Bodybugg questions, new user

courtgosvener
courtgosvener Posts: 66 Member
edited October 6 in Motivation and Support
I got a bodybugg for Christmas. I am 5 foot 5 and 28 years old and my current weight is 265 (down 20 since Oct.) I thought this would be the excellent tool and keep me highly motivated. I have been pretty sedentary the last few weeks, but have been sick and such. I have been wearing my bodybugg for 2 days and yesterday said I burned 2100 cal. I was very sick and did nap a couple hours and mostly just sat around. But today I was feeling a little better and tried to do some house chores like doing dishes (hand wash, no dishwasher), folding clothes, we went to Lowe's and to Walmart and I picked up and played with my 15 month old 24 pound daughter. It is 1030 and only saying I burned 2146 cals. My RMR and BMR says 1933. So if I laid in bed all day I should burn 1933 for just being alive. I did a lot more than just lay in bed (I didn't nap or anything today) So what is the deal? I must say this is depressing. Not that I don't plan on exercising, because I do, but Bodybugg has my sedentary goal at 2600 calorie burn. Now, does this mean being sedentary I need to try to burn 2600? I put in "sedentary" because I just want to get a base for right now and am not focusing on exercising as much as calorie counting.

Maybe I am confused??? I have posted on the Bodybugg facebook wall but I am just even more confused. They can't seem to explain why if I have a RMR of 1933 that I am only burning an extra 200 from walking, cleaning, carrying my daughter? Or am I thinking that normal daily activities burn more than they should?

Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    They base your BMR/RMR on calculations, and I never saw it adjust after uploading months of data.

    If you were moving your arm alot for that relaxing day, it would have registered that as a lot of activity.

    It's really a glorified pedometer. Used one for 4 months and after several tests and research on it being used in tests, came here instead. Food logging and exercise logging is most important - they got that right.

    They underestimate calories burned, and you accurately record food eaten.

    The combo is going to guarantee weight loss usually.
  • courtgosvener
    courtgosvener Posts: 66 Member
    Yeah I was so excited to get it. But so far it has been a big let down. I have done very well using MFP. I just thought that if I could see what I accurately burn I would know if I was eating correctly and if I should be burning more. MFP overestimates in a lot of ways. It says I would burn 1000 calories for doing 1 hour of Turbo Jam, I did 45 min and burned 300 using my FT7 Polar HRM. I am right handed and use that the most to do all my activities. The Body bugg is on the left arm. I am just totally confused how this works and I just can't believe that all my daily activities only add up to an additional 200 calories over my BMR.
  • courtgosvener
    courtgosvener Posts: 66 Member
    I looked at your profile! I am from Kansas too! Southeast Kansas! Born in Parsons! But I live in Texas now...Army wife!
  • courtgosvener
    courtgosvener Posts: 66 Member
    I got a bodybugg for Christmas. I am 5 foot 5 and 28 years old and my current weight is 265 (down 20 since Oct.) I thought this would be the excellent tool and keep me highly motivated. I have been pretty sedentary the last few weeks, but have been sick and such. I have been wearing my bodybugg for 2 days and yesterday said I burned 2100 cal. I was very sick and did nap a couple hours and mostly just sat around. But today I was feeling a little better and tried to do some house chores like doing dishes (hand wash, no dishwasher), folding clothes, we went to Lowe's and to Walmart and I picked up and played with my 15 month old 24 pound daughter. It is 1030 and only saying I burned 2146 cals. My RMR and BMR says 1933. So if I laid in bed all day I should burn 1933 for just being alive. I did a lot more than just lay in bed (I didn't nap or anything today) So what is the deal? I must say this is depressing. Not that I don't plan on exercising, because I do, but Bodybugg has my sedentary goal at 2600 calorie burn. Now, does this mean being sedentary I need to try to burn 2600? I put in "sedentary" because I just want to get a base for right now and am not focusing on exercising as much as calorie counting.

    Maybe I am confused??? I have posted on the Bodybugg facebook wall but I am just even more confused. They can't seem to explain why if I have a RMR of 1933 that I am only burning an extra 200 from walking, cleaning, carrying my daughter? Or am I thinking that normal daily activities burn more than they should?

    Where are you getting your RMR and BMR? Bodybugg doesn't have those features. If you're using some calculator or something, ignore that, those are inaccurate. Go to the bodybugg website, see on average how many calories you burn when you sleep, for me it's about 2.1 calories. You get that number and multiply it by 60 then 24

    2.1x60x24 = 3024. Yeah that seems right(first time i did the calculation for myself) I have never burned calories below that number, I usually burn from 3200-3800 on average.

    Do I need to wear the BB to bed? I guess for me I am loosing the sleep thing? Yeah the BMR is from the Web. Not BB.
  • courtgosvener
    courtgosvener Posts: 66 Member
    So if I am not wearing my BB to bed, is it not "estimating" the calories burned during the night. I am a total noob I guess.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,331 Member
    Do I need to wear the BB to bed? I guess for me I am loosing the sleep thing? Yeah the BMR is from the Web. Not BB.

