While most people know just how important physical activity, proper nutrition and adequate sleep are in improving health and fitness, many individuals still struggle to accurately assess just how much they’re really moving and how much they’re truly consuming. This “guesswork” is often precisely what keeps individuals from reaching their health and fitness goals, but now there’s a device and an app for that.
The BodyMedia FIT Armband is designed to help take the guesswork out of reaching one’s health and fitness goals, as it tracks everything from the number of calories burned to the number of steps you take and everything in between. The armband is designed to be worn continuously (up to 23 hours per day) on the upper arm to accurately assess the number of calories expended throughout the day, both from structured exercise sessions as well as other activities of daily living (everything from cleaning the house to walking up the stairs at the office to carrying the groceries from the car).
The BodyMedia Fit Armband works in conjunction with the online Activity Manager, which is where all of your unique data is uploaded to your computer. While users do receive three months access to the Activity Manager when purchasing the Armband, after that introductory period the cost is $6.95 per month for access to this system. It is through the Activity Manager that you are able to set your unique goals, view the number of calories you’ve burned, enter items you’ve consumed into the food log and track the quality and duration of your sleep each night.
One feature that makes the LINK model especially unique is that it utilizes Bluetooth® technology to allow users to view their Activity Manager Dashboard on their smartphone using the free mobile app. This technology lets you access your data in near real time, which keeps you informed and helps you to stay on track with reaching your goals.
Overall, the BodyMedia FIT Armband is extremely easy to use and the data it captures appears to be quite accurate, so this device can truly serve as a great option for individuals who want to take the guess work out of wondering whether they are expending more calories than they consume. It also lets them access all of that unique data easily.
What we liked:
- Easy to pair to a smartphone to access data in near real time
- Ability to easily track number of calories burned, quantity and quality of sleep and calories consumed
- Device can comfortably be worn underneath clothing
What we didn’t like:
- After the free 3-month trial period, access to the online Activity Manager is $6.95 a month
May 15, 2012