Prob not really called a machine, but does anyone have those neat things that you wear and it tells you how many calories you have burned throughout a day or a workout? What kind to you prefer, what is the best out there for your money, how much do they cost?

I know a lot of questions, but I"m kinda thinking about getting one so I don't have to guesstamate anymore what I'm burning while working out. Thanks all!!

I have a heart rate monitor, actually 2 (don't ask). I usually wear them for my workouts only but I know a lot of people wear them throughout the day to tell you how many calories burned. They are great and I do recommend them. I think Polar makes some awesome ones which you can get under $100. If you look for "heart rate monitors' on amazon.com, you can find a lot of them.

I also know there are bodybugg's which have an online subscription of some sort? With some of the Polar HR monitors though, you can upload your data to a website as well and it'll keep track of your calories burned over time and there is no cost but they are designed to store your workouts, not your entire day of calories burned.

You may be thinking about Bodybugg/Sensewear. If you search this site, you will find a good many posts about them. Here is a current thread.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=160280

I have considered getting one but don't want to spend the money right now, maybe someday.

I use a lower tech Omron HJ-112 Digital Premium Pedometer. It keeps track of how many steps and miles you walk and gives an estimate of how many calories are burned. I can keep it in my pocket instead of having to wear it.

Hope this helps,

I have a bodybugg and I love it! It's certainly not for everyone - but for a gadget geek like me, I love the fact that I can measure (within reasonable error) exactly what my actual burn is for a given day/time period. And it helps me both stay accountable and stay sane - I know that if I don't meet my calorie deficit targets, I won't lose weight (over the long term), but I also find that sometimes I eat more than I plan to, but when I get home I find that I was burning a lot more than I usually do (e.g. a weekend day of shopping leaves me starving and I'll eat 500 extra calories for dinner... but then I plug in and realize that I've burned an extra 800 over normal - no wonder I was hungry!)

The biggest help for me is that it keeps me from getting negative when I eat more than I "should" - even when I really indulge for no good reason, I can be realistic about the fact that I shouldn't beat myself up for it, since all I really did is meet my burn (i.e. I'm not going to gain 5 pounds from one bad day). I'm one of those people who've "fallen off the wagon" over and over, and tend to kick myself and go on a 2-week bender and actually gain 5 pounds, when the original "sin" wasn't that bad!

As time2lose mentioned, there are a lot of threads around here with current users - the most recent/current is under the "General Diet Plans" folder. There are screen captures and other things to give you an idea of what this is about and whether you might like it or not.

Good luck!

i have the omron pedometer too. it's great. it tells you how many cals burned for the number of steps you've done. worth it really cos it's not too expensive.

Rock,

Can you see the bodybugg under your clothes? I have big arms and am afraid that I could not wear it.

I really don't notice the bugg at all under clothes - the newest version (the black one - v3), is very thin (maybe 1/2 inch thick, probably closer to 1/4 inch of actual protrusion when it's on my arm, since the sensors kind of sink in). I wear some thin sweaters and some fairly trim long t-shirts and such, and I've never had anyone comment on it while it's covered.

Obviously, it shows when it's not covered (even a standard t-shirt doesn't cover it entirely), but I've found I'm really not bothered by it and most people who comment/ask about it are really intrigued or even envious and ask where to get one. Now with the biggest loser giving it a lot of coverage, I've had a fair number of people just ask "is that a bodybugg?" rather than "what the heck is that?"

I started using a bb almost 3 years ago during a beta study, and used the giant pack-of-cards version until very recently. Even then, I never really had anyone comment negatively, though a lot more people were confused and curious about what it was and how it worked. (Kind of like how most people would know a pedometer if they saw it clipped on your belt now, but 10 years ago might have been confused.)

It's really never been an issue - I actually rarely notice that I have it on and tend to just forget it's there. And it really doesn't draw much attention at all, and what attention I've gotten has been very curious/positive.

I have a POLAR FT40 HEART RATE MONITOR. Along with the HR function it also gives you a more accurate reading of calories burned working out then on the machines at the gym. Plus it's cool to use outside of the gym. I wore it while shoveling snow this winter since I burned 900 cal that day I decided to skip the gym

I bought and started using a bodybugg almost 3 weeks ago!! I LOVE it!! It has really helped me stay accountable and on track. I know exactly how many calories I burn on any given day and then I log my calories into the bodybugg software and know what my deficit is every day.

My biggest problem has always been that I am very black and white about the diet thing. 1 cookie and I've "blown" it and might as well eat the whole box and have fast food for dinner. Now I see that OK, my deficit isn't as big for the day, but I still HAVE one or maybe I've broken even, but it's not the end of the world or the end of me being on plan.

And I am learning that my body doesn't care how I burn the calories, as long as I burn them. Last night I cleaned the house to get my extra calorie burn for the day instead of going to the gym. It all counts, its just that with the bodybugg you really know how much.

There are 3 kinds, sensewear, bodybugg and gowear fit. They range in price and have different features. Do your research before you buy. The thread they mentioned is the current one and this closed one http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146354 has a lot of really good information.

I have a GoWear fit and I loooove it!! It is way better than my plain old HRM. I am a numbers gal, so I love all the graphs and charts.
You really can't see the arm band under clothes, unless the sleeves are tight. I don't notice it anymore at all.

Thanks for the info everyone. I hope to purchase one in the next month.

Hi,
I just bought the gowear fit from Amazon should get it on Saturday (yay!!). I kept watching it over the last month or so (while trying to decide whether to get it or the BodyBugg) and I noticed something weird, every 2 weeks or so the price fluctuates from 169.99 to 149.99 briefly for maybe 2~3 days and then back again to 169.99.
The last time the price "shifted" was 3 days ago. That's when I jumped on it. So if you decide on getting the gowear fit (it measures sleep efficiency while the body bugg doesn't, which is why I decided to get it instead of the BodyBugg) watch the price if you get it from Amazon and request a refund of the price difference when the price goes down if its within 30 days.
Cheers.

This sounds like such a great idea. I'm truly obsessed with knowing how many calories I am burning. I've driven thirty minutes one way to the on-post gym instead of staying in the comfort of my own home and choosing from the plethora of workout DVDs I own just because the machines on post tell me how many calories I've burned. After a two-hour workout, I'm satisfied that I've really burned alot of calories, but I've also burned my whole morning. NOT good for a woman with a house to clean and dinner to cook while my nine-year-old is at school. This is EXACTLY what I need! Thanks for the info!

daniela ( or anyone who may be able to answer this questions ) can you carry this in your pocket, or must it be worn like a watch?

I'm not 100% sure. I know you HAVE to wear the chest strap in order to get your HR. The chest strap is linked to your watch to provide you with a visual display of your HR and other stats. Will it work if you are not wearing the watch and it's in a pocket??? I'll test it out tonight and let you know.