My new Bodymedia armband!

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slowbutsure2
slowbutsure2 Posts: 110
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I tell my friends about my new Bodymedia armband and they just can't get excited, so I'm sharing it with you!

I got the Bodymedia core by ordering from the US on ebay. Paid £42 including delivery (brand new). The UK version, Ki Fit, is about £129.

Its fantastic! It does your steps and all that but what I like is the accurate calorie burn info. I wear it all the time and it takes the guess work out. I was somewhat frustrated at the different results on the web for calorie calculators, both for what you normally burn and different types of exercise. Not any more!

I now know that when I do very little all day I burn roughly 90 calories an hour. I know how much I burn spinning, walking, weight lifting. It also connects to my fitness pal and tells you Whats going in and out (Cals) and what your deficit is. So I can make course corrections during the day. Yesterday I skipped tea to maintain my deficit. Today I exercised more. No guessing, tailored for me.

The online app is great, free for 3 months and then about £7 a month. Some people whinge about this, I say get over it. Its nothing for the accuracy and motivation you get. I had stalled but back to losing 2lbs this week.

I'm a fan! Just Sayin.
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Replies

  • grrrlwonder
    grrrlwonder Posts: 59 Member
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    Yay! I'm so excited for you! I have one too; I LOVE how accountable it keeps me!
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
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    I have one too and love being able to match my eating to my activity level without having to guess.
  • Maggie_Pie1
    Maggie_Pie1 Posts: 322 Member
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    I used to have one, but it's a pain in the *kitten* to wear on your arm - bulky, can't wear short sleeves because you have an unsightly device on it, etc.

    I did like how it monitored everything. I have a fitbit and it doesn't accurately give a calorie burn for things like cycling that aren't actual 'steps'.

    Bodymedia needs to come up with a new or alternate design that can be worn on other parts of the body that can be concealed.

    And the charging per month for monitoring your activity is a bummer. Fitbit doesn't charge, and I feel like bodymedia might end up shooting themselves in the foot by doing that.
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
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    Interesting... does it come with a heart rate monitor? I'm just curious how this works.. I had a HRM in the past, but it's no longer functional. Do you have the "link" or "core" version? And is it necessary to pay for this "Online Activity Manager", or can the information be uploaded to MFP without that? Thanks in advance.
  • Beba_Diva
    Beba_Diva Posts: 11
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    Maggie I wear my body media on my right calf. It still counts everything pretty accurately.
  • 1LoveChips
    1LoveChips Posts: 260 Member
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    What's to say that is any more accurate than " different results on the web for calorie calculators"?

    I'm not dissing it, just not familiar with the product.
  • slowbutsure2
    slowbutsure2 Posts: 110
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    eganita, I have the core. I got the core as you can't get the iphone app for the link on the UK iTunes. I since read that you can wiggle a bit to get onto the us iTunes from the uk and download it. So it might upgrade one day.

    You can get a watch that displays Cals in and out etc from the band but not all the info on the website. I think the £7 a month is totally worth it though. For me, I think its the difference between achieving my goals or not. I need the accuracy and accountability. Others may have iron will power and self control, I'm unfortunately not in that camp!

    It doesn't have a HRM it works on skin temperature, sweat and some other voodoo. It's been verified by the big very accurate medical machines to be over 90% accurate. I if'd and um'd for a long time but so glad I took the plunge.
  • slowbutsure2
    slowbutsure2 Posts: 110
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    What's to say that is any more accurate than " different results on the web for calorie calculators"?

    I'm not dissing it, just not familiar with the product.

    It's been tested by the medical gold standard, thousands of pounds worth of equipment to be over 90% accurate. I have found the online methods differ, so the first question is which one of those is the most accurate calculation, but then its only general for the whole population, not you specifically.
  • Artemis_Acorn
    Artemis_Acorn Posts: 836 Member
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    I've had my Link armband for over a year and I wore it even when I wasn't focusing on health due to family issues. I wear it with short sleeves and don't feel the least bit uncomfortable doing so. If people ask what it is (most assume it's some sort of medically necessary device) I tell them and that's that. For me, it's been a great motivator, gives fantastic information to work with, and I wouldn't change for the world.

    A few weeks back, I had an issue with mine - the rubber cover over the button tore. It was 2 days past my one-year anniversary of receiving it. Since they have a limited one-year warranty, I thought I was screwed, but they replaced it, no questions asked. I have had several occasions over the past year to work with their customer service, and I have been impressed every time.

