Just started with LINK, new to monitoring

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Hi all, I just started using a LINK yesterday. I left it on for 23 hours straight, took it off and synced/charged it, and just now put it back on. I'm using it in conjunction with MFP-- it seems like all my meals upload to BodyMedia just fine, although BodyMedia shows me eating one calorie less than MFP for some reason. Oh well... close enough I guess.

I've never used any sort of activity monitor before, so everything's new to me. It'll be nice to learn from folks who are using it too, so I can get past this learning curve and make the lifestyle changes I need to get my weight down and my fitness up.

It's nice to meet everyone!

Replies

  • lisab64mfp
    lisab64mfp Posts: 89 Member
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    You might also notice that you lose a couple of your burned calories when they transfer over to MFP.. Not sure why it does that but I figure like you do -- close enough.
    It was kinda neat seeing the numbers match up to the weight lost or (now that I'm at maintenance) knowing how much I can eat w/out gaining weight.

    Enjoy it!!!
  • aurora1423
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    You might also notice that you lose a couple of your burned calories when they transfer over to MFP.. Not sure why it does that but I figure like you do -- close enough.
    It was kinda neat seeing the numbers match up to the weight lost or (now that I'm at maintenance) knowing how much I can eat w/out gaining weight.

    Enjoy it!!!

    What I noticed was that none of it made sense! :huh: I know I'm (a lot) technologically challenged, but it was frustrating me more than not to have not one idea what it all meant. What I decided to do, and I'm giving it a week to see if this works for me, is log my food on Body Media and unlink MFP and Fit Link for now. Just for a time to see if it works better for me.
  • chriswalls1208
    chriswalls1208 Posts: 1,073 Member
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    It makes the most sense to me if I log food with MFP but allow BMF to calculate my deficits. MFP wants to use 'net' calories and that isn't what I want to see. I log with MFP but nothing more. I just allow that data to feed into Bodymedia. I know quite a few others who do the same thing.

    My Link data isn't uploading at the moment (well, since my Samsung updated the OS) but that's another issue...and supposedly, BMF is working on it.
  • CariJo1979
    CariJo1979 Posts: 13 Member
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    Hi, I just got a Link too. We must have ordered on the same day! I agree, it is all very confusing to me. I have a lot of questions that I am trying to get straight in my brain.
  • tinkystyle
    tinkystyle Posts: 76 Member
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    It makes the most sense to me if I log food with MFP but allow BMF to calculate my deficits. MFP wants to use 'net' calories and that isn't what I want to see. I log with MFP but nothing more. I just allow that data to feed into Bodymedia. I know quite a few others who do the same thing.

    My Link data isn't uploading at the moment (well, since my Samsung updated the OS) but that's another issue...and supposedly, BMF is working on it.

    ^^^This is how I have been using mine as well.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    It makes the most sense to me if I log food with MFP but allow BMF to calculate my deficits. MFP wants to use 'net' calories and that isn't what I want to see. I log with MFP but nothing more. I just allow that data to feed into Bodymedia. I know quite a few others who do the same thing.

    My Link data isn't uploading at the moment (well, since my Samsung updated the OS) but that's another issue...and supposedly, BMF is working on it.

    Ditto for me too... I had to plug the BMF to the computer to sync my data. Stupid Samsung OS update. :grumble:
  • huntermaz
    huntermaz Posts: 37 Member
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    It makes the most sense to me if I log food with MFP but allow BMF to calculate my deficits. MFP wants to use 'net' calories and that isn't what I want to see. I log with MFP but nothing more. I just allow that data to feed into Bodymedia. I know quite a few others who do the same thing.

    My Link data isn't uploading at the moment (well, since my Samsung updated the OS) but that's another issue...and supposedly, BMF is working on it.

    Add another peson, this is what I do also. Has worked really well.
  • OMGeeeHorses
    OMGeeeHorses Posts: 732 Member
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    I don't have a LINK, but the Core armband. Which is the same, accept mine isn't wireless :D! Pretty much I have been using mine almost a year with MFP. Put all my food in MFP and BMF grabs it and does it's thing on its own side. I also let BMF do my burn and exercise limit and then just punch it into MFP to keep the track there as well. They both seem to be doing amazing together and I have been losing weight. Only thing I am still confused about is the MFP deficit thing that it asks when you want to connect BMF armband to it. All well nothing is 100% known :D!!

    GOOD LUCK!!
  • monis01
    monis01 Posts: 46 Member
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    I love my Body Media! Seeing my calories burned throughout the day is awesome.... I'm still a bit confused with my "remaining calories" vs "net". Which one is the deficit?? :/
  • AHASRADA
    AHASRADA Posts: 88 Member
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    I love my Body Media! Seeing my calories burned throughout the day is awesome.... I'm still a bit confused with my "remaining calories" vs "net". Which one is the deficit?? :/

    MFP doesn't show you your planned deficit; it's built into your calorie allowance. So, if you set up MFP for a 1 pound per week loss, it has already subtracted 500 calories per day from your allowance. If you have calories left, that means you can eat that number of calories and still meet your deficit. Net is the number of calories you've eaten minus any additional exercise calories you've burned above and beyond what MFP expected you to based on the activity level you entered when you set it up. I don't really pay any attention to that, although some like to make sure their net doesn't fall below their BMR, or the number of calories their body needs just to survive.

    I aim to have a few calories left over at the end of the day, or at least come out even, on MFP. On BodyMedia, I keep an eye on the deficit.