BodyMedia Arm band vs just using a HRM

dewsmom78
dewsmom78 Posts: 498 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I have both. I'm wondering which I should really use regularly. Do I just wear the arm band all day including exercise, or not use the arm band at all and just use my Polar HRM during exercise.

Personally with the arm band - I hate wearing it all day, especially to bed at night. It seems like it doesn't measure my exercise correctly because even on the days I exercise, it shows about the same calories burned as the days I don't exercise at all.

Which do you prefer and why?

Replies

  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    You don't have to wear it at night unless you want the sleep data.

    I personally didn't like wearing the thing at all and only kept mine a few months. I felt like a Biggest Loser, in a bad way. Team Fitbit.

    I wonder if your BMF doesn't track your exercise well because it's resistance type exercise? Some say it does that, too, but mine never did. Or cycling. Or anything else non-steps.
  • dewsmom78
    dewsmom78 Posts: 498 Member
    That could be. I did 1/2 hour of Jillian Michaels, not once during that time did it say I did a vigorous exercise. But then it showed vigorous exercise after I vacuumed the living room - WTH.

    I think I'm going to get rid of the arm band and just use my HRM. At least I know my TDEE now and can reduce from there.
  • AutumnElf80
    AutumnElf80 Posts: 58 Member
    I really like my BodyMedia. I notice a difference based upon my activity with it from day to day and activity to activity. And honestly I wear mine all day every day (well not when I shower but you get the point). After the first day or so of wearing it I no longer noticed it. Sort of like wearing a new ring or a watch.
    That being said I don't think it's more then 90% accurate most of the time. But it does point me in the right direction. It also gives me an incentive to be more mindful and active throughout the day. And since I'm a numbers geek I like the charts that it produces.
  • potluck965
    potluck965 Posts: 529 Member
    I absolutely loved the amount of data that I got with the BM armband. I wore it for 15 months and barely noticed it.

    I did recently give it up for a couple of reasons, but I learned a lot while I was using it.

    However, I still feel that the most important thing in this whole journey is logging food or at least being acutely aware of how many calories you are consuming. I can guesstimate my activity pretty well after 15 months of observing the BM readings, but calories can really run away from you if you aren't really careful.

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