BodyBugg/ BodyMedia vs. HRM

kimi131
kimi131 Posts: 1,058 Member
edited September 29 in Fitness and Exercise
So I've looked on the forums (ok, not thoroughly, but still I've looked) and I still have questions. Initially I thought I would be able to buy one of these things further down the road, say December or January, but the longer I go without one, the more I realize I need one of these lovely devices... and soon. Depending on the database for calories burned just isn't working for me. I need more accuracy than that.

Originally I thought I would save up my pennies for a BodyBugg or BodyMedia (FItBit won't work for me since I'm a Mac girl and FB only works with Windows PC). They seemed to do more than an HRM. I was leaning more toward BodyMedia since it also monitors sleep and its calorie management system is free (whereas BB is only free for 6 months). Of course, I have MFP so I'm not sure how much I need the calorie management system. BodyMedia, as far as I can tell, has to always be worn on your wrist. I am not sure I am a big fan of that. I don't think I want to advertise 24/7 that I am trying to lose weight. So that puts me back to BB.

As far as I can tell though, most people have an HRM. I decided to do a little digging and discovered... my goodness, they are more expensive than I expected. I asked my MFP friends and they said that HRMs can also tell you the number of calories burned. So... then I think, okay, maybe an HRM is the way to go after all. They are a little cheaper than BodyBugg/BodyMedia and with MFP I'm not sure how much I need some of the extra features than the others offer anyway.

One more thing, all you HRM people, do you wear yours all day? I would be curious as to how many calories I burn throughout the day. I am sure it varies day to day, but it would be nice to know.

I am confused. And I don't want to spend all that money and end up with something I am not happy with. But I need to figure it out soon. Like I said, depending on the database and guessing is driving me crazy.

Replies

  • bmccrory2
    bmccrory2 Posts: 84 Member
    I would like to know the answers you get to this post :smile:
  • melbaby925
    melbaby925 Posts: 613
    I have a bodybugg and love it. I bought it through my gym, and didn't realize that there's a similar version, worn on the arm the same way by BodyMedia. I want that version! I say get the BodyMedia one over an HRM. The bodymedia/bodybugg versions will track everything but heart rate. But since they do so much more, I think that makes them super accurate.

    However, if you're looking to save $$, there are some good HRMs out there. I just think if you're going to do it, go for the best you can get. IMO that's the body media arm band version.

    Happy shopping!

    Here's the link to the armband site: http://www.bodymedia.com/Shop/Armband-Packages
  • JoyCarter
    JoyCarter Posts: 37
    BUMP!!
  • CelticDestiny
    CelticDestiny Posts: 61 Member
    BodyBugg and BodyMedia are pretty much the same thing. Always worn on your upper left arm. The BodyMedia can be worn during sleep, but it just tells you how long you were sleeping and if you were up throughout the night. The management program is not free for the BodyMedia and the database is very minimal. (I have the BodyMedia and I use MFP for the food logging since I don't want to always create a new food every time I use the BodyMedia software. It does have a place you can just put your total calories consumed so it still gives you your calories used/consumed difference.) When you have the armband off the program gives you an estimate of what you burned during that time. The more you wear the armband the more accurate it is. I had a cheep HRM for about a week and said that I wanted a more accurate way to monitor what I'm doing. I'm in this for a very long time so I figured that I needed to invest in something that will help me along the way. For me it was BodyMedia, and I am very happy I got it! Good luck in your decision.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    I have a heart rate monitor (Polar FT7) and I think it is wonderful. It was pricey, $85 on amazon, but I have used it practically every day since mid-January when I bought it. Well worth my investment.

    It measures calories burned based on heart rate. I can get a very accurate measure of how many calories I burn while exercising. I can get a relatively vague estimate of how many calories I burn while living. So, yes, I've worn it all day, and I burned around 3000 calories average between working and walking around school and being at home. (I did not include my workout for that day in the 3000 cals). This amount is more than my TDEE (total daily estimated expenditure) but I may have my activity level wrong AND I don't always work that hard during work hours. So basically I wanted to say that HRMs are not very good to judge how many calories you burn during the day.

    I wanted to let you know, though, that I have compared my workouts with my HRM results as well as my MFP results. They are always within 20-50 cals of each other. Running: I burn more in actuality than MFP states that I would (say 400 instead of 390). Circuit training or work out DVDs: I burn less in actuality than MFP states I would (210 instead of 220) but they are always very very close for me. It quite possibly is the same case for you, and therefore not really necessary to get a HRM at all!
  • frostyfriendz
    frostyfriendz Posts: 2
    Hi,

    I have the BodyMedia armband. I did the yearly subscription (it's not free) which comes to $6.95/month. It allows you to upload and view your Armband data. I purchased mine on Amazon a year or two ago and got the 3 months free deal.

