Bodymedia Fit (bodybugg) and BMR

Swervinator
Swervinator Posts: 7
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys,

I was wondering if anybody knows a good way to get my BMR with the Bodymedia Fit armband. I basically understand what BMR is, and I'm wondering if my assumptions are correct. If I consistently burn 1.6-1.7 cal/min during sleep, and at rest is maybe just a hair higher, would I use that number to calculate my BMR? So (1.6 cal/min) x (1440 min/day) = BMR = 2303? According to Bodymedia, I've never dropped below 1.6 cal/min, and on a rather sedentary day it says I burn 2900-3000 cal. Am I understanding BMR correctly, or is this at least close?

Replies

  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    Interesting. I would agree. Interested to hear other responses though. Maybe contact BMF. If you do, let us know.
  • Swervinator
    Swervinator Posts: 7
    Thanks. I contacted Bodymedia with 2 other questions and they weren't a whole lot of help Anyone else out there with an opinion?
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    My calories burn per minute are very similar for when I'm sleeping and when I'm just sitting. I suppose I'd multiply that by 14440.
  • msmil
    msmil Posts: 9 Member
    Yeah, I am wondering about that too.. I just started up with the bodymedia thing too, so Idk if it is accurate or what BUT...
    the generic formula for BMR is bodyweight times 10. So I did some fast math on the info you stated and Idk... Do you weigh around 230? If so, then bodymedia is keeping it pretty generic.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    Thanks. I contacted Bodymedia with 2 other questions and they weren't a whole lot of help Anyone else out there with an opinion?

    What were your other questions. Maybe we can help.
  • Swervinator
    Swervinator Posts: 7
    Do you weigh around 230?

    Yeah that's exactly what I weigh.
    What were your other questions. Maybe we can help.

    I asked Bodymedia if I could reset my armband as a new user to see if it would give me the same resting calorie burn, because it seems really high to me compared to others' info that I've read with similar body specs. They said I can't reset it, and they don't recommend setting up a new email and registering as a new user.

    I also mentioned that during car rides the device picks up motion and registers it as some movement, therefore some extra calorie burn (worse around town with a lot of stop and go). So I took off my armband during that time so it would default to sedentary calorie burn (about 1.7 cal/min), but the computer was recording it as 2.3 cal/min while the armband was off and there was no way for me to change it. It was already set at "not active during this time." Bodymedia said sorry, this is an un-editable feature. Not much help there. Now I just subtract some calories based on how much driving I did that day if it looks like the activity manager registered too high during my drive.
  • msmil
    msmil Posts: 9 Member
    Yeah, I have my skepticisms about this thing too... but time will tell, ive only had it for a day. But, I do know that the data from this body fat measuring thing I bought changed significantly when I input that I was male instead of female. And it wasn't cheap either.. it was the kind that is allegedly sending electric signals thru my body, and the fat makes the electrodes slower, or something... idk how it works BUT, it seems like the device was doing more guestimating than measuring because if it were stricly just based on the feedback from the electric signals, then why it shouldn't matter if male or female.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    Yeah, I have my skepticisms about this thing too... but time will tell, ive only had it for a day. But, I do know that the data from this body fat measuring thing I bought changed significantly when I input that I was male instead of female. And it wasn't cheap either.. it was the kind that is allegedly sending electric signals thru my body, and the fat makes the electrodes slower, or something... idk how it works BUT, it seems like the device was doing more guestimating than measuring because if it were stricly just based on the feedback from the electric signals, then why it shouldn't matter if male or female.

    Don't know for sure but is it due to distribution of fat in different places in males and females
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    I would calculate BMR by multiplying the 1.6 cal/minute during sleep x 60 min/hour x 24 hr/day. (2304)

    I would make double, triple, quadruple sure that your Bodybugg is measuring your calorie expenditure accurately, because that sounds like an awfully high BMR, unless you're a very large, muscular person.

    BMR is the minimum amount of calories your body needs to just stay alive.

    TDEE is BMR + the amount of calories your body expends on activity during a day.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    I would calculate BMR by multiplying the 1.6 cal/minute during sleep x 60 min/hour x 24 hr/day. (2304)

    I would make double, triple, quadruple sure that your Bodybugg is measuring your calorie expenditure accurately, because that sounds like an awfully high BMR, unless you're a very large, muscular person.

    BMR is the minimum amount of calories your body needs to just stay alive.

    TDEE is BMR + the amount of calories your body expends on activity during a day.

    As a comparison, my sleeping/sitting calorie burn is 1.1 cals per minute. I'm a 5ft 7 female weighing 148 pounds
  • Swervinator
    Swervinator Posts: 7
    msmil, I know what you mean, if the device using physical, measurable data, you would think that wouldn't much matter if you were male or female and such. Makes you wonder if it's just using estimation tables to give you a number. I'm sure there's much more science about it than I understand, but it just makes me a little skeptical.

    MyOwnSunshine, I was thinking the same thing which is why I wanted to reset and start fresh to see if it still shows my resting calorie burn so high. I guess I'll have to trust it for now and just see how my weight loss goes.

    Thanks for your input guys.
  • Jaulen
    Jaulen Posts: 468 Member
    My understanding is that the BMF armband measures your TDEE.

    Mine measures my daily calorie usage around 2300. Wich is consistent with a low activity level TDEE on online calculators.

    BMR is what you'd 'use' doing nothing.....nothing as in lay in bed all day not moving, as if you were in a coma.

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