Customer Reviews

GoWear fit Lifestyle and Calorie Management System

5 star:		(161)
4 star:		(46)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(40)

 

 

I have owned the Gowear Fit for about 4 week now and so far glad to say I still don't have any buyers remorse.

My interest in this first started when I saw the Bodybugg on the current season of NBC's the Biggest Loser and so started to research it. When I searched for it on Amazon I got this products page.

I actually read through the info page and some of the reviews without noticing that this wasn't the BodyBugg, until a review mentioned the GoWear Fit vs. the BodyBugg . I then started researching the GoWear Fit, and came to find out that the BodyBugg and GoWear Fit were manufactured by BodyMedia.

Here is a nice table that compares them all dubya dubya dubya dot bodymedia dot com forward slash prodtbl.html

What I got from my research is that both pretty much use the same technology by and large as far as hardware goes. The main differences are in the software that you use to access the info gathered by whichever calorie counter you choose to use. When I looked at pictures of both of them, they looked EXACTLY the same. The only difference was the color scheme.

The biggest "issue" with the GoWear Fit that users seemed to gripe about was the calorie logging. With the GoWear Fit you filled a 3 day profile for meals that the software would use to calculate the average amount of calories that you consume everyday while BodyBugg had the capability of logging in each individual meal everyday so you had much more accurate calorie tracking.

This is not a problem anymore though. The software now allows you to enter each meal individually. So you have the option of either entering each meal or just filling out the 3 day meal profile (I think that's what they call it, not sure since I don't use it) and just have the software average out your calorie intake. I think if you usually eat the same things everyday or so, then this would probably be a plus for you.

Another thing that swayed me towards the GoWear Fit was the fact that it also measured sleep efficiency. It measures how much you lie down awake (trying to go to sleep or waking up from sleep) vs. how much time you spend in deep rem sleep. The BodyBugg didn't.

Ok, so you get the GoWear Fit, open up the box. Inside you'll find the module, armband, manual and code for 3 months free access to the website. The module takes about 3 hours to charge to full from an empty state, but mine was charged apparently because when I plugged it in, it indicated it was full.

The module itself is not too exciting looks wise. It has 2 leds, one labeled `Memory' and the other `Battery'. Next to the led's is a green button that you can press to verify that the module is working correctly. When pressed it gives an A-OK type audio alert if everything is hunky-dory. If the battery is low it will flash with an amber color and green when battery is charged. Same with memory, when there's about 24 hours worth of memory left it will start flashing in an amber color, and green when there's more than 24hrs worth available.

I believe it can store up to 14 days of calorie data before it stops logging. Once it fills up you have to upload the data to the website before it will start logging calorie consumption again. This means that you need access to the website and thus a membership to be able to use this baby.

To start a membership, you log onto the GoWear Fit website (using MS Internet Explorer, Firefox is not supported), download the software drivers, install them onto your pc (it's a 20mb download). Then you need to purchase a monthly plan. If you commit to 12 months its 6.95/month, 6 months is 9.95/month and month by month for 12.95/month .

Whichever option you choose, you won't get billed until after the 3 free months have expired. I went for the 6.95 per month because it's pretty cheap and if I decide that I want to discontinue the membership before the 12 months are up, I could just cancel the credit card (report it stolen and get a replacement card with different account number issued :P. Fyi, you need to use a bank debit card with Visa/Mastercard logo for this to work. If you use a regular credit card then the charges will be authorized on the newly issued card).

Once you purchase the membership, you will see a "Launch Activity Manager" icon added to the top toolbar on the GoWear Fit website. Clicking that will launch the GoWear Fit software. From there you can start using the GoWear Fit. You first fill out a profile with the usual info, age, weight, height, goals, 3 day food profile or log your meals for the day, download the days data from the GoWear Fit and look up your calorie data, # of steps taken that day, sleep efficiency etc.

The software has been pretty easy to use so far. The food logging is good, but it can be tedious entering calorie information for food that you cook at home or if you eat at a restaurant that is not one of the big franchises. But they have all the usual restaurants Arby's, Wendy's, BK, McDonald's, Olive Garden, Red Lobster etc.

Strangely though and much to my glee they also had calorie info for Chipotle. I say "strangely" because Chipotle doesn't list nutrition info on its website. During the weekday I always have lunch at Chipotle and its always the same thing (Steak Bol + rice + black beans + mild + medium + corn salsa). I was able to build this combo and save it so I don't have to piece it together everyday when I enter in my meals.

It saves all your nutrition entries that you enter everyday when you log your meals and presents them as suggestions as you type food names, much like how google makes suggestions as you type search words in the search box on their website.

It also has a reminder feature, were you can program 2 alarms to go off anytime during the day.

When I first got it I had the armband on a bit snug because it seemed like the more in contact with your skin the better the tracking. Unfortunately, after 2 days I started getting an itchy rash where it touched my skin. I loosened the arm band and moved it over to another area on my left arm and it still read my calorie intact just fine and no more rash.

