Nike Fuel Band, is it accurate?

lostsouls65
lostsouls65 Posts: 36 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have just treated myself to a Nike Fuel Band, Does anyone else use this gadget and is it accurate? How do you transfer the calorie loss on to MFP? Can any one shed some light?

Replies

  • itsDapps
    itsDapps Posts: 11 Member
    hi mate i aslo have a Fuelband i think its great .. as of yet their is no way to transfer it through my fitnesspall
  • Sicler
    Sicler Posts: 18
    Santa just got me the LiveStrong Nike+SportBand and was wondering the same thing. Anyone have any tips on it?
  • anonymousKel
    anonymousKel Posts: 92 Member
    I like mine...the only thing is I do a lot of varied exercise so only "run" once or twice a week depending on weather so would like to know how to get all my workouts covered...maybe if I read the leaflet eh! Also I have 4 pairs of shoes depending on the activity so would like to take it out of the running show and use it with the others.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    I have one. It's cool but honestly the only thing accurate about it is the clock.
  • lostsouls65
    lostsouls65 Posts: 36 Member
    I have one. It's cool but honestly the only thing accurate about it is the clock.

    The gadget just sits there, I pick it up and it says its burnt 3 calories???? wth?
  • lindsyrox
    lindsyrox Posts: 257 Member
    Not to offend anyone but when i saw them at the nike store and talked to the sales associate about it it seemed like a total load of crap. There are so many activities it can't account for and without a HRM it has no real input to base calorie burn on. I'd return it and get a HRM watch, it will track your calorie burn regardless of if you're running swimming biking etc, and actually uses hard data (your age weight height sex and heart rate) to calculate your calorie burn.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    The gadget just sits there, I pick it up and it says its burnt 3 calories???? wth?

    It works off of an accelerometer (motion). So it doesn't know the difference between you moving with it on your wrist or taking it off your wrist and tossing it up in the air like a Frisbee.
  • lindsyrox
    lindsyrox Posts: 257 Member
    That was my concern, I do a lot of mt biking so i'm doubtful it would pick up hardly any of my movements and would give a useless calorie burn.
  • summesun
    summesun Posts: 1
    @llndsyrox It is not recommended for bikers or swimmers since you do not move your hands/arms much while biking and it is water resistant not water proof.

    Also it's not for the serious trainer. It is meant to keep people active by setting a goal and moving to meet it. I used it along with the Nike running app on my iPhone since the website syncs info from both. Those two things kept me moving and myfitnesspal kept my calories down. The Nike website also allows you to add friends so you can have workout challenges.
  • kabertrand63
    kabertrand63 Posts: 111 Member
    I just ordered one. Mostly cuz I think it's cool and a motivator. I wanted to get the Amiigo, that gadget is amazing and pre-orders start in January for shipping in April. So, I couldn't wait. I decided against the fitbit cuz I know it will end up in the wash. I need something on my wrist or something that doesn't need to be put on or taken off my clothes. The Amiigo will be much less and will track everything, and is waterproof for the swimmers. Pretty cool.
  • racingred24
    racingred24 Posts: 8 Member
    I've ordered my fuelband, get it on Friday, as for the cycling, you can take it and strap it to your shoe laces and then you will get the motion you need to make it work.
    I think it will be a great motivator, also it looks so cool with the LED lights. lol
    I love gadgets...
    Does anyone have the Nike+Sportwatch gps? i'm looking into that also....
  • madmags
    madmags Posts: 1,340 Member
    There is no device that can truely track calories burned. People mention getting an HRM, but that only works during aerobic exercise. If you lift weights it will not account for the true calories burned. All of these devices are to give you a base line to improve from, if you like the fuel band, stick with it and try to increase your numbers. If you had a HRM you should do the same. Happy New Year.
  • kabertrand63
    kabertrand63 Posts: 111 Member
    HRM is very accurate as it's measuring your own heart rate and even during lifting weights, it should be correct. your workout is as good as your heart rate so...not how much you sweat or anything. But, you are right, use what motivates you and be happy :)

    Happy New Year!
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    I use it to measure my all day long activity - I set my lifestyle to sedentary because I have a desk job. I just log the calories as "nike fuel" under cardiovascular. It doesn't matter if I run, yoga or walk I record it. I have been wearing it every day since March, I sync it on line or on my iPHone As I lost weight I made sure I adjust ed my profile at nike.com.

