Bodymedia Fit vs Fitbit accuracy

chrisdavey
chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This will be an ongoing experiment for a few weeks to see the differences in the readings.

Background: I have been using the BMF for about 8-9 months now and it has proven to be fairly accurate in that I can predict weight gain/loss over time. The BMF is said to be 90% accurate (which way is it 10% out though :tongue:)

I just received my fitbit ultra 2 days ago so yesterday was the first day of testing. Here are the results:

27.03.12+rest+day.jpg

27.03.12%2Brest%2Bday.jpg

edit: this forum width is ridiculous.
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Replies

  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    only 2100 calories? o.O
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    Interesting, would love to watch the results unfold.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    subbed
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    steps is tested for the whole day :)
    fitbit: 4436
    BMF: 3731

    Sunshine: yep, rest day :) And I'm an office worker and not allowed to do any cardio at the moment hehe. All I did yesterday was a little shopping at lunch time and foam roller for about an hour at night. Otherwise, sat on *kitten* all day haha.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    Ooohhh yea I forgot. I was gonna say usually you are really active and that cant be right!!!

    I didn't know what a fitbit was until now xD
  • luvsherhubby
    luvsherhubby Posts: 135 Member
    I had a body media fit for about a month then got teh fit bit ultra. I wore both for a week and they were within 17-50 calories all 7 days some days bmf was more some days fit bit was so I returned my bmf, since fit bit had no sub needed. Hope you get as good as results!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,330 Member
    It will be interesting to see how this pans out. I have considered both of them at one time or another, but never pulled the trigger. I think neither of them do well with cycling which is my sport/activity of choice in the summer, but I have a HRM so I could enter calories manually. I have no idea how well they would do with cross country skiing or skating, my sport/activity of choice in the winter. I like that the fitbit is integrated with this site, and that there are not additional costs unless I want the extended data reporting. I like the extra measuring devices of the Bodymedia which make it more than a pedometer. Again, I will be interested to see how this works out over several days.
  • scmcgee
    scmcgee Posts: 165
    Which one would you recommend? I am looking for something small like this. I have a My Mio watch but I can't wear when I am kick boxing and you have to stop to take your heartrate to the get the calories burned. I don't like doing that.
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
    Interesting.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    Again, I will be interested to see how this works out over several days.

    Same here...
  • tjradd73
    tjradd73 Posts: 3,495 Member
    well....not too far off in the general sceme of things I guess...if it were 300 off every day that would be equalivilant 0.6lbs/wk though! Not a huge deal for some...but WHICH one is right is the question?? Knowing me...I'd take the AVG! LOL
  • MichelleRenee13
    MichelleRenee13 Posts: 363 Member
    I almost purchased a fitbit ultra today. I will hold off to see these results.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    PU: aah yep, I see what you're saying. I'd say the difference would be due to things like moving around in sleep etc that I believe the fitbit would count as steps if I'm waving my arms about (non uncommon :tongue:)

    For kickboxing: I'd recommend fitbit purely because everytime I've hit the bag with the BMF on the velcro straps eventually come undone. No issue with a fitbit on the shorts I wouldn't think.

    No recommendation after 1 day of use!

    And as I said the BMF has been pretty accurate for me so far so will see how close they get.

    I do love how the fitbit is wireless. My BMF is an older one so I have to plug it in via usb to sync.
  • AnaNotBanana
    AnaNotBanana Posts: 963 Member
    Thanks for posting this. I'd be curious to see how the results pan out.
  • roro73
    roro73 Posts: 153 Member
    Bump for the outcome :) I have a BMF and absolutely love it! It's only week two, but it's really helping me be more active and less stressed about calories in vs. out. I'm very interested to see if fit bit is as accurate.
  • LOVEsummer
    LOVEsummer Posts: 304 Member
    Can't wait to see how it goes. I really want a BMF or a FitBit
  • Gemnildy
    Gemnildy Posts: 124 Member
    I love my FitBit Ultra and wear it all the time. Just FYI, it does not log your sleep time as steps but you do want to start it as an activity just before you go to sleep; it mointors how restless you were and the quality of sleep you actually get (yes, it KNOWS you are sleeping..lol).

    I think the calories it logs are pretty accurate for what I eat/burn although I do wich it had the ability to get my heartrate.

    Some days I am amazed at how active I really am as my job is a desk job and some days I am all around the office, other days I hardly leave my desk. It certainly identifies my day for me properly! Good luck and I will look forward to seeing yur comparisons!
    :flowerforyou:
  • FitToFifty
    FitToFifty Posts: 164 Member
    I have been using a pedometer and thinking of the fit bit so this is interesting!
  • cblackc
    cblackc Posts: 12 Member
    bump:flowerforyou:
  • scottishlass78
    scottishlass78 Posts: 28
    I've had my Fitbit Ultra for 3 weeks and I am happy with it. I like that it is small, wireless, and everything it tracks. I liked it so much my partner bought one, and a friend and his wife both got one. I like that the program is free as well, no monthly charge as with some of the others out there. Without having really anything else to compare it to, I'm pretty partial I guess :)
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
    bump! i've been considering a FitBit so i'd love to see your take on accuracy.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    28 March 2012

    Interestingly the BMF read higher cals on this day but lower steps. I did a full body workout on all the big compound lifts which including rest breaks and warmup took about 1.5hrs.

    28.03.12+workout.jpg

    28.03.12%2Bworkout.jpg
  • tjradd73
    tjradd73 Posts: 3,495 Member
    yep....I'd stick with the AVG of the 2!!! :)
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    yep....I'd stick with the AVG of the 2!!! :)

    no way. I really don't want to use 2 forever! I'm just going to experiment for a few weeks & then sell the one I don't want :P
  • ChristineandRoxy
    ChristineandRoxy Posts: 48 Member
    I just ordered a fitbit im very curious to see how this turns out
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    rest day: nearly exactly the same cals burnt :)

    29.03.12+rest+day.jpg

    29.03.12%2Brest%2Bday.jpg
  • ksiverts
    ksiverts Posts: 25 Member
    Do you just have to pay for the BMF and FitBit itself or do you have to pay for an ongoing service with either one or both of these? If so, how expensive is it? I'd really like to have one, but I don't want to pay a $100 for the monitor and then be stuck paying a monthly fee to actually use it.
  • alli_baba
    alli_baba Posts: 232 Member
    Bump for later. My husband just bought me a fitbit (and one for himself). Curious to see your results.
  • Kksd605
    Kksd605 Posts: 74 Member
    I've had a Fitbit since X-mas. There are a few settings that can be altered to get more accuracy. For example, your step length for walking and running. I checked mine with the My Tracks app on my droid to check the distance accuracy. The Fitbit won't accurately track non-walking/running exercises unless you enter them manually into their web site and set the timer on the device. Good luck.
  • _Kitten_Kate
    _Kitten_Kate Posts: 520 Member
    Do you just have to pay for the BMF and FitBit itself or do you have to pay for an ongoing service with either one or both of these? If so, how expensive is it? I'd really like to have one, but I don't want to pay a $100 for the monitor and then be stuck paying a monthly fee to actually use it.

    You pay a fee with BMF. Mine came with a year subscription to the website. I doubt I will use it after that year is up. Will probably sell it and get something else. If the subscrip hadn't come with it, I probably would not have gotten it. Kinda ridiculous to pay SOO much for the lil thing and then have to pay for the online subscription....which you have to have or it is useless.

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