Bodybugg/Body Media Fit Questions Thread:
Replies
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i just put on the Body Media Fit last night for the first time and just got back from a run. My question is, would there be some sort of interference between the two if I used the BMF AND my Polar FT7 at the same time? I missed wearing my HRM watch and not being able to see my heart rate while running. Thoughts?
There should be no problem with the BMF, however, it could screw with the digital display if you have one since they can pretty sensative to other electronic devices with radio signals.0 -
My BMF doesn't have a digital display; but the HRM does. Great, I'm going to wear my HRM too; I was having withdrawals from not having it! :bigsmile:0
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My BMF doesn't have a digital display; but the HRM does. Great, I'm going to wear my HRM too; I was having withdrawals from not having it! :bigsmile:
Then you should be OK. the BMF does not track heart rate so I can't see any overlap that way.0 -
To answer a previously posted question:
No, it doesn't track a stationary bike accurately because your lower body is doing all the work and there is no forward progression so it pretty much thinks you're sitting an a chair but with fidgety legs or something. On a road bike, there is forward progression and you sway side to side slightly when riding hard so it is better, but not perfect.0 -
Ok call me clueless but what's the difference between a bodybugg/body media fit and a regular HRM? Do you wear the former all day? I'm VERY interested since my weight hasn't really fluctuated much and need all the help I can get!0
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I am thinking of getting a BMF. Do you think it would track kayaking? I guess it would if it relies on arm movement... I guess I am wondering how you figure out how many calories to eat.... It tells you what you burn but does it tell you what you need to eat (calorie-wise) to lose x lbs/week based on your numbers? How would things work out if you are just starting to become active but are not exactly in the habit yet? (I really want one of these but with the price, I need it to be something I need, not just something I want). I believe they are now available in Canada, right?0
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I am thinking of getting a BMF. Do you think it would track kayaking? I guess it would if it relies on arm movement... I guess I am wondering how you figure out how many calories to eat.... It tells you what you burn but does it tell you what you need to eat (calorie-wise) to lose x lbs/week based on your numbers? How would things work out if you are just starting to become active but are not exactly in the habit yet? (I really want one of these but with the price, I need it to be something I need, not just something I want). I believe they are now available in Canada, right?
You simply subtract calories from your total daily burn to create a deficit. For example, I typically burn around 2100 calories on a work out day. To lose 1 lb a week, I would subtract 500 calories for my intake (calories eaten). On a rest day, I'll burn around 1800-1900 calories; I'd still stubtract 500 calories from that number for my intake.
Since I use MFP, and I've found that I burn 1800-1900 calories, without dedicated exercise, I simply set my MFP goal as 1550 (1800-250=1/2 lb per week) and let MFP add back my exercise calories.0 -
Ok call me clueless but what's the difference between a bodybugg/body media fit and a regular HRM? Do you wear the former all day? I'm VERY interested since my weight hasn't really fluctuated much and need all the help I can get!
A BMF is NOT a heart rate monitor, it tells you nothing about your heartbeat. It tells you steps taken, minutes of moderate activity, minutes of vigorous activity, and even hours slept.
The calories burned are displayed on a graph from midnight to midnight, showing the peaks and valleys of where you were moving more.
All you have to do is check your total around 6 or 7 PM and eat that for the day. The rest of your burn from then till midnight will make up your deficit.
Each one of those categories expands and there is a detailed chart or graph for each one. My favorite is the sleep tracker. It shows a black bar broken up with grey lines, where you were just lying down but not asleep. I t showed me just how restless I really am at night and why I'm so tired!0 -
I guess I am wondering how you figure out how many calories to eat.... It tells you what you burn but does it tell you what you need to eat (calorie-wise) to lose x lbs/week based on your numbers?
