BodyMedia and the exercise log

CeleryStalker
CeleryStalker Posts: 665 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi there,

I've recently synced my account to my BodyMedia. Thing is, this device is notorious for not accurately accounting for calories burned during bicycling due to lack of arm movement. For instance, I've burned 2148 calories on my ride, but the device is only giving me a total of about 700 calories for the ride. Due to this, I also use a chest strap and Polar device for heart rate monitoring and actual calories burned during bike rides.

I notice that when I go to my exercise log, there is a 500 calorie 'Body Media calorie adjustment' of 500 calories, which I don't quite understand what that's trying to account for, as my device is giving me ~700 calories for the exercise it tracked today. When I add in the difference for the actual, the Body Media adjustment goes to 0, and I get a note that indicates negative calorie adjustment has been turned off, but that I can turn it on if I so choose. When I turn it on, the Body Media calorie adjustment goes to -970 calories. As I understand it, the negative calorie adjustment is for when your device gives indication that you've been less active than expected, which certainly is not the case here.

All this to say, how the heck do I accurately reflect calories burned when synced with my Body Media device does not properly account for bicycling calories burned?

Replies

  • CeleryStalker
    CeleryStalker Posts: 665 Member
    Any suggestions or further explanation as to how to interpret these BodyMedia entries into my daily log and how to best accurately account for bicycling?
  • Dhickey182
    Dhickey182 Posts: 2
    Hi,

    Don't know if this helps or not, but look at the two calorie listings below your calorie burn. Bodymedia seams to send a projected amount based on what you goals are set at. So if bodymedia is projecting you at 3000 calories and MFP is 2500 then you get a 500 calorie credit. As you go thru the day and update your activity level with Bodymedia that number will change. If you do less than the 3000 calories for bodymedia the 500 calories is adjusted down. If you do more than the 3000 calories that number will go up. It does not seem to be a 1 to 1 for exercise.
  • CeleryStalker
    CeleryStalker Posts: 665 Member
    So should I still log my exercise and the calories burned from doing it, or just leave it at the Body Media input? The documentation around this integration is either lacking or in a location I've yet to find, LOL
  • SuzCruz159
    SuzCruz159 Posts: 28 Member
    So should I still log my exercise and the calories burned from doing it, or just leave it at the Body Media input? The documentation around this integration is either lacking or in a location I've yet to find, LOL

    I will receive my BodyMedia band tomorrow so I've been doing a lot of reading to see what to expect. I cycle also & was wondering how to track those calories. Map My Ride always gives me a much larger calorie burn than MFP. Anyway, I found this info under BodyMedia Support on their website:

    My Armband is not recording all of my Activity while riding a bike or stationary bike.
    On a road bike - ensure that you are wearing the Armband correctly.
    On a exercise bike, also called a stationary bike, some people may feel they deserve more calories than they get credit for. This can be attributed to the exercise bike's geometry and handle bar style. In this case, just for riding the exercise bike, try wearing the Armband lower on the arm, closer to the elbow than the shoulder, and rotate the Armband a little to the outside of your arm. With your arm hanging at your side (not sitting on the bike or holding the handle bars), the Armband's face would be in line with your wrist watch. When you have finished riding the bike, pull the Armband back to its normal position.

    Hope this helps a little.
  • CeleryStalker
    CeleryStalker Posts: 665 Member
    Suz...some folks say they wear theirs on their leg while cycling. I'm likely going for a ride tonight and I will see how that works out. I wear a HRM paired with a Polar watch to monitor calories burned during bike rides. I'll compare and let you know if the 'wearing it on my leg' results are similar to what my Polar gives me. Wearing the BM on my arm during bike rides gives pathetic 'results' in the calories burned department. I'm talking like '700 calories on a 50+ mile bike ride'. Come on now, I'm 200+ pounds and we ride at about a 17mph average. 700 calories.....riiiiiiiiight. LOL

    I've seen others recommend taking the BodyMedia off while doing bike rides, tracking calories burned for the ride with a HRM, then editing the 'off body' calories burned data in the BodyMedia app after you get done.
  • SuzCruz159
    SuzCruz159 Posts: 28 Member
    Wow! 50+ miles at 17 mph is awesome! I'm now 252 lbs (down from 312 lbs) & have been riding for 2 months. So far I'm only doing 16 miles at a slow 10 mph. On MFP it's listed as "Bicycling, <10mph, leisure..." Believe me, for ME it is NOT leisurely! :tongue: MFP gives me 457 cals burned for 60 mins cycling, however, Map My Ride gives me 1003.

    I'm working toward the day I can ride as far & as fast as you. We have a local bike shop that does group rides twice a week but I'm not ready to ride with the big kids yet.

    Can't wait to hear your results!
  • KaseyWolf
    KaseyWolf Posts: 122 Member
    I have a bodymedia fit as well. One of the suggestions I saw was to wear the armband lower on the left arm while biking.

    I'm at a loss as to what to make of the exercise it logs as well. I can do some HIIT and perhaps I go over 300 calories burned. I have yet to have it record more than 2 min of consecutive vigorous exercise. Perhaps my perception.

    I tried tracking the steps with a pedometer at the same time, they were within 500 steps of each other, but the calories it stated I burned were way off from each other.

    Not wholly convinced this was the device to go with.
  • AZKat527
    AZKat527 Posts: 31 Member
    I am also experiencing the same "problems" with my BodyMedia while cycling. I was so depressed when it only registered about 500 calories for a 2.5 hour ride averaging 13.5 miles per/hr, but maybe I'm not working as hard as I thought. I'd love to know if anyone has better success with wearing it lower on your arm or on your leg. I'm going to give adjustments a try and see what happens.

    Otherwise, I've been very happy with the arm band. It helps me with my accountability.
  • AZKat527
    AZKat527 Posts: 31 Member
    I tried it on my leg (left leg, right below my knee) this week. I was very diligent to make sure I only wore on my leg while on the bike. It seemed to be more in-line with the estimated calorie burn per the body media calculators. So I'm thinking I'll be wearing it there for my riding activity from now on. I'd love to compare it to a heart rate monitor but I'm not willing to shell out the money for the HRM just yet.

    I'd loved to hear anyone else experiences with different locations for cycling.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
    Go to Settings / Diary Settings and uncheck "Enable Negative Adjustments." Your Body Media will sync the calories you burned but will not make those adjustments. The other option is to just delete the adjustment each day from your diary.

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