BodyBugg vs HRM

o0oAliciao0o
o0oAliciao0o Posts: 70
edited October 4 in Health and Weight Loss
I am trying to understand the difference between the BodyBugg and a Heart Rate monitor. The BodyBugg you have to wear 24/7 and it fills in the gaps when you're not exercising? And a HRM is mostly what you wear for a workout? The BodyBugg doesn't have a waist strap (just on your arm) so is it as accurate as a HRM?

What's everyone's recommendation for a HRM? Anyone out there that runs long distance? I wouldn't mind one that does GPS and pace and calories burned too. Thanks!

Replies

  • DakotaKeogh
    DakotaKeogh Posts: 693 Member
    I have a Polar FT7 HRM. Wouldn't change from it.
  • ChRiStA_1983
    ChRiStA_1983 Posts: 380 Member
    I run long distance (I'm in training for a marathon right now), and I use the Garmin 410. It's AMAZING! Any of the Garmin watches with the heart rate monitor (purchasing the HRM and chest strap with it is SO worth it!) are excellent!
  • LuluGirl140
    LuluGirl140 Posts: 364 Member
    Bump. I either need a new HRM or a BodyBugg or BodyMedia type thing. However, I don't like having to wear a strap around my arm all day. Is there one that you can wear as a watch to conceal it a bit? LOL
  • lucycaz
    lucycaz Posts: 191 Member
    Hi

    I have a Ki Fit (UK version of a body bugg and I love it it keeps me focused throughout the day and helps me plan when I need to do more - you get used to the strap on the arm and to be honest it is really thin so does not notice under clothes

    Lucy
  • cdemoura14
    cdemoura14 Posts: 30
    I originally wanted a BB, but for my anniversary my husband had purchased a HRM (Mio) and I really love it, other than the fact that I have to physically check my HR. I think for Christmas I would like a polar, but I think for now it served its purpose and wasn't a arm and a leg to purchase, or keep up with! :)
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    A BodyBugg and an HRM are two completely different tools.

    The BodyBugg is going to monitor your overall caloric burn for the entire day based on movement, skin sensors and other factors. You wear it 24/7 and it gives you feedback on everything from calories burned, to steps taken to amount of different levels of activity. (not sure if they monitor sleep like the BodyMedia Fit does).

    An HRM is only worn while working out with an elevated heart rate. They aren’t effective at giving accurate feedback when your heart rate is lower than 125-130 or so. I gives you real time information on your heart rate while working out and instant info on the number of calories burned for that particular workout.

    The BodyBugg will also calculate your calories burned during your workout, since that’s what it does, but it won’t be able to give you real time feedback on your heart rate (or your heart rate info at all) and may also calculate some workouts lower if they don’t involve as much arm movement. (Stationary bike, elliptical if you don’t move your arms, etc)

    I personally have a Polar FT4 and a BodyMedia Fit and find that both of them are extremely useful tools that have very specific uses for what they are. I can’t say to choose one over the other per se since it depends on a person’s needs and wants, but an HRM was my first purchase of the two and would probably be what I would recommend as a first purchase, since workout feedback is probably ultimately more important for fitness and in the long term. I got my BMF for about $150 shipped with an extra armband and an entire year’s subscription to the website (where you sync it and get all the data charts) on sale through Costco online, but I honestly don’t know if I will continue paying for the service, despite the positive help it has been on my journey. My HRM cost me about $60 on sale through Amazon.

    I do often use them specifically together/one over the other if I am doing an exercise with low arm movement as I mentioned above. Mostly for me it’s stationary bike or inline skating (I rest my left arm on my thigh while I pace skate, so I get lowered readings), but I just remove the BMF for those times and then manually add the amount of calories that my HRM says I burned during that time so it all comes out right in the end.
  • Turbokatt
    Turbokatt Posts: 1 Member
    Hi!

    I"m not an expert, just a bodybugg fan! You're right! There is a differece between what the bodybugg mearsures compared to a HRM. As a bodybugg user since August 2009, the bodybugg measures heart rate, heat flux, calories and more! What I LOVE about the bodybugg, is that it measures the amount of calories burned all times that it's worn, as opposed to most heart rate monitors that just mearsure heart rate while you're exercising.

    When it comes to accuracy, that I can't answer only because.. i didn't make it...LOL, however,I do believe what I see! I just compare my one day to another day as far as activlity level. If I know my activity level on Monday was about the same as last Thursday and my daily calorie burn is about the same, that's always been a good gauge of accuracy for me. It's AWESOME to actually see how much I've burned regardless of my activity and how many steps I've taken.

