Body Media Armband - visible under work shirt?

nelsoji
nelsoji Posts: 79 Member
edited November 7 in Fitness and Exercise
So I know there have been a number of threads on this but I wasn't able to find exactly the answer I was looking for. I work in a business casual environment - so wear mostly long sleeve button down shirts with the occasional polo on a Friday. Under the long-sleeve shirt - can anyone tell you are wearing it? What about under a polo? Does it sit high enough on the arm where it wouldn't be visible?? I like the features of it and it seems to come pretty highly recommended on here and other reviews, but don't necessarily want anyone to know I am wearing it, but think the real benefit would be knowing what my burn was like during day when i was more sedentary. Any recommendations or opinions are appreciated. Or if this question has been answered and i didn't see it in my search - can you point me to the right thread??

Replies

  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    It really depends on how snug your shirts are. I wore one for a couple of months and the only time mine was visible was when I wore a cap sleeved blouse or changed into my workout clothes.

    As for my opinion of it, I wasn't terribly impressed personally and after a few months, I found it pretty uncomfortable to wear it 24/7, which you need to do if you want more accuracy. Though I didn't find it all that accurate, either. By using their calorie estimates, and running a 750 calorie from what it told me my TDEE was, I gained 5 lbs over a 3 month period, when it said I should lose 1 1/2 lbs a week. Obviously I have the metabolism of a snail.

    I have a Fitbit Flex now and I really like it.
  • nelsoji
    nelsoji Posts: 79 Member
    You are the second person I have seen that said that - interesting. Both were girls - any guys have good/bad things to say? I will do more research on the Flex now
  • nelsoji
    nelsoji Posts: 79 Member
    Bump once more - try and get a few more responses?
  • huntermaz
    huntermaz Posts: 37 Member
    I have used it for about 6 months and really liked it. I think it overestimates by maybe 500 calories. But I have developed a rash where I wear it that hasn't gone away for close to 2 weeks. I may be moving to a fitbit.
  • ChristyB1117
    ChristyB1117 Posts: 51 Member
    I have lost 25 pounds recently using the Body Media fit - as well as another 25 pounds a few years ago. Today I wore a short sleeve shirt to work, and a colleague noticed it for the first time...after months of wearing it. So no, I don't find it noticeable, nor do I find it very uncomfortable :) And I think women's shirts are more form fitting around the arm than men's, so I think you would be fine.
  • huntermaz
    huntermaz Posts: 37 Member
    Missed the main point, but no one really see it, once and a while if I wear a t-shirt with shorter than normal sleeves it sticks out but no one has ever said anything.
  • amandzor
    amandzor Posts: 386 Member
    I prefer my Fitbit Flex. It looks like a watch to most people and has a pretty low profile. I've gotten to the point that I forget it's there.

    I've even jumped in to the pool with it on like a special snowflake. Luckily it's waterproof (though they say 'water resistant') But believe me, I found it on the bottom of the pool, and it'd been submerged for at least 15 mins.
  • nelsoji
    nelsoji Posts: 79 Member
    Thanks for all the replies!! The Fitbit Flex seems to really just measure movement vs. the Body Media one actually calculates calorie burn right? Does fitbit do more than that? One thread called it a "glorified pedometer" - is it more than that?
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    The BMF calculated my calorie burn, but it over estimated it by a lot. To me, it wasn't accurate at all. The flex calculates your calories burned, but I think it's loosely based on TDEE rather than actual measurements. It's much closer to my actual burn than the BMF was. Fitbit doesn't require a paid subscription to their website, BMF does. I would just do a lot of research and decide which on you think would work better for you.
  • thehound9987
    thehound9987 Posts: 6
    I have been using Bodymedia band since Dec 13 I have lost 53 pounds. Also my co work has been using one for about 4 months and he has lost 30 pounds. We both wear polos at work and have not problem with hiding the band . For the rash I make sure the metal part does not sit on the same part of my arm I moved it around every day. The problem with any activity tracker that goes around your wrist is that it can pick up false positive from things like when you are typing. Also my team at work won our biggest loser competitions by losing 14.73% of our group total weight two of us had the Bodymedia band.
  • OGracie
    OGracie Posts: 20 Member
    This response comes a little late, but hey... I just got here! Have you considered other areas of your body? I haven't really had any issues with it showing and I've got some girly work shirts that have really short arm sleeves. I began moving it around though because I had other issues with tracking!

    Also, it comes with a medium arm band. Consider buying a different size if it is too big or small for you. I purchased a large due to it being way to small and leaving sores.

    Here's what I have come to figure out, though Body Media does not recommend it:
    • If I am doing exercises that involve legs (walking, cycling, etc.), I wear it just under my left knee with the monitor just inside my knee pit. Why my left knee? I think because it's the stronger of the 2 after all the surgeries and PT.
    • If I am at work (desk job / stand up training or presenting), I also wear it under my left knee. It catches more up and down movement / activity here rather than sedentary arm movement. My legs have to be on the go.
    • If I am doing exercises that involve my arms (weights, stretching, etc.), I wear it where they recommend your to on my right arm which is my dominant and stronger side.
    • If I am cooking or sitting on the couch watching the boob tube, I also wear it on my right arm. In these cases I am doing more with my arms than my legs.

    I have found that it is best to wear it wherever you are doing the exercises. I emailed back and forth with someone at Body Media for a while. They state that Body Media was really just created to track upper body exercise and sedentary states.

    I feel like, if you can make it work for your every day life, then do it! Test it on your body in other places and see what works for you! I couldn't get it to hit vigorous activity to save my life! Now, it's working much better for my lifestyle!
  • engodwin
    engodwin Posts: 516 Member
    Depends on the clothing. The tighter the fit the more likely someone would see it. The shorter the sleeve, the more likely someone would see it. In a regular T shirt no one can see mine. However it is slightly visible when I wear a polo. Although, this has never bothered me. No one usually says/notices it even if it is visible. (In my experience.) The few people who have said anything know me personally and ask what it is, followed by how I like it. (Or other happy friendly questions.)

    If you research this device compared to other items on the market - it has the most accurate readings.

    I have hit vigorous activity with walking, running, biking, and on the arc trainer.

  • nelsoji
    nelsoji Posts: 79 Member
    So to update this. I wear it but not 24/7. I wear it from the time I wake up till when I am done for the day. I wore it overnight for a while but didn't get much value. I really wanted it mostly to better understand what my calorie burn was like during different days and workouts.

    I have been happy with that aspect of it. It's rare that someone notices it on my arm. Most of the time it gets noticed because of the beeps it makes when I hit it and it comes off my arm.
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