FitBit or HRM?

I've had a Fitbit Zip. Loved it. I got it in April of 2013 and it still works even though it's been through the wash once. I gave it to my mom last year when I bought the Fitbit Flex. I had bad luck with the Flex and in December ended up getting a Garmin VivoFit. Along with Fitbit, I had also been using a Pyle Sports HRM ($30 HRM with chest strap) to help with calorie burns for activities that I needed to manually log.

I love the VivoFit band. It's an awesome tracker. However, I'm not sure how I feel about the software that goes with it. Garmin Connect (software that goes to VivoFit and other Garmin devices) has been having issues since Jan 1st. I'm waiting to see if it's from the overload of traffic this month or if it's a regular problem. If it's a regular problem I will go back to Fitbit and probably get the ChargeHR or Surge (models with built in HRM).

One of the things I love about the VivoFit is it's ability to be linked to a HRM. I actually bought my band and HRM separately (it was cheaper than the bundle because of sales last month).

I like the fact that the step goal automatically adjusts (if setting is enabled) depending on how many steps I've been getting. If I miss a goal a few days in a row, it lowers a bit. If I make the goal, it raises it a bit. Fitbit can do this too, but it's part of their paid program.

The sleep tracking function is poor compared to Fitbit and other devices like Jawbone. Fitbit will show you total time in sleep mode, how long you were actually asleep (little to no movement) and how many times you were restless. Garmin VivoFit just tells you total time in sleep mode with a graph of how much movement there was.

The badges are not as fun as Fitbit's. Fitbit would give badges for reaching 5k steps in a day and so on. On the page where you would view all your badges, if you hovered over say the 5k one, it would tell you how many times you earned it. Garmin's badges so far are just for lifetime steps traveled.

I loved that fitbit would send out weekly summary emails. The emails told you stuff like if your step count was higher or lower than the week before and how well you were following your calorie in/out plan. Garmin doesn't do this.

I love the move bar on the VivoFit. It's a nice reminder to get up and move for awhile. One thing I have noticed is that you have to do continuous movement to get the bar to go away. Anything that has you moving and then pausing for a few seconds won't remove the bar. Usually walking for about 60 secs does the trick.

It's a little hard to read the display at night since it doesn't have a black light. The VivoFit2, which was just released, however does have a black light. Essentially the VivoFit2 is the replacement to the original VivoFit where Garmin added in some requested features. The normal price for VivoFit was $129 last year and the VivoFit2 is the same price.

Both Fitbit and VivoFit can sync with MFP. Both also have issues syncing with MFP from time to time. I think just about every app that is partnered with MFP has issue syncing every once in awhile. When this happens, I just look at my calorie burn on the device dashboard and subtract the calories needed for my deficit. It may not look pretty on MFP, but at least I know that I'm eating enough to fuel my workouts and still have enough of a deficit to lose weight.

Before you make the decision to purchase one way or the other; what types of exercise and/or equipment will you be using?

I am using a Treadmill, Stepper & a Rower. I have a Fitbit One. Because this exercise must be difficult for the Fitbit to sort out; my totals are all over the place. Off by many thousands doing the same things every day. I just purchased it ~ a week ago and will probably return it. I have the return label printed...but haven't made a final decision. If there was a smart watch on the market that wasn't huge on the wrist - I would go that direction. I am waiting for Apple Watch, and just recently saw that Garmin has the Vivoactive for sale (and order fulfillment is 5-8 weeks). I havent looked up how large the Vivo is.

I do have a HRM; two in fact. I've been using the RunKeeper App, which displays my HR, and HR zone (also gives me 5 minute audio cues). As soon as I update my Blackberry for an iPhone; I hope to also run the Wahoo app to see how many calories I burn. Runkeeper doesnt calculate that for me. It was the first app I started using and I don't want to give up my consecutive history. My main purpose for the HRM was to know what zone I am in. (I never leave 80+%, except for my sissy rowing).

AmberLeeMichigan wrote: »

I'd like to get an accurate calorie burn, so I'm thinking that is the way to go.

Accurate calorie approximation... hmm

It really depends what type of activities you do and what your general activity is like.

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sijomial wrote: »

Different tools for different jobs.
Neither count calories!

