was 1 hour and 15 minutes) and deep sleep was 41 minutes. Should I be concerned? The app tells me that deep sleep is when our muscles relax and repair themselves, blood pressure drops, and energy is restored. REM is  when you’re likely dreaming, which is key for memory and mood. When I looked up “how much deep sleep do you need” I learned that the average adult should get about 1.6 hours to 1.8 hours of deep sleep to feel fully functional the next day. Okay, I’m not too far off but I’ll take the tips offered within the App and continue to find ways to wind down and get more of that restorative deep sleep. I’ll start by cutting out any caffeine after 4 pm. And add in an evening MINDFULNESS session before bed. Another great feature on this device is the SMARTWAKE that gradually wakes you in the morning with a subtle vibration. A much calmer way to face the morning and not jarring to your heart, if you know what I mean. 

 

MINDFULNESS is a more than a trendy term these days. Yes, we are hearing it often but it’s nothing new. For centuries many cultures incorporate mindfulness into their daily rituals and they are just as important as our daily workouts and actually work in tandem for bettering our health and outlook in life. Fitbit has 15 free mindfulness sessions available but also through Premium there’s access to exclusive access to more including Deepak Chopra’s Mindful Method. There’s also content from Ten Percent Happier, Aura, Breethe, Aaptiv and recently added CALM offering a wide variety of styles and durations to suit even the fullest of schedules. Charge 5 users can pair Calm sessions with the EDA Scan session to see the effect of how a mindfulness session has on their heart rate and their response. Pretty cool! 

Something else worth mentioning is ECG app is coming soon to the Charge 5! Stay tuned for that!

 

WORKOUTS of course are a key part of every Fitbit user’s health journey. The Charge 5 handy built-in GPS enabled mode offers real-time data on your pace and distance. In the settings (on the app) you can select up to 6 shortcuts to your favourite workout modes (weights, interval training, martial arts, yoga, walking, cycling, swimming etc) for fast and on-the-go access. The Charge 5 will also offer up ACTIVE ZONE minutes and even when you’re in FAT BURN mode to let you know you are working out efficiently. Both have served as incentive for me to keep going and to try harder. And within the app you can sync to see more details on your workout summary including a heat map of your heart rate zones and calories burned. Also, if you’ve forget to start tracking your exercise, the Charge 5 is smart enough to begin tracking anyway. This has happened several time when I was out for my walks. 

 

I admit that I love having access to the Fitbit Premium Workout Video Classes  and Guided Programs availalbe to me at anytime-- very convenient at home or even for travel. The library includes a wide variety of workouts and constantly adding to their roster. Recently launched is the all-new STRONGWILL with Will Smith sessions. The collection includes HIIT, bodyweight strength training, core exercises, yoga and more. Create and curated by the actor and his trainers the sessions are fun and loaded with what I call "Willisms" and you can guess, it's all very approachable. 

But the content on the app doesn't stop there. I've found excellent recipes and nutritional guides including exclusive content with AYESHA CURRY and from popular food media like Eating Well. There are recipes that are gluten-free, diabetes-friendy, heart-healthy, vegetarian, under 5 minutes, and more. Plus you can save as favourites to return to faster. 

Everyone always wants to know about BATTERY LIFE. I’ve gone to an average of 6 and even up to 7 days on one full charge (not with Always On Mode). There are time when the battery runs very low and it may not coincide with the most ideal timing BUT when I do charge it, the device charges really fast. 

Often friends ask if I actually need the Fitbit Premium. While there is certainly plenty of useful and valuable data accessible without the subscription, I would recommend taking advantage of the trial months that come with the device and see for yourself. You will have access to some of the workout and mindfulness sessions and it’s a good way to ease into seeing what you will take full advantage of to decide for yourself. After the trial period, Fitbit Premium is only $12.99 per month (a great deal considering how much even one work out costs or a membership to the gym. 

The Fitbit Charge 5 ($229.95) is now available and comes in three colour options. There are additional band styles also available and sold separately.