Bodyfit media

loushep
loushep Posts: 191
edited October 6 in Fitness and Exercise
I've just read about the bodyfit system on here so i decided to look it up. It sounds and looks great but i can't find anywhere in the info that tells you if you HAVE to subscribe and pay subscription costs or if you can just buy the kit and use that for info on calories burned, sleep patterns etc. It looks like something that would help me but after paying so much for the kit i'd be disappointed to find you then have to pay monthly fees too.

Replies

  • TennVolsGal
    TennVolsGal Posts: 218 Member
    You have to have a subscription, if you agree to do it for a year its only $6.95 with 3 month free. Just got mine and I like it....its more accurate as far as calorie's burned.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Like TennVolsGal said, you have to subscribe to the website - that's how you dump the data off your device so you can interpret it. The way I see it, it's not any more expensive than 2 starbucks drinks or a small lunch out at a restaurant (a cheap restaurant!) every month so it's totally worth it! I love mine. :smile:
  • bsshaw1
    bsshaw1 Posts: 44 Member
    I researched BodyMedia and the BodyBugg systems and both require a subscription to work as advertised.

    I like the idea of the system, but not impressed that both systems would not work without the required subscription. If the company you choose goes out of business your system would not work.

    I decided to get a heart rate monitor instead which I decided would be fine for what I wanted to know.
  • loushep
    loushep Posts: 191
    Thanks guys, yes i agree $6.95 a yr is not expensive although i live in England and didn't see that offer when i looked (will look again).

    Good point bsshaw1, if the company goes out of business it's a lot of money to lose. I liked the idea of the bodymedia though because of the sleep pattern rating, i don't sleep well and am interested to find out exactly how badly.

    Do you know of anyone in England (maybe from this site) who uses one?
  • bsshaw1
    bsshaw1 Posts: 44 Member
    It's not $6.95 a year it's $6.95 a month if you choose a 12 month subscription, with the first 3 months free.


    http://www.bodymedia.com/Shop/Armband-Packages/Armband-Activity-Manager-Display

    12-Month Subscription
    $6.95/month

    First three months FREE! Following months are billed monthly.
  • loushep
    loushep Posts: 191
    Thanks Brad. :happy:
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    One more suggestion - if you do decide to buy one, shop around! These are now sold at amazon.com (where I bought mine), Costco and many other stores - you're likely to find a better deal if you're buying it from somewhere other than their direct website. I've heard costco's deal is pretty good, but I'm not a member.
  • loushep
    loushep Posts: 191
    Ah, good tip thanks. I use Amazon regularly so i'll have a look on there Costco i never heard of but i'll check it out. :wink:
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    You'll definitely want to make sure the product is supported for use in the UK - I thought I'd heard something about people not being able to use it outside the US, but I could be wrong. You could probably send the company a quick email to ask. I've contacted them a few times and they respond pretty quickly!

    http://www.bodymedia.com/Support-Help/Contact-Us
  • loushep
    loushep Posts: 191
    Thanks Trenton, i'll do that :smile:
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    I researched BodyMedia and the BodyBugg systems and both require a subscription to work as advertised.

    I like the idea of the system, but not impressed that both systems would not work without the required subscription. If the company you choose goes out of business your system would not work.

    I decided to get a heart rate monitor instead which I decided would be fine for what I wanted to know.

    I didn't think of the company going under that's a really fair point. I just don't like the idea that you need to pay a subscription fee in the first place. I'll stick with my heart rate monitor.
  • loushep
    loushep Posts: 191
    I agree, it's an expensive piece of kit in the first place so to then make people pay every month just to be able to use the item they have already paid for is insulting.