that's just math. 1 lb per week is 500 calories a day. Just eat 500 less than your typical daily burn once you figure out what it actually is.0 -
So, I've only completed 2 days of wearing the BMF so far. According to the device, I burn WAY more calories than I thought I do. I didn't even realize how active I am once I get off work. I basically walk non-stop from the time I get off work to the time I go to bed... grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning house, chasing toddler, chasing puppy, etc. I know I need to give it some time to see how things average out. But, I think I've been eating over a 1000 calories deficit for a long period of time! (except on splurge days, of course). This could explain my extremely slow rate of weight loss, right?0
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So, I've only completed 2 days of wearing the BMF so far. According to the device, I burn WAY more calories than I thought I do. I didn't even realize how active I am once I get off work. I basically walk non-stop from the time I get off work to the time I go to bed... grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning house, chasing toddler, chasing puppy, etc. I know I need to give it some time to see how things average out. But, I think I've been eating over a 1000 calories deficit for a long period of time! (except on splurge days, of course). This could explain my extremely slow rate of weight loss, right?
Yes. You should still be losing weight but after under eating for a long time you will slow down. Eat a little more and you could lose faster.0 -
To answer a previously posted question:
No, it doesn't track a stationary bike accurately because your lower body is doing all the work and there is no forward progression so it pretty much thinks you're sitting an a chair but with fidgety legs or something. On a road bike, there is forward progression and you sway side to side slightly when riding hard so it is better, but not perfect.
Not true.
Rememver, the device uses several metrics:
#1- Movement. It is very sensative, it will register movement in any direction. Basic rocking or jiggling or bouncing will trigger it and should track some of the cycling/stationary bike exercises.
#2- It tracks skin temp, the harder you work the warmer you get, the more calories you burn.
#3- It track heat emitted away from the body, similar to the first but measures the amount of heat your expelleing instead of body temp.
#4- Stress. I has sensors in that measure stress.
I would say that #2 & #3 would apply most to a stationary bike but it will also register some movement. I would certainly take the BB reading over a HRM for that activity.0 -
To answer a previously posted question:
No, it doesn't track a stationary bike accurately because your lower body is doing all the work and there is no forward progression so it pretty much thinks you're sitting an a chair but with fidgety legs or something. On a road bike, there is forward progression and you sway side to side slightly when riding hard so it is better, but not perfect.
Not true.
Rememver, the device uses several metrics:
#1- Movement. It is very sensative, it will register movement in any direction. Basic rocking or jiggling or bouncing will trigger it and should track some of the cycling/stationary bike exercises.
#2- It tracks skin temp, the harder you work the warmer you get, the more calories you burn.
#3- It track heat emitted away from the body, similar to the first but measures the amount of heat your expelleing instead of body temp.
#4- Stress. I has sensors in that measure stress.
I would say that #2 & #3 would apply most to a stationary bike but it will also register some movement. I would certainly take the BB reading over a HRM for that activity.
Contact their tech support and see what they say about using the BMF with cycling...
Ok I'll just tell you - they advise you to take it off and then compute the calories using an online calculator, and enter them manually.0 -
Question: Are you still tied to a website to use this?
My understanding is that if you buy a BFM or variant, you have to go to their website to get all your stats. There's a digital display you can pay extra for but I understand it just shows 'in the moment' type info.
I love the idea of these devices but if I'm going to pay upwards of $200 for a fitness device I'd like it to be something that I can use by itself, without having to go to a website. Especially if the website then charges a monthly subscription.
If these devices would just transmit data to software on my own computer, so that I could choose what to do with it, I'd be a lot more inclined to get one.0 -
Question: Are you still tied to a website to use this?
My understanding is that if you buy a BFM or variant, you have to go to their website to get all your stats. There's a digital display you can pay extra for but I understand it just shows 'in the moment' type info.
I no longer use the website to access the data (PM for more info). I am glad that I had 3 months worth of subscription before I made the switch though.0 -
I have never used the BMF website either.
After 2 weeks of using it looks like the MFP maintenance number is about 400-500 cals below what BMF is telling me. I'm 5'8" 172lbs BTW.
I am trying to put on some muscle so I have upped my cals on "rest" days and kept my training days similar to what I was doing before (partly because I find it hard to eat any more
) 0 -
To answer a previously posted question:
No, it doesn't track a stationary bike accurately because your lower body is doing all the work and there is no forward progression so it pretty much thinks you're sitting an a chair but with fidgety legs or something. On a road bike, there is forward progression and you sway side to side slightly when riding hard so it is better, but not perfect.
