Fitbit (And Similar products)

ndwildbill

I've had a fitbit one for about a month and a half. Really love it. It keeps me motivated to keep moving...trying to beat my step count from the day before, etc. I track calories on MFP, and activity on fitbit. Fitbit does not work well for activities like bike riding or swimming, or like that, but it is great for walking, jogging, or climbing stairs. I also use mine for tracking sleep. I'm trying some things to see if I can get my sleep efficiency over 90%. I consider the fitbit one to be a great investment.

slocyclist

I looked at the Fitbit One, but ended up getting the Withings Pulse. It is very similar to the Fitbit One, measuring steps, elevation, guessing calories burned, and using the wrist band for sleep. It also has an optical pulse sensor, so that you can use it to check your heart rate. Not continuously, but by poking the button and then holding your finger over the sensor. It is surprisingly accurate once you use it a while.

The Pulse connects to MFP and some other sites, but not as many as Fitbit. And I happened to catch the Pulse on Amazon at $79 instead of the regular $99 price. I also have the Withings Body Analyzed Scale, Withings Blood Pressure Monitor, and a Polar H7 Heart Rate Monitor, which I use with my iPhone during workouts.

If you use an iPhone, rumors are that the upcoming iWatch include a new health app and that the device may include sensors to take your heart rate and temperature.

postrockandcats

I've had two FitBits; the Ultra (the original one) and the Zip. I literally broke my first one (it was past the warranty by a looooong way!) and considered getting the One, but I ended up with the Zip as I didn't really use the sleep tracking or timer and didn't see the point in paying for stuff I wasn't going to use.

Both have been worth every dime! I've even gotten my friends to buy them

pseudomuffin

I have a fitbit but don't use it to chart sleep, even though I think you can enter your sleep times in on the website it doesn't really do anything to track it. Mine is the little zip version that you clip onto your pants, though, so maybe other versions have a more sophisticated method. I'd still recommend getting some kind of tracker, though, because the data is really interesting and if you can remember to wear it all the time it can be really motivating!

Tanya949

I haven't read all the posts, but I have a Fitbit Force. Before I bought it I used the Sleep Cycle(free) app on my iphone to monitor my sleep. I find it far superior to the sleep program on fitbit.

Jade0529

You should really ask your Dr about getting a sleep study if you are finding that you are not rested after sleep. You could have sleep apnea in a mild form even that is still dangerous if not treated.

donyellemoniquex3

I'm waiting for the amiigo

dtimedwards

I've got a Bodymedia Link. I prefer it to the Fitbit because I do lots of elevation and also slogging through really deep snow, snowshoeing, heavy pack hiking, etc and it takes the actual exertion (give or take) into account. Also it shows calorie burn for weight training. The $6/month subscription seems like a put off, but when you see all the data, it;'s pretty amazing. In addition to MFP, I have it linked to a bunch of other sites for rewards & challenges.

aleggett321

I started out with the Body Media a little over a year ago but found as the weather warmed and I started wearing short sleeves I was very self conscious about wearing it. It is pretty bulky and "medical" looking. Went from there to the Fitbit One. I used the two devices side by side for two weeks and looked at the averages. The Body Media put calories burned higher by about 80 cals/day. The Fitbit read steps a little higher but only by an average of 100-150 steps per day. To me it was a wash.

I "upgraded" to the Fitbit Flex after I found myself frequently forgetting to move the One to my workout pants when I changed clothes and therefore not logging my workout. duh! I want credit for those steps!

I'm extremely happy with the Flex, it's generally a put it on and forget it device. I like that its shower proof which none of the other Fitbits are (including the Force). One downside in my opinion is that it does not count steps accurately when pushing a shopping cart or carrying heavy objects...anything where your arm isn't swinging. I put it in my pocket for the Costco/Target/grocery store trips.

For me the calories burned is quite accurate as near as I can tell. It will give you your TDEE in a graph covering the last 30 days or weekly in an emailed "progress report". It's numbers correlate well with my actual weight loss.

Sorry to be so long winded. I hope you'll be happy no matter which one you choose. I truly credit my weight loss to the motivation that a tracker gives me. Good luck!

lesteidel

I have the fitbit flex and I absolutely love it.

The competition with my best friend for who can get the most steps keeps me motivated and moving past when I would normally just sit down.

It's pretty accurate about tracking skeep, tells me I don't sleep enough haha.

Fitbit isn't a heart rate monitor, it is a fancy pedometer and I love mine, .

I have never had any problems with mine at all

aleggett321

I've got a Bodymedia Link. I prefer it to the Fitbit because I do lots of elevation and also slogging through really deep snow, snowshoeing, heavy pack hiking, etc and it takes the actual exertion (give or take) into account. Also it shows calorie burn for weight training. The $6/month subscription seems like a put off, but when you see all the data, it;'s pretty amazing. In addition to MFP, I have it linked to a bunch of other sites for rewards & challenges.

very good point here. I don't think the fitbit would be as accurate for activities requiring a lot of exertion but few steps. Something else to consider.