You shouldn't wear it 24 hours a day. I think they recommend taking it off for an hour for every 23 hours worn. I usually take it off 15 minutes after I workout. I dump the arm band in some warm water with a little detergent, ring it out and then throw it in the dryer for 20 minutes on low, and hook up the module to the pc so it can charge. If you don't do this then I suggest you get an extra arm band and alternate between them every 3 to 4 days, because after about 3~4 days of working out with it, it will start to stink, BAD.

Theres also a display device that you can use for immediate feedback instead of having to hookup the module to your pc to look up the different stats for the day.

You can wear it like a watch, or clip it to your shirt or whatever like an Ipod nano. The other nice feature is that you can program thresholds, so for example, you can start working out and program the device to let you know when you've burnt 500 calories.

I do not have the display device. Frankly I'm still thinking through whether I really need it. I'm not sure that knowing how many calories I have burnt today to this exact minute is worth $70, which is what the display device costs, but being able to program the module to sound an alarm when I burn x amount of calories is a nice feature. Oh well moving on (I'm sure you really care if I buy it or not :).

All in all, if you want to get serious about losing weight, you really need to get one of these counters, Bodybugg or GoWear Fit. It forces you to be accountable to yourself and (assuming you log your meals accurately and studiously) minimizes the tendency to fall into victim-hood mode when the going gets tough and you start to make excuses. It's all there in black and white. Heres what you ingested and heres what you burnt. If you're not losing weight then the reason is right there in front you.

It also makes it that much harder to kid yourself. I think most of us have done this at one time or another. You decide to have that slice of cheesecake but it's ok because you'll work out an extra 1.5 hours this evening to make up for it, and you don't. Well, at the end of the day, it's going to be right there bitch slapping you back into coherence. The next time you try to kid yourself into having something fatty with the promise of making up for it you will remember that you have to deal with that at the end of the day.

Well, if you've made it this far, thanks for reading through. I hope this review answered at least some of your questions, and I wish you well on your weight loss journey.

This is going to be a lengthy review, so if you are looking for the Reader's Digest version, here it is: If you are in any way contemplating this purchase, stop reading and buy it.

Now, on to the review...

I have owned this device for a week. I am a 37 year old male with approximately 25 lbs to lose. I have a sedentary job and joined a gym 6 weeks ago. I have had a back injury for 7 months and am slowly geting back into the groove.

When I first received it, the unit was not charged, so I had to be patient and wait the 3 hrs it takes to fully charge it. As others have stated, it is not at all cumbersome or uncomfortable. In fact, I often forget that I am wearing it. After it was charged, I had difficulty getting my computer to recognize it. I later learned, through the assistance of Customer Service, that the problem was due to a Java update. They assisted me in getting past this, and that has been the only hiccup so far.

The device is, quite simply, amazing. For starters, anyone doubting the sleep tracker will be in for a huge surprise. It is incredibly accurate. I conciously paid attention to when I went to bed and looked up at the clock a few moments before I fell asleep. In the morning when I uploaded the numbers, it showed me the same exact times and results.

As far as nutrition tracking and calorie consumption, it would have been nice for everything to be included, but, as another reviewer stated, it is easy enough to track your nutrition using a free program like the one at sparkpeople (search for that word if you don't know what it is). Even without using an outside program, the gowear does have nutrition assessment or it can estimate your caloric intake based upon the statistics you provide when you first set up the armband.

In addition, the gowear fit Activity Manager displays your calorie balance, duration of activity (including the intensity of it), and steps. I also just discovered that it exports your data to a Microsoft Excel page that you can store on your computer and use to track your long-term success.

This device is an incredible motivator. During the first few days that I had it on, I did not go to the gym because I wanted to get a baseline of my normal activities. When I finally started to go to the gym, I was thrilled by my Calories Burned...until I recorded my food for the day and saw that I was simply breaking even. With such instant feedback, I altered my eating habits, and in the last 3 days I lost 3 lbs. I know that water is the first to go when one begins a diet, but I also saw the 2,000 calorie deficit that I had yesterday alone, and I know that after the water is gone, I will continue to lose.

I cannot recommend this product highly enough. If you are competetive and have no challengers to motivate you, let me introduce you to the GoWear Fit. When you see those numbers, you will have all the competition you need.



EDIT (January 16, 2009)---I have continued to wear the device since I posted my review, and nothing about my opinion has changed. The device works perfectly and actually becomes a part of your body. There have been several times when I had one foot in the shower and had to back out because I forgot that I was wearing it. The only drawback to this, as far as I'm concerned, is that it does get a tiny bit irritating on my arm. I tend to keep it in the same spot, and every once in a while, I have to relocate it.

For those wondering about weight loss, I have not exercised in 2 weeks under doctor's orders due to a back injury. However, when I first got the device and used it in conjunction with sparkpeople, I had a calorie deficit of 1000-1200 calories a day, and, sure enough, I dropped 3.5 pounds very quickly. I wear it, on average, 22 hrs a day or so and have not had to charge it for more than an hour at a time----I'm actually amazed at how long the batteries last. I will begin working out again next week and will edit this again with results.