    It does have a lot of useful data (calories burned, steps taken, etc). However, the food database isn't that good, which is why I signed up on myfitnesspal.

    It's interesting to see how the actual calories burned compares to the estimated values (exercise machines, exercise databases, etc). Sometimes it's more and sometimes it's less. I think people tend to over/underestimate the intensity of their activity - which is where BodyMedia comes in really handy.

    It also shows the calories burned by time so you can kind of mentally map what you did during the day and what actually burned calories.

    Another great result of the armband, is that you find out how many calories you burn doing things you wouldn't normally think would burn much. I found I burned more calories in a day by cleaning/cooking/gardening than I did going to the gym and doing an elliptical for 30-60 minutes.

    It would be nice if they did have a heart rate monitor though. Overall, I think it's a great tool and it's up to the user to make it effective (I guess that's the case for all tools, though). Right now I need to be more motivated and active, but with the armband at least I make sure I maintain my weight by making sure my calories burned is greater than my calories consumed or at least close to (lost 30 lbs and haven't gained it back).
  • Jayni40
    Jayni40 Posts: 123 Member
    Ihave a HRM and the Body Media. The Body Media is worn on the upper part of the left arm on your tricep not on the wrist.Body media is worn all day to tell how many calories you burn through the day. I find it to be very accurate. It also records your sleep patern and how many steps you take.It dose not go by HR it detects your body temperature and some other kind of science to give you accurate readings . Also I found with the body Media when I do certain execises like yhe stationary bike or arc trainer it dose not read your steps as accurately . So i wear it on my ankle for those exercises and it works great. As far as entering food the data base is very small so I use MFP for that but at the end of the day on the body Media software you have an option to enter total calories eaten for the day. So I just take what I recorded on MFP put enter it on BMedia. As far as my HRM I only use it to calculate calories i burn while i am exercising. It is not meant to wear all day. However I did do a comparison and wore both all day and got vastly different readings in calorie burns for the day. BMedia said I burned over 3000 cals all day while HRM said i burned 1300. I love the BMedia and for me it is pretty accurate. I did the calculations for a week using BMedia that I should have lost 3.3lbs for the week and when I weighed myself I had lost 3lbs that week. Hope this helps you decide.
  • kimi131
    kimi131 Posts: 1,058 Member
    I am still so not certain. I guess I am leaning more toward an HRM just because it sounds like BodyMedia will give me all the calories I burned a day. I am not one to want to wear it around all day. If anything, I would be more curious than anything. Although the info about BodyMedia saying 3.3 and actually losing 3lbs that week makes me really keep considering it. I don't know why this is such a hard decision for me, lol.
  • KeyMasterOfGozer
    KeyMasterOfGozer Posts: 229 Member
    I am still so not certain. I guess I am leaning more toward an HRM just because it sounds like BodyMedia will give me all the calories I burned a day. I am not one to want to wear it around all day. If anything, I would be more curious than anything. Although the info about BodyMedia saying 3.3 and actually losing 3lbs that week makes me really keep considering it. I don't know why this is such a hard decision for me, lol.
    I've been weighing this decision for several months as well. I was hoping your thread would give some motivation one way or the other. I bought a nice HRM (FT40), and it seems to do well for exercise. The main thing to remember with HRMs is that it only works when you are exercising. The BodyMedia/Bugg things can help with other factors, like helping you determine if your metabolism settings are right (Picking your Activity level and such) and maybe give you some insight if you are slipping into "Starvation Mode".

    The main reason I have not purchased one yet, is because I can't stomach paying for their monthly fee. Maybe I would if it could link to MFP somehow.
  • Desert_Lotus
    Desert_Lotus Posts: 15
    If you have bodybugg does it work if you dont have the web membership?
  • KeyMasterOfGozer
    KeyMasterOfGozer Posts: 229 Member
    If you have bodybugg does it work if you dont have the web membership?
    My understanding is that there is no way to get the data off of the device except to upload it to the website. I don't own one, though, so I could be wrong.
  • Just1forMe
    Just1forMe Posts: 624 Member
    BodyBugg and BodyMedia are pretty much the same thing. Always worn on your upper left arm. The BodyMedia can be worn during sleep, but it just tells you how long you were sleeping and if you were up throughout the night. The management program is not free for the BodyMedia and the database is very minimal. (I have the BodyMedia and I use MFP for the food logging since I don't want to always create a new food every time I use the BodyMedia software. It does have a place you can just put your total calories consumed so it still gives you your calories used/consumed difference.) When you have the armband off the program gives you an estimate of what you burned during that time. The more you wear the armband the more accurate it is. I had a cheep HRM for about a week and said that I wanted a more accurate way to monitor what I'm doing. I'm in this for a very long time so I figured that I needed to invest in something that will help me along the way. For me it was BodyMedia, and I am very happy I got it! Good luck in your decision.