    BMR is for 24 hours, and yes you burn calories while sleeping. Most people I know with either a BB or Bodymedia Fit or a Fit Bit wear them at night because of the fact they burn calories at night as part of your BMR.
  • courtgosvener
    courtgosvener Posts: 66 Member
    Well I put in there that I was sedentary. It told me my goal was 2600 calories and and to eat 1600 to get the deficit of 1000 per day. This sounds great, but my BB is saying I am only burning 2300 a day doing normal day to day stuff. I am a stay at home and with one vehicle I don't get out much. (But I should more...i.e. walk...lol) But, I guess I just expected to see the 2600 on the BB a the end of the day. But this is only day 2 and they are just estimating when you start the program. I guess my "burn" could be much lower than they estimate...but would that mean i would have to eat the dreaded 1200 to lose the 2 lbs a week ? YUCK...I am so not in on the 1200 cal a day camp. I have stuck to it the longest ever eating 1400-1500 cals a day.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,331 Member
    Well I put in there that I was sedentary. It told me my goal was 2600 calories and and to eat 1600 to get the deficit of 1000 per day. This sounds great, but my BB is saying I am only burning 2300 a day doing normal day to day stuff. I am a stay at home and with one vehicle I don't get out much. (But I should more...i.e. walk...lol) But, I guess I just expected to see the 2600 on the BB a the end of the day. But this is only day 2 and they are just estimating when you start the program. I guess my "burn" could be much lower than they estimate...but would that mean i would have to eat the dreaded 1200 to lose the 2 lbs a week ? YUCK...I am so not in on the 1200 cal a day camp. I have stuck to it the longest ever eating 1400-1500 cals a day.

    As i said in a previous post, those webpage calculations are just estimates, the bodybugg is what is most accurate not the webpage. Just eat less than what you burn daily(according to the bodybugg)

    Only if you wear it even when you sleep as those 8 hours really add up. Even based on your BMR estimate those 8 hour of sleep would be about 600+ calories.
  • bcampbell54
    bcampbell54 Posts: 932 Member
    I've used this for awhile, since it seems the it is much easier to get accurate information for the the calories consumed than for calories burned. The BodyBugg seems like a fairly reasonable piece of technology to do this.
    I use this website much more than the Apex site, because this database is much more comprehensive. I use the Bugg to fact check my burn.

    I think the BodyBugg either "learns" you over time, or perhaps you just get into a more consistent placement on your arm, but either way, I am pretty satisfied with the results now.
  • Steph1986c
    Steph1986c Posts: 3
    You said you have used yours for a while I have a question, I just got my bodybugg for xmas and today is the first time I am using it. I let it charge over night got up got ready for work then put my bodybugg on. When putting it on I sync it to my smart phone and it said I had already burned 600 and some calories how is this when I wasnt even wearing it? I know its a dumb question but just trying to understand how this thing really works.
    Thanks
    Steph
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I let it charge over night got up got ready for work then put my bodybugg on. When putting it on I sync it to my smart phone and it said I had already burned 600 and some calories how is this when I wasnt even wearing it? I know its a dumb question but just trying to understand how this thing really works.

    It calculated your BMR and calorie use overnight based on normal formulas. It does midnight to midnight for the day's burn.
    Now, you should be able to view your cal/min estimate, and once you actually have real data, it should change.

    I'd be very curious what it had that first span of time at cal/min.
    And then tomorrow, after actually wearing it overnight, what it reports.

    Thanks.
  • Steph1986c
    Steph1986c Posts: 3
    thanks so much sorry i know it was a dumb question...
  • novalh42
    novalh42 Posts: 102 Member
    I am not a fan of the Apex site. My plan is th use this site for calories consumed, because I feel like it is pretty accurate, and then keep my own records of what the BB says I burned to figure out my deficit. I feel like the BB is accurate with calories burned. I have the digital display so I can see what it is anytime. I love it.
  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
    2.1x60x24 = 3024. Yeah that seems right(first time i did the calculation for myself) I have never burned calories below that number, I usually burn from 3200-3800 on average.

    Yes wear the bugg to sleep... at least for a week. I find that I burn 1.1 calories while sleeping. The number of calories burned while sleeping really add up: (1.1* 60) * 8= 528. When I wake up around 7 am my bugg tells me that I have already burned between 400- 500 depending on how many times I got up at night and what actual time I go to bed.

    You can get you BMR from the bugg. If I brun the 1.1 calories sleeping and do nothing but sleep all day then I take the 528* 3= 1584 (24 hours is 3X the 8hours of sleep in my first math problem :wink:)
  • DisneyAddictRW
    DisneyAddictRW Posts: 800 Member
    I got a bodybugg a couple weeks ago for my birthday. I'm still trying to figure it all out (I'm terrible at new stuff). I've been using their website for help with all my questions.
  • KathyWel
    KathyWel Posts: 140
    I am not a fan of the Apex site. My plan is th use this site for calories consumed, because I feel like it is pretty accurate, and then keep my own records of what the BB says I burned to figure out my deficit. I feel like the BB is accurate with calories burned. I have the digital display so I can see what it is anytime. I love it.

    I agree here, I did not like the Apex site AT ALL for logging my food. I found myself falling off the wagon fast and decided to come back here to get back on track. The food database through Apex is sadly lacking comparing to MFP, just MHO
  • dewgirl321
    dewgirl321 Posts: 296 Member
    When you set up your BodyBugg it asks when you typically sleep. It will estimate how many calories you burn when you sleep (.9/min. for me), and it will ask you if you have done any activity if you don't put it on before your "wake up" time. I take mine off when I go to sleep, and I put it on after my shower. There is a showering activity that you can put in so that it can estimate calories burned during that time.

    OP, I think you should double-check the sleep times you have set up on the BodyBugg website. See what your sleeping rate is and multiply that to determine your BMR, which should be more accurate than whatever website calculation you used. I recommend doing what you have been doing (food and exercise) while using MFP for a few days while wearing your BodyBugg to get an estimate of how many calories you typically burn. Then you can subtract 500 for 1 pound or 1000 for 2 pounds per week, making sure you don't drop below the BodyBugg BMR.

    It does take some getting used to, but the BodyBugg can be a great tool for helping you feel more confident in the amount of calories you are burning. Then you can use MFP to track the calories you eat and have a better idea of what your deficit is. I found that I burned more doing nothing and less exercising than I had previously estimated, and figuring that out has helped me be more successful in my weight loss. Best of luck to you!
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