Fitbit VS Bodymedia Fit

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  • cazzaroni
    cazzaroni Posts: 6 Member
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    I love my BMF and have had it for 2 years (I started with the BodyBugg). I have read some of the posts about it being clunky and visible...mine has never bothered me at all. I wear it all the time; playing baseball every weekend and even during a ridiculous obstacle course event (I wrapped the portion of my arm with saran wrap and medical tape to keep it dry). It was never a concern if it was visible or not, but it is mostly hidden by my shirts sleeves. Plus they now have a line of stickers you can buy to jazz it up.
  • Lois_1989
    Lois_1989 Posts: 6,410 Member
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    I think it all depends on your personality. I have a fitbit, and I've worn it everyday since I bought it. I'm not overly obsessed with it, I like to check it every now and then, if its low, I'll walk to the train station instead of getting the underground. But I'm not so obsessed I check it all the time.
    After reading this I almost thought I should have got the bodymedia, but I think it would take over my life! I love my fitbit because it gives enough information to keep me on track, but not so much that it would drive me crazy.

    If I were you, I would think about how much information you need to suit your personality. If you like general go fitbit, if you like precision go for the bodymedia.

    That's all I can offer for advice I'm afraid. Good luck! :happy:

    P.S. I sync my fitbit to my iPad and then go onto MFP and it will update it within a minute or so.
    Also, it won't register if you use a bike, so wearing it in the gym isn't much use if you use a bike.
  • Superdave24
    Superdave24 Posts: 158 Member
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    I'm sure by now you have enough information to go on but here's my take.

    I had a BMF for 30 days. I liked how it tracked my activity levels throughout the day it but the one thing I wanted it to do was to calculate my HR during the day and my workouts. BMF ONLY supports GARMIN products. I did a lot of research and was told by both GARMIN and BMF that this one specific chest strap would work. Sadly, it did not. I would have had to purchase the wristband as well for it to work and that was going to cost over $150+ or more.
    Long and short of it I returned it. I didn't see paying anymore more money to make this thing work and then turn around and have to pay BMF's monthly fee for monitorinig everything for you.

    Instead, I bought a ZEPHYER HR band from Amazon and downloaded ENDOMONDO (which syncs with MFP) and it does what i want it to do. And the App is not expensive. Its free but to enjoy all the features its like $20 a year.

    Good luck

    Superdave
  • kristafb
    kristafb Posts: 770 Member
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    I have had a fitbit for about 2 months now & love it!! I also have an older Polar F4 with a chest strap that I use for workouts that aren't walk/run oriented. I love that the fitbit doesn't have a subscription fee for its site,unless you want the premier membership, I like the small size and I can wear it all day,even at work, where we aren't allowed electronic devices on the floor,because I can hide it in my bra :). I've worn my fitbit while wearing my hrm to test how accurate the calorie burn is for walking & running & I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was actually quite accurate.

    Its definately a personal preference though.
  • Tbias78
    Tbias78 Posts: 120 Member
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    Did you follow the instructions on the HRM?? Wet the strap, etc...?

    My dad always says HRMs were hard for him to use because they don't trasmit well for him. It's not the HRM's fault, it's the person's body haha.

    Yep, followed all the instructions, contacted Polar and they are sending a new transmitter, so we will see :)
  • sbrownallison
    sbrownallison Posts: 314 Member
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    I've used the Fitbit One for six months and wear it every day. Because it synchs with My Fitness Pal (MFP), I enter food, exercise and weight on MFP and the info is shared between MFP and Fitbit. MFP is a FREE site and has a terrific food database (better in my opinion than the Fitbit one) and their mobile site is much better than the Fitbit one. The Fitbit is easy to wear everyday and unobtrusive; you can clip it inside or outside your clothing. Unlike a pedometer, you don't have to wear it in a certain place on your body. I love to look at my progress throughout the day and be motivated to move more. I would not consider a device that cost a monthly fee; the Fitbit site is free at basic level, so even if you didn't want to use MFP, you would have access to a free site to enter your data.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
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    I've used the Fitbit One for six months and wear it every day. Because it synchs with My Fitness Pal (MFP), I enter food, exercise and weight on MFP and the info is shared between MFP and Fitbit. MFP is a FREE site and has a terrific food database (better in my opinion than the Fitbit one) and their mobile site is much better than the Fitbit one. The Fitbit is easy to wear everyday and unobtrusive; you can clip it inside or outside your clothing. Unlike a pedometer, you don't have to wear it in a certain place on your body. I love to look at my progress throughout the day and be motivated to move more. I would not consider a device that cost a monthly fee; the Fitbit site is free at basic level, so even if you didn't want to use MFP, you would have access to a free site to enter your data.

    But the subs ription fee firbBMF is peanuts. I think well worth it for the extra data and accuracy.
  • CariS001
    CariS001 Posts: 169 Member
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    I've owned both. I MUCH prefer the fitbit for two reasons
    #1 - discretion... I'm not keen on wearing a band on my arm if I'm in a dress... and I like to wear my tracking device everywhere!
    #2 - subscription... I hated paying for a subscription to USE what I've already bought! So, fitbit wins my vote!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I just posted this picture in a new thread, but here are my results over the past ~2.5 months by eating about 400-500 calories fewer than the Fitbit says I've burned:

    lean-fat2.png

    Seems like it's got to be pretty accurate with results like that, don't you think?
  • MrsGriffin67
    MrsGriffin67 Posts: 485 Member
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    I also just wanted to add that the BodyMedia is an FDA registered medical device.
  • aliann30
    aliann30 Posts: 291 Member
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    I just posted this picture in a new thread, but here are my results over the past ~2.5 months by eating about 400-500 calories fewer than the Fitbit says I've burned:

    lean-fat2.png

    Seems like it's got to be pretty accurate with results like that, don't you think?