    In addition, I know that I've increased my BMR ( very important weight loss information to know), simply by comparing my regular activity level by week to week or month to month, simply by looking back at my bodybugg downloads. Hope this helps!

    Turbokatt
  • o0oAliciao0o
    o0oAliciao0o Posts: 70
    I run long distance (I'm in training for a marathon right now), and I use the Garmin 410. It's AMAZING! Any of the Garmin watches with the heart rate monitor (purchasing the HRM and chest strap with it is SO worth it!) are excellent!

    I've heard the Garmin is really popular with runners. It does the same thing for a non-running workout as a Polar FT4 or the others I assume? It is just a HRM with a GPS built in after all, right?
  • o0oAliciao0o
    o0oAliciao0o Posts: 70
    Thanks for all the info guys! I really love myfitnesspal. I get answers to my questions from real people within minutes! Best support group I could ever ask for. I'm going to look into it but it's got me all excited to go and get one!
  • o0oAliciao0o
    o0oAliciao0o Posts: 70
    Does anyone find the chest strap uncomfortable? I feel like it might get annoying but at least you only wear it for an hour or two compared to the arm band all day. I'm rather large chested so I feel like it might get bounced or rubbed the wrong way!
  • Beastette
    Beastette Posts: 1,497 Member
    Does anyone find the chest strap uncomfortable? I feel like it might get annoying but at least you only wear it for an hour or two compared to the arm band all day. I'm rather large chested so I feel like it might get bounced or rubbed the wrong way!

    I thought this would be a problem, but I don't notice any trouble since my sports bra is already there. I have a HRM (Sigma), and the worst thing so far is how gross the strap is after a workout. I just wash it by hand in the shower, and it's ready to go for the next day.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    Does anyone find the chest strap uncomfortable? I feel like it might get annoying but at least you only wear it for an hour or two compared to the arm band all day. I'm rather large chested so I feel like it might get bounced or rubbed the wrong way!

    I was worried about the exact same thing but I found that I don't even notice it's there.
  • jennrose27
    jennrose27 Posts: 4 Member
    I have the BodyBugg. I bought it years ago (and yes, it is the same thing as the Body Media). I was very disappointed in it. It is mainly an accelerometer and so it can only measure your calories when your legs move - even though it is on your arm - and your body heat. I do power vinyasa yoga where we practice in a 95 degree room and wore it to a 75 minute class and the Body Bugg said that I burned a mere 225 calories. I know I burned more than that, because my burn rate on a weight lifting session is higher than that, and this style of yoga is definitely more intense. I even heard a certain female trainer say that on the Biggest Loser she couldn't predict weight loss as well when they switched from the HRM to the Body Bug, as it wasn't as accurate. However, if you hang in there, she has partnered with Body Media to improve it, and a new one is going to be released shortly that she said is going to be more accurate.

    Personally, I'm waiting for a chest strap free HRM that I can wear as a watch all day long. When that happens, I'll buy that. :) So if it is out there already, and you know about it, please let me know. :)
  • o0oAliciao0o
    o0oAliciao0o Posts: 70
    Ya it's too bad they don't have the technology to just measure your heart rate through the blood vessels in your wrist haha. I'm sure one day the technology will get there. Sounds like the BodyBugg is very much dependent on what type of activity you're doing and isn't measuring through HR but through body heat or accelerometer? I think I'm going to go with the HRM. Now to decide which one!
  • LuluGirl140
    LuluGirl140 Posts: 364 Member
    I have the BodyBugg. I bought it years ago (and yes, it is the same thing as the Body Media). I was very disappointed in it. It is mainly an accelerometer and so it can only measure your calories when your legs move - even though it is on your arm - and your body heat. I do power vinyasa yoga where we practice in a 95 degree room and wore it to a 75 minute class and the Body Bugg said that I burned a mere 225 calories. I know I burned more than that, because my burn rate on a weight lifting session is higher than that, and this style of yoga is definitely more intense. I even heard a certain female trainer say that on the Biggest Loser she couldn't predict weight loss as well when they switched from the HRM to the Body Bug, as it wasn't as accurate. However, if you hang in there, she has partnered with Body Media to improve it, and a new one is going to be released shortly that she said is going to be more accurate.

    Personally, I'm waiting for a chest strap free HRM that I can wear as a watch all day long. When that happens, I'll buy that. :) So if it is out there already, and you know about it, please let me know. :)

    Yes, Jillian Michaels! I just read that it's available for Pre-order along with one of her videos, and it'll ship in early December. I was thinking of getting a Polar watch type HRM (like you, I would like one I can wear all day as a watch), but now I may decide on the BodyMedia by Jillian Michaels!
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