Bodyfit vs. Fitbit vs. HRM vs. Other

CasiGal

Thanks!

CasiGal

Thanks for this info. I've been away from MFP (except via ipad) so I haven't had the chance to follow up on this post. Thanks! I like your idea of using both.

CasiGal

Thank you!!

Kimsied

Hi,
I've just finished reading most of the posts on this subject already and the only thing I can conclude is that I need to stop researching and go out for a walk. I've been sitting here for 2 hours and 50 mins. :yawn:

Sooo, with that, I'm hoping someone can tell me which is better If I want to track:

I have a fitbit and heart rate monitor that I use.

Heart rate = heart rate monitor, fitbit and bodymedia do not track heart rate, which is okay for what they are intended for.

Calories burned for a full-day= fitbit or bodymedia. Heart rate monitors are not designed to semi-accurately track calorie burn for non-exercise activities. I know fitbit will let you overwrite your exercsie calorie burn with a heart rare monitor if you want, not sure of bodymedia.

Distance walked/hiked= Throughout the day=fitbit or bodymedia, my fitbit distances are very accurate though I did take the time to test and calibrate it on a running track. For just one walk or hike then either of those or maybe a Garmin or similar GPS heart rate monitor with a foot pod, or even a gps app on a smart phone might do it for you.

Connect with Earndit or similar rewards program for motivation= fitbit or bodymedia. As far as I know, no heart rate monitors currently link to earndit. A garmin gps monitor will through "Garmin Connect" but it only uses the GPS data not the heart rate data. Also, since you say "other", a smart phone with one of several gps apps or a Nike+ also can link with earndit.

Food diary - here! Fitbit and bodymedia have food tracking so that is a possibility. MFP and fitbit can sync so there would be no need to change food tracking if you already track here.

Would be great to use swimming but I'd be willing to add a separate device for that -- swimming would be a heart rate monitor that is waterproof not either bodymedia or fitbit. Also there is something called a "poolmate" that has an acelometer in the waterproof watch that can track swimming strokes and laps. I don't have one, but it sounds good. I just use my heart rate monitor for water exercise.

I am not sure one device can actually do everything you want. I supose for what you want to hit all the points, your cheapest option would be:
*A pedometer + waterproof heart rate monitor and basically just trust your activity level burn on mfp + logged exercise. You would have your distance all day if properly set up and calibrated,heart rate data, calorie burn during exercise, etc.
*For all you ask for: A fitbit + basic waterproof heart rate monitor or Bodymedia + basic waterproof heart rate monitor. These would give you a place to track food, etc, ability to link with earndit, general activity data, distance for one session and all day, estimated total calorie burn, workout heart rate tracking, and swimming tracking. If you went with fitbit, it would be a little less expensive and you could continue to track food on mfp. I've used fitbit for a couple years and am happy with it especially since it is small, comfortable and discrete. I imagine Bodymedia may be a little more accurate as it has more sensors than just movement, but the numbers fitbit gives me actually seem pretty accurate to me so the extra expense and wearing an arm band just are not worth it to me personally.

ETA: I didn't read all the posts before I posted. Someone mentioned why not just a pedometer rather than a fitibt? I had a pedometer first and it is not the same in my experience. My pedometer was not as sleek, I wear the fitbit on my bra and no one sees. My fitbit is more accurate for me with steps and distance and can also track flights of stairs and hills. It ranks each minute by activity level which roughly corresponds with METS and for a lot of activity it is pretty accurate when all is set up. I do think there is a little bit of a learning curve to make the best use of the features and information it offers. I am sure there may be some pedometers that are accurate and offer some similar benefits, but they are not exactly the same in my opinion.

Kimsied

One more thing, if swimming wasn't a factor and you already have a smart phone...

You could get a fitbit and a ant or bluetooth heart rate monitor that can link with the digifit phone app. Digifit and fitbit can link (not sure about Bodymedia) and your fitbit activity would show on your digifit account along with all your detailed heart rate per workout data. Your digifit workouts could be logged to your fitbit account automatically. Digifit also uses GPS data in addition to heart rate data for outdoor workouts.

The only way this would work for swimming is if you already have a hrm watch that is compatible with the bluetooth or ant hrm strap so that might be too much expense at first.

But just thought I would throw that out there for people who might be interested in such a thing. I am using digifit, mfp and fitbit at the moment. But I already had a Polar F11 for a while and the blue tooth hrm strap works with it so I use my F11 for water exercise. And my bluetooth strap + phone for land exercise.