    That is AWESOME!!! I've been reading about both today - leaning towards the Fitbit but nervous about the accuracy. Seriously, I think you just made up my mind!!! :bigsmile:

    Edited to ask: Has anyone with the fitbit had issues with it counting steps during a car ride? I've read reviews saying that and I'm wondering if that was an issue with the Fitbit One, or just the Ultra?
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I just posted this picture in a new thread, but here are my results over the past ~2.5 months by eating about 400-500 calories fewer than the Fitbit says I've burned:

    lean-fat2.png

    Seems like it's got to be pretty accurate with results like that, don't you think?

    That is AWESOME!!! I've been reading about both today - leaning towards the Fitbit but nervous about the accuracy. Seriously, I think you just made up my mind!!! :bigsmile:

    Edited to ask: Has anyone with the fitbit had issues with it counting steps during a car ride? I've read reviews saying that and I'm wondering if that was an issue with the Fitbit One, or just the Ultra?

    It's never been an issue for me. However, if for some reason it is, it's easy enough to override those steps by adding an activity for that time period. There's a new app called DriverBit that can do this automatically, too.
  • ReasonableAssumption
    ReasonableAssumption Posts: 25
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    Good question. What is the answer? Do I need to buy a fit bit or a HRM to calculate my calories?
  • stephv38
    stephv38 Posts: 203 Member
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    want this info too!
  • JunkDrawer2x4
    JunkDrawer2x4 Posts: 3
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    Bodymedia measures your movement on the same 3 axes as a FitBit, but it has sensors on the back that measure your skin temp, heat flux (sweatyness), etc. in addition to what FitBit measures.

    I did my research on it as well and ended up going with the BodyMedia. I LOVE it! I play roller derby with it on - it's really durable. And I've gotten so used to the strap that I don't even notice it - though it is definitely more noticeable than the FitBits. Also, when I do wear it with no sleeves, it serves as a good conversation starter. :)
  • JunkDrawer2x4
    JunkDrawer2x4 Posts: 3
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    I researched this to death before I chose. I ended up going with the Body Media. It is an unobtrusive arm band that is well hidden under my shirt sleeves even with short sleeves on, however as a guy our short sleeves don't tend to be as short.

    Body Media actually takes five hundred scientific measurments about what your body is really doing every single minute fo the day. Tht's five hundred data points per minute. The fit bit is a pedometer with some inteligent software behind it but is guessing your burn based on a formula and your steps. While the Body Media is aware of your movement in three dimensions, your body temperature flux (How hard you are working) your sweat levels, (through galvanic skin resistances) and your heat output.

    It adds to the data some very smart formualas and gets a lot closer to your actual burn within 10%.

    It syncs with MFP so I use MFP to input my food and Body Media to track my exercise. Then I use Body Media to print out an amazing report for the day week or month that tells me down to the minute what I was burning. (2.4 Cals per minute sleeping, up to 25 cals a minute at full tilt exercise!) You can graph your workouts and zoom into a mere moment or back way out and see a graph of the whole day. so you can analyze your exercise effectiveness. Body Media also tracks your sleep patterns and effectveness, as well as food water etc... I love mine! I being an analytical guy hooked on numbers and science etc... Found it VERY helpful and I do not believe I would have made the progress I have made without it. I could look down at the LCD screen that receives real time updates form the arm band and see exactly what I was doing during a workout. I reset the trip meter right before I start working out and throughout the workout it flashes between calories per minute averaged since the reset and the total burn since the reset. It obviously also counts your steps, but it does so much more than that. So I can set a caloric burn goal for the workout and go until I hit it. It's also compatible with a number of smart phones (that then run the Body media App) for even better access to your current data. But my phone is one that it will not work on.

    If you want real accuracy and access to as much or as little real data a you want the Body Media is my recommendation.

    No.

    The fitbit measures your movement the exact same way as the Bodymedia: with a 3-axis accelerometer.

    Bodymedia measures your movement on the same 3 axes as a FitBit, but it has sensors on the back that measure your skin temp, heat flux (sweatyness), etc. in addition to what FitBit measures.

    I did my research on it as well and ended up going with the BodyMedia. I LOVE it! I play roller derby with it on - it's really durable. And I've gotten so used to the strap that I don't even notice it - though it is definitely more noticeable than the FitBits. Also, when I do wear it with no sleeves, it serves as a good conversation starter. :)
  • lorigem
    lorigem Posts: 446 Member
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    Just wanted to cast a vote for BodyMedia. I have the LINK and while it is on the biggish side, I don't mind one bit. People come up to me all the time to ask me what it is and I proudly tell them. I even wear it with my dress - no shame here. And I love, love, love the mobile app - so awesome.

    It is very accurate and it has not left an indention in my arm - I've also been wearing it for months.
  • CkepiJinx
    CkepiJinx Posts: 613 Member
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    I have the body media I love it
  • skuehn84
    skuehn84 Posts: 14 Member
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    Check your HRM batteries. I couldn't get my to work when it was BRAND NEW and found Polar supplied the wrong batteries. Once I switched to the correct one's the HRM worked awesome.
  • delaniecastillo
    delaniecastillo Posts: 284
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    I have a BodyMedia Link and love it but you will need to buy a HRM to sync with it. I think they recommend Garmin?

    Either way, I am glad I made the choice to go with Bodymedia.

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