Bodymedia and net calories

Janina1987
Janina1987 Posts: 92
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone!

I'm a bit confused and hope someone can offer advise. I received my bodymedia fit last week and put it on immediately. I work out 5 days a week - always between 1 and 2 hours depending on my mood and motivation. Apart from that I walk to work (about 1 mile) and back home. My job is rather sedentary but I still try to keep moving as much as I can. I noticed that my BMF shows a lot less calories burned for my workouts than my Polar HRM. Still my daily burn varies from 2400 calories on restdays to 3200 calories on workout days (according to my BMF). I take anywhere from 8000 to 12000 steps per day. My first question: does that sound realistic? I'm 5'10 and weigh 125 lbs. I just want to maintain my weight so I'm at a loss at how many calories I should eat per day. Can anyone help me?

Thanks

Replies

  • Janina1987
    Janina1987 Posts: 92
    Anyone? !
  • strcrft15
    strcrft15 Posts: 5
    Did you put in all your information correctly? Weight, height, age, weight gained or lost in the past month, calories eaten per day, etc... ? It needs all that information to be accurate so it can calibrate to your body. Also, the more you wear it, the better it gets. It might be over-estimating at first, but that will go away, at least in my experience.

    Also, where are you wearing it? The placement is actually really important, although you'd have to dig through the instructions or website to really find that information. You have to wear it on your LEFT arm, below your deltoid. You can move it up or down an inch either way if you start getting itchy, but it needs to be in that spot.

    I hope this helps!
  • infamousdrew76
    infamousdrew76 Posts: 176 Member
    Sounds about right to me! Your week sounds a lot like mine. I workout a minimum 5 days a week, and sometimes a couple times a day which equates to a couple hours a day. I have to get it in this way, as I sit behind a desk all day as well.

    Steps range quite a bit depending on my workouts, anywhere from about 1200-1600 on average, with the highest being 21000.

    However, I am a 5'10" male and weigh about 205 at the moment and on my rest days its usually about 2800 or so, and on the days I work out it varies a bit depending on what I do. Usually from 3300 to 3800 with the highest being 4600.

    It is supposed to get more accurate the more you wear it and it gets used to you, and I would definitely trust it more than your HRM, as it is proven to be far more accurate than those.

    As far as how much to eat for maintenance, I would probably eat just under what it says your burning for the day just to have a little play. How much is up to you. While it is accurate, there is still a percentage of error which can be as high as 10%. I've read the closer you are to a normal weight though, the more accurate it is.

    Give it some time. I've had mine for several months now, and it has really taken a lot of the guesswork out of things and helped me a lot.

    Hope this helps
  • Janina1987
    Janina1987 Posts: 92
    Did you put in all your information correctly? Weight, height, age, weight gained or lost in the past month, calories eaten per day, etc... ? It needs all that information to be accurate so it can calibrate to your body. Also, the more you wear it, the better it gets. It might be over-estimating at first, but that will go away, at least in my experience.

    Also, where are you wearing it? The placement is actually really important, although you'd have to dig through the instructions or website to really find that information. You have to wear it on your LEFT arm, below your deltoid. You can move it up or down an inch either way if you start getting itchy, but it needs to be in that spot.

    I hope this helps!


    Thanks. Yeah I filled in all the information, my goals, my weightloss, age, height, weight etc. I wear it 23 hours a day on my left arm, the bodymedia logo closer to my shoulder as advised in the manual.
  • Janina1987
    Janina1987 Posts: 92
    Sounds about right to me! Your week sounds a lot like mine. I workout a minimum 5 days a week, and sometimes a couple times a day which equates to a couple hours a day. I have to get it in this way, as I sit behind a desk all day as well.

    Steps range quite a bit depending on my workouts, anywhere from about 1200-1600 on average, with the highest being 21000.

    However, I am a 5'10" male and weigh about 205 at the moment and on my rest days its usually about 2800 or so, and on the days I work out it varies a bit depending on what I do. Usually from 3300 to 3800 with the highest being 4600.

    It is supposed to get more accurate the more you wear it and it gets used to you, and I would definitely trust it more than your HRM, as it is proven to be far more accurate than those.

    As far as how much to eat for maintenance, I would probably eat just under what it says your burning for the day just to have a little play. How much is up to you. While it is accurate, there is still a percentage of error which can be as high as 10%. I've read the closer you are to a normal weight though, the more accurate it is.

    Give it some time. I've had mine for several months now, and it has really taken a lot of the guesswork out of things and helped me a lot.

