BodyMedia Fit vs Fitbit?!?
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I have a FitBit for all my "stepping" throughout the day & any exercise that involves steps & have a Polar FT4 for all exercises that don't involve steps.
This is my system too. I love it! And my fitbit syncs very well with MFP. The fitbit helps me stay active throughout the day and the HRM helps me get an accurate burn for my exercising.0 -
By the way they no longer sell the Fitbit Ultra Wireless Activity Plus Sleep Tracker- This is replaced by the Fitbit One.0
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I own a body media device and a HRM and a old school pedometer.
* Body media does a great job in logging all of your movement. A+ and it does integrate with MFP. Although, I think it's kinda a funky integration - you have to sync it at the body media site and then it shows up in MFP just as total calories not broken down into specific exercise buckets.
* It was good to also wear it through the night a few times to know if I had any sleep issues. But once you know if you sleep through the night a few times it doesn't make sense to wear it all nights in my opinion.
* Honestly I wanted to like the body media device but I just couldn't get over wearing the arm band 15 hours a day. I was dedicated to the thing for about 45 days... but found myself hating putting the thing on in the morning. So I recently discontinued it's use and will be selling it on ebay.
As a result, I recently ditched my bodymedia device - upgraded my HRM to the F4 polar receiver and new wearlink transmitter. You could wear the HRM all day (which to me is more comfortable than the body media arm band) and log the results. I however only enter the exercise components of my day into the exercise log of MFP. In addition, also like to track my steps to make sure i"m getting 10,000 so I strap on an old school pedometer - I only log those walking steps in my paper calender for me.
Those dang FITBIT's are just so cute! I want one! If I purchased one I don't think I would sync it with MFP either.
Hope this helps.0 -
By the way they no longer sell the Fitbit Ultra Wireless Activity Plus Sleep Tracker- This is replaced by the Fitbit One.
It's still available, at least on amazon...
http://www.amazon.com/Fitbit-Wireless-Activity-Sleep-Tracker/dp/B005PUONIK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353434951&sr=8-1&keywords=fitbit+ultra0 -
ok, here's my two cents.
FItbit's basically a glorified pedometer. It can't assess things that the BMF can- so if the BMF is in your budget it's the better option. The fitbit isn't great at assessing exercise so people still have to use HRM's along side it. The BMF does all of that, and now that it syncs with MFP it's amazingly easy and accurate. I've been using mine for a while now (got it in march this year, used it for three months, took the summer off to maintain and am now back at it). The BMF's more sophisticated since if assesses your body heat and sweat along with the steps taken, movement and sleep assessment that the fitbit does. It's amazing! I do admit it's an eyesore on your arm. BUT. I just turn the device in towards my arm so it's not so noticable and when I go out I just put it on my calf (which isn't as accurate, but gets the job done. NOT the place to put it for exercise, but basic walking, just fine IMO)0 -
Also, I don't feel like MFP explains how to use the modymedia with MFP very well so people are getting confused and not using them together.
I've been using it just fine! Set both website accounts to the SAME GOAL. This will mean that MFP will have a lower calorie goal because it doesn't include projected exercise in it's daily goal, and the BMF goal will be higher because it DOES include projected exercise and will go off of previous days/ your typical burns and habits. I've set MFP and BMF to lose 1/2 a pound a week and a very active activity level, this sets my MFP diary to 1800 something base goal and my BMF diary to a 2100 something base goal. I don't have a link, so I let my BMF sync twice a day- in the morning after breakfast and in the evening after exercise/before dinner. After I do my morning sync BMF will adjust my MFP diary up to a projected goal for the day, then in the evening it'll either adjust up or down depending on my activity level for the day. I really really really like the BMF and an consistently impressed with it and how well it can work for weightloss. The longer you wear it, the more consistent you are with wearing it the better it will get at projecting your burns for a given day (because like I said, it'll learn from previous burns) and now that it syncs with MFP it's easy and seamless! The idea with them syncing is to use mfp PURELY for it's diary and that's it. Use the BMF's site to eval exercise etc etc. I completely ignore mfp's projections and suggestions for me and don't log any exercise on it, I let BMF do that for me and soley use the bmf website.0 -
I'll add a follow up here... I just got my BMF a couple weeks ago. I've been wearing it 23h a day since then. And I've been wearing my fitbit one pretty much all the time too. I also add my HRM when I go for a run. When I come back from my run, I have calorie burn info from the BMF, the fitbit, the HRM, and the nike run tracker/GPS app on my phone. and honestly, I don't know which one is the most accurate. BMF claims they are. I don't know. If the BMF had a built in HRM, I'd trust it the most.
but as far as fitbit vs BMF-
BMF pros: claims it's the most accurate.
gives a lot of nice detailed charts
cons:
more expensive, PLUS requires monthly PAID service
big and bulky and not super comfortable
the interface is a little cumbersome, but the phone app update that came out YESTERDAY finally allows full mobile sync, so you don't need to plug into the computer anymore (that was a major downside for me)
fitbit pros:
cheaper
basic service is free (you can pay extra for 'premium')
I think the website/app integration is much more seamless
it has social features (you can compete with friends, earn badges, etc) which BMF doesn't
it's small and cute and inconspicuous
cons- maybe not as accurate? definitely not as accurate for non-step activities
Bottom line- overall I like the fitbit better. The BMF has some features I like, but I'm not convinced it justifies the cost difference/clunky interface/bulky/uncomfortable device. and as far as accuracy- at the end of the day I find my total calorie burn is suprisingly close between the two.(BMF says I burned 2112 yesterday, fitbit says 2109- but it's usually not quite that close. Usually within about 200 cal). But, most of my exercise is running/walking.
