Gallery: Move It, Lazy Bones: 4 Body Monitors Tested
01body-monitors
The Basics __What can these things tell you?__ No two devices report exactly the same nuggets of data, but they all focus on exercise and health metrics — miles jogged, steps taken, calories burned. You can drill into the data of a specific workout session or track 24-hour totals. Some monitors also rate sleep quality. __How do they work?__ Accelerometers record footsteps and sleep-time restlessness. GPS tracks your location. Altimeters follow changes in elevation. And sensors that monitor skin temperature and perspiration can even help divine how many calories you're burning. Built-in displays can show snapshots of data at a glance, but for rich charts detailing health and exercise progress, you'll need to connect to a PC or mobile device. __Will a body monitor make me healthier?__ No, that's your job. What monitors can do is nudge you to be more active and help you set goals. You'll begin to figure out which activities burn the most calories and which lifestyle habits affect sleep most grievously. Ideally, the data will drive your decision-making and you'll become addicted to personal improvement. Buying Advice Thanks to regular firmware and software updates, various monitor features—algorithms, mobile apps, and even basic functionality—can change and improve over time. Nonetheless, no single monitor does everything. For this reason alone, the model you choose will depend upon what you're trying to accomplish. Some focus on individual workouts, reporting exactly how far, how fast, and how hard you pushed yourself. Others are geared toward broader lifestyle goals. Assess your needs and match them to a device with complementary features.
02bodymedia-fit-link
BodyMedia FIT LINK ------------------ This armband is the only monitor here that's an FDA-certified medical device. It tracks movement, skin temperature, heat dissipation, and perspiration levels -- but those aren't the metrics it shows you. It combines these four measurements in an algorithm to give steps taken, sleep efficiency, and a 95 percent accurate reading of caloric burn. And the algorithm adapts over time, so the longer you wear it, the more accurate it becomes. This isn't a workout tracker. Rather, the Bluetooth-ready LINK is primarily for people who want to lose weight (BodyMedia has partnerships with Jenny Craig and Jillian Michaels, of *Biggest Loser* fame). It lets you log your meals and compare the calories you consume with the calories you burn, and it helps set goals for each -- like the daily 500-calorie deficit that will net you one lost pound per week. Every metric is displayed on a daily graph, online or on your smartphone, but there's no way to compare different days, aside from looking at each one individually. The FIT LINK does track your activity, divided into vigorous and moderate, but it's cumulative, and more useful as a broad measure than for individual workouts. I found it consistently underestimated the vigorous activity I engaged in, especially cycling. My estimates of caloric intake were also low; despite consistently running a calorie deficit, I didn't lose weight. __WIRED__ Detailed feedback when you link to your smartphone. Great battery life. __TIRED__ $6.95 monthly fee. Difficult to log meals. No built-in display. $199 | [BodyMedia FIT LINK](http://www.bodymedia.com/Products/Learn-More/What-is-BodyMedia-FIT)
03fitbit-ultra
Fitbit Ultra ------------ Relying on just an accelerometer and an altimeter, the Fitbit is a simple wellness monitor that tracks calories burned, steps taken, stairs climbed, and even how well you've slept. Like the BodyMedia FIT, the Fitbit reads your motion at night to compare the time you're lying down versus the time you were asleep, but I found the measurements differed substantially between the devices. When it's within range of the included computer docking station, the Fitbit will upload your data wirelessly. Just don't expect real-time updates in the field; the widget won't sync with phones, although third-party apps will show your latest upload and let you log meals. The Fitbit cycles through encouraging messages -- "Walk me," "Vamos," "High 5!" -- to prod you into action, and if you're active enough, a pixilated flower will grow on the display. Maybe it's because the algorithm that causes the flower to grow isn't exactly clear, but adding leaves to the stem is gratifying in a way that a dry number like steps or calories isn't; I'd ignore milestones like 5,000 steps, but obsess about getting that 10th leaf. You can share your data on Facebook and Twitter, but only via automated posts. Fitbit also offers a premium subscription for $50 a year, which shows more data, gives feedback on it, and helps create personalized fitness plans. __WIRED__ Easy Wi-Fi sync. Discreet. Inexpensive. Free meal-logging app for iPhone. __TIRED__ Syncs only in proximity to computer-tethered dock. Easy to misplace. Built-in display and web browser dashboard lack detail. $100 | [Fitbit Ultra](http://www.fitbit.com/)
04nike-fuelband
Nike+ FuelBand -------------- The FuelBand uses basics like steps taken and calories burned to calculate an arbitrary "Fuel Point" total -- a performance metric that gauges total activity, rather than specifics like miles, watts, or repetitions. Consequently, the resulting numbers matter only in relation to other FuelBand users. It also lets you scroll through estimates of the calories you've burned and the steps you've taken so far each day. And bonus: It tells time, a nice touch for something you wear on your wrist. The bright LED display motivates you to check totals, but that's all you get -- totals. Reach your daily goal and the LED strip on your band puts on a little fireworks display. Hit milestones (like 10,000 points), and you earn badges. But there's no way to track individual workouts, only to see each day's cumulative data. And the graphical reports on both the website and the iOS app show progress only in broad, historical terms. For more detail, read my [first look at FuelBand](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/02/first-look-nike-fuelband-exercise-monitor/) from February. __WIRED__ Sharp looks. Simplicity will appeal to casual exercisers. Logs any activity that involves movement. __TIRED__ Lowest-common-denominator approach is shy on detail. $149 | [Nike+ FuelBand](http://nikeplus.nike.com/plus/products/fuelband/)
05motorola-motoactv
Motorola Motoactv ----------------- The Motoactv does count daily steps and calories burned, but these functions are secondary to its role as a powerhouse workout partner. Originally, the device logged running, walking, cycling, and elliptical workouts, but Motorola expanded the software to cover more than 40 other exercises, from baseball to yoga to heavy bag (it's a boxing workout). The touchscreen display provides real-time data like pace, distance, and GPS mapping. When you hook it up to your computer, it uploads your data and graphs it, allowing easy sharing to Facebook and Twitter. The site lets you set goals and compete with other Motoactv users. Better still, the Motoactv links via Bluetooth to Android phones, so you can answer calls if the included headphones (with mic) are plugged in. Upload a playlist and the monitor will track which songs make you work out hardest. (Lady Gaga? Who knew.) __WIRED__ Striking aesthetics. Compatible with ANT+ heart-rate straps (that's most of them). User-friendly display. Reveals what music you crank to. __TIRED__ Accessories sold separately. Skimps on broader lifestyle features. $300 (16 GB) [Motorola Motoactv](http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/MOTOACTV/MOTOACTV/MOTOACTV-US-EN)
