FitBit vs. GoWear or BodyBugg

MandeeSue
MandeeSue Posts: 153
edited October 30 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok so I posted yesterday about the BodyBugg..I really want something to help me with my calorie count while I am doing P90X and my MMA class, but I didn't know if the FitBit would count those, or just how many steps you take ? I never heard of FitBit till yesterday and seen that you can link it to MFP and you don't have to have a subscription which is GREAT ! But does it do the job for your workouts, like the BodyBugg of GoWear. I want something with little to no subscription at all. Thanks !!
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Replies

  • GreekByMarriage
    GreekByMarriage Posts: 320 Member
    Don't know the answer but want to find out :-)
  • Osu2k1
    Osu2k1 Posts: 116 Member
    I have a Body Media Fit (bodybugg) and it tracks all my calories during the day. It will tell me how much I burn while watching TV or sleeping, in addition to walking to the mailbox, doing the C25k, and when I am training in Taekwondo. I am shocked at how much I burn, but I also can know if I worked out at a high enough intensity (it tells you the METs so you know). You can use their program to enter your food, but I like MFP more, since it's got a much larger database for food. I highly suggest it! As far as what I've heard about the Fitbit, it's a glorified pedometer (which the BB/BMF band will do as well). Hope this helps!!!
  • MandeeSue
    MandeeSue Posts: 153
    Yea I read where it was a pedometer, but I was just wondering if it would count calories while working out too..or just your steps ?
  • mloritz
    mloritz Posts: 8 Member
    Yes... it tracks your calories burned and it even breaks it up on a graph on your computer when it syncs as to what level you were working at. It shows how much of the day you are "sedentary", "lightly active", "moderatly active", and "very active". It also tracks your sleep and how many times you wake up during the night and for how long of a period. I purchased mine in July and I LOVE it!! They have now improved it and I'm thinking I'd actually like to upgrade!!! What is awesome about the fitbit is that you do NOT have to pay for a service. The website is free, unless you choose to upgrade. I have not needed any of the upgrades and am extremely pleased!! :smile:
  • MandeeSue
    MandeeSue Posts: 153
    Yes... it tracks your calories burned and it even breaks it up on a graph on your computer when it syncs as to what level you were working at. It shows how much of the day you are "sedentary", "lightly active", "moderatly active", and "very active". It also tracks your sleep and how many times you wake up during the night and for how long of a period. I purchased mine in July and I LOVE it!! They have now improved it and I'm thinking I'd actually like to upgrade!!! What is awesome about the fitbit is that you do NOT have to pay for a service. The website is free, unless you choose to upgrade. I have not needed any of the upgrades and am extremely pleased!! :smile:

    Awesome..I have been seaching and I was not able to find out if it tracked all calories or just when you walked. I really like that you do not have to pay. So I'm looking at the FitBit, or the GoWear. But now that I know how much the FitBit does..I like it even more :) Thank you so much !!
  • GreekByMarriage
    GreekByMarriage Posts: 320 Member
    Does the fitbit tell you how many calories you burn during a specific workout? Or just throughout the day? I am really interested in getting something like this but would love to know more and hear more reviews from all of you that have them!
  • MandeeSue
    MandeeSue Posts: 153
    Does the fitbit tell you how many calories you burn during a specific workout? Or just throughout the day? I am really interested in getting something like this but would love to know more and hear more reviews from all of you that have them!

    Someone on FitBit's fb page told me that they used it during their workouts and it counted their calories..but I am still unsure :\
  • twinmama1987
    twinmama1987 Posts: 566 Member
    Go for BodyMedia Fit or Body Bugg(same thing) ... fit bit is JUST a pedometer... Bodybuggs have a pedometer aswell, ontop of 3 other sensors. More bang for your buck and WAY more accurate. Fitbit is a joke in comparison!

    heres my bodymedia activity manager!

    oct7th.png
  • kodibear123
    kodibear123 Posts: 185 Member
    I researched all these for the last couple of weeks. I chose the BodyMedia Fit as I believe it is the most accurate. If you go to Bodybuilding.com there is a comparison on there. I lift weights and for this the BodyMedia Fit is way more accurate. I do think the FitBit is awesome though, but just not exactly as detailed as I required.
  • twinmama1987
    twinmama1987 Posts: 566 Member
    SOrry thats so big, but you get the idea!
  • pluffypants
    pluffypants Posts: 1 Member
    I am a recent FitBit buyer and I LOVE IT!!! It will count your specific calories burned if you set the timer on it whenever you start your workout and the stop it whenever you stop. Also it will link it all with MFP and you can see on both places how many calories you burned during that time period. It also tracks your sleep and tells you how efficient your sleep is and how many times you wake up during the night. Plus it doesn't cost an arm or a leg.

