Bodymedia LINK - WoW! What a motivator! - My review

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johnguitarman
johnguitarman Posts: 56 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Well I got my BodyMedia LINK two days ago and this little thing is incredible! Before getting it I was using MFP and getting 1900 cals a day. The BMF gives me 2300 a day. After using the BM for two days I already dropped about 2lbs! It pushed me very hard and helped get me on track. I've been on MFP for about 8 weeks now and with the BMF I am more motivated than ever.

Basically you input your stats and pick how much weight you want to lose, what your goals are and the BodyMedia spits out everything for you. It gives you your calories you want to hit for the day based on your BMI and TDEE, It monitors your calories in real time as you burn them, you can import your MFP food diary into it so you dont have to manually enter in your food. It calculates your percentages of everything you've eaten for the day, gives you awesome charts and graphs to show your progress. has a fitness coach to give you valuable tips as you go, helps to keep you on track to make sure you are getting your fitness goals in for the day and alot more! .I cant say enough about it.

There are 2 versions, the COre and the LINK. The LINK is what I have and it allows you to sync up to your phone so you can watch your results in realtime and if you want to transfer your stats to your computer you just hit upload. Works amazingly well and I haven't had any issues with it not syncing up.

You will have to subscribe for a membership to the BodyMedia website so you can have your own 'dashboard' where you get to monitor and view all of your stats. There are different payment plans, monthly, yearly and two years. I chose one year for $59 bucks. Not bad considering that would have been a few trips to mcdonalds before! :)

I have already started pushing myself harder to make sure I hit the goals that my BMF set for me and the results are already showing. Oh and its so awesome to be able to eat more than the 1900 cals that MFP allotted me. :) I'm not the least bit hungry.

In closing I love this thing and I highly recommend it, especially for those who want something that will motivate them and be a great tool in helping to aid in your individual fitness goals. Of course it is a tool and you still have to make sure you put in the effort with your diet and exercise routine to get the maximum benefit.
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Replies

  • soccermom789
    soccermom789 Posts: 3 Member
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    Holy mackerel, I just got my Bodymedia LINK yesterday, and it is totally amazing! Everything that johnguitarman said is correct. The amount of data available is just mind-boggling! I'm using it with MFP and they work perfectly together.

    I have had no problem using the software on my Windows 8 pc and my older HTC EVO 4G phone (which isn't officially supported). I emailed a simple question to Bodymedia via the website and got a personal answer (not an auto-reply) within 12 hours. Amazing customer support, so far.

    Costco had the armband plus 12 months of membership for $99. I highly recommend this product for anyone who needs a little motivation. I bought mine as a little reward for my hard work!
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
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    I got one a couple of years ago to help with some post op weight gain and ahve become addicted to the numbers. I also find it motivating whenI check my display device and see a low calorie burn--gotta get up and move!

    And when I had foot surgery a little while ago, it helped me to not gain any weight even though I was in bed with my foot elevated 24/7 for 3 weeks. I could match my eating to my calorie burn exactly.
  • futiledevices
    futiledevices Posts: 309 Member
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    Everything I've read on MFP about these things has made me want one, but I can't afford it.. the fact that you have to pay to see your info also turns me off of it. Does sound like a good device if you have the money for it.
  • KimberlyinMN
    KimberlyinMN Posts: 302 Member
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    I "had" always been "anti-" Bodymedia. Why? Paying a lot of money for a device and then having to pay a monthly subscription? No way! I had a Fitbit and liked it, but I never understood the "numbers" that were imported. (I still don't, even after reading posts about how it is supposed to work.) Anyhow, I decided to do some research into the Bodymedia LINK and figured what the heck! I first bought a used one on eBay for $60-ish and then saw a NEW one on eBay for $90-ish and a six month subscription, so I bought that one too. I charged the new one up and put it on. At first, I was confused because it automatically gave me a 2000 calorie burn. ?? (I was looking for things to NOT like about this.) Then I told myself to give it some time to let the device "read" me.

    It's been a week now, and I *love* it! Seeing the numbers "live" on my Samsung Galaxy Reverb really motivates me to MOVE. I'm kind of lucky because at work, we have three buildings connected together by a winding hallway (kind of reminds me of a Stephen King movie because just when you think you are getting close to where you want to go, you turn a corner and it's just the same long hallway). It's a little more than 1/4 of a mile from one end to the other end. (3-1/2 trips and you've walked a mile.) I'll look at my phone and see that I've only walked 2000 steps. Hmmm... do I have to go to the bathroom? Can I make it from this end of the building to the other end to use THAT bathroom? (Thankfully there's also a set of bathrooms halfway, just in case.) I suppose that's probably not a HEALTHY challenge. LOL It's amazing how losing weight helps a person move. Last year, I would be out of breath by the halfway bathrooms - gasping. Now? I can easily make the short round trip jaunt and barely be breathing differently.

    Anyhow, I agree that this device is a great motivator. I like seeing that check mark letting me know I've hit my target for calories burned and/or steps taken.