EDIT (April 16, 2009)---Again, device works perfectly...no changes whatsoever. I actually didn't use it for 2 weeks back in March, and even though I never bothered to charge it during this time, it retained its charge and worked perfectly as soon as I put it on.

It seems that some of the negative reviews on here are a little unfair---for one thing, it is not the fault of the device if you have sensitive skin and get a rash. Secondly, if you dont bother to read any of these reviews or THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH THE DEVICE, dont waste people's time by posting negatively.

There is no software that comes with the device.

There is no monitor on the device; you must purchase it separately.

If you do not purchase the monitor, you MUST subscribe to the online service in order to view your numbers and to upgrade the firmware.

I don't mean to sound so negative, but some of the comments on here are a bit ridiculous. The only negative comment that I can agree with is in regards to customer support. In my initial review I stated that I had Java issues and couldn't get online. Like others, I tried contacting the company but, initially, had problems. The issue was eventually handled within 2 days, and it has been clear sailing ever since. There is no excuse for poor customer service; however, when it is functioning properly, the Gowear Fit is perfect.

First, I will note that the new bodybugg does monitor your sleep since someone said it doesn't.

Because I own both, I will say with confidence...these ARE the exact same. I lost my bodybugg and thought I left it in a hotel, bought this one, and it's the same as my bodybugg which, I found in the pocket of my suitcase when I travelled again!

(That said, the old bodybugg, the grey one, version 1 and 2, did not measure sleep.)

Why the name difference since it's the same thing made by the same company? 24 hour fitness bought the rights to the bodybugg. So the company has this one not under that name.

So, I can tell you all about it knowing they are both alike and having already reviewed the bodybugg

(BUT that said, be sure to check the 24 hour fitness website before you buy this because they often have the bodybugg on sale. It varies and sometimes this one is cheaper and sometimes you get a free display device on that one...changes every month as to which one is cheaper from what I've seen...)

I couldn't find an in-depth review on the bodybugg/gowearfit that answered ALL my questions before I bought mine, so I surfed the net for a week til I got them all answered. Therefore, I'll try to answer most of them I had, for you, here...things I hate. Things I love. How it works.

Am I not losing weight because I'm working out too much and not eating enough?

Is my metabolism just slower than other people's or is it so high I need to eat more to maintain energy to lose weight?

Am I working out enough to burn enough calories to lose weight?

How many calories do I REALLY need? And how much calorie deficit do I REALLY need to lose weight not as an average of other people but based on MY body and what I do each day?

If you ask yourself any of these questions then the Bodybugg/gowearfit may be a good solution.

So let's go over the pros and cons I've found of the system. I'll begin with the pros:

Pros:
comparison to the heart rate monitor: I actually have used a Polar F11 heart rate monitor for 3 years now until I upgraded to the bodybugg when it went on sale for a spell. The F11 is rated the most accurate heart rate monitor by consumer reports as far as heart rate monitors go. Problem is heart rate monitors are not used for scientific diet experiments where the bodybugg is for the reason that they don't offer the same accuracy. Only testing your heart rate can issue wrong results as far as caloric expenditure. If you are taking blood pressure medication or other medications, for example, you wont get accurate results with a HRM and your heart rate alone doesn't tell the full story of caloric burn. The bodybugg measures true caloric burn many ways rather than just by your heart rate: accelerometer, heat flux, galvanic skin response, and skin temperature. Because a calorie is a measure of heat, you get 92% accuracy with the bodybugg. (one study I read said 91%). This is the highest rate of accuracy for any caloric measurement device aside from a metabolic chamber which isn't something you can carry around or typcially afford to install in your home because a metabolic chamber is an entire room in labs measuring how much energy (measure of heat) you give off which is equal to caloric burn :-) .

Also, you cannot measure your entire daily caloric expenditure with a heart rate monitor because you have to wear a body strap that's damp the whole day. It would dry out. So you can only measure your caloric expenditure for a short time like during a work out with a heart rate monitor.

Comparison to the pedometer: The bodybugg/gowearfit includes a pedometer so you can set step goals as well if you get the digital display (read the cons section and you'll know why I think this digital display is even more important)This provides even more motivation for me personally. It's just one part of all it measures. A pedometer measures steps, not energy or how hard you are working to make those steps relating to caloric burn (running vs. walking for example) so it's one part of the equation, but a pedometer alone wouldn't offer near the accuracy.

Also, with the digital display (thats the wrist piece which you can also clip on to your waist band or pocket). Separate. Sometimes free if you catch a good sale at 24 hour fitness on the bodybugg version of this which is the same and made by the same company as gowearfit.) you get immediate feedback on how many calories you are burning without having to download anything into the computer to see where you are. For example, I just stood up at my desk to type this because I have been sedentary for too long and my calorie count that is displayed right now shows that, for my goal, I'm too low right now. I just ramped it up a little. Now I'm kicking under my chair. :-) How's that for motivation? It's like having a personal trainer at work with me, at the grocery store, every second. I now walk circles or do jumping jacks while I heat something up in front of the microwave if I look down and see my caloric burn is low for that time of day. Crazy. But Effective.

