I love gizmos and they do motivate me, so I want to be the right one.

I did have the garmin 305, but it was stolen. When I bought it, my primary exercise was walking and aerobics in the basement and I hoped to add in bike riding. In the meantime, I've started taking strength training, spinning and step aerobics at the gym. I also garden and do heavy duty housework and would like to know how that rerqlly burns calories or doesnt

I sill have the foot pod and the heart rate monitor strap the watch, so I could just get another garmin watch, but the 305 only has a short battery/recording capacity. Can't wear it all day if we go hiking and such. But some have more battery and recording capacity.

Or I could just get a body bugg (not keen on the forever fees ) or a fitbit but is it as good for what I do?

Suggestions?

I love my fitbit. I had a BB, but I didn't like the fees either. And I didnt like the always having to explain what the giant thing was on my arm, lol... The fitbit I can clip to my bra or something (thats where it usually is!) and its hidden and I can check it and no one knows! I like I can update it online, and I like that I can go 5 days without pluggin it in to my computer to see my stuff. The only downside is I cant review yesterday's info without plugging it in. BUT, that's the only downside I've had, and its free, lol. I wore my BB for 16 months and I've only had the fitbit for 3, but I havent regretted it at alllll!!

I just got the Bodybugg a few days ago, and am still deciding how much I like it. I did get it with the display "accessory", which allows you to see results for "Today" and "Yesterday" (calories burned; number of steps; duration of activity). This means it's possible to use the bugg without without monthly fees for the online service, if you're diligent about writing down the results everyday. The version of the Bugg I purchased came with a one-year online membership.

As yet, I'm still assessing the accuracy of the "calories burned". I'm skeptical, as it seemed to register very low on certain activities, and high on others that I wouldn't expect. (There's still a possibility of user error...)

If it turns out that the bugg is working correctly, I'll be very glad for my purchase. I really enjoy the analyses online of nutrition, and activities throughout the day. One has to bypass the homepage, which is full of ads to buy more product, but at least these don't show up on the "important" pages!

I have a Polar HRM and I love it. I would definitely recommend one of those over the bodybugg or equivalent. I find that it motivates me while exercising and I love having all the information about my HR doing different activities. I've become quite expert about where my heart rate will be doing different exercise. (Also, when someone swears that exercise x will definitely burn 800 calories in 30 minutes, you can explain that no, it definitely will not!)

I've been struggling with this also. The instructor of my Pump Up class let me borrow her Polar HRM last night and it read that I burned 550 calories in the class. Well, I've been bitten by the bug and now I want one too!

But I can't decide if I want a HRM, a Fitbit or a Bodybug. I don't like the monthly fee of the BB, as I'm broke plus I don't like to have to keep paying for something I already bought. In addition, I probably wouldn't use half the features it has anyway.

A Fitbit looked ideal at first, but then I realized that it doesn't go on heart rate, just movement. I'm wondering how accurate it would be. If it's not reasonably accurate, I might as well save the money, right? I think I would like that it tracks steps though and some of the other features.

A HRM was my first idea, but in the end I'm not that focused on my actual heart rate. What I really want to know is my calories burned. I do like that it uses heart rate to figure that out though, I think it would be the most accurate and calories burned is the feature I'm most interested in. But I wouldn't want to wear the watch AND the chest strap all the time, so I'd only use it while exercising.

Any thoughts, ideas, experience to share would be helpful. We don't really have extra money so I don't want to plunk down $100 on something until I really know it's what I want.

I have a bodymedia (same as bodybugg) and a fitbit. I am selling the bodymedia because, while it was an awesome tool and taught me a lot about my calorie burn, it was got to be really obvious that i was wearing it the smaller i get.

i didn't want to answer questions about it. also, my skin started getting irritated at the places where i was wearing it.

however, the bodymedia gives AMAZING information. but to be honest, i didnt really use that information to change my diet/exercise, and thus it didn't feel that important.

I like my fitbit very much now since it is so small but it still motivates me to move more. it's very discreet and the website is very nice. also, the fitbit syncs to myfitnesspal, which i use, as well as it syncs wirelessly to my computer whenever i walk past it, which is cool.

I am still waffling on this. Ipwhat ireallynthink I want is both. I want the heart rate monitor for when I'm in class and i want the bodybugg or body media gizmo to figure out my burn when doing things like cleaning the house, gardening, etc. I think it would help me as I start to ease off the weight loss part of the journey and hit the maintenance part.

On the other hand, if I haven't needed it so far, then why? (I had a harm, but it was stolen!)

I worry bout the irritation thing too. I have very acidic skin. I corrode metal watch bands, so what would I do to these sensors? And with wearing it all the time, that would bug me in summer. Ugh.... Decisions!

There really is no question about this: HRM is the best!!

I have the Polar RS100 which shows heart rate and calories burned. I love knowing the calories burned--I find that motivational. But I also enjoy watching my heart rate--I pretty much know how many calories I burn at any particular level of intensity, and what different degrees of intensity and heart rate feel like, and what kind of heart rate (and calorie burn) I can expect to see with different kinds of exercise.

I really recommend it. Plus, the new heart rate monitor chest straps are really comfortable.