    I agree 100%...I will add that even if you wear a HRM all day long it will not tell you accurately how many calories you are burning in a 24 hour period. That is the difference between a HRM and a Body Media Fit/Bodybugg.
    I HIGHLY recommend the Body Media Fit. I got mine with 6 mos free and if you buy the data manager for a full year after that it's only $6 a month...WELL worth the cost! I have gone (fairly consistently) from losing 1/2 lb a week to a full pound a week since I got mine :)
  • mercyyuen
    mercyyuen Posts: 21
    I have a polar F4 HRM. I used to use it... but I stopped because the strap didn't fit comfortably under my bra. Also, sometimes it wouldn't read my heart rate. And replacing the batteries on that watch through a certified dealer costs quite a bundle!

    Right now I'm using My Garmin Forerunner to track how far I run... and base my calories off of distance. But that is only useful when I'm traveling some distance. It won't really apply to my resistance training. I'm a bit of a geek... and would LOVE to know EXACTLY how much I'm burning.

    Right now 24 hr fitness is having a sale on their bodybuggs.

    bodybugg® version 3 on sale for $129 when you use the coupon code BUGGV3JL40
    bodybuggSPTM on sale for $149 when you use the coupon code BUGGSPJL50

    Both offers 6 months subscription for free.

    I'm very tempted to get it... but the idea of paying for monthly subsription after that is... irritating. And I already have so many gadgets... I'm sure that if I just keep using MFP religiously... it would help me lose weight. I think all these gadgets are just tools. If you don't use it... it's a waste of money. Also, I have my suspicions about whether or not the bodybugg REALLY calculates calories burned correctly???
  • ThumperWabbt
    ThumperWabbt Posts: 82 Member
    I have a BodyMedia...to add to what everyone else has said, you don't *have* to wear it on your upper left arm. It works on either arm; I've worn it on my right, and I mostly wear it on my left forearm. It's accurate for just about everything except sleep when worn on my forearm. Worn there, when I'm just sitting it thinks I'm lying down. So my data is skewed a bit, with it thinking I'm in a prone position for 11 -13 hours a day :)

    I do wish it had a HRM, and wish it was waterproof. I swim and can't wear it in the pool, but it does allow me to edit the time it's off body and I can tell it I was swimming. I ordered a HRM from Amazon so I can better track that while I work out.

    If you don't want something on all the time...go for a HRM. More bang for the buck that way, I think, even though I think the Body Media is pretty spiffy.
  • beccau_20
    beccau_20 Posts: 191 Member
    If you have bodybugg does it work if you dont have the web membership?
    My understanding is that there is no way to get the data off of the device except to upload it to the website. I don't own one, though, so I could be wrong.

    I'm pretty sure you can buy a digital display to go with it. Perhaps with the display you don't have to use the program.

    I used the BodyBugg a couple of years ago, without the display, and used the computer program. It did not help me at all, but it was cool to track my calories with it.
  • sherrillg
    sherrillg Posts: 317 Member
    I have been using a BodyMedia Fit for the past week. Prior to this I had a HRM that I felt was pretty accurate but I hated the fit under my bra strap. I love the arm band but like others have said the website (and mobile app) are lacking in many aspects. The food list is really limited and I will continue to use MFP. There is no "community" other than a FB page. The mobile app...well, while instant update would be nice to see...I have a heck of a time getting the band to sync. If I restart my phone, it will pick it up but then it's about a 50/50 shot as to whether or not the app will recognize that it is linked. (not entirely sure this is their problem :blushing: )

    My understanding is that if you purchase the "monitor" (little watch thing) you can have the data and don't particularly need the website, however, I was reading on their FB page tonight and someone was saying that the website uses different (more complex) formulas than the monitor does, so I'm not sure anymore. Also, I was lucky and purchased a 12mo subscription for $42 on ebay but I'm not too keen on paying a monthly fee for this level of "support" but ....I REALLY do like the armband! I'm torn...again, it's only been a week...
  • mamato4kids
    mamato4kids Posts: 217 Member
    I love my body media arm band. I find it is very accurate. It also help to keep me motivated. Being a mom of 4, I thought I was pretty active. But this helped me to see that I wasn't as active as I thought. This helps a ton!
  • segibson0911
    segibson0911 Posts: 1 Member
    I had a bodybugg and used it for over a year. It was a great learning tool. I have learnt a lot about my body. However, it annoyed me that I had to wear it on my arm and people at work could notice it. Sometimes people just touched your arm and asked with a surprised expression "whats that?" so I felt like I needed to explain myself. Also, I live in California and wearing it outside was not very comfortable or convenient......I had to make sure I had sleeved shirts all the time.