Comparison to just counting calories:
Weight loss is simple. Burn more calories than you take in. Problem is, although you can get an AVERAGE of what many people your age and height burn per day online to figure out your caloric needs, you can't actually know what YOU really burn or need calorie-wise without this device. If for example, you are more or less active on some days, your caloric intake should also change to meet your weight loss goals as well as satisfaction. As the diet channel (you can find this online) mentioned when reviewing the bodybugg (I do LOTS of research before purchasing!) "A 22 year old 250-lb. NFL linebacker with 13% body fat is going to have different caloric needs and ouputs than a 55 year old 250 lb couch surfer." Your needs and caloric burn each day are not cookie cutter. This way there is no guesswork. For example, this week I set my goal for a 500 calorie deficit each day so I can lose a pound by the end of the week. If I have eaten 1500 calories by late tonight and burned 2000 calories according to my watch display (you don't have to wear it as a watch, more on that later) and I am offered a 200 calorie ice cream bar I have a choice. Eat it and then go walk the dog until my display shows I burn that 200 calories or don't eat it or eat it then make up the average the rest of the week. Total control. If, however, it shows I've burned 2,200 already...I get a treat! No guessing.

I also use it with my Weight Watchers points but that's a whole other story. (I use it to guage my activity each day. I love Weight Watchers)

No other device measures the energy YOU truly use the entire day. (calories are a measure of energy and heat; not heart beat. Not number of steps.) The gowearfit is the same as the bodybugg version 3 and that bodybugg and this gowearfit measure your sleep patterns for a full picture.

Comfort: The bodybugg/gowearfit is worn on your left arm. It's comfortable. I don't even know it's there. I wear sleeveless shirts even to a corporate job but it's easily hidden under a short sleeve shirt if you wish. Most people know what it is from the Biggest Loser and ask me questions and love it so for me personally, it's as though it's not there or it's a cool gadget. This version is so compact you could wear a short or long sleeve shirt and really not even see a bump. If I go to an outside meeting I do throw a jacket on over a sleeveless shirt but I would anyway.

You don't even need to turn it on and off. It's that easy...it senses when it's on your skin when you put it on. Slide it on.

When it was introduced in 2005 Popular Science Magazine gave it the "Best of What's New" award as far as research that would change the world.

The good news is that the display device I got for immediate feedback can be worn as a watch OR clipped onto your clothing or even just carried in your purse. This is a bonus for me because I began wearing my heart rate monitor when I used that as my watch but it's not too attractive. Now I wear my dress watch again but still know what I'm burning when working out. It even tells me I have a message at noon if I have reached my goal of activity by that point. It works several feet away...I lay it on a counter when I'm working out at home and it still picks up everything I"m doing at the other end of the room...but the clip is very secure so I usually clip it on my pants top and I cant even feel the display.

It has shown amazing accuracy in ALL I do and I get exact weight loss from it that it says I will.

CONS:
It's not perfect. It's accuracy, according to my readings HAS been perfect though. (In fact, based on what it tells me I should lose each week because of my caloric deficit that it shows...it is WAY more accurate than my heart rate monitor or my own head as far as the calories I've burned when working out & weight loss goals being met) BUT I recommend getting the display face that you wear as a watch or clip to your clothing and opt out of having to log on constantly to the website in order to even know how you are doing which to me seems extremely inconvenient. If you have the display face it instantly tells you how many calories you have burned as you burn them, all you need to know is how much deficit you should have which it will tell you the first day you set your gowearfit up and you can even figure out your calories in a journal without going to the website. (that's what I do. I use the dietminder food journal which amazon carries)

other con: the watch face is really ugly. I don't mean the armband which is compact on the version 3 or the gowear fit and nice, but the display face for the watch (which can also act as a watch and pedometer or keep track of activity minutes in addition to showing how many calories you've burned...all show on it's face at the touch of a button). This is coming from someone who wore a heart rate monitor watch for 3 years without complaint but the numbers on this are made up of squares like cheap digital watches. So I prefer to wear it clipped to my clothes or purse. The watch looks ok but, for my taste, the number display does not. I use the clip. I don't like it on my wrist most of the time.

other con: my biggest complaint is the website. If I want to put in that I had 3 tsp of a new whey powder I found that's not already on their site I can't because it only provides measurement in fluid ounces or grams. Not cups or tsp or tablespoons. Also the steps you have to go through to look up a food or enter a new food is just too complicated for what they could be. (this wont matter if you only eat the foods that are already in their database in the measure given but there aren't THAT many foods in there so it does foil my own efforts.) UPDATE: As of today, September 29, they just updated their website and changed this problem. I had to download a new version and this is now corrected!! Still, it's a hassel for me to update online now that I'm used to doing it in a journal without having to be in front of a computer screen...so I continue to use my paper journal. I wish I could update the unit without having to go to the computer but that's just me.

