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Well, we all know that losing weight is as simple as burning more calories than you take in. But how do you know exactly how many calories you’re burning? Some dieters are turning to a device called a “bodybugg,” which was introduced in 2005 and popularized by TV weight-loss challenge show “The Biggest Loser.”
The “bodybugg” is a small gadget that you wear on your body — strapped to the back of your arm on your tricep — to calculate how many calories you’re using; it’s supposedly 92 percent accurate. Dieters can use this in conjunction with the online program, available at bodybugg.com, to track how many calories they’re taking in. When they input their height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and their goals, the bodybugg system helps them determine what they need to do on a daily basis to reach their goals, whether they need to exercise more, eat less or both.
The real benefit of the system is that it allows flexibility, said Tia Fields, director of personal training at Gold’s Gym in Latham. Once you know how many calories you burn on a daily basis, you can design a meal plan that works for you, or, if you prefer, you can scale your activities to what you’re eating.
In the past, burning calories has always been a gray area, Fields said, but with this program, you can keep track of your progress in real time. At the end of the day, you can log into the program and see how you’re doing. “You can look it up every day, and make the next day better than today,” she said.
Whether you’re walking across a parking lot or climbing a stair stepper, the device uses sensors to monitor your sweat, movement and pace, and temperature, in order to determine how much energy you’re expending. When you synch that information with the online program, you will find out how many calories you have left to burn in order to reach your goal.
“This is not something that goes into the closet and doesn’t get used again,” Fields said. “This changes your life. It’s revolutionary.”
The bodybugg is available at Gold’s Gym or you can order it online. The program costs about $349, which covers the device and a three-month subscription to the Web-based program. This fee also includes the price of two sessions with a personal trainer.
Other fitness experts who weighed in on the bodybugg program had this to say:
Sarah Reed, owner of Curves in Albany, said the bodybugg sounds like a great tool, but wasn’t sure it would be a good fit for her clientele, who tend to be older and not as technology-savvy. For the most part, visiting the gym is part of their regular routine and maintenance, and they aren’t looking for anything too fussy. “I would be interested in trying it, but I don’t know if it would appeal to them,” she said.
Karli Goering, personal training manager at Best Fitness in Albany and Schenectady, said the bodybugg can be a great tool for keeping people on task, but emphasized that it isn’t a magic bullet. “It’s not the solution,” she said. “You have to be motivated. Otherwise it’s just another device that ends up under the bed.”
Significant weight loss requires calorie control. When attempting to lose weight, have a clear calorie goal. Consume four 400-calorie meals a day. For the average woman, 1,600 calories per day is ideal because it’s low enough to create weight loss while maintaining energy and preserving calorie-burning muscle.
The Science Behind BodyBugg - Click Here.
click on the links below to see recent coverage of bodybugg®.
- Mail Tribune, November 2008, “Vertical Challenge”
- Emax Health, October 2008, “How Many Calories Burned Per Day”.
- KCRA 3 Health Watch News Story, October 2008, “Gadgets Count Calories As You Burn Them”
- Club Insider, September 2008, “Apex Fitness’ Bodybugg Article”
- Women’s Health, November 2006, “Weapons of Mass Reduction”
- PC World’s Digital Duo, June 2005, “Using Technology To Better Your Health”
- CNET News.com, May 25, 2005, “Wear your March 18, 2005, “Bodybugg calorie management system”
- BusinessWeek Online, March 8, 2005, “Wearable Computers You Can Slip Into”
- Self, February 2005, “Gadgets Galore”
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Tag: calorie counter
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