Heart rate watch vs. Bodybug

shimacrema
shimacrema Posts: 87
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone!

I am looking into getting a Polar F6. It is reasonable and according to the reviews it is pretty good. I also knpw how great the bodybug is. The only thing stopping me from getting that is the price at this time. My question is should I just save towards the Bodybug or should I go ahead and get the Polar?

Thanks for your time
Shima

Replies

  • MissyMorganFit
    MissyMorganFit Posts: 37
    The Bodybugg is SO very worth saving for! I have had mine about 2 months, & I am addicted to it. I previously used the heart rate monitor & there is simply NO comparison.
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    What are you going to be using it for? for just workout and calorie burn the F6 would be plenty
  • JUSTFORME2010
    JUSTFORME2010 Posts: 125 Member
    The only thing I think I really like about the bodybug is that it also helps you to keep track of calories you are burning as well right?? When reading the Polar just said heart rate. Depends on what you are looking for.
  • chelseagirlfl
    chelseagirlfl Posts: 207 Member
    My concern with the bodybug is that I think you have to have a monthly fee for use of there program..other wise it works like a heart rate monitor and calorie burned counter. I am so new too to these gadgets and hope you get a good response. Unfortunately for me...the Bodybug which they use on LOSING IT is so expensive...
  • lilay
    lilay Posts: 122
    I don't have either but I have been looking into getting a Polar FT7. Then somebody posted this today and now I want a bodybugg :)

    http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-living-article/bodybugg-vs-fitbit-round-1-getting-going/946887
  • shimacrema
    shimacrema Posts: 87
    The Polar F6 does both heart rate and calories burned. I would be using both for calorie burn mainly. I know thats what the bodybug is really known for. I do believe their is a monthly fee for the bodybug. But if its worth it its worth it! :smile:

    @Missyransome what makes the bodybug so great compared to the heartrate monitor?

    @Chelsea the price is what is holding me back lol but if its worth it I will hold out. A lot of my fellow Turbo girls use it.

    Thanks everyone
  • glfprncs2
    glfprncs2 Posts: 625 Member
    FYI...the Bodybugg does NOT calculate heart rate, so would not be beneficial if you are wanting to use it to stay within a specific 'zone' during your workout.

    I wear one, and have worn both the HRM and BB during workouts and find that the calories burned during workouts to be very close. That said, the Bodybugg was really an eye-opener to me when I realized how many calories I burn during the day at my job. It's been very helpful to me in determining appropriate nutrition levels (calories in versus calories burned) for the workout programs I'm doing.
  • JBennis1013
    JBennis1013 Posts: 377 Member
    I have the Body Bugg. I loved it for a while then got tired of it. You should really wear the body bugg all day long and it gets annoying always having this thing on your arm. Especially during the summer you wear short sleeves and you have this dumb looking thing around your arm and of course everyone has to be nosey and ask what it is. The monthly fee gets pricey too after a while. I mean it worked well when I used it, but found it to be more of a hassle. Hope this helps
  • amyday1
    amyday1 Posts: 35
    I have the Polar F6, I like it, It keeps me right on target for a good fat burn. the strap can be a pain sometimes. but otherwise i went for this because of price. and its a cute pink watch. : )
  • shimacrema
    shimacrema Posts: 87
    @ glfprncs2 I know the bodybug only calculates calories and thats what I mainly what either for. I am glad to know that you have had both and the caloric burn comes close in comparison. Thanks

    @amyday1 Pink is my favorited color !
  • JUSTFORME2010
    JUSTFORME2010 Posts: 125 Member
    While I was looking for a bodybugg I saw this as well and it is a little less money.

    http://www.bodymedia.com/Shop/Learn-More/What-is-BodyMedia-FIT
  • shimacrema
    shimacrema Posts: 87
    Thanks @lilay for that article.

    I have also looked at the fitbit but knew I didn't want that after comparing the two myself.

    My main concern with the heart monitor is accuracy. Is it as accurate as the Bodybug that is the question.
  • glfprncs2
    glfprncs2 Posts: 625 Member
    Thanks @lilay for that article.

    I have also looked at the fitbit but knew I didn't want that after comparing the two myself.

    My main concern with the heart monitor is accuracy. Is it as accurate as the Bodybug that is the question.

    I've seen some pretty crazy readings on FB of people doing programs such as Insanity/Turbo Fire saying they burned 1000+ calories in 50 minutes. Honesly, I don't think it's possible....and their HRMs may be set improperly. In general, I find that a 100 calorie/10 minute burn is quite good. I'm fortunate that my Polar F4 (CHEAP) reads similar numbers as my Bodybugg (though it is a bit higher than the Bodybugg during workouts)
  • shimacrema
    shimacrema Posts: 87
    thanks again glfprncs2 that helps so much!

    thank you all for the help!
  • cdsledge09
    cdsledge09 Posts: 167 Member
    I have the Bodybugg and a cheaper HRM by Sportline. I find that my heart rate monitor comes in at about 100-150 more calories per work out than the bodybugg. The bodybugg has been very useful, in that it tells you what you're doing all day. I have had a few moments where I was like.. WTH!! It seems that I burn almost as many calories, according to the bodybugg, when I'm standing in the kitchen cooking, for an hour, as I do at a body blasting Crossfit 30-35 minute workout. I have questioned whether that could be right, or not, but judging from my weight loss I would have to guess that its spot on. I enjoy using the bodybugg except their food data base is a real pain. It isn't very expansive and unlike MFP it doesn't give you many options for saving serving sizes. I end up using both systems to log my food.
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
    If you want to spend less on a body bugg you should visit gowearfit.com, this is the parent company and they make the gowearfit, the bodybugg and diabetic monitors. The body bugg is about $100 more and does exactly the same thing as the gowear.
    I got my gowear and the display for less than just the body bugg.