Another issue with the website: lets say the serving size of something is 8 fluid oz. (1 cup). and you eat 3/4 cup. No way to input that. It only offers you half of the serving as the next notch down. Not .75 Update: this was also corrected on 9/29/09

Another issue with the website: I can't even enter foods that accurately. Luckily I have a scale so if I'm not using fluid ounces which is only for fluids, I can measure grams for tablespoons or shredded food, chopped apples, etc. But I dont know that everyone has this kitchen gadget. So I decided to do my calorie counting in a journal and just use the web to download my gowearfit data. If you have a deficit of 500 calories per day you'll lose a pound a week. If you wanna lose more, adjust accordingly. Either burn more calories or eat less or both. Your bodybugg/gowearfit account will set up a caloric suggestion for you personally so you don't eat TOO LITTLE or TOO MUCH.

other issue with the website: when inputting nutritional information it asks you for the milligrams of calcium contained in the food but American nutritional labels, in most cases, only show percent of daily requirements in calcium (for example 30%)

because of the grams and fluid ounces and the above glitch, my guess is it's a European-designed website.

another con: for many it may be the price of the gowearfit. I figure I save on my grocery bill enough that it pays for itself in 2 months time. Not to mention my health and new lack of medication in helping me keep my weight down along with the rest of my weight loss lifestyle. Also it's half the cost that it was when it was first introduced because I wanted one then and wouldn't splurge. Now it's half the size and does more. So I justified it. Also, with this kind of technology I expect to pay for it until there is equal competition that works as well on the market. There isn't right now.


CONCLUSION: It ROCKS as a motivator and taking ALL guesswork out of weight loss!! However, I'd not love it so much had I not gotten the display device that shows up to date how many calories I've burned without having to download any info to the computer. I know each time I look at it throughout the day, no matter where I am, how I'm doing and I ramp up my activity or cut down my calories accordingly so that I also have a deficit for weight loss. I'm not a big fan of their website but I have heard others love seeing the graphs of movement and caloric burn throughout the day so you can just gauge your love of it on your own through experience.

Do you lose weight clearly with it? Yep.

And guess what? It makes your house WAY cleaner. (When I see my caloric deficit is not high enough for my daily goal I get out a mop and work away or scrub the stove or anything off the couch!)so it pays for itself there in that you become like maid service in order to up that caloric burn!

also I love one of the buttons on the display device where I can set it to tell me exactly how many calories I burned during a workout (I don't stop til I hit my goal) and how many calories I am burning per minute during my workout (if it's low I ramp up my intensity)

It will also give me a message on my display device when I've hit my activity target and caloric burn target for the day. Nice!

It's a personal trainer on my arm....and after 6 months, I'm the thinnest I've been in 10 years!!

I received my Gowear Fit from Amazon about two weeks ago, and have been wearing it almost all day since then (I take it off and let it charge while I'm showering, that's about it). It's worked better than I expected this entire time, never running out of battery, never giving me any readouts that I thought were suspicious. I've worn it while snowboarding, jogging, doing chores around the house, and sleeping, and it's done a fantastic job of monitoring and measuring my calorie burn during each.

I find the daily chart very motivating, since I know that every little bit of activity I choose to do will be rewarded with a little "spike" on the chart at the end of the day. It gives a whole new meaning to the tired old "take the stairs instead of the elevator, park further away" advice, because now I know that I'll actually be able to see the results of all these extra little activities. I'm also keenly aware of exactly how much food I need to eat (or not eat) every day in order to have a calorie deficit, and therefore lose weight. On low activity days, when I know I'm not going to be able to hit my target, I know that I need to choose between either getting in some exercise before dinner, or eating a very small dinner, so I find myself taking a whole lot more evening walks, morning jogs, and really looking forward to taking a walking break during the day at work.

All in all, it's been exactly the tool I really needed to stay motivated and on track with my calorie counting, and I find I'm not having any trouble at all staying focused on what I eat, or looking for more excuses to get up and move during the day. It's really been an eye-opening experience, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone serious about managing their calories in/calories out.

UPDATE 3/26/09

I've been wearing my GWF every day for a few months now, and if anything I love it even more than when I first wrote this review. :) I've lost about 20lbs so far (40 more to go), and while it hasn't been "easy" per se, it's been a heck of a lot easier than any other time I've tried to lose weight, and a lot more consistent. The ladies at Weight Watchers are impressed by how I keep managing to hit about 2lbs lost every week!

The last time I did Weight Watchers, without a Gowear Fit, I'd already quit by this point. Now I don't feel like quitting at all, I'm having a blast! I walk EVERYWHERE now, so I can "earn" food and drink treats... like last weekend, we went to a local beer festival... lots of calories, right? So we all walked there, even though it was EIGHT miles round trip! And we had a blast, and I was able to enjoy my beer and sausages because I knew I'd burned enough calories to be able to "afford" them. I love it!