It tracks walking just fine, so if you are riding your stationary bike, maybe let your arms hang down and see how if it tracks differently...?0 -
I don't have a BB of BMF but I did research them for several months. It seems the consensus for stationary bike/cycling is to move the BMF to your calf instead of your upper left arm. Obviously, I haven't had the opportunity to check that but it seems like it would work...0
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When I go to the gym I double-up by wearing a Polar HRM with the BodyMedia Fit. For stationary bike and elliptical/Arc work I move the BMF to my calf and it catches the activity much better - it registers about 80-90% of what the Polar captures as far as calorie burn.
It's a bit of a pain to move it around - from calf to arm - since I mostly circuit train doing a lot of different activities, but it's worth it to me. I think I need to order a size Large band for it though, so I can get it over my sneaker to my calf without stretching the band so much...0 -
I have been using my BMF for about a year and I am down 30 lbs. I love it, no need to track individual exercise here. I just put in 1440 minutes/day and put in my total calories burned for the day. Is that how everyone else does it? or is there a better way. I was using a different weight loss site and just switched over here to MFP-better technology.
I also bought the wrist band so I can keep an eye on my daily progress. I would suggest if anyone is thinking of getting one, you want a large band for your leg and a regular band for your arm. I am not able to synch the wrist band to t he unit if I am wearing it on my leg, but that is OK. It still records the calories burned accurately, just not the minutes of moderate or vigorous activity.0 -
That's pretty much how I do it. I add my exercise still and then at the end of the day when I connect, I might just add one called bodymedia fit difference if the BMF had recorded a higher cal burn than MFP.0
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Oooooo good thread. And boy, do I have a question!
So, I've had my bodybugg for 2 weeks and just can't trust the numbers I'm getting yet. It just seems to over estimate my exercise calories. The past 2 weekends, I've been comparing my exercise only numbers to my fitbit and polar F11 and the bodybugg tends to be at least, if not more than, 200 calories more than my hrm and fitbit.
I *might* trust the bodybugg numbers except for the past year, I never lost a full lb at one time...only .2, .4, .6 or maintained (or *gasp* gained). I had to lower my calorie goal to 1265 (mfp gave me 1200 to lose a lb but I'm allergic to that calorie goal) so I was going by mfp numbers but when getting the bodybugg and noticing the higher numbers, I decided to check *all* my numbers and ended up losing a full lb the week I started wearing the bodybugg but by inadvertently going by the fitbit and new mfp numbers.
It's been really hot here and I walk outside for exercise. Is that going to affect the bodybugg's readings? I'm a big proponent of eating every last calorie you're allowed but I *know* how lazy I am when I'm not exercising and I'm finding it difficult to trust the bodybugg right now.
Ok, I'm sure there was a question in there somewhere.
I just know that any search I did on the web for over estimation of bodybugg calories only turned up how the hrm was indicating more calories burned than the bodybugg. 0 -
Can't comment on it vs other things but it seems to be pretty accurate for me. It have me higher total cals burnt for the day than mfp maintenance plus exercise did. I've adjusted my intake because of this. However my numbers are larger than yours so a small change for me would be a larger percentage change for you.
As always, record data and adjust if necessary 0 -
So I read through this thread. I got my BMF 2 weeks ago too. On a day I work, I may burn over 3000 calories with my exercise. I didn't realize I was eating at such an enormous calorie deficit for so long. I was only grossing 1200 calories. I wasn't eating any extra exercise calories or anything. So basically I was living on negative calories and that's probably why I hit a plateau. (Though it was doctor supervised and I just had bloodwork done) I'm slowly upping my calories, eating 1500 this week. I did not want to do it suddenly and really gain weight. So if what I read is correct the website will adjust for me and tell me what I should be eating after a couple weeks? I mean it still says I should eat 1200 calories.0
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no MFP will not adjust. You need to change it under settings - goals - customise.0
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Hello. I have a few questions. I got my Bodybugg 3 days ago, and have worn it all weekend.