    As far as the "pricey" monthly fee, it's only $7 bucks.

    It does not count heart rate but like previously stated it is an eye opener and the only time I did not like the information I was getting and quit using it was after an accident earlier this year and I gained some weight back but if you use the tool and the alarms it is a great motivator for me. I am not satisfied until I have reached all my goals for the day and my display beeps to let me know each time!
  • cdsledge09
    cdsledge09 Posts: 167 Member
    If you want to spend less on a body bugg you should visit gowearfit.com, this is the parent company and they make the gowearfit, the bodybugg and diabetic monitors. The body bugg is about $100 more and does exactly the same thing as the gowear.
    I got my gowear and the display for less than just the body bugg.

    As far as the "pricey" monthly fee, it's only $7 bucks.

    It does not count heart rate but like previously stated it is an eye opener and the only time I did not like the information I was getting and quit using it was after an accident earlier this year and I gained some weight back but if you use the tool and the alarms it is a great motivator for me. I am not satisfied until I have reached all my goals for the day and my display beeps to let me know each time!


    You are correct about the gowear and it is supposed to have a better interface for the food log. I just didn't want to order it because they aren't sold in stores. I hate paying shipping and handling. Mine was 185 and came with 6 months online access which made the bodybugg and gowear the same price (considering you have to buy the online access separate from the price of the gowear.) I believe they're running neck and neck in terms of costs, as of lately. I think that I would probably have gotten the gowear had I realized the food database is so weird on the bodybugg and if I weren't so ridiculously opposed to paying for shipping and handling. LOL!! :laugh: I didn't get the monitor, but I am seriously considering getting one. I don't think that the bodybugg monitor comes with any alarms.
  • twilight1542
    twilight1542 Posts: 403
    I know a little about the bb & it seems like it would be most effective if you plan to wear it all day everyday. That seems like a pain in the *kitten*! I got my F6 more than a year ago & not only am I completely happy w/it but feel no desire to purchase a bb. I log all my food/beverages here on MFP & use my F6 to track calories burned while working out & doing active activities (like gardening, housework, yard work). With it's help I have lost 102lbs in 1 year. What I really like is that it is way more accurate then the machines @ the gym & online estimates so I feel comfortable eating all my exercise calories :)
  • pressica
    pressica Posts: 361
    I love my Gowear Fit. It has opened my eyes up trememdously. The Gowear Fit and the Body Bugg are identical. The only reason they have different names is because 24 hour fitness bought the rights to Body Bugg. I have heard bad reviews about buying the wrist watch though because it seems to be inaccurate. I would recommend just buying the armband.

    Although the food list is annoying on the website, I usually just log my food on MFP, and then use the daily calorie entry and enter the entire amount. I have not had my GWF for long, but I love it. I move more on the days that I wear it. Once I bought my GWF, I sold my heart rate monitor. I didn't need it anymore.

    I remember last Christmas there were a lot of sales on the Body Bugg/GWF. Costco had the GWF for sale and included 6 months membership free. Maybe you can save up for the Christmas sales? As far as the monthly membership, if you do it for 12 months, it is only $7 a month. I don't think that's pricey at all.
  • tattoodfreek
    tattoodfreek Posts: 520 Member
    I have a BB and I love it! I wear mine all day every day, and I attribute a large portion of my success to it. Some days I burn way more than I expected, and some days less, and that really helps me to adjust my calories accordingly. Case in point: The other day I went to the gym and burned a little over 300 calories, which I logged into MFP. But I felt really lazy the rest of the day, and laid on the couch reading and watching tv, and doing little else. My burn for the whole day was only 1966, a mere 30 calories over my calories calculated on here for daily activity level (roughly 1934 as I am set to lightly active.) Without the BB, I would have assumed that I had burned around 2250 for the day, and would have eaten those additional calories. The HRM would have lulled me into a false sense of "safety." KWIM? There are also days where I am busy and don't get a workout in, but end up burning more than if I had worked out. I wouldn't realize that without it, and would eat too little.

    The BB monitor does have alarms that go off based on your goals.

    That being said, the monthly fee is a bit annoying, but if you get something worthwhile out of it, then it's hard to not justify it. I like that when I enter my weigh loss, it calculates what my TRUE caloric deficit was compared to what I logged. It also calculates lean body mass, and pounds / % of fat based on your body measurements. I find this to be a big motivator too. Sometimes, there may not be changes on the scale, but you can see your body fat go down. I like that. Their food log is awful though. I do not use it. I just compare MFP to my daily burn and then look at the "true deficit" and calculate the difference myself.
  • tattoodfreek
    tattoodfreek Posts: 520 Member
    I love my Gowear Fit. It has opened my eyes up trememdously. The Gowear Fit and the Body Bugg are identical. The only reason they have different names is because 24 hour fitness bought the rights to Body Bugg. I have heard bad reviews about buying the wrist watch though because it seems to be inaccurate. I would recommend just buying the armband.


    The display does have different algorithms than the arm band, because they are simplified to show a fast display. However, the display is accurate to within a few calories over the course of the day. We're talking like 5 or less calories that it may be off. I got my display free with my BB purchase, as well as 6 months subscription. I don't know if I'd say it would be worth the $100 to buy it separately. It's nice to be able to see where you're at without having to upload data, though.
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