Honestly, if you're anything like me, and feel like constant feedback and information on how many calories you're burning would help you out, then I can't recommend this armband enough. My only caveats would be for people with super super sensitive skin, since you do have to wear it all day, every day (I find rotating mine around to different places on my arm throughout the day lets my skin breathe)... and if you're not really a "computer person", if you'd have trouble with the idea of "installing the latest Java driver" on your computer, I'd suggest having a computer-savvy person sit down with you the first time you plug in the device... but after that it's a piece of cake for anyone who can check their email.

Really it's just fabulous. :D I'm so thrilled to have finally found the system that WORKS for me. Goal weight, here I come! :)

UPDATE 5/22/09

Another two months later, another 9 or 10 pounds gone! Sometimes it feels slow, but I'm still losing and not gaining, and that's what matters! For the first time in my life, I'm actually enjoying exercise (I started training for my first triathlon last month!), and I really have to give my armband a lot of credit for changing the way I look at working out. I've also noticed in the last few weeks that I'm really starting to change my perception of food, seeing it more as "fuel" than "fun". Though I certainly still enjoy the heck out of what I'm eating, it's not hard anymore to turn down a cupcake or brownie if it doesn't make sense for me to eat it at that point in time. There's a lot more "logic" to my food choices now than there was 6 months ago, and that's in large part because I have such a good handle on my calories in/calories out every day. 28 pounds to go till goal! :)

I've wanted the BodyBugg for months after seeing it featured on The Biggest Loser. I've lost over 130 pounds and kept that weight off for over 5 years. (I would like to lose about 25 more.) If there's a gadget out there, I want it. If there's a gadget related to health and wellnes, I've got to have it! I don't spend money (particularly the amount that I would have to spend to get the BodyBugg) without serious consideration. After recently deciding I was going to take the plunge, I came across the GoWear Fit while checking online consumer reviews for the BodyBugg. (On a side note, they are made by the same company - Body Media.) I am glad I found out about the GoWear Fit. I literally cannot think of anything that I don't like about this product.

As anxious as I was to share a review, I refrained for a week. I wanted to be certain that my review was based on experience and not simply because I had a new toy that excited me. I wanted to have the oppportunity to try all the features and give it a chance to present a problem (like some mentioned in other reviews). I'm thrilled to say that I've had no issues at all. It's been a week and I've worn it around the clock.

Comfort: It takes some getting used to in order to select the right "tightness", but once that was done I simply slip it off and on instead of readjusting it every time. I can truly say that I don't even know I'm wearing it. The strap gets quite sweaty after working out, so I will most like look into buying another strap for it.

Battery Life: I hook it up to my computer to charge while I'm in the shower every morning and that's kept it fully charged without having to remove it for any length of time.

Display: While you wouldn't need the display to use this product, it really does add to the appeal. It beeps when you reach certain levels (steps, calories burned, etc.) which is encouraging to me. It's also encouraging as you're wrapping it up for the evening to see that you're only a few steps/calories behind yesterday's totals. It makes me want to get moving for a bit longer. Without the display, you wouldn't know this. I wouldn't let lack of money for the display discourage you from getting it though. It can be something to add to it later. A neat feature of the display is that it doesn't have to be worn as a watch. The face of the display is detachable and can be carried in a pocket or clipped on a waistband (or any other area on your clothing for that matter) much like a pedometer. This would be important for someone - like me - that doesn't wear watch.

Sleep Duration: WOW! This feature is amazing. I tend to go to bed early because I get up so early in the morning. One evening my daughter wanted me to get up to make a snack for her and a friend. Keep in mind, she's definitely old enough to make her own snack. When she came in my room, she woke me up. However, I pretended to be asleep. (I know, bad Mom!) Long story short, I "faked" sleeping for about 30 minutes and this little device showed me as "lying down" as opposed to sleeping. It's clearly not lack of activity that determines when you sleep. I was very impressed. Now to make sure she doesn't learn how to read the information on the website. :)

Calories Consumed: Most things that I've looked for I've found in the database. Diet Pepsi, Baked Doritos, Meximelt from Taco Bell, fruit, vegetables, milk, high fiber white bread ... There's been a few items that I haven't found, but they are easy enough to add and after adding them they can be edited. Recent foods that you've eaten come up first in the database as well as anything that you add.

Uploading Information: This is a very easy process. I have my computer at work and home set up to accept the information. Although it's not necessary to do it every day, I find myself doing it once or twice a day just to get the updated information.

Calories Burned: Other than simply monitoring the calories burned, it allows you to pick specific time frames to check the amount of calories burned. For instance, I used a different program on my treadmill and found that what I thought was an easier exercise (slower speed, higher incline) was actually burning more calories then one I thought would be harder (faster speed, lower incline). By setting the slide bar on My Calories Burned, I was able to see the total calories burned during the time frame I did each.

Website: Yes, you have to pay a monthly fee to use the site or eventually the device won't accept any new information if you don't upload the arm band, but the $6.95 I'm paying a month (I signed up for a year) is just one less trip to Starbucks and one less fast food joint! I consider it an investment in my future.