First question. Once you have done a few nights in it, do you HAVE to wear it every night? The back of my arm is hurting really badly from turning and lying on that arm in my sleep.
I know you can "mark the same as..." or say you were sleeping during that time. Would it affect my total for the day THAT much though??
Second. I read that it isnt accurate on the elliptical? I did a regular workout on it, and it said I burned 421 calories, then the next night I did the CRAZY HARD workout, and had buckets of sweat pouring off me, and it said I burned 413 calories. HOW is that possible????
and finally. Can someone explain in stupid person terms how to setup myfitness pal for the proper calorie amount? And is it possible to just enter my total calorie intake for the day on the BB program online, or do you really have to go through and input the food one by one? (id rather track food on here)
Thanks SO much!!!!!0 -
The more data it can gather the better it will learn your body and how it burns/sleeps and the better your results will be. I wear my BMF constantly, except for showers. Sometimes at night I'll move it lower on my arm to give the normal area it rests time to breathe, so maybe you try that to see if the lower location doesn't hurt as much. (just remember to move it back up in the morning, when it's worn too low it can give higher burn readings than normal).
As for food entry, I still track everything here and then enter it as one large meal at the end of the day into the BMF database.
For MFP vs BMF/BB numbers, I just ignore MFP and follow my BMF data. I spent months trying to reconcile the two and it was a frustrating time of stalls and gains. Once I did a bunch of calculations and found out that the BMF data jived better with all of those averages than anything I got from MFP, I just started using BMF for daily calorie intake and burn numbers. Been losing steadily again ever since.
*edit* Forgot the elliptical question part. For me, I don't hold onto anything when I do elliptical, I move my arms like I'm running and my BMF data matches up almost exactly to my HRM data. But I've read lots about if you hold the stationary bars it can read way off from the lack of upper body movement and it can be somewhat off when using the swinging arms. My closest experience to the elliptical with it is the ARC trainer since I do hold onto the moving arms for that and the BMF does show a little lower than my HRM.
My biggest discrepancies are stationary bike and roller skating (I pace skate without engaging my left arm nearly at all). The BMF is way low for both of those, so I just take it off and then enter the calories burned as per my HRM for either of those workouts.0 -
Thanks for your quick reply. I will try to move the band down my arm till the spot doesnt hurt anymore.
How do you enter the calories into a meal? I tried doing that earlier and got "if the other nutrients are 0, the calories need to be 0" then I put all the other info in for nutrients (of what I track here on MFP) and then it said that the fat,calorie, carb amount doesnt equal the calories I put or something like that... so it wouldnt let me post it????
Ill stop trying to get MFP to match up, and just make sure I eat the proper deficit from what Im earning.
I do hold the bars on my elliptical. I thought you are supposed to, to work out your arms? would I do better acting like Im running and not holding on????
Thanks again so much for your help! 0 -
May be a dumb question but what happens as it learns your body? Do the calories adjust on their own? And how does it learn? Does it basically just take what it says you burned, look at what you consumed and how much weight you've lost and say, "Wow, she should have lost 3 lbs with that deficit but only lost 1. Maybe we're over estimating her deficit!"
Yeah, I'm still on about the over estimating. 0 -
I have had a BMF since about July, although I haven't lost a huge amount of weight, it's all my own fault LOL.
One thing I will say about it is that I had a HRM before and I always thought the calories burnt were too low. I always felt that I had burnt more than 200-300 calories in an hour. When I bought the BMF, it showed a much higher reading.
Maybe the settings on the HRM were off but I felt the other results much better suited the way my body felt.
Another thing that I notice I do now that I have it is more incidental exercise, I'm always thinking about my step count and increasing it etc. Because you see the results at the end of the day.
One thing I wanted to ask: anyone else with a BMF have any irritation from the arm band? I didn't at first, I don't wear it to bed, but the other day when I took it off, it was so itchy and some skin came off - I'm just hoping it's not doing anything bad to my skin there!0
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