Weight loss armbands

[sadiebug]

Does anyone have any experience with these? If so, which one did you use, how much was it, and most importantly, did it help you with your weight loss?

TIA!!

Edited to add: The armbands I am talking about are the ones like they had on Biggest Loser. You wear them on your arm and they tell you how many calories you have consumed and how many you have burned during the course of the day. I have joined the gym and plan on walking a half-marathon in June. Just looking for a little extra motivation!

 

[BillSears]

Unless the armbands tie your arms up so your hands can't put food into your mouth I can't see how they would work.

Really the best way to lose weight is to reduce calories. It's tough, I know I have a really hard time doing it. But I don't think that there is any way that works without reducing calories.


Edited to add....

I googled the weight loss armbands and they were different then what I was expecting from the name. I guess you're looking for the ones that track calories and such. It sounds like a good idea. Whatever keeps you on track and motivates you is good.

 

[Golf4food]

Unless the armbands tie your arms up so your hands can't put food into your mouth I can't see how they would work.

Really the best way to lose weight is to reduce calories. It's tough, I know I have a really hard time doing it. But I don't think that there is any way that works without reducing calories.

Part two: burn more calories (i.e. - exercise).

I agree. I see zero way armbands would do diddly-squat.

 

[JamesMom]

About 3 years ago I used the bodybugg sold by 24hour fitness. It did motivate me to lose weight (and I did - then my mom got sick and died and I added it all back plus some with Ice Cream therapy ).

The way the armband works is it tracks the calories you burn a day by measuring your body's sweat and temperature as well as movement. If you are moving, it tracks more calories. With the digital display (or Ipod app) it will let you know calories burned, beep when you reach your goal for calories and exercise (such as 10,000 steps or 60 minutes of fat burning activity). You need to subscribe to an online service (6 months included in purchase) and upload the information from the armband. Then you can see on a graph how hard you were working out through the day. You can also log food and the program will calculate your calorie deficit. I liked the band for calculating my true basal metabolic rate instead of guessing with online formulas.

I found it very motivating and am contemplating purchasing another one since my Version 1 is no longer supported. Looking at a $250 initial investment and it's not in the budget right now.

 

[PrinceCharmingsMom]

As someone that has struggled with their weight for a while..I too have wondered about them..mainly because every season of the biggest loser uses them and they have such a great success...

What I have found out...they can track your heart rate, act like a pedometer and also help track the calories you burn and intake depending on the program you get with them..the most popular one is called body bugg its the one they use on the Ranch...they have tons of programs and different price ranges depending on what you are looking for.

However some gyms are including them in their programs now as well and so is Jenny Craig including them in her new program. It seems like it's a great thing to help monitor and it also helps remind you to log your food all the time.

Hope this helps. You can also lots of times find ones one the bay for sale and sometimes craigslist.

 

[Inigo]

My Body Bugg has motivated me to lose 80 pounds over the last year. Yes, it's just a tool, but the motivation and accountability it provided was great. I was easily able to see how many steps I walked a day (I got up to 15,000 a day), my calories burnt, and by entering my food on-line, I was able to make sure outgo was bigger than input. I could have done that without the Bugg, but I needed that motivation.

Even though I'm right were I want to be now, I renewed the program for another year because I like having the awareness. My only complaint is I didn't like wearing it on my arm, since my clients and their parents are nosy, so I wear it on the calf of my left leg. Does the same thing just hidden by pants.

I bought mine off e-bay and saved a bit that way. I would love to have the new one that links to a smartphone, but my old one works great so I'll just stick with it.

 

[FLmomof2]

Funny I was going to post a thread on this yesterday! I just ordered a bodybugg a few days ago and haven't received it yet. I do know someone that has one and has lost a good amount of weight.

I also notice Jenny Craig is offering them in one of their plans now.

 

[DisneyDawnNH]

I just ordered one 2 days ago from Costco - it is the BodyMedia Fit which is apparently made by the same company that made BodyBugg. I am excited to really learn more about it and start using it. I think the online software for this device is a different/better looking software and 1yr subscription was included with 159.00 price. The one thing I thought was nice was I only had to pay an additional 7.50 surcharge for not being a Costco member. I tried to go into the store to buy one but they didn't have them in stock.

Good Luck with your research and I will be happy to answer any questions about it once I finally get it. I have already started my healthier lifestyle but I think this monitor might be very helpful!

 

[RitaE]

I have the BodyMedia Fit. It pretty much does 3 things.

1. Tracks Metabolic Calories burned. It seems scarily accurate to me on this number but boy can you get obsessive about looking at your burn rates.

For instance, when I'm sitting in a chair working on my computer - I tend to burn fewer calories per minute than I do when I'm sleeping which pretty much explains why my butt gets so big. When I first got it I'd glance down at the little watch, freak out and then get up and run around the house a little trying to up the number.

There's also a website food tracker and at least in my case when I make sure calories in stay under calories burned then I lose or maintain as needed.

2. A Pedometer. I try to reach a goal of 10k steps a day and it sends me a notification when I'm there.

3. Tracking sleep. how much your sleeping and how much time of that is spent in "deep sleep" vs "you were moving around sleep." I'm honestly not sure what good this number is for anybody but I like to wake up in the morning and announce 92% sleep efficiency last night! to the family.


They're pricey. I'm not sorry I bought it but I see why many pass on them.

 

[SplashMo]

Sleep is important for weight loss. 7 hours of sleep should be the minimum...

 

[Disneywedding2010]

Does anyone have any experience with these? If so, which one did you use, how much was it, and most importantly, did it help you with your weight loss?

TIA!!

Edited to add: The armbands I am talking about are the ones like they had on Biggest Loser. You wear them on your arm and they tell you how many calories you have consumed and how many you have burned during the course of the day. I have joined the gym and plan on walking a half-marathon in June. Just looking for a little extra motivation!

They are called Body Buggs. I own one. You get the bug and then (I can't remember if it comes with it) a watch that you wear. You sync the two to work together. The watch shows you the time, how many steps you have taken, and how many calories you have burned throughout the day. I'm pretty sure you can buy it online. I bought mine at my local 24 Hour Fitness that I have a membership at.

I think I paid a few hundred dollars for it all and I used it religously in the beginning. I liked seeing how many steps I'd taken and how many calories I was burning. I need to locate it again and start using it. I also liked wearing it cause it helped me to stay accountable and I stayed on track with it a lot better. The first day I wore it to a training session with my trainer and he thought it was awesome. He was even asking me ever so often how I was doing on my burn .