Overall: I'm anxious to go out of my way to get more steps, burn more calories and eat less without realizing the effort I'm putting forth. I would encourage everyone to make an investment in this. Your health and wellness are worth it. I have a website (www.thefiveds.com) that I swore wouldn't promote any product, but I think I'm going to have to reconsider.

And, the best news of all .... I'm down 6.2 pounds in a week!

Healthy regards,
Angela

I have been using my armband for about a year now. I have found this product to be little more than a glorified Pedometer. The only exercise that this armband tracks is anything with hard impacts, not high impact. It does not track climbing a hill, because one walks slowly up a hill. It does not
track stationary rowing, weight lifting, any kind of strength training. It does not record lifting squatting, pushups, pullups.

I climb a hill that is about a 20% grade for three miles uphill. Even though I am sweating and huffing and puffing, all it seems to track is about half of my footsteps (I've counted and checked against the watch style monitor.) The amount of ergs or energy I'm expending is not really counted.
I also have an incline treadmill trainer. I don't get an accurate count of the exercise or energy I put out on it either.

This is, as it was explained to me by the manufacturer, because certain exercise does not have hard enough impacts (like a stepping while running).
Thus the glorified pedometer analogy. It does record running or walking fairly well.

As it is advertised on the website, it says it will track your activity all day long, even sleep. It does sleep fairly well. Don't buy this thing expecting that you will get any kind of accurate measure of any real work.

For example, one day I transferred about 600 lbs. of wood boards from a shed to my wood shop about 30 yards away, and stacked the wood on high shelves. Worthy enough work to exert some real energy. 60 steps were counted and about 50 calories burned according to the meter.

If the step is not a hard enough impact it doesn't count. This is why it does not record walking uphill. Slow or carfull walking does not excite the 3 way accelerometer

The tech support guy at the manufacturer and I had a long talk about all of these issues. They are aware of these drawbacks and he promised in about a month from when this is written, that they will be coming out with new firmware that will attempt to make the energy temperature/ moisture (sweat) sensors more accurate in their data gathering.

I discusses with him that they should really build a heart monitor into the armband and monitor system, saying that this is the data factor that they would need to really determine what kind of energy you are expending. Especially in other types of exercise that the accelerometers don't catch.
He said that they were working on this very issue and were trying to figure out the best way to achieve this.

I asked him if owners of the current system would receive a scaled down price because the current system does not deliver as promised, and his answer was that "when the new product is developed, that would more than likely be the case"

Anyway, I don't know how GoFit Wear can make any of the claims they do on the website. I do not feel that this expensive product is ready for prime time at this point. Maybe it will be when they include a heart rate monitor.

Until then, I would not consider purchasing this unless all you do is run or walk.

So much has already been said about this product in the other reviews (which were a real deciding factor in my decision to purchase the GoWear Fit), so I will try to keep this brief. It will be hard to do though, because this is the most amazing tool I have ever seen to help people lose weight.

Who knew that just the simple fact of knowing exactly how many calories you are burning, and when, would be so life changing. But it has been.

Everything changed the very first day I got this thing. I put in all of my information and the GoWear Fit website showed me EXACTLY what I needed to do in order to lose 2 pounds a week and reach my goal weight by January 22, 2010.

I basically eat 2050 calories a day and burn 3050 calories a day. That gives me a 1000 calorie deficit each day, which adds up to 2 pounds of fat burning off each week.

The very first day I had the device, I quickly figured out that I was basically burning 100 calories per hour just being alive and breathing. So right there is 2400 calories in a day that I burn automatically. So obviously, I need to burn the other 650 somewhere. I was out in the park that very first day walking to burn those extra calories. I only actually burnt 300 or so during the actual walk, but the boosting of my metabolism from the walk kept my calorie burning elevated for a while after that, so the extra 650 burned calories I needed came fairly easy that day.

I have been exercising every single day since I got this thing, and I have NEVER done that before. And I really don't have to exercise THAT much. I usually just walk during lunch. Sometimes I will walk after work too. And now I am stirred up and exercising with EA SPORTS ACTIVE for the Nintendo Wii. I never would have imagined in a million years that something could actually motivate me like this to be active, but it does.

I got the optional display, so for example, today I am not going to get to walk during lunch. I can see that I've only burned 1449 calories so far today. So I KNOW that I need to go to the park and walk this evening after work, and I will! Without knowing exactly where I stand with calories in vs calories out, I would probably just think, "Eh, I'll exercise tomorrow". But now I can't do that, because I can look right here on my wrist and see where I stand. If I want to lose 2 pounds this week (AND I DO!) then my numbers MUST add up at the end of the day. I know that I have to have that 1000 calorie deficit, and I can tell exactly how to get it, so you better believe I am going to do it.

I have CONSISTENTLY lost 2 pounds a week since getting the GoWear Fit (I've lost 18 pounds so far!). The website shows a graph of your weight and it has this little red line that shows the path down from your beginning weight to your goal weight. Yes, my weight bops around from day to day, but it is amazing when you look at the overall big picture how precisely my weight is following that line down to my goal.

Losing weight is actually FUN now because I know exactly what is going on and there aren't any surprises.