    Can you tell me does a heart rate monitor record calories burnt?
  • bikerbiz
    bikerbiz Posts: 179 Member
    It doesn't incorporate heart rate in calories burned, so it won't be accurate on my rowing or recumbent bike exercise...and I hate that you have to pay every month just to be able to use the data from the new device you now own. That just isn't right, to me...sure, you can get the bluetooth version or wristwatch and see the calorie number near-real-time, but you still need the website subscription to enter the menu (which is nowhere near as good as this MFP interface) to see calorie goals and progress. Seems to me, if we have to subscribe to their Activity Monitor, the device should be free (like a cell phone with a contract), because it is useless without their service....and free MFP is so much better, IMHO. :wink:

    I think MFP does a good job estimating BMI/BMR from your inputs, and if you enter exercise calories from a HRM, that is pretty good...works for me. I was considering the Jenny Craig MetabolicMax program until I found out this thing doesn't monitor HR at all, you have to wear it 23 hours a day, people are getting rashes from the nickel plating, you need to wash the strap after every exercise (or suffer the stinkiness....)... :noway:
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    It doesn't incorporate heart rate in calories burned, so it won't be accurate on my rowing or recumbent bike exercise...

    Actually this isn't accurate. Although it doesn't use HRM, it uses other body indicators. Over 100 research studies have been done validating this technology's accuracy, and it has been proven to be accurate within +/- 5% for exercise activity and +/- 10% for casual activity/rest. Some people who have sensitive skin get rashes, but I've never had a problem and I wear it 23 hours a day. I believe they are now using stainless steel in the part that rests against your skin. It's comfortable and after awhile you forget it's there. Please do some research before saying something won't be accurate. Here are the measures they use:

    Motion: The Armband contains an accelerometer, a device that measures motion. (Your car air bag has an accelerometer in it that lets it know when you've been in an accident.) We use it to measure HOW you move from multiple axis and perspectives, allowing us to better understand your activity.

    Steps: We count your steps, using the accelerometer to measure the distinct patterns created by walking and/or running.

    Galvanic Skin Response: When you sweat, your skin becomes more electrically conductive. This measurement help us see how active you are.

    Skin Temperature: There's an electronic thermometer inside your armband that helps us know how hot you are.
    Heat Flux When you move, your muscles produce heat. We measure the heat that's flowing from your body into the environment.

    http://www.bodymedia.com/Professionals/Bibliography
    http://www.bodymedia.com/Professionals/The-Science
  • bikerbiz
    bikerbiz Posts: 179 Member
    It doesn't incorporate heart rate in calories burned, so it won't be accurate on my rowing or recumbent bike exercise...

    Please do some research before saying something won't be accurate.

    Glad it works for you. :-) This is part of my research, and I want to hear from real people like you who have used it. Can I ask what exercises you do with it, and how the calorie burn rate compares to the calculations using an HRM? The reports I was forming my opinion on are from people that have used both, BodyBugg and HRM, during certain activity (stacking lumber, rowing, cycling, and sex...a whole other MFP thread :smokin: ), and their BB reported their burn barely above baseline, even though they were working pretty hard. I did see it reported they were working on implementing HR in a future model. Thanks! I look forward to some more reports...but the other issue is paying a darn subscription, no matter how small it may be, or the device is worthless.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    It doesn't incorporate heart rate in calories burned, so it won't be accurate on my rowing or recumbent bike exercise...

    Please do some research before saying something won't be accurate.

    Glad it works for you. :-) This is part of my research, and I want to hear from real people like you who have used it. Can I ask what exercises you do with it, and how the calorie burn rate compares to the calculations using an HRM? The reports I was forming my opinion on are from people that have used both, BodyBugg and HRM, during certain activity (stacking lumber, rowing, cycling, and sex...a whole other MFP thread :smokin: ), and their BB reported their burn barely above baseline, even though they were working pretty hard. I did see it reported they were working on implementing HR in a future model. Thanks! I look forward to some more reports...but the other issue is paying a darn subscription, no matter how small it may be, or the device is worthless.

