FitBit (now that it's MFP integrated) v. BodyBugg

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summertime_girl
summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a BodyBugg, and it works great. It wasn't cheap though, and I do need to pay a monthly fee as well. And the interface is awful. But I think it's quite accurate. My subscription is almost up, and I'm thinking about a FitBit, as it's only $99, and I don't think there would be any subscription fee.

Does anyone have (or have tried) both devices? Is FitBit as accurate? Any likes/dislikes on either device?

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  • RoslynTaylor
    RoslynTaylor Posts: 9
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    i have been looking into the FitBit and actually ordered one. I wanted to try the BodyBugg but they were too expensive for me. The fitbit does have a $45 monthly fee if you choose to subscribe. I am in Canada so I just decided to start with the FitBit on it's own.

    Good luck.:happy:

    I won't get it for 4-5 weeks due to customs.:grumble:
  • smlamb33
    smlamb33 Posts: 342 Member
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    I love my Fitbit! It really gets me moving to get in all those extra steps each day! I'm not sure on the accuracy, I assume it's pretty accurate. it's really great because you don't need to log your exercise on MFP because it does it for you and you just continue to log your food on MFP like usual. Plus, anyone you know that has a Fitbit, can link together with you and you can compete for the most steps, etc... They are also getting ready to start a facebook challenge for Fitbit users too for anyone who wants to join. It is free and there is also an option to buy the premium membership,which is $50.00 for a year. I have the free membership right now and it's great! I would highly recommend it!
    Stephanie :)
  • MacSkillz
    MacSkillz Posts: 417 Member
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    I just got a FitBit for Xmas! :). Never used a BodyBug. But I wrote up a review of the FitBit on my blog. You can read it here: http://feedsparingly.blogspot.com/2012/01/fitbit-ultra.html

    For the FitBit there is an *optional* membership that you can purchase and it's only $50 for the whole year. You get a week free trial of it when you sign up and then are given the option to purchase. But $50 for the year isn't bad and you don't HAVE to pay, which is nice. :).

    I hope you find my review of the FitBit helpful! :smile:
  • skinnymeinaz
    skinnymeinaz Posts: 384 Member
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    I have the fitbit and I think it's pretty accurate *it varies 5-10 calories on my treadmill and the gym treadmill but it could be the machine*. I am excited that they have integrated it with MFP.

    Likes: Small, easy to read/understand, easy to upload, durable *mine went through the washer/dryer and it still works*

    Dislikes: I have to take it off to read it
  • DarkAngellEyes
    DarkAngellEyes Posts: 335 Member
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    Ive been looking into the fitbit recently and have been considering it. I already have a Polar F6 HRM - so I'm wondering if its worth making the switch?
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
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    So if I'm reading correctly, the FitBit does not track anything physiological in your body, like the BodyBugg does.

    BodyBugg tracks the following:

    1. Accelerometer - The accelerometer in bodybugg® is a tri-axis micro-electro-mechanical sensor (MEMS) device that measures motion. This motion can be mapped to forces (g-force) exerted on the body. By taking gravity and motion into account along with the other sensor data, the wearer's body context and true level of physical exertion can be accurately predicted.

    2. Heat Flux - The bodybugg® also contains a proprietary heat flux sensor located on the side that measures the amount of heat being dissipated by the body via a thermally resistant material. In short, this sensor measures how much heat the wearer's body is giving off. Heat flux is an important parameter because the body tends to heat up the faster it burns calories.

    3. Galvanic Skin Response - Better known as GSR, this sensor is comprised of two "hypo-allergenic" stainless steel electrodes on the back of the armband that measure skin conductivity. Skin conductivity is how much an electrical current can pass between two points on the surface of the skin and is affected by sweat due to physical exertion as well as emotional stimuli such as psychological stress.

    4. Skin Temperature - Skin temperature is measured by using a highly accurate thermistor-based sensor located on the back of the bodybugg®. Looking at continuous measurement of skin temperature in conjunction with data collected from the other sensors can reveal the body's core temperature trends which are affected by the level of a person's physical exertion or lack thereof.

    _______

    But FitBit is just a really fancy pedometer, so caloric burns are a guess, right? And won't be accurate with exercise that is basically stationary, like weights? Or will way over estimate on things like skiing/biking where you are moving much faster than a run?
  • MacSkillz
    MacSkillz Posts: 417 Member
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    But FitBit is just a really fancy pedometer, so caloric burns are a guess, right? And won't be accurate with exercise that is basically stationary, like weights? Or will way over estimate on things like skiing/biking where you are moving much faster than a run?


    In essence yes. It won't track you lifting weights because you are really walking around much, but every step you do take, it will track. But that's where tracking your activity comes in. If you're lifting weights and not really walking around very much, the FitBit won't pick up on all of the activity, but once you log your workout on either MFP or the FitBit website, it will update your activity for that time period. It's very important with the FitBit that you know around what time you started working out so it can track more accurately.
    The caloric burn is based on the information that you put into the website. So I'm 5'7" and weight 243.7, so they are going to base my calorie burn on that, which is the same way MFP estimates calories burned when adding an exercise.

    It doesn't have all that other fancy stuff like the BodyBugg, but I love my FitBit. I'm very happy with it and what information it's able to give me.
  • MacSkillz
    MacSkillz Posts: 417 Member
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    Ive been looking into the fitbit recently and have been considering it. I already have a Polar F6 HRM - so I'm wondering if its worth making the switch?

    The FitBit isn't a heart rate monitor. I use mine in conjunction with my Polar FT4 so I can record the most accurate calorie burn.

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