The first weekend I had the GoWear fit, my calorie deficits for the weekend actually added up to a whole pound (3500 calories) just for Saturday and Sunday, yet when I weighed on Monday morning, I weighed exactly what I did on Friday morning. Previously, that would have been discouraging to me because I exercised both days and logged my food religiously and stuck to my calorie goal. But since I was using the GoWear Fit, it didn't bother me at all. Why? Becuase I KNEW that I had lost a pound of fat from my body no matter what the scale said. There are all kinds of other things that influence the scale reading, like how much water you've had, how often you've used the restroom before you weigh, etc. Anyway, none of that mattered, because I could look at the GoWear Fit website and SEE, with my own two eyes, that I had burnt 3500 more calories than I had eaten, and those calories had to come from somewhere. So even though the scale didn't show it, I KNEW what was going on in my body and didn't get discouraged, and sure enough, when the first week was over, I had lost EXACTLY how much weight the data from the GoWear Fit website predicted.

I love this thing! It makes losing weight easy and fun. Armed with the information it gives me, I feel confident, FOR THE FIRST TIME, that I will be able to reach my goal weight. Only 42 more pounds to go! See you there on January 22, 2010!!!

If you are contemplating purchasing this, just go ahead and do it. Yes, the initial cost is not cheap, but it is SO worth it. And the $6.95 month fee is equal to the cost of one mixed drink (if you are a drinker), so I think it's a small price to pay since this thing actually WORKS, and works wonderfully. (Just think about how much money you've spent on things that didn't work!)

This is, without a doubt, one of the best purchases I have ever made in my life.

Can you tell I love this thing?

To sum it up quickly. IT WORKS. The website service now has DAILY food logging so you can see what you take in and exactly what you use up! Also there are options for daily reminders (like for water, meal, workout) that you can select throughout the day and the armband beeps at a set time. This can be adjusted whenever you do an upload.

I've had the armband since Jan 09 and can't go without it! I log my meals everyday and can see where I need improvement on the eating portion, really breaks down the protein, carbs, and fats. If the food you eat isn't in the database you can enter your own nutrition information. VERY well done and worth the $6.95 a month for a year contract!

I also have the display/watch so I can see my progress throughout the day without doing an upload. This has been the best feature for me. If I'm feeling lazy and don't want to walk or workout... looking at the display and seeing how LITTLE I've done for the day .... get's my butt in gear and I go walk! Just as a personal trainer would do for you. It is amazing how seeing your progress can motivate! The step counter, along with the activity counter..... add those up and you get a great caloric burn.

I've done uploads daily for the last 3 months. No problems with the functioning of the device. I leave it plugged in and do the upload when I do my shower and that's it. No extra charging has been needed and it always has a full charge.

VERY accurate. The sleep tracking is very interesting and right on! It knows everytime you move or get up!

Keeps you accountable.... you can't cheat on it! It knows everything and if you are true about you eating part the results will show.

The bulkiest thing about this product is its name. So I'll just call it the GoWear Fit Body Monitor.

Just as the other reviewers have commented, it's small and comfortable. I've only had it for two days, but it's made a great first impression. It was fully charged within three hours and in the meantime I registered it at the site and browsed.

I also committed to a year subscription to the online Activity Manager. A must- especially if you don't have the display device. But Amazon has a great deal going on with the BodyWear people, and if you buy here you get three free months.

After it charged, I put it on my arm and it powered up within a minute although the instructions said it could take up to ten minutes.

I'm very happy with this product. I can see it will keep me motivated and it's just really cool to see the graphs of the day's activities- from playing fiddle, to working out at the gym, to walking, to sleeping. It keeps your daily target memorized and counts calories burned, steps taken and minutes of moderate to vigorous activity. Too cool- a friend of mine has gadget envy.

I recommend supplementing this purchase with the display device. It's really great to have instant feedback without having to constantly log into the Activity Manager. As long as I use IE to use it... there does seem to be a java issue if I use Firefox but I don't mind using Explorer just for this.

***Update***

I've now been using the device consistently for a month and will continue to do so. It took a few weeks for me tweak my targets and workout schedule, but now I'm on a roll. I'm feeling addicted to exercise and feel more conscious of what and how much I'm eating.

I also sorted out my issue with java and can use the website on firefox. Every second or third evening I upload my information to the gowear fit database- and it seems I've just been darned lucky because the site has never been down when I log on. If I could give this product more stars, I would.

This armband is a really great product! As someone who has struggled with diets, I really like that the focus is on burning calories, not on eating. I don't ever feel guilty about eating but I feel really motivated to move more and burn more calories. I've found food diaries to be tedious so I appreciate the opportunity to enter enough information for a nutritional assessment without the hassle of an everyday diary. Feedback from a scale is sometimes slow but the feedback from this armband helps me focus every day on successfully burning more calories than I consume.

I had no trouble learning to use and understand the information downloaded from the armband to the computer. I received the armband in less than two days and I have found the customer service department to be fast and easy to understand.

I totally recommend this product!