Fit Bit/Body Bugg/Heart Rate Monitor/Others?

I am curious about opinions on the best product to use to track exercise and calories burned.

I like the convenience of the Fit Bit, I don't know tons about it, but I don't think it will track bike riding, circuit training, aerobics, etc, right? I "think" I would like something that is going to be able to track everything, as I like to/want to do different types of activities that aren't all walking/jogging/stairs.

Any thoughts? 

Thanks!

Fitbits and Bodybuggs track all your movements all day (and night too). This does include your workouts no matter what type they are. Heart Rate Monitors you only wear while you are working out. To me that wouldn't give me a good idea of what I was burning since MOST of our calorie burn in a day comes from day to day activities and not necessarily your workout.

On days I don't workout but my kids are in school and I'm running errands, I'm usually between 2100-2400 calories burned. On weekends (without a workout) I only do about 1600-1700. That's a huge difference and I would've never known without all day tracking.

I knew the Bodybugg tracked all day/night, all activities, but the Fit Bit does too? I didn't realize that! I don't like the bulkiness of the bodybugg, but I liked the data it gives. If Fit Bit gives the same info, that would be great!!! 

HRM aren't something I really want to get, I think it would be annoying to have across my chest, but I want to do something that will work reliably too.

So you have the fitbit? And if I do circuit training, like Jillian Michaels, I will be able to determine that I burned 350 calories or whatever in that 30 minutes? 

Thanks.

No, I have a Bodybugg. I've been wearing it for 4 1/2 years. I'm just thinking that's what I heard from people here who have a fitbit. I know that there is a sleep tracking thing on the fitbit, but I'm not even real sure how it's worn. The benefit of the fitbit is that they link through myfitness pal, and that website is free. Bodybugg is $9.95 a month after the first 6 months (which are free). It's also suppose to be more accurate. So, if you are wanting just a general idea, I would go for the fitbit. However if you're like me and you want to log and watch your defecit VERY closely so that you know you're on target, the bodybugg is probably better. It would drive me NUTS to try and lose weight and not have one or the other though. I would hate to sit around guessing about why I'm not losing weight.

I was having a fit for a couple of weeks because Bodybugg kept saying I should be losing more based on my calorie burn than I was, and it was upsetting me to think I wasn't losing like I should. HOWEVER, I found that I was getting in calories accidently that I wasn't accounting for and also my weight just dropped this week. So in the long run, it all balanced out! It's just nice to know that you're doing everything right and if you keep doing what your doing, it WILL come off because you've earned it.

Hope that helps! If you do decide to get a bodybugg let me know. I can usually kick up a good coupon code for one :) Take care!

Jodi

I tried to edit my last post to add this, but it wouldn't let me. So...

About using it to track the burn for certain activities. I know the Bodybugg can do that, not sure about the Fitbit. I set it to track "trip" calories (kind of like in a car where you can isolate a time period) befor I start Zumba class, and it will show me by the minute what my calorie burn is right then. I try to keep it around 9 calories a minute for the hour after warmup. If it dips below that I know I'm not giving it my all. Also, it will show you a total for where you are for that time period, so by the end of class I'm usually around 540 or so.  There is also a thing online where you can isolate time periods if you forget to set the 'trip' setting and find out how much you burned doing certain activities.

I wear a FibBit and an Omron pedometer.  I love my FitBit.  Any of these only track while you are wearing it, so you have to commit to wearing it ALL the time and know what will feel comfortable for you.  I thought about the BodyBug, but didn't want that arm band on especially in the heat of the summer.  I do wear mine on the waist band of my undies, 24/7 (except for shower/bathing/swimming.)

Not only does the FitBit track steps, it does track elevation, so it tells you how many flights of stairs you've done.  It does encourage me to add stairs or hill climbing to my daily activities, which of course works some of the largest muscle groups!

There are some negatives:  must place in charger (about once a week for short time, cannot wear it while on a riding mower....it counts those as steps, but not in a vehicle.)  I'm guessing that if it tracks the activity of a riding mower, it will track bicycle workouts!

Bottom line:  it keeps me accountable.  I know at the end of the day if I met my personal activity goals, there's no lying to yourself!  Also, my hubby has one, so we use it to keep competitive which benefits both of us!  And I like that the activity is imported directly into MyFitnessPal!

I use both a fitbit and a HRM.  

 

I use the fitbit to get just a baseline number what I do every day.  When I intentionally do a session of Aerobic exercise or anything strenuous I wear a chest strap HRM.  The HRM is going to give me the best number for calorie burn.  I log that exercise in MFP so I don't double dip on calories (MFP will automatically ignore the fitbit sync for the time period specified).

Thank you for the great responses!

I am not positive what I will do, but I am guessing I will start with the Fitbit and also add in a HRM in the future.

Thanks!