Quasita

I started out with the Body Media a little over a year ago but found as the weather warmed and I started wearing short sleeves I was very self conscious about wearing it. It is pretty bulky and "medical" looking. Went from there to the Fitbit One. I used the two devices side by side for two weeks and looked at the averages. The Body Media put calories burned higher by about 80 cals/day. The Fitbit read steps a little higher but only by an average of 100-150 steps per day. To me it was a wash.

I "upgraded" to the Fitbit Flex after I found myself frequently forgetting to move the One to my workout pants when I changed clothes and therefore not logging my workout. duh! I want credit for those steps!

I'm extremely happy with the Flex, it's generally a put it on and forget it device. I like that its shower proof which none of the other Fitbits are (including the Force). One downside in my opinion is that it does not count steps accurately when pushing a shopping cart or carrying heavy objects...anything where your arm isn't swinging. I put it in my pocket for the Costco/Target/grocery store trips.

For me the calories burned is quite accurate as near as I can tell. It will give you your TDEE in a graph covering the last 30 days or weekly in an emailed "progress report". It's numbers correlate well with my actual weight loss.

Sorry to be so long winded. I hope you'll be happy no matter which one you choose. I truly credit my weight loss to the motivation that a tracker gives me. Good luck!

Just an FYI, a "hack" if you will for the medical appearance of the BodyMedia units. First off, the newer versions are pretty slim, and if you do keep it on your arm, people are generally really interested rather than weird out...

BUT I did find out, when searching for ways to get it to better register cycling activity (stationary biking doesn't always generate enough movement for it) I learned that the solution many users employed was to have a larger band and to wear the unit on their calf instead.

I ordered an XL band, put it around my upper calf, and it measured my burns to be about the same, but better captured my steps and my cycling I guess it wouldn't work if you wore shorts a lot and you wanted to hide it but really, why would you worry about that anyway?

To each their own, everything really is just a tool, and I know there are a ton of options even compared to when I was shopping a year and a half ago. I just know that I really saw success with the 23/7 measuring method employed by BodyMedia.

ALNoog

I have an up and I love it!!

I have major sleep issues as far as insomnia and when i do fall asleep I wake up and lot and hardly ever go into a deep sleep....

I was able to confirm that with my up..


The major bad reviews with the up are people complaining that they wore it while bathing or swimming and it quit working.. Which should be common sense since it's water resistant abs not water proof....

Also of you aren't careful taking off and putting it on you will damage it

And people complained that they fit funny.. Which they do at first BUT a week in mine adjusted perfect..

Fishshtick

Fitbit one has been my daily companion for over a year. It has been a great fitness motivator for me. Rarely a day goes by without me completing my 10000 steps with at least part of that as running. When I started a few thousand walking steps made my feet and legs ache. The most important feature is that it integrates fairly smoothly with MFP to give me my calorie credit. I have had a fitbit Aria scale for over 6 months and again like its integration with MFP. I don't do sleep tracking but I can tell you one down side to being so regularly active. I have a hard time sleeping if I don't get in my steps. I just can't settle in. Conversely you might find that daily exercise helps you get more restful sleep.

chichic77

i have a withings pulse like someone else has mentioned. i absolutely love it. i used to have a fitbit, but i think i like the pulse a lot better

kmshred

my boyfriend bought me a fitbit and its freaking awesome! highly recommend it. simple and easy to use, and collects loads of good data… pretty fun!

AstorMiles

Not sure if anyone has posted this already, but just a heads-up that Fitbit Force wristbands are being recalled due to skin rashes:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/21/tech/gaming-gadgets/fitbit-force-recall/

And here is the letter from the CEO:

http://www.fitbit.com/forcesupport

I'm sure they'll work on the issue. It's a good product.

kmshred

don't get the wrist band!! my bestie got one and it kept falling off, she ended up returning it. i have the clip thing and it works real well for me.

3P0X

don't get the wrist band!! my bestie got one and it kept falling off, she ended up returning it. i have the clip thing and it works real well for me.

Is the clip as accurate though?

nosebag1212

bodymedia fit crew checking in, makes cutting so easy, takes all the guesswork out

pangepange

I have the Fitbit Flex. I've worn it every day since the end of January (no missed days), and I'm so motivated to get moving when I wear it. I really love the charts and stats.

I bought the Aria scale as well and weigh in every day to keep my tracking honest.

silverraiyne

I retract my earlier statements! Android did a system update and now my Polar H7 HRM pairs up with both my Loop and with my Runtastic app -- which pairs up with MFP. All I have to do is go get active and all the data will be transmitted automatically :-) Yay!

**I had been very frustrated thinking I just spent about $200 on products that don't do what I wanted them to or had been lead to believe they could do**

ChristinWrites

I'm using a BodyMedia armband and I really like it. It was a bit of a learning curve getting it to sync properly with MFP and my phone, but once I got the hang of it I truly enjoy it.

dakotababy

I first purchased the Fitbit One. I loved it, and I actually started to lose weight again after 8 months of being on a plateau. However, I did not trust it all that much. It only tracks you movement, nothing else. I then purchased the Bodymedia Armband - which does everything the fitbit does, except it has more accuracy since it goes up against your skin. I love it and it was the best investment I have ever made for myself.