Fitbit (And Similar products)

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  • aleggett321
    aleggett321 Posts: 186 Member
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    I've got a Bodymedia Link. I prefer it to the Fitbit because I do lots of elevation and also slogging through really deep snow, snowshoeing, heavy pack hiking, etc and it takes the actual exertion (give or take) into account. Also it shows calorie burn for weight training. The $6/month subscription seems like a put off, but when you see all the data, it;'s pretty amazing. In addition to MFP, I have it linked to a bunch of other sites for rewards & challenges.
    very good point here. I don't think the fitbit would be as accurate for activities requiring a lot of exertion but few steps. Something else to consider.
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
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    I started out with the Body Media a little over a year ago but found as the weather warmed and I started wearing short sleeves I was very self conscious about wearing it. It is pretty bulky and "medical" looking. Went from there to the Fitbit One. I used the two devices side by side for two weeks and looked at the averages. The Body Media put calories burned higher by about 80 cals/day. The Fitbit read steps a little higher but only by an average of 100-150 steps per day. To me it was a wash.

    I "upgraded" to the Fitbit Flex after I found myself frequently forgetting to move the One to my workout pants when I changed clothes and therefore not logging my workout. duh! I want credit for those steps!

    I'm extremely happy with the Flex, it's generally a put it on and forget it device. I like that its shower proof which none of the other Fitbits are (including the Force). One downside in my opinion is that it does not count steps accurately when pushing a shopping cart or carrying heavy objects...anything where your arm isn't swinging. I put it in my pocket for the Costco/Target/grocery store trips.

    For me the calories burned is quite accurate as near as I can tell. It will give you your TDEE in a graph covering the last 30 days or weekly in an emailed "progress report". It's numbers correlate well with my actual weight loss.

    Sorry to be so long winded. I hope you'll be happy no matter which one you choose. I truly credit my weight loss to the motivation that a tracker gives me. Good luck!

    Just an FYI, a "hack" if you will for the medical appearance of the BodyMedia units. First off, the newer versions are pretty slim, and if you do keep it on your arm, people are generally really interested rather than weird out...

    BUT I did find out, when searching for ways to get it to better register cycling activity (stationary biking doesn't always generate enough movement for it) I learned that the solution many users employed was to have a larger band and to wear the unit on their calf instead.

    I ordered an XL band, put it around my upper calf, and it measured my burns to be about the same, but better captured my steps and my cycling :) I guess it wouldn't work if you wore shorts a lot and you wanted to hide it but really, why would you worry about that anyway?

    To each their own, everything really is just a tool, and I know there are a ton of options even compared to when I was shopping a year and a half ago. I just know that I really saw success with the 23/7 measuring method employed by BodyMedia.
  • ALNoog
    ALNoog Posts: 413 Member
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    I have an up and I love it!!

    I have major sleep issues as far as insomnia and when i do fall asleep I wake up and lot and hardly ever go into a deep sleep....

    I was able to confirm that with my up..


    The major bad reviews with the up are people complaining that they wore it while bathing or swimming and it quit working.. Which should be common sense since it's water resistant abs not water proof....

    Also of you aren't careful taking off and putting it on you will damage it

    And people complained that they fit funny.. Which they do at first BUT a week in mine adjusted perfect..
  • Fishshtick
    Fishshtick Posts: 120 Member
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    Fitbit one has been my daily companion for over a year. It has been a great fitness motivator for me. Rarely a day goes by without me completing my 10000 steps with at least part of that as running. When I started a few thousand walking steps made my feet and legs ache. The most important feature is that it integrates fairly smoothly with MFP to give me my calorie credit. I have had a fitbit Aria scale for over 6 months and again like its integration with MFP. I don't do sleep tracking but I can tell you one down side to being so regularly active. I have a hard time sleeping if I don't get in my steps. I just can't settle in. Conversely you might find that daily exercise helps you get more restful sleep.
  • chichic77
    chichic77 Posts: 24 Member
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    i have a withings pulse like someone else has mentioned. i absolutely love it. i used to have a fitbit, but i think i like the pulse a lot better :)
  • kmshred
    kmshred Posts: 393 Member
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    my boyfriend bought me a fitbit and its freaking awesome! highly recommend it. simple and easy to use, and collects loads of good data… pretty fun!
  • AstorMiles
    AstorMiles Posts: 88 Member
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    Not sure if anyone has posted this already, but just a heads-up that Fitbit Force wristbands are being recalled due to skin rashes:

    http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/21/tech/gaming-gadgets/fitbit-force-recall/

    And here is the letter from the CEO:

    http://www.fitbit.com/forcesupport

    I'm sure they'll work on the issue. It's a good product.
  • kmshred
    kmshred Posts: 393 Member
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    don't get the wrist band!! my bestie got one and it kept falling off, she ended up returning it. i have the clip thing and it works real well for me.
  • 3P0X
    3P0X Posts: 302
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    don't get the wrist band!! my bestie got one and it kept falling off, she ended up returning it. i have the clip thing and it works real well for me.

    Is the clip as accurate though?
  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
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    bodymedia fit crew checking in, makes cutting so easy, takes all the guesswork out
  • pangepange
    pangepange Posts: 49 Member
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    I have the Fitbit Flex. I've worn it every day since the end of January (no missed days), and I'm so motivated to get moving when I wear it. I really love the charts and stats.

    I bought the Aria scale as well and weigh in every day to keep my tracking honest.
  • silverraiyne
    silverraiyne Posts: 683 Member
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    I retract my earlier statements! Android did a system update and now my Polar H7 HRM pairs up with both my Loop and with my Runtastic app -- which pairs up with MFP. All I have to do is go get active and all the data will be transmitted automatically :-) Yay!

    **I had been very frustrated thinking I just spent about $200 on products that don't do what I wanted them to or had been lead to believe they could do**
  • ChristinWrites
    ChristinWrites Posts: 119 Member
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    I'm using a BodyMedia armband and I really like it. It was a bit of a learning curve getting it to sync properly with MFP and my phone, but once I got the hang of it I truly enjoy it.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
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    I first purchased the Fitbit One. I loved it, and I actually started to lose weight again after 8 months of being on a plateau. However, I did not trust it all that much. It only tracks you movement, nothing else. I then purchased the Bodymedia Armband - which does everything the fitbit does, except it has more accuracy since it goes up against your skin. I love it and it was the best investment I have ever made for myself.

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