Yes this is a longer review, but I wanted to accurately describe my experience to those considering this product for those considering purchasing it but have concerns due to the number of negative reviews.
I received the BodyMedia FIT LINK on July 23rd, 2013 while weighing approximately 265.5 lbs and needing to drop about 80 lbs to get to my ideal weight. I had started out at over 280 before worrying about the potential of slowing down my metabolism during my weight loss. I thought the BodyMedia FIT system would help me track my metabolism and to adjust my activities and eating to avoid kicking myself into a severe conservation mode.
The set up was relatively uncomplicated. The quick start guide helped get things up and running and the website interface was easy to work with. Some individuals may find it beneficial to download the user’s manual from the website prior to beginning the initial set up as it is a bit better at describing the various tasks required and the order they are done in order to avoid a problem. The only issue I found was that if you take too long to enter some information on the account set up, it may time out on you. It synced up quickly, and linked with my phone without a single problem. I was able to set up the Android App and linked the account with MyRunKeeper and MyFitnessPal and they seem to work seamlessly. The unit charged up completely in a little over an hour.
My first workout was on an elliptical machine and I had no issues. It is possible if you use a machine without the arm attachments that it won’t accurately record the movement as a workout, but since mine allowed me to move my arms in sync with the feet, it did very well. The calories consumed doing the workout were pretty close to the reading on the machine (machine showed approximately 30 additional calories consumed – but those are notoriously inaccurate). The device accurately recorded my sleep and reflected what I could remember of my nightly trip to the bathroom or when I woke up to move my daughter to a better position in bed when she decided to join me. The band itself was quite comfortable and for the most part I was unaware of it through the workout and later falling asleep with it on turned out to be easy and the unit was non-obtrusive even though I am a side sleeper that frequently switches sides.
My second workout was a walk through the neighborhood recorded via MyRunKeeper. The app meshed easily with my BodyMedia account and recorded it perfectly (the only issue was with the MyRunKeeper app as it shut off during my last lap, but BodyMedia kept recording and showed the right amount of time. The Calories consumed during that workout was transferred to the MyFitnessPal app. I have had no issues at this time with uploading information from the band to the BodyMedia website via the Android app or via USB cable. The information I am receiving is definitely pushing me forward on my weight loss journey.
After two weeks of use (ending on August 6th) I have noted the following (with a weight loss goal of 2 lbs per week and high level of activity):
Pros:
• It keeps me honest with the amount of work I do during the day. I am hampered by having a desk job and have to find other ways to complete my activity for the day.
• It accurately measures the intensity of my workouts. I generally fall in the 4-5 METS range during a workout according to the machines I use and it captures it spot on.
• It meshes easily with third party apps which allow for easier food logging through MyFitnessPal and workout tracking like runs/walks through MyRunKeeper.
• It is comfortable to wear. It takes a little practice to get the band just right. If it is too tight it will leave impressions in the skin and if it is too loose it will slide down during the day. However, once you get it set you shouldn’t have either problem.
• It accurately predicts weight loss for the week according to the information it obtains and the information you provide it (calories used vs. calories consumed).
• It has allowed me to drop approximately 16 lbs since I received it by monitoring the changes to my metabolism in response to exercise and diet. Not bad considering that I had already been dieting for a little over 2 weeks before getting the BodyMedia Fit Link and had dropped 15 lbs during that time. Normally I stall after two weeks and give up when the scale doesn’t budge week after week. This time I was able to power through and continue to lose.
• The battery life is great. I purposely went through three days without a recharge to see how it did. Even with multiple checks of the device with my android phone via Bluetooth, it was still at 47%.
• Allowed me to know how to adjust my eating to compensate for a foot injury during the time to still ensure my weight loss goals were met. If I had continued to eat my healthy diet but didn’t work out my net calories would have been positive and I would have gained.
Cons:
• Requires some investment of time in order to track workouts and calories consumed – but the accountability for your own weight loss journey always requires you to invest some effort.
• It does require a subscription to use beyond the three month trial – but the benefits you receive are worth it in my own opinion.
• It isn’t the most fashionable device, but they do make different skins and bands for it – so if you are fashion conscious, you can probably find a skin and band to mesh with just about any clothing and accessory.
Hope this review helps. I will update it if I come across any durability issues – but so far, it has been great. (Also, I have heard and seen a few preliminary articles about the BodyMedia CORE 2 slated to come out soon. It is looking like it may address the fashion issue and will be a bit smaller and with include the Bluetooth connection like the link version does. However, it may be a bit pricey in the beginning. Do some research online to check out the preliminary information on it as you may want to delay your purchase if it looks like a better option for you.)
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Not as easy to use as a Fit Bit Zip
I was really excited to try the BodyMedia Fit Link. I've wanted a Bodybugg for years. A few things surprised me about it:* It's still gigantic. Seems like BodyMedia has not improved its technology to make it any smaller (am uploading a photo to show comparison. Note: photo shows Fit Link outside of its holder...the FitBit Zip is complete...that's all there is.)* You have to still wear it on the back of your arm. It was a downside years ago, and still is. It's not comfortable--and is not realistic for people who have professional jobs who don't want every single person to know that they're wearing it :)* No way to check steps on the device itself...have to sync to see* Have to take off one hour per dayTo me, the only advantage the twice as expensive BodyMedia Fit Link has is the sleep tracking feature, which is nice--but not that great. As you're supposed to only wear the monitor 23 hours per day... I'm not sure when you're supposed to take it off to charge/rest your arm. The diet tracking software is nice--but no different than what FitBit provides.As for accuracy, I noticed about a 100-150 step difference between the FitBit Zip and the BoyMedia Fit Link. The Fit Bit Zip seemed to grant me more steps, but gave me less total calorie burn. (There was about a 100 or so calorie difference in calorie burn). To me, those are minor differences. WIth the FitBit Zip, I can clip it to my bra and nobody knows. I can look down anytime I want and see how many steps I've taken. I can clip it to my pants if I want as well. It uses a battery which lasts for 6 months--so I don't need to worry about charging. Plus, it's half the cost--and the iPad/iPhone app seems to work better. FitBit Zip Wireless Activity Tracker in Midnight Blue wins. Sorry BodyMedia!