    I haven't done much comparison between a HRM and my BodyMedia product - though it does show I certainly burn more than "resting" calories during cycling, rowing, etc. (on gym machines). I find my BodyMedia product is quite sensitive - looking at the calorie graph at the end of the day, I can clearly see when I was sitting/laying down/resting versus when I was walking around or actively doing something like cooking (when I'm up and down) or outside raking leaves versus doing strenuous activity like running (outside or on the treadmill). Even if the calories estimated on some of the activities are slightly less than actual, I feel that this device is the best device for my use because I'm looking for something that estimates calories all day - exercise and casual activity, which the HRM isn't designed to do.
  • Xandi
    Xandi Posts: 319
    interesting thread,
    I ordered one a few days ago and I am interested in seeing how it works.
    I can't seem to lose weight, I am losing inches but the scale isn't budging, so I am hoping the Bodyfit media will let me know what I need to change. I agree that paying for a subscription after spending a chunk of change on the device is a pain, but I am thinking it is a heck of a lot cheaper then another visit to the doctor or a nutritionist or even a physical trainer.
  • gilgongo
    gilgongo Posts: 4
    I have the armband and I used to have a subscription, but the software stopped working on my computer (Windows 7 PC). I contacted the company and they said that it was happening on various people's computers, and they didn't know why.

    I had to cancel my subscription, and now I have a very expensive worthless armband.

    :(

    When it worked, I loved it.
  • brdeshazo
    brdeshazo Posts: 1
    Is the software compatible with a mac?
  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
    interesting thread,
    I ordered one a few days ago and I am interested in seeing how it works.
    I can't seem to lose weight, I am losing inches but the scale isn't budging, so I am hoping the Bodyfit media will let me know what I need to change. I agree that paying for a subscription after spending a chunk of change on the device is a pain, but I am thinking it is a heck of a lot cheaper then another visit to the doctor or a nutritionist or even a physical trainer.

    If you are losing inches, you are doing the right thing.
  • loved1
    loved1 Posts: 206 Member
    I really want to try one of these devices like a bug or a fitbit but I don't want to have to pay a perpetual subscription fee to get the best use of it.
  • getfitnfab
    getfitnfab Posts: 418 Member
    I have it and I love it, it helps me get my burn for the day

    i want to lose 2.5 pounds a week

    that translates to 1250 cal deficit daily

    i used it last year and lost 10 pounds in a month

    today is day 4 of me restarting on it, will try to post on the progress
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    I am still working on an overall topic post, but having recently spent some time with a Body Bugg, here are some quick impressions:

    1. The subscription provides more than just the calorie readout. They have more programs, recipe plans, analysis, etc, available. I think that, long-term, people will find it less useful and I wonder if that will affect how they market the product. Right now, it looks to me like they are trying to use a "cheap health club" business model--i.e. hook you into a long-term commitment with a "cheap" annual rate while you are still in the "motivated" phase. I am not defending the business model--for more reasons than I have time to mention here, but there is value associated with it that you could not get with the armband sensor alone, and, for 6.95/month, I think you get close to what you pay for.

    2. I think there are still some issues with these devices and counting exercise calories. I found the numbers I got during exercises such as stationary cycling and the stairmaster to be significantly off from any other source--HRM, calibrated machine, my previous experience from having undergone metabolic testing--not unreasonably bad, but certainly more than the 10% 'underestimate" they claim. Treadmill running was OK. The other thing is that the Body Bugg did not seem to be sensitive to any type of EPOC. Even after some longer or more strenuous HIIT workouts, my calorie graph dropped down to close to resting level almost instantly after I finished exercise.

    3. To me, the best use of the BB was as a motivator, feedback instrument, food planner. When you see graphically exactly when you are expending energy and when you are not, I found that it had a real impact on my routines. If I missed a workout, or spent a lot of time at my desk in the morning, when I downloaded the data at noon and saw the low numbers, I definitely picked it up after that to boost my number. It lets you see that if you don't have time to workout on a given day, you can still achieve a decent calorie expenditure just through regular activity. From that standpoint, for about $200 for the armband and a 3 or 6-month subscription, I thought the investment was reasonable.
  • Xandi
    Xandi Posts: 319
    Costco has them and they come with a 12 month subscription.
  • loGIJane
    loGIJane Posts: 30 Member
    Yes, the BodyFit software is compatible with a MAC
This discussion has been closed.

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