FitBit/Fuelband/?? --Challenging my boyfriend!

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little_eskimo
little_eskimo Posts: 8 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello! So in the middle of January I'm moving to Spain for six months to study abroad. While I'm gone, my boyfriend and I both really want to get back into shape (we kind of let ourselves go this past semester...indulged in a little too much alcohol and dessert...oops :drinker: :tongue:). He mentioned that we could both get Nike Fuelbands and "compete" with each other to see who is more active.

I have also heard of the FitBit a lot and that it does similar things as the Fuelbands. And I know there are other products as well.

So from people who use the FitBit, Fuelband, or something else: which activity tracker would you recommend and WHY?

Things that are important to me/us:
-accuracy
-ability to compare our "stats" while in different countries
-affordable
-wide variety of activities monitored/stats provided
-good for both girls & guys (don't even know if this is relevant, but who knows!)

If possible, I think I'd like to buy us whatever we decide on within the next week and a half and give him his for a Christmas present when I go out to visit his family over New Years!

Thanks everyone for your help!

Replies

  • little_eskimo
    little_eskimo Posts: 8 Member
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    anyone??
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    I have a Fitbit Flex and an UP by Jawbone, and the UP has way more of a social component. The Fitbit app just has a tab where I can see my friends' steps ranked. UP shows me my friends' feeds, and lets me comment on any item. (UP & Fitbit both track sleep, so if you get UPs you'll see in your feed when your BF wakes up.)

    Hopefully someone will chime in about the Fuelband.

    Edited to add that both UP & Fitbit sync w/ MFP (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps) to show the MFP meal name (which you can set at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings) and the aggregate macros for the entire meal. (If your BF doesn't use MFP, he can either log his food in the activity tracker app or skip the whole thing.) And they both adjust your MFP exercise calories: http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1084232-what-is-the-calorie-adjustment-in-my-exercise-diary-
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    I can't edit again, but there shouldn't be a ")" at the end of each of my first 2 links. Sorry about that!

    Edited to add:
    Linking UP & MFP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/97
    Linking Fitbit & MFP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    I use a Fitbit because it's discrete. I wear the One clipped to my bra. Even the Flex is too clunky for my wrist so the Fuelband would be out of the question. They look like prison anklets or something to me.
  • little_eskimo
    little_eskimo Posts: 8 Member
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    Thanks for the input guys! I'll look into the Jawbone UP, too. I suppose I can ask him for his input, too, because he's super techy and loves researching that stuff :tongue:
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    I can't get the img tag to work, but here's a screenshot of what you'll see if you & BF get Fitbits:

    http://blog.wirefly.com/sites/default/files/images/pictures/u51/friends big.jpeg
  • little_eskimo
    little_eskimo Posts: 8 Member
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    ^Thanks! That looks quite cool...!
  • jenmck5
    jenmck5 Posts: 126 Member
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    I don't think the Nike Fuel band works with MFP. It didn't when we purchased our fitbit in June. I love my fitbit one and would buy it again. I don't understand the Nike Fuel points very well or how to incorporate it into my diet at mfp.
  • luckydays27
    luckydays27 Posts: 552 Member
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    I have the One as does my husband. Its accurate, discrete, syncs with MFP and so far I have lost 36 lbs in the 8 months that I have had it. It motivates me to stay active on days that I want to eat more food.

    When I was researching devices, FB came out on top. The One (clipped to clothes or in pocket) came out higher than the Flex (wrist worn) as well in my own side by side comparison for accuracy in step counting. My husband did have the Force for a few weeks to compare to the One and found the Force (also a wrist worn device) overestimated steps by viewing arm movements as steps.

    All of the activity trackers out there (from what I remember) cannot measure your heart rate. They are only good at measuring step based activities. Walking, dancing, jogging, etc. Cycling, swimming, weight training are better measured with a heart rate monitor.
  • little_eskimo
    little_eskimo Posts: 8 Member
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    I have the One as does my husband. Its accurate, discrete, syncs with MFP and so far I have lost 36 lbs in the 8 months that I have had it. It motivates me to stay active on days that I want to eat more food.

    When I was researching devices, FB came out on top. The One (clipped to clothes or in pocket) came out higher than the Flex (wrist worn) as well in my own side by side comparison for accuracy in step counting. My husband did have the Force for a few weeks to compare to the One and found the Force (also a wrist worn device) overestimated steps by viewing arm movements as steps.

    All of the activity trackers out there (from what I remember) cannot measure your heart rate. They are only good at measuring step based activities. Walking, dancing, jogging, etc. Cycling, swimming, weight training are better measured with a heart rate monitor.

    Thank you so much! That helps a lot! I already own a good Polar HRM, so I use that for all my exercise anyway, but it will be easier for us to compare just day-to-day activity with the FitBit, I think :)

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