I'm trying to decide if I'll keep the BMF. If money is an issue, I think the fitbit is quite adequate.0 -
Star said it all. I got the BMF a month ago, and I wear it daily. It's awesome and amazingly accurate. The MFP integration is seamless, I just set both websites up so they have the same goals and make sure I'm about 500 calories under my daily calorie burn.0
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I'll add a follow up here... I just got my BMF a couple weeks ago. I've been wearing it 23h a day since then. And I've been wearing my fitbit one pretty much all the time too. I also add my HRM when I go for a run. When I come back from my run, I have calorie burn info from the BMF, the fitbit, the HRM, and the nike run tracker/GPS app on my phone. and honestly, I don't know which one is the most accurate. BMF claims they are. I don't know. If the BMF had a built in HRM, I'd trust it the most.
but as far as fitbit vs BMF-
BMF pros: claims it's the most accurate.
gives a lot of nice detailed charts
cons:
more expensive, PLUS requires monthly PAID service
big and bulky and not super comfortable
the interface is a little cumbersome, but the phone app update that came out YESTERDAY finally allows full mobile sync, so you don't need to plug into the computer anymore (that was a major downside for me)
fitbit pros:
cheaper
basic service is free (you can pay extra for 'premium')
I think the website/app integration is much more seamless
it has social features (you can compete with friends, earn badges, etc) which BMF doesn't
it's small and cute and inconspicuous
cons- maybe not as accurate? definitely not as accurate for non-step activities
Bottom line- overall I like the fitbit better. The BMF has some features I like, but I'm not convinced it justifies the cost difference/clunky interface/bulky/uncomfortable device. and as far as accuracy- at the end of the day I find my total calorie burn is suprisingly close between the two.(BMF says I burned 2112 yesterday, fitbit says 2109- but it's usually not quite that close. Usually within about 200 cal). But, most of my exercise is running/walking.
I'm trying to decide if I'll keep the BMF. If money is an issue, I think the fitbit is quite adequate.
I presume you have the Link. Does the new app li k with the Core?0 -
no, it doesn't link with the core- the core doesn't have bluetooth built in. If I could go back and change my choice I'd totally pay more for the link. The plugging in twice a day does suck a little.0
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Nothing beats a side by side test of BMF and Fitbit. One of my treasured MFP friends has done just that and posted the results on her blog:
http://getwithitforlife.com/blog/0 -
Cool stuff!!0
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no, it doesn't link with the core- the core doesn't have bluetooth built in. If I could go back and change my choice I'd totally pay more for the link. The plugging in twice a day does suck a little.
The core is smaller though. Is it enough to make a difference?0 -
Can you use the BMF without the subscription? Its £99 for a year, which is excessive for what it is imo, but i think the way it tracks cal burn is far superior. I was just wondering if you can get a calorie burn readout without the subscription?0
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No you have to have the subscription. As you're in the UK, you can't use the BMF site as you need a USA bank. In the UK it is licences to Kifit. They only do the Advantage, not the Core or Link. I'm waiting for them to get back to be about if I buy core from USA can I use their website.0
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no, it doesn't link with the core- the core doesn't have bluetooth built in. If I could go back and change my choice I'd totally pay more for the link. The plugging in twice a day does suck a little.
Yes, the plugging in twice a day sucks. So imagine my disappointment when I found that even with bluetooth, you still had to plug in the link!! the sync to the phone was just like an 'extra' display, but you had to plug in to 'really' sync.
BUT- that was all fixed with the update! yay! stll not as automatic and seamless, but much much better0 -
following0
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Can you use the BMF without the subscription? Its £99 for a year, which is excessive for what it is imo, but i think the way it tracks cal burn is far superior. I was just wondering if you can get a calorie burn readout without the subscription?
Like someone else already said- nope, have to have the subscription in order to see the readouts. Really though- there's no need to use it long term in my opinion.... a few months of using it gave me a good window of what my average burns are on given days and given workouts, etc.... I had all of the info saved in a document and i LOST IT!! That's the only reason I re-upped'd my subscription, I'm going to use it for another three months and save the data, then I'll stop the subscription. Then I'll have an idea about what I burn in a day. Already having only worn it for a few weeks (since I put it back on) I know that my average burn is between 2100-2400, a few hundred more if I do a long workout. That's valuable information to have. So... I really don't think keeping the subscription long term is necessary.0 -
Star, Can you help me? I just linked BFM to MFP and now it shows I've exercised today (500cal). BFM is charging, havent worn it.
I set caloric goal to BFM 2075 in MFP.. what else?0 -
If its like Fitbit, that's the calories you've learnt by just being alive. Look on the help section - top of the page to find out about linking it to MFP.0
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