    Ps: the FitBit also displays motivational messages when you aren't moving enough!! It's like an extra friend for your waistband =)
  • supershiny
    supershiny Posts: 170 Member
    FitBit doesn't require a paid subscription to an uploading service and is cheaper in general. The others have more features. You get what you pay for :) I just ordered my FitBit, as I have a pedometer, but FitBit is more accurate. Depends on what you want it for, I suppose. I could never justify getting the gowear or bodybugg as they are too big/bulky and I wouldn't know where to put it without looking like a goon, so I would have never used it :P
  • helenkayj
    helenkayj Posts: 22 Member
    According to their website www.fitbit.com it calculates the amount of steps taken, calories burned, miles traveled, and calories consumed. It also tracks your sleep cycles and has online tools.
  • lisakyle_11
    lisakyle_11 Posts: 420 Member
    ...i am taking a chance at chiming in here, but i used to have a BodymediaFit. i used it religiously for many, many weeks. it told me i was burning an average of 2600-3000+ a day. that was great, except that if i wanted to lose weight, i'd need to eat upward of 2000 cals a day (or more) to stay healthy (only had 10 lbs to lose). i will be honest and say that there is no way i could eat that much on a daily basis and feel good about it. i will also point out that i've had a few friends/relatives that have tried eating to a 500 max deficit -- based on their BMF or BBugg numbers - and were unsuccessful. they tried eating around 2000-2200 a day (while staying just as active, etc...) and ended up gaining weight. apparently these devices have about a 10% +/- accuracy rate.... and 10% of 3000 is 300 cals.

    i've since sold my BMF on eBay and have moved on. i am down about 3 pounds and trying my best to stick with MFP calculations. i am considering getting a HRM to get a better gauge on my workout calories.

    i hope you have a better experience with one of these devices if you end up getting one. a lot of people have been really successful... i was just not one of them!

    good luck!
  • BuildABetterMe
    BuildABetterMe Posts: 39
    My experience with the latest and greatest FitBit Ultra:

    Short Version: Worn for 2 days, and is going back for a return.

    Longer Version:
    Strike 1 - I wore it on the treadmill for a 3.11 mile walk / jog. FitBit reported that I had walked nearly 7 miles. And yes, I even used the stride length adjustment to try to correct. However, more than doubling my distance traveled is more than just needing stride length adjustment. Calories burned are calculated via a formula involving your weight and number of steps taken, so the calorie count will be totally wrong.

    Strike 2 - Wore it around the house for a few hundred steps, then drove to meet a friend for lunch and walk through a shopping area. I was eager to show off my new toy, so I showed them my FitBit. When I checked the display, I said I was now at over 4000 steps. Driving had triggered over 3800 additional steps. This kills the ability to wear the FitBit all day, as I have commutes to and from work.

    Strike 3 - Tried to use the wrist band for sleep monitoring. Pressed the button as instructed, to indicate I'm going to bed. Wake the next morning, and upon syncing, FitBit says I didn't wake all night. Totally bogus, as I rolled over at least twice to look at the clock - (2:38am and 5:46am.)

    3 strikes and you're out :( Neat idea, but totally failed to deliver anything near what I was lead to believe I would be getting.

    This is MY opinion, and nothing more.
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
    Have a read of this thread

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/458312-fitbit-revolutionary-weight-loss-device

    You'll see that I'm a fan, its a little more than a pedometer and although it doesnt log specific workouts it does log your activity levels and I find it pushes me o do just a little more each day
  • kodibear123
    kodibear123 Posts: 185 Member
    I too was concerned about wearing something like the BodyMedia fit on my arm. There is 3 models currently out. I got the "core" model and it is 1/3 smaller than the others. I just got it yesterday and I don't even notice it is on. The larger Bodymedia Fit in my opinion was just too big and bulky. The larger one does have bluetooth which would be nice but I read were they are kind of hard to sync up. I hope they come out with a smaller bluetooth model someday and I will give this one to my daughter :)
  • Kimsied
    Kimsied Posts: 223 Member

    Strike 2 - Wore it around the house for a few hundred steps, then drove to meet a friend for lunch and walk through a shopping area. I was eager to show off my new toy, so I showed them my FitBit. When I checked the display, I said I was now at over 4000 steps. Driving had triggered over 3800 additional steps. This kills the ability to wear the FitBit all day, as I have commutes to and from work.

    Strike 3 - Tried to use the wrist band for sleep monitoring. Pressed the button as instructed, to indicate I'm going to bed. Wake the next morning, and upon syncing, FitBit says I didn't wake all night. Totally bogus, as I rolled over at least twice to look at the clock - (2:38am and 5:46am.)

    3 strikes and you're out :( Neat idea, but totally failed to deliver anything near what I was lead to believe I would be getting.

    This is MY opinion, and nothing more.

    I have had a fitbit for a while and love it. I do agree there are some limitations on these two points.

