BodyMedia Fit vs Fitbit?!?

I have been reading up on this lately. Looks like the fitbit comes in with the *best* reviews and affordability. I want to start there and work my way up to a "big boy" HRM lets say. Good luck!

I have a bodymedia fit, and it doesn't sync to MFP. No big deal, I sync to the computer and then put in the calories myself. Works just fine. I used to wear it all the time, but now wear just for workouts. Have a Polar HRM, but I think this is more accurate to be honest.

I also like using it to track my sleep - I don't sleep regularly and have struggled with waking up mutliple times each night (even after sleep studies). Not apnea, just restlessness. This helps me track it to a better degree.

The biggest downside if you wear it all the time is that it's noticible with certain clothes since it goes on your arm. Not sure about fitbit - I think that's less obvious.

Hope this helps!

From the BodyMediaFit Facebook page this morning: If you haven't already heard, we are now partnered with MyFitnessPal! Your calorie burn from BodyMedia will appear in your profile on MyFitnessPal, and the food logging you do on their site will show up in your Activity Manager!
*Be sure to have both a BodyMedia Armband and Activity Manager account set up, in addition to an account with MyFitnessPal. Then, head to your Activity Manger, under the Apps, and follow the directions to integrate!
We're so excited to be partnered with such a great organization and help everyone make living a healthy life easier!

I synced mine but it'll take some getting used to and I'm a little confused. I now show "You've earned 863 extra calories from exercise today" which is the difference from my calories consumed goal on my Activity Manager and my Estimated Calories Burned.

Anyone else sync theirs yet and figure this out?

UPDATE: When all else fails, read the "Help" LOL

What is the "BodyMedia Calorie Adjustment" in my exercise diary?

When the data reported by your BodyMedia armband shows that your daily calorie prediction from BodyMedia and your estimated daily calories from your MyFitnessPal account are different, we'll adjust your net calorie goal accordingly. The "BodyMedia Adjustment" represents the additional calories you have burned, above and beyond our original estimate. You may also see a negative adjustment if your activity level suggests you are less active than our MyFitnessPal estimate assumes. Because the adjustment value is recalculated every time your BodyMedia armband uploads new data, you should expect this value to change over the course of the day.

Thanks for the info! I was thrilled when I read about the linking... but then confused when I saw my "BodyMedia Calorie Adjustment". Your description was very clear, thank you!

Good thread and I have the same concerns. I went to best buy yesterday and didn't know where to start. I want something that mainly tracks how many calories I've burned. Steps taken is a bonus. Accuracy is a must definitely. My budget is pretty limited I'd say, if it's worth it then I'd get it.

One of the fitbit items I'm interested in is the Fitbit Ultra Wireless Activity Plus Sleep Tracker but that's over my spending budget. Willing to pull some strings though. Hoping people who have knowledge and input about these type of items can help me and others narrow it down. And definitely a plus if I can connect it to this site.

I have a Fitbit and I absolutely LOVE it. I'm the kind of person who needs to see the numbers every day, all the time. It's a stellar tiny little piece of technology. And affordable. I can't offer a comparison because I've never heard of the other one, but I do love this thing and would recommend it to anyone.

edit: it also helped me realise that I wasn't as stressed out as I thought I had been, I just wasn't sleeping properly! Super accurate. Worth every single penny.

I use the bodybugg and I love it..makes losing weight easy imo..

Fitbit ultras are not water or sweat proof, so if you plan on heavy exercise get the Fitbit one.. It's sweat proof! I should know... Killed. 3 ultras at the gym and getting it wet! X

No wants to add any more input?

bump

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.

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.

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)

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'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?