    Since wearing it, I have increased my activity significantly. The nike.com will show you how you compare in your group and to all other nike fuel band users. Pretty cool stuff for me.
  • kabertrand63
    kabertrand63 Posts: 111 Member
    Seems like we'd have to entere in activity above our BMR, we can't get credit for all of the activity during the day, it seems to me, that'd be too much. Can't wait to get mine! One more thing for me to obsess with :)
  • madmags
    madmags Posts: 1,340 Member
    I understand that people believe that you can calculate your calories burned on your heart rate or oxygen used, for weight lifting but it is not accurate. Unfortunately this has been the common standard for measuring calories burned, but more recent studies have proven that it does not calculate for weight resistant exercise. Because weight resistance is not an aerobic exercise you wouldn't measure it like one. Here is a article that describes what I mean. http://www.builtlean.com/2011/05/30/get-cardiovascular-benefits-without-doing-cardio-heres-how/
  • kabertrand63
    kabertrand63 Posts: 111 Member
    My fuel band is coming in 2 days but I'll be away all week :( I can't wait to see what my normal activity is ... just a fun gadget!
  • MissSusieQ
    MissSusieQ Posts: 533 Member
    fitbit FTW!
  • kabertrand63
    kabertrand63 Posts: 111 Member
    I looked at that and don't want to have something on me that I have to remember to take off every day. I know it will end up in the wash! There's an awesome bracelet coming out (preorders soon) from Amiigo ... I just didn't want to wait.
  • kellyirisheyes
    kellyirisheyes Posts: 137 Member
    I use it to measure my all day long activity - I set my lifestyle to sedentary because I have a desk job. I just log the calories as "nike fuel" under cardiovascular. It doesn't matter if I run, yoga or walk I record it. I have been wearing it every day since March, I sync it on line or on my iPHone As I lost weight I made sure I adjust ed my profile at nike.com.

    Since wearing it, I have increased my activity significantly. The nike.com will show you how you compare in your group and to all other nike fuel band users. Pretty cool stuff for me.

    same here. I wear and sync mine every day. when I first got it, I wore it along with my other HRM and it was pretty consistent.
    at least for me.
  • kabertrand63
    kabertrand63 Posts: 111 Member
    That's what I want, a bit more motivation. I'm a runner and do it 5-6 times a week, unless I'm traveling a lot for work. I think it's cool and I love my gadgets! I think for MFP getting add'l calories, you can log anything over your BMR. Otherwise, will be overstation exercise calories.
  • Lollyvoddy
    Lollyvoddy Posts: 194 Member
    I've ordered my fuelband, get it on Friday, as for the cycling, you can take it and strap it to your shoe laces and then you will get the motion you need to make it work.
    I think it will be a great motivator, also it looks so cool with the LED lights. lol
    I love gadgets...
    Does anyone have the Nike+Sportwatch gps? i'm looking into that also....

    I have the Nike+Sportwatch, and HRM. It's my favourite thing ever.
  • shanmackie
    shanmackie Posts: 194 Member
    i can't imagine it'd be too accurate since it's just sitting on your wrist. i have a bodymedia armband and i feel like that's more accurate than the fitbit which i also have.
  • kabertrand63
    kabertrand63 Posts: 111 Member
    People that have it on different forums say it's pretty accurate. Of course, nothing is as accurate as an HRM. I have one of those too but don't want to wear a chest strap all the time.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    i can't imagine it'd be too accurate since it's just sitting on your wrist. i have a bodymedia armband and i feel like that's more accurate than the fitbit which i also have.
    Thinking of getting a BMF. What do you think of it.
  • kenduerden
    kenduerden Posts: 31
    I know someone who has one and leaves it on his vibration platform when he is running low on points! Kinda defeats the point don't you think.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    I know someone who has one and leaves it on his vibration platform when he is running low on points! Kinda defeats the point don't you think.

    That is an all new self-denial low! But kinda funny... there are several new bracelets/watches coming out in 2013... I think you have to figure out which one works best for you. For me, the nike fuel band does what I need it to do. If I was body building or a swimmer, I would get a device that worked during those activities and just wear the Nike fuel band when I wasn't doing those activities. It's just one tool that works for a lot of us who have to get in their exercise with 10 to 20 minute walks along with Yoga or similar.

    If you google Nike fuel band /jawbone ups/amigo there are some good comparative reveiws out on the WWW....
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    I know someone who has one and leaves it on his vibration platform when he is running low on points! Kinda defeats the point don't you think.

    That is an all new self-denial low! But kinda funny... there are several new bracelets/watches coming out in 2013... I think you have to figure out which one works best for you. For me, the nike fuel band does what I need it to do. If I was body building or a swimmer, I would get a device that worked during those activities and just wear the Nike fuel band when I wasn't doing those activities. It's just one tool that works for a lot of us who have to get in their exercise with 10 to 20 minute walks along with Yoga or similar.

    If you google Nike fuel band /jawbone ups/amigo there are some good comparative reveiws out on the WWW....

    I read on a post from someone who has the new Basis that he wasn't impressed with it.
  • kabertrand63
    kabertrand63 Posts: 111 Member
    So...I couldn't WAIT to get my fuel band. I finally got it about a week ago and I was totally bored with it. I felt like the calories were way wrong and the steps were interesting but since I run, it didn't give me the motivation I was looking for. It also was kinda ugly wearing it at work...so, I returned it.

    Looking at Amiigo or something else.
  • KellyNoblit
    KellyNoblit Posts: 1
    Nike states that calories are calculated on movement, not basal or resting metabolic rate. I found that I was not even burning the equivalent of the recommended caloric intake, which makes sense... it is calculating movement. Resting/Basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories that you burn at rest... for example sitting on the couch all day. So, if MFP bases your caloric needs based solely on your resting or basal metabolic rate and Nike+ Fuelband does not use rmr or bmr and solely bases your caloric burn on movement, then it would seem that anything the Fuelband calculates would be entered as exercise. This does not mean that either is dead on accurate, but together they give you something to compare and measure.

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