    Some people do get steps and floors (and inflated calorie burn) while driving depending on their car and the road. I actually don't have this problem very often. But there is an option to log the activity as driving and it will zero out the steps/floors and adjust the calorie estimate.

    The sleep... I find it very useful but really all it is tracking is how still you lie in bed. I don't have any problems with sleep so the number gives me an idea how much I am sleeping. But someone who really needs the sleep tracking might do better with a zeo or sleep monitor.

    I've found the calorie burn to be fairly accurate for me, though perhaps a little high (like 100 calories a day or so). I also use a heart rate monitor for most of my workouts as I already had one before I had a fitbit, so I do enter the calories burned estimate from my hrm if I think fitbit is measuring low for me. For some workouts the two estimate the same calorie burn. The real strength of my fitbit is that it has made me think more about my over all activity level and has helped me become more active all day--not just during my workouts. And it has increased my awareness about things like how much I sleep (or little), how I feel, and my general energy balance (calories in vs calories out).
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    Go for BodyMedia Fit or Body Bugg(same thing) ... fit bit is JUST a pedometer... Bodybuggs have a pedometer aswell, ontop of 3 other sensors. More bang for your buck and WAY more accurate. Fitbit is a joke in comparison!

    heres my bodymedia activity manager!

    oct7th.png

    Thank you for posting that, I've been curious how the info is displayed. I've been considering getting one of these and I really like the way it presents info. Gotta save up some $$$......
  • twinmama1987
    twinmama1987 Posts: 566 Member
    i love love love it! :) its really useful! .. and for people to say its bulky, that makes me laugh... thats ridiculous.. !!!
  • deja_blu
    deja_blu Posts: 359 Member
    FitBit CAN log your workouts! Before you start working out, hit START on the stopwatch function. When you are done, hit STOP. You can see the calories burned as well as the number of steps you took while you worked out.

    Did I mention FitBit syncs with MFP? I love mine and I've only had it 3 days!
  • Howbouto
    Howbouto Posts: 2,121 Member
    I have owned both and I prefer the fitbit. The bodymedia worked but you have to wear an armband all the time and the metal irritated my skin. The fitbit reminds me to be more active. At any time, I can see how far I have gone and need to go. The fitbit customer service is amazing. To the person, that was having problems miscalculating sleep/steps, if you go on there website you calibrate the sensitivity of it, if that does work, email customer service, I'm certain they will replace it free.

    BTW MPF translates to fitbit, you log here and shows up on their site.
  • Howbouto
    Howbouto Posts: 2,121 Member
    And I get very similar calorie burns between the fitbit and bodybugg.
  • Jeckia
    Jeckia Posts: 77 Member
    How much does Body Media Fit cost a month also how much does the body bugg cost a month as well?

    I just purchased a Ultra Fitbit and I'm waiting for it to come in the mail, but maybe I'll return it and get one of these instead.
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
    FitBit CAN log your workouts! Before you start working out, hit START on the stopwatch function. When you are done, hit STOP. You can see the calories burned as well as the number of steps you took while you worked out.

    Did I mention FitBit syncs with MFP? I love mine and I've only had it 3 days!

    Ya learn something new everyday! I thought the start and stop was just for the sleep tracker function. Thank you :flowerforyou:
  • stephcricket
    stephcricket Posts: 8
    Great information here!! I am considering purchasing one of these and I am leaning toward the BodtBugg....
  • bevskiwolf
    bevskiwolf Posts: 296 Member
    love love love my fitbit!!!!!!!! has tons of graphs on-line and stats just like that pricier one above ^

    good luck! ♥
  • Tiggermummy
    Tiggermummy Posts: 312 Member
    I wanted something to track my movements as my weight loss had slowed to almost nothing in the last few months.
    My job is very variable so I wondered if I wasn't eating enough for what I was doing.
    This week is my first week and it has added over 500 cals to mfp every day. Planning on checking for another week and then possibly changing activity level to more active.
    Havent had a problem with it adding lots of steps when driving or getting on a train.
    If you are worried about it log it as an activity record - start when you get in the car and stop when you finish.
    when you sync to computer - if you record the activity as driving it removes the steps and cals from your results
    Floors are worked out on a height gain of 10ft = 1 floor - as number of steps in a flight of stairs varies.

    I could not justify the extra costs involved in bodybugg or the others similar.

    I am loving fitbit, small discreet and great. - the only thing I'd like for future is possibly to sync via bluetooth/wireless on smart phone. As sometimes I can't sync until the end of the day and with adjustments I am on negative net calories.
  • LilacDreamer
    LilacDreamer Posts: 1,364 Member
    whats a fitbit?
  • MMarvelous
    MMarvelous Posts: 1,067 Member
    I needed this info! Great feedback...I am going for a FitBit!
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