    Hope this helps


    This helps a lot. Yesterday I walked a lot (17000 steps) and worked out for a total of a bit more than two hours (just like you I split my workouts... did about an hour in the morning and then a bit more than one after work). It said that I burned 3378 calories. So I guess it should be correct? I just can't imagine eating that much. Yesterday I ate as much as 2400 calories and felt horrible at the end of the day... it just sounds so much...
  • infamousdrew76
    infamousdrew76 Posts: 176 Member
    I know what you mean...I aim for about a 1000 Calorie deficit, which means some days I should eat well over 2000, and sometimes I'm just not hungry enough to do that. My vice (Beer) could easily get me there, but that is why I'm trying to lose in the first place, lol. Seriously though, if you really need the extra calories, you could try more calorie dense foods such as nuts, or have a protein shake or something like it to supplement.
    Sounds about right to me! Your week sounds a lot like mine. I workout a minimum 5 days a week, and sometimes a couple times a day which equates to a couple hours a day. I have to get it in this way, as I sit behind a desk all day as well.

    Steps range quite a bit depending on my workouts, anywhere from about 1200-1600 on average, with the highest being 21000.

    However, I am a 5'10" male and weigh about 205 at the moment and on my rest days its usually about 2800 or so, and on the days I work out it varies a bit depending on what I do. Usually from 3300 to 3800 with the highest being 4600.

    It is supposed to get more accurate the more you wear it and it gets used to you, and I would definitely trust it more than your HRM, as it is proven to be far more accurate than those.

    As far as how much to eat for maintenance, I would probably eat just under what it says your burning for the day just to have a little play. How much is up to you. While it is accurate, there is still a percentage of error which can be as high as 10%. I've read the closer you are to a normal weight though, the more accurate it is.

    Give it some time. I've had mine for several months now, and it has really taken a lot of the guesswork out of things and helped me a lot.

    Hope this helps


    This helps a lot. Yesterday I walked a lot (17000 steps) and worked out for a total of a bit more than two hours (just like you I split my workouts... did about an hour in the morning and then a bit more than one after work). It said that I burned 3378 calories. So I guess it should be correct? I just can't imagine eating that much. Yesterday I ate as much as 2400 calories and felt horrible at the end of the day... it just sounds so much...
  • Janina1987
    Janina1987 Posts: 92
    I know what you mean...I aim for about a 1000 Calorie deficit, which means some days I should eat well over 2000, and sometimes I'm just not hungry enough to do that. My vice (Beer) could easily get me there, but that is why I'm trying to lose in the first place, lol. Seriously though, if you really need the extra calories, you could try more calorie dense foods such as nuts, or have a protein shake or something like it to supplement.
    Sounds about right to me! Your week sounds a lot like mine. I workout a minimum 5 days a week, and sometimes a couple times a day which equates to a couple hours a day. I have to get it in this way, as I sit behind a desk all day as well.

    Steps range quite a bit depending on my workouts, anywhere from about 1200-1600 on average, with the highest being 21000.

    However, I am a 5'10" male and weigh about 205 at the moment and on my rest days its usually about 2800 or so, and on the days I work out it varies a bit depending on what I do. Usually from 3300 to 3800 with the highest being 4600.

    It is supposed to get more accurate the more you wear it and it gets used to you, and I would definitely trust it more than your HRM, as it is proven to be far more accurate than those.

    As far as how much to eat for maintenance, I would probably eat just under what it says your burning for the day just to have a little play. How much is up to you. While it is accurate, there is still a percentage of error which can be as high as 10%. I've read the closer you are to a normal weight though, the more accurate it is.

    Give it some time. I've had mine for several months now, and it has really taken a lot of the guesswork out of things and helped me a lot.

    Hope this helps


    This helps a lot. Yesterday I walked a lot (17000 steps) and worked out for a total of a bit more than two hours (just like you I split my workouts... did about an hour in the morning and then a bit more than one after work). It said that I burned 3378 calories. So I guess it should be correct? I just can't imagine eating that much. Yesterday I ate as much as 2400 calories and felt horrible at the end of the day... it just sounds so much...


    My vice is chocolate so it is actually pretty damn easy for me to eat all those calories... I could live off chocolate... Hmm.... Yummy... But I know it's not good for me. I know - even though I've reached my goal weight - it could lead to diabetes one day and it's horrible for my teeth... So i usually eat a lot of fruit, vegetables, lean meat... Sometimes i just can't resist chocolate.... I literally have chocolate binge days *shame on me* That is why I got the bodymedia.... To see how much I'm really burning...
  • PLUMSGRL
    PLUMSGRL Posts: 1,134 Member
    I've had my BM core for over a year. My best advice to you is to take the average over 3 weeks (select the 21 days on the dashboard). It gives you a better idea of what you're burning (consider off days where you burn high or low).
  • tj1376
    tj1376 Posts: 1,402 Member
    I think my monitor is pretty accurate. I dont work out a ton, maybe 3-4 days a week for 20-30 min. But it always records the activity, unless it is something that requires just legs, like my stationary bike. Then the only way to get it to read that activity is to put the monitor on my ankle. Anything that doesn't move your upper body to much it seems to not read as well as overall movement.

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