FITBIT or BODYBUGG ??

mysweetFiona

My husband is going to buy me one for my birthday in a few weeks and idk which to choose... if i get the bodybugg i will get the watch part so i wont have to pay for the $90 a year.... i reallly would love to get bodybugg because ive heard its most accurate, but i really would love the fitbit because it syncs with MFP.... does anyone have the fitbit, and do you think its completely accurate???? also does fitbit have a chest strap?

Gshields42

Bodybugg and Fitbit are really two different items, despite the fact that they are billed as competitors.

BB, for all intents and purposes, is a HRM that you keep on you at all times. Because of that, it is more accurate. it is also more bulky, cumbersome, and has that pesky subscription fee. I've never used it, so I don't know anything about its interface.

FB is really a extremely well thought out pedometer. It uses some pretty cool technology to capture a lot of metrics about your movement (including an altimeter to determine if you are going up stairs/hills). It combines this with a lot of analytical tools to data mine, and give you a good idea of what is going on. The interface is nifty, and really drives you to gradually but constantly increase your activity. Downside is that since it isn't a HRM, it is using a lot of statistic to fill in the blanks. For most people, its estimates are surprisingly accurate when compared side-by-side with an HRM, but if you are an outlier on the bell curve then mileage may vary.

I use the FB, so take what I have to say with an appropriate grain of salt. I do know that I've heard of a lot of people that moved from BB to FB because it was so much less cumbersome. I heartily recommend the FB, but that isn't to say that I think the BB is a bad way to go; just a different one. The two really are apples and oranges.

mysweetFiona

THANK YOU gshields42!!!! I appreciate your time to explain it to me!
I am wondering if im "out of the bell curve" like you said, so i wonder if it will be accurate for me? How do you find out (without purchasing a HRM and the fitbit together) if the fitbit accurately calculates my stuff? Wish there was a way to check... i dont wanna go over or under because of the FB telling me this is right and its wrong accidently... ya know... is there a way to check??? can i like rent HRMs from places or anything or is there an easy way to tell if im in that bell curve like by a simple walking test or something? i dont know...

Gshields42

For 99% of people, the statistical data should produce a fairly-to-very accurate picture. As with any bell curve, most data points fit within a fairly rigid spectrum, and then there are a few data points on either end of the spectrum that are just out of whack. The few complaints I've heard of regarding accuracy are from those that had medical or other conditions that explain the difference. As long as you don't have any really odd conditions that may effect your metabolism, it should be close enough for government work.

As to using it, a week or two should help you zoom in on how accurate it is for you. Remember, everything is guesstimates (even HRMs used estimations of calorie burn based on what your body should be burning at a given heart rate), including intake and output. You are never (HRM or not) going to get an incredibly scientific picture down to the individual calories, unless you are living in a laboratory. Where Fitbit is really a useful is in encouraging you to increase your activity throughout the day. It is handy as a guide to give you a fairly decent idea of where you are, but that is a secondary use for it. Wearing it encourages you and pushes you to be more active throughout the day, and for that it is awesome.