    I bought mine second hand for $30, but it is expensive if you buy it new and in addition you have to pay for monthly membership. I lost weight during the first 3 months, but then I had a family death and it all came back....I kept wearing it, counting calories and exercising, but it didn't help. I just don't really think it is such a special tool worth all that money (about $250 to buy new + subscription). In conclusion, I dont think you need to go to such a big expense. Get a HRM for $80 and use one of the tools that counts the calorie burn based on the HR....same thing. I have tested it already +/- 7% difference in calories burnt. Good luck
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    I have a BodyBugg that I used for a couple of years until recently. It's great tool to track your calories and daily burn, but the biggest drawback is that ApexFitness ( company that runs the website for uploads) really sucks. Their food database is pathetic (more than 80% of my food diary was inputed manually by myself) and their CS on the website is really bad.
    Great technology, but lousy service.
  • Picklepower
    Picklepower Posts: 66 Member
    I have a polar ft4 and it works well for me. I know it doesn't monitor the calories I burn 24 hours a day but here is how I see it....the calories I burn on an everyday basis i was burning before i started this and i'll burn long after i reach my goal. If I were to count the calories I burn while at work as well as while working out then it would increase the number of calories I was supposed to eat back in a day and lead to me eating way too many calories. As an example: MFP tells me to eat 1500 calories. Now, say I workout and burn 500 calories so I eat 500 back for a total of 2000 calories consumed not counting the extra calories I burn doing other daily activities. If I counted my calories burned 24 hours a day it might say I burned 1000 calories and to eat that many back would mean 2500 calories in a day. I just feel that counting every single calorie burned all day everyday on things that I do anyway is a way for me to "justify" eating more.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    I have a polar ft4 and it works well for me. I know it doesn't monitor the calories I burn 24 hours a day but here is how I see it....the calories I burn on an everyday basis i was burning before i started this and i'll burn long after i reach my goal. If I were to count the calories I burn while at work as well as while working out then it would increase the number of calories I was supposed to eat back in a day and lead to me eating way too many calories. As an example: MFP tells me to eat 1500 calories. Now, say I workout and burn 500 calories so I eat 500 back for a total of 2000 calories consumed not counting the extra calories I burn doing other daily activities. If I counted my calories burned 24 hours a day it might say I burned 1000 calories and to eat that many back would mean 2500 calories in a day. I just feel that counting every single calorie burned all day everyday on things that I do anyway is a way for me to "justify" eating more.
    You definitely have to be in deficit to lose weight, but what you may not be considering here is that slight changes in activity daily do make a difference. On days you may go shopping for food, you would walk more in the aisles compared to days where you may just sit a home watching TV.
    Also your caloric burn is reduced as you lose weight because demand for energy is less.
  • Just1forMe
    Just1forMe Posts: 624 Member
    I have a polar ft4 and it works well for me. I know it doesn't monitor the calories I burn 24 hours a day but here is how I see it....the calories I burn on an everyday basis i was burning before i started this and i'll burn long after i reach my goal. If I were to count the calories I burn while at work as well as while working out then it would increase the number of calories I was supposed to eat back in a day and lead to me eating way too many calories. As an example: MFP tells me to eat 1500 calories. Now, say I workout and burn 500 calories so I eat 500 back for a total of 2000 calories consumed not counting the extra calories I burn doing other daily activities. If I counted my calories burned 24 hours a day it might say I burned 1000 calories and to eat that many back would mean 2500 calories in a day. I just feel that counting every single calorie burned all day everyday on things that I do anyway is a way for me to "justify" eating more.

    The point of a Bodybugg or Body Media Fit is not to be able to "eat back" the calories that you burn in a 24 hour period. It still allows you to accurately count the true exercise calories you burn. When you upload your data after exercising, you can isolate the period you spent doing actual exercise down to the minute in the same way you would with a HRM. THOSE are the calories that you eat back. The difference is that with a BB or BMF, you can see from day to day what YOUR body is actually burning in a 24 hour period, which is the "calories burned from normal daily activity" number found on MFP in your Goal setup and what your goal is based on. It also will help you calculate YOUR BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate-the rate that your body burns calories when totally at rest) by isolating several minutes during sleep and multiplying it out by 24 hours. This has helped me customize my MFP goals more accurately for MY body. Since I got my BodyMedia Fit, I am losing almost double what I was losing before, which was very slow because I have thyroid issues. Now I understand how my body ticks better than I ever have in my life. Well worth the investment!
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