    I only hope that with their recent acquisition by Jawbone that they maintain the quality product and excellent service that was established by BodyMedia.
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
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    eganita, I have the core. I got the core as you can't get the iphone app for the link on the UK iTunes. I since read that you can wiggle a bit to get onto the us iTunes from the uk and download it. So it might upgrade one day.

    You can get a watch that displays Cals in and out etc from the band but not all the info on the website. I think the £7 a month is totally worth it though. For me, I think its the difference between achieving my goals or not. I need the accuracy and accountability. Others may have iron will power and self control, I'm unfortunately not in that camp!

    It doesn't have a HRM it works on skin temperature, sweat and some other voodoo. It's been verified by the big very accurate medical machines to be over 90% accurate. I if'd and um'd for a long time but so glad I took the plunge.

    LOL about "skin temperature, sweat and some other voodoo" - that is very interesting. Good to know about the accuracy! I agree - that does kind of blow my mind, but it seems like it really works!

    Thanks very much for all of the info.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
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    If you don't want to pay the subscription fee, you can buy a display device (they were on sale for $15 a couple of weeks ago) that gives real time calorie burn, steps, and minutes of moderate and vigorous exercise for the current and previous day.

    And like the pp, I don't care if it shows. If I'm going to a more dressy event I'll put it in my bra along my side, but I suppose that's not an option for men.
  • daco79
    daco79 Posts: 4 Member
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    I love my bodymedia fit. I don't care if it looks bad myself and feel naked when I a not wearing it. This is something that I have vowed to do and I will do it... This is what I tell myself....:smile:
  • serendipity_2050
    serendipity_2050 Posts: 21
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    slowbutsure2 I'm really pleased for you, anything that can help you in your weight loss and getting to your goal is great. Well done and good luck going forward.

    I like the idea of the band but I had a fitbit but it was so ugly I didn't want to wear it all the time which neagates the point. Someone needs to make a nice heart rate monitor that looks like a pretty watch so ladies can wear it all the time.
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
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    If you don't want to pay the subscription fee, you can buy a display device (they were on sale for $15 a couple of weeks ago) that gives real time calorie burn, steps, and minutes of moderate and vigorous exercise for the current and previous day.

    Thanks.. good tip! I'm working on saving $ right now, so the monthly fee is a bit of a turn off (even though the fee isn't that big).
  • grrrlwonder
    grrrlwonder Posts: 59 Member
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    eganita, they pretty frequently will have sales on their website where they give you 12 months free - it comes with three free standard. If that's what's holding you back just keep an eye out for a sale and you'll find one.
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
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    eganita, they pretty frequently will have sales on their website where they give you 12 months free - it comes with three free standard. If that's what's holding you back just keep an eye out for a sale and you'll find one.

    Thanks!
  • walkdmc
    walkdmc Posts: 529 Member
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    I love my Bodymedia armband and especially like the communication between their website and MFP. I've been using my band for years to lose weight and look forward to it for helping me in maintenance.

    OP, glad you're enjoying your new toy!

    BTW, they were supposed to come out with a new band that's more discreet. It was supposed to be released last year but I guess that plan was nixed when (I think) Jawbone bought Bodymedia. I was looking forward to the nicer-looking band with interchangeable jewelry bands.
  • Slamdunkpro
    Slamdunkpro Posts: 88 Member
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    A few weeks back, I had an issue with mine - the rubber cover over the button tore. It was 2 days past my one-year anniversary of receiving it. Since they have a limited one-year warranty, I thought I was screwed, but they replaced it, no questions asked. I have had several occasions over the past year to work with their customer service, and I have been impressed every time.
    I'm glad they replaced yours. The same thing happened to mine last week except it was about a week over a year old. Their response was basically "tough".
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 3,019 Member
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    humm this is interesting. I have been thinking of getting a hrm and was looking at a reg polar ft4 or polar loop and thought of a fit bit but i relaly want one that will tell me what i burn regularly daily just doing what i normally do but yet when i exercise? so does this bodymedia one act as a reg hrm too? so i woudl get accurate cals burned on my daily life activities but also when i do a 30 p90x3 session too?
  • Turntec22
    Turntec22 Posts: 20
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    It doesn't do hrm but it does "calc" cal burned during exercise.

    I love my link. It's a bit bulky, it costs a bit

    BUT

    I don't put a price on my health and I firmly believe it's a big reason why I've lost my weight so far

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