Sorry dude but the Polar FT7 does count calories burnt, I have one.

DeeTee68 wrote: »

Sorry dude but the Polar FT7 does count calories burnt, I have one.

Umm. How about no. It will calculate calories burnt based on estimation of effort using the data from Heart rate, duration, time, distance (if GPS enabled), cadence but it does not count. As stated previously the type of activity greatly impacts the accuracy of this calculation as well as number of data sources.

I'm with the others. Write down what features are important to you and what activity you do, and find the one that best fits your needs.

I have a Fitbit Flex. It does not have some of the features I want, but it is one of the very few that is immersible in water which is very important on my list since I am in the pool 6 hrs. a week for workouts (laps and an exercise class). I would love one with a HRM and was looking at the Jawbone UP3, but it does not sync to a PC, only an android phone which I don't have.

I love the Fitbit website and their customer service and would not hesitate to upgrade or replace with another Fitbit, as long as it is water resistant.

I have both a fit bit one and a Polar FT7 I bought after the fitbit one. I still use the fit bit one but for my gym workouts I use and track w the Polar FT7. It is only worn during workouts and not through out the day like the fitbit one is. For you money, you have to decide what you are doing for exercise and what you are trying to track. Fitbit only counts steps taken and flights of stairs if you want your sleep. Polar FT7 will give you cals burn time worked out, average and max heartrate and fitness burn minutes and fat burn minutes and the FT7 can be worn under water for swimming or water cardio classes.
Good luck!

sijomial wrote: »

DeeTee68 wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

Different tools for different jobs.
Neither count calories!

Sorry dude but the Polar FT7 does count calories burnt, I have one.

No it doesn't - it counts heartbeats. Calories are a unit of energy and cannot be counted in heartbeats.
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It makes a very rough approximation of a calorie burn which may be reasonable if used for the correct exercise, steady state cardio. Also assuming you aren't an outlier in terms of your HR when exercising.

I used the calorie counts from my FT7 successfully for the majority of my weight loss but only because I'm prepared to adjust my calorie intake based on results.
Now use a FT60 with customised settings for tested minimum & max HR and VO2 max - the calorie counts are quite different to the FT7.

When I train on a power meter that actually measures output there still a significant divergence between that and the FT60.

You really can't claim accuracy unless you can verify energy output. Don't get suckered by the advertising hype - they are a training aid that gives a very approximate burn estimate if used correctly.

I currently have the FT 7 and had the FT 60 up till last month. I find that my FT 7 is more accurate in the number of calories burned and what my HR actually is. My FT 60 always said my HR was higher than it actually was during my runs. Also, it said I burned more calories than I did, ymmv. I don't think either one is more accurate than the other, though. They are both good to use as a guide, nothing more. That said, I love my Purple FT 7.

brianpperkins wrote: »

At least we all have a better understanding of what devices other MFP users own since that is about the only thing that ever comes from this genre of thread.

I'm tempted to start recommending FR920s by default, to break up the FT4 noise...

brianpperkins wrote: »

For all of the ranting and raving over this model or that one ... has anyone paid attention that the OP still hasn't said what activities she wants to track or what types of data?

At least we all have a better understanding of what devices other MFP users own since that is about the only thing that ever comes from this genre of thread.

In the last part of the OP, she asked; "What do you use? Are you happy with it?"

You said accurate calorie burn, so you should be looking at something with a chest strap. FT7 is an excellent choice. I still use and love my old F6, but looks like the FT7 is its replacement. Fitbits are a motivational gimmick... in my opinion

They are meant to do two different things. As far as the Fitbit - I HAD one. It went to the trash. Not accurate in step tracking, sleep tracking, and I hated that it counted what it estimated to be my calorie burn by just breathing. I know some people who swear by their fitbit - I just swear at it!

I've never used a tracker until I got one for Christmas. I got the FitBit Flex, and I'm loving it. Now that I've been introduced to it though, it makes me want one that can do more things. However, I like how small and unobtrusive the Flex is and a lot of other ones seem kinda bulky to me.

The badges are neat, and if you hit your goal, it does a celebratory vibration with light pattern which kinda feels like "leveling up" in real life. It's been the key to my motivation to finally actually do what I've been meaning to do for years.