Fitbit vs Bodybug experience question....

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Muddy_Yogi
Muddy_Yogi Posts: 1,459 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been looking into getting a Fitbit or Bodybug but with all the different websites out there it is hard to figure out what real people think. So I am asking....for those of you that have used these devices.....how do they work, what do you LOVE about them and what would you change? How do you feel wearing them....do you feel they are accurate? And as far as tracking your sleep with the fitbit....how does that work? Where do you wear it at night?

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  • Kriszti29
    Kriszti29 Posts: 32
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    Hi there

    Basically, Fitbit is a very funky pedometer: you clip it on, it has a very advanced and sensitive 3D sensor which can measure your daily comings and goings, and then taking your personal details (like height, weight, gender, etc.) into account can tell you how many calories you burned throughout your day.

    Bodybug (or Body Media or KiFit (in UK) ) also has the same 3D motion sensor, but also takes physiological measurements throughout the day (heat flux, body temp, skin temp, perspiration, etc.) and combines all of them with your personal data (weight, height, gender, etc.) to give you how much calories you burned during the day. It also monitors you while you are asleep - not just because you burn calories at night too, but because the quality of your sleep has a huge effect on your well being and weight-loss.

    In a nutshell... Let me know if you want to know more.
  • Muddy_Yogi
    Muddy_Yogi Posts: 1,459 Member
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    Thanks for the info....I thought I have read in multiple places that fitbit also can track your sleep?
  • Kriszti29
    Kriszti29 Posts: 32
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    In the same way as it tracks your daily movement: it's sensor catches when you move around in your sleep and that is related to various stages of sleeping (light, deep, etc.)

    Same is true for BodyBug in this respect, but it also keeps monitoring your physiological signs.
  • pamelad77
    pamelad77 Posts: 292 Member
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    Having the same dilemma as you, but the only thing that puts me off bodybugg is the subscription fee that has to be paid. Can you use the monitor without linking it to the web site to get round this?
  • BellydanceBliss
    BellydanceBliss Posts: 330
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    if you look on amazon here http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=body+bugg&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=3854028351&ref=pd_sl_1qtc21mavx_b the fitbit has a better rating. Also it doesnt have the arm thing which would be annoying for me. I love, love, love my fitbit! I use it in addition to my hrm because i also bellydance (beginning) and it doesnt pic up on soft movements which is fine with me. I dont even know I am wearing it and wear it on my bra but you can wear it anywhere. The fact that it syncs with mfp is a big plus and figures out if you need more calories according to the exercise you put in from your hrm. Feel free to message me on any more questions about this, while I am far from an expert I feel I have gotten a pretty good handle on it but have not used it for sleep yet some of my friends have and love it.
  • Kriszti29
    Kriszti29 Posts: 32
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    Yes, the big downer of the BodyBug is the subscription. You cannot use the system without having that - as long as you want to use it, you need to pay them....
  • stone307
    stone307 Posts: 85
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    I would say a Fitbit. I gave a review of them on the boards a few days ago.
    FITBIT vs BODYBUG.......I have had the bodybug for over two years. I have used it off and on. Here is my answer: After two days of wearing both. BB came in at 89 calories under the FB the first day and then 49 calories over the second day. That fluctuation is fine with me since neither of them could be 100% accurate anyway. The steps where off by about 500-700 each day. Not surprised by that. When ever I was on a elliptical, the BB did not really move on steps but the FB was giving me a step count while on the elliptical. The FB is also helping me record sleep patterns, and that is a huge issue for me. When I look at the FB log, I can see the spikes of when I was up or moved alot. The BB is impossible to see those on their chart. All in all, this is a big SHOCK to me. I LOVED by bodybug up until the FITBIT hit me mail box on Wednesday. I did not think that I would be that happy with the fitbit. I got it so I could wear that out when I was not in a place I could be spotted wearing the large BB strap. My BB will be going up for sale on ebay soon. Goodbye BB and hello FB. Plus FB integrates with MFP and bodybug does not.
  • Lyric82
    Lyric82 Posts: 119
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    bump, i want to read the responses later because I have been thinking about these as well!
  • snookumss
    snookumss Posts: 1,451 Member
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    BUMPITY BUMP :)
  • Shaneekwa
    Shaneekwa Posts: 130 Member
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    My coworker actually have the fitbit and he showed me everything that it tracks and I am very impressed...so much I plan on ordering one today!!! He wears it daily
  • findingfit23
    findingfit23 Posts: 846 Member
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    I have had both. I loved the body bugg, but got tired of wearing it after a few months. My arms are fat and it was uncomfortable for a while. It actually left a dent in my arm where the band went around. I’m a creature of habit, so I do a lot of the same exercises each week. You come to expect what your daily burn is going to be after a while. But it was a great tool to figure out how my body was burning calories at first.

    The fitbit. Lame. I returned it. It is nothing but a pedometer, no more no less. It calculates calories burned based off your steps. But only picks up steps from walking mostly. If you are riding a bike or doing the elliptical you would have to manually add that exercise in on their website, like you do here. Save your money on this one, IMO
  • Dethea
    Dethea Posts: 247 Member
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    I just got a BodyBugg about a week ago. It was my sisters, but she's letting me use it.

    So far, I haven't had to pay a subscription fee. You get a free trial at first.

    Things I like about it...
    It's comfortable. Yes, you wear it on your arm, and it was a little uncomfortable for a few days, but now I feel naked with out it.

    I like visuals, and after I load up all my information for the day, the bodybugg website makes graphs! I can easily see what parts of the day I'm most active, how many calories I burn through out the day, and it breaks down the amount of steps you take per hour (or half hour, can't remember.)

    It also provides meal plans. I haven't been following those because I already do an okay job of cooking healthy meals, I don't have a lot of money, and I mainly need to work on not overeating. But I've looked at them, and they are great! Very detailed. They would be pretty easy to follow.

    If you wear it all night, you can track how well you're sleeping. You look at how many calories you burn per unit of time (there will obviously be a small spike when you are awake), or if you look at the step chart you'll see times when you "took steps." They just happen to coincide with those small spike in calories burned, and some times I know I was awake at that time (thanks to my son waking me up, etc.)

    My sister told me that it is more accurate to your body the more you wear it.

    It's really important to wear it correctly. The first day I had it too far to the outside of my arm, and it didn't really pick up much throughout the day.

    If you have any questions, you can send me a message :)
  • vovo2013
    vovo2013 Posts: 1 Member
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    I just bought my FITBIT Black/Plum at REI with free shipping and a 20% coupon for $86 something with tax(TEXAS). I am a college student just getting ready to train for a half marathon and I did about two years worth of research and FITBIT was the main choice.

    I don't want to waste my money on a useless product.

    The reason why I choose the FITBIT then the money wasting Bodybug is because I didn't want to have something strap on the arm when I go to school and working with my students. It just didn't look cool or nice. It was BULKY and UGLY to start with!!!!

    THe FITBIT was really nice design and works really well with a lot of my work uniforms. I can wear it almost 24/7 just taking it off when i take my bubble bath or swimming/diving in the sea.

    The BODYBUG is only a workout PRODUCT! I think and It might be something else to you. All my running buddies and fellow college student have a fitbit or getting one.

    You can use some of the excersing apps just like this one MYFITNESSPAl to connet the FITBIT to and It really helps me with my training and weight loss.

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