    BTW, I wore my Fitbit one day along with the Bodymedia and the numbers were almost identical as far as steps and calories burned.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    My only trepidation is having to subscribe to a service just to use the device. My goals are not things that Bodymedia will quantify anyway.
  • judtod
    judtod Posts: 85
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    Is there something the Bodymedia LINK does that the fitbit doesn't? I am trying to figure out what would make it worth the money. Also, how close are the numbers from approximating exercise calories earned on MFP to those on the Bodymedia? Thanks.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    The only reason I chose Fitbit over Bodymedia is the required subscription for the latter.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
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    The BM FIT links with your MFP for exercises, you really don't have to log calories burned if you use it. But you also just log your intake through MFP not through the FIT.

    I got mine from Costco. It came with a 12 month free subscription. I just checked online and they don't seem to carry them anymore. :(

    Honestly, it is a little pricey, but I love mine. I can dial in my 1000 calorie deficit easily every day based on my projected burn. Plus it shows me moderate activity vs. vigorous activity as well as extremely accurate sleep patterns.

    The monthly subscription is lame I agree... but it's the same as paying for Netflix or 2 cups of coffee so really... it shouldn't be a reason not to get one. There are several other options out there but the FIT LINK had the best reviews.

    Also JAWBONE just acquired BodyMedia so they will probably be coming out with some new hybrid model of the FIT LINK and the JAWBONE Up bracelet.
  • CrazyTrackLady
    CrazyTrackLady Posts: 1,337 Member
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    Me too. I love my FitBit! I'm now getting mileage credit for all the time I put on my feet as a teacher. I am averaging 2 miles of walking every day M through F!! I've already earned my 50 miles badge, and I haven't had it for long.

    I have the Fitbit One, because I wanted to monitor my sleep. I'm fascinated that I am waking up at night more than I realize, and always at nearly the exact same time. I'm the kind of person who wants to know WHY that time -- must be the light sleep phase.

    Anyways, I love my FitBit One, and the info it gives me.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    Is there something the Bodymedia LINK does that the fitbit doesn't? I am trying to figure out what would make it worth the money. Also, how close are the numbers from approximating exercise calories earned on MFP to those on the Bodymedia? Thanks.

    Bodymedia is a heart rate monitor. Fitbit is not - it's more like a glorified pedometer.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    I'm going to wait for an accurate heart rate monitor with useful features that doesn't require a subscription. It's bound to happen when some marketing team considers what they have to offer that Bodymedia doesn't.
  • watfordjc
    watfordjc Posts: 304 Member
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    Is there something the Bodymedia LINK does that the fitbit doesn't? I am trying to figure out what would make it worth the money. Also, how close are the numbers from approximating exercise calories earned on MFP to those on the Bodymedia? Thanks.

    Bodymedia is a heart rate monitor. Fitbit is not - it's more like a glorified pedometer.

    Bodymedia doesn't measure heart rate, although you can upload data from certain Garmin devices using the Garmin Communicator Plugin (although I don't know if it does anything with that data).
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    Is there something the Bodymedia LINK does that the fitbit doesn't? I am trying to figure out what would make it worth the money. Also, how close are the numbers from approximating exercise calories earned on MFP to those on the Bodymedia? Thanks.

    Bodymedia is a heart rate monitor. Fitbit is not - it's more like a glorified pedometer.



    Bodymedia doesn't measure heart rate, although you can upload data from certain Garmin devices using the Garmin Communicator Plugin (although I don't know if it does anything with that data).

    In that case, there's no reason for me to get a bodymedia instead of a fitbit.
  • PosterPens
    PosterPens Posts: 172 Member
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    bodymedia is fantastic. it really reads your body's calorie expenditure, since it sits on your skin. the fitbit is a more of a fancy pedometer. both work, but its all abt the bodymedia for accuracy tailored to YOUR BODY.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    bodymedia is fantastic. it really reads your body's calorie expenditure, since it sits on your skin. the fitbit is a more of a fancy pedometer. both work, but its all abt the bodymedia for accuracy tailored to YOUR BODY.

    How does it do that better than the Fitbit? If it isn't an HRM, what makes it more specific?
  • ElaineRN100
    ElaineRN100 Posts: 201 Member
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    BodyMedia - totally cool tool. I've had mine for about 5 weeks and just being able to view the stats is a great motivator. Of course I love anything techy.
  • johnhubbs
    johnhubbs Posts: 33 Member
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    Been using Body media since Jan 2013. Dropped 77lbs. Keeps me motivated
  • barbaratrollman
    barbaratrollman Posts: 317 Member
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    Gotta tag this thread. I am very interested in these devices.
  • neacail
    neacail Posts: 228 Member
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    How does it do that better than the Fitbit? If it isn't an HRM, what makes it more specific?

    It measures galvic skin response, skin temperature, and heat flux (in addition to the measurements taken by the accelerometer).

    Edit: I love my BodyMedia Link. :smile:
  • barbaratrollman
    barbaratrollman Posts: 317 Member
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    Seems like a person's heart rate would be an important consideration for it to consider too. I wonder why they didn't design it to also monitor heart rate.

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