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Getting myself into a weight loss midset was difficult after the holidays, but the steps I have taken since then have really gotten me into the zone!
Step 1 – Be real with where I’m at
Step 2 – Find my motivation
Step 3 – Establish weight loss goals
Step 4 – Acknowledge what has stopped me from losing weight
My final step was to create a realistic plan!
Metabolic testing gave me a thorough understanding of the calories my body burns at rest, thus helping me to understand how many calories I needed to take in and how many additional calories I would need to burn a day. But how was I going to track that?
I have long heard about the benefits of using the Bodymedia On-Body Wellness Monitor and knew that this was my time to us it as part of my method for losing weight.
Bodymedia Fit “monitors your calories, activity and sleep throughout the day and night, giving you the power to reach your goals”, which was exactly what I needed! I needed to know exactly what my body was burning and exactly how many calories I was consuming in a given day.
I decided to use the CORE armband and the digital display, though there is an armband (LINK) which syncs to your devices via bluetooth.
You wear the armband on your left arm, which the sensor resting on the back of your triceps. Though a little weird at first, after two weeks of wearing it, I don’t even realize it’s there most of the time.
Throughout the day I can sync the armband to my display to see just where my numbers are at. The display tracks calories, steps, activity (moderate and vigorous), and the time. You can also view today’s numbers, yesterday’s numbers, your goals, and specific a trip.
Currently my goals are to burn 2800 calories a day…
to take 8000 steps…
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and to do 30 minutes of moderate activity a day.
At the end of the day I plug my armband into my computer and it syncs with the Bodymedia website to give me all of my stats. This is also how the device charges, so I kill two birds with one stone.
The Bodymedia CORE tracks my calories burned through multiple sensors, my physical activity, steps taken, sleep duration, my calories consumed, and my calorie balance. For the calories consumed, I track my food intake in My Fitness Pal (CoffeeCakeCardio) and it syncs directly with the Bodymedia website.
The idea is that if I burn 2800 calories a day and consume 1800 calories a day that I’ll be left with a 1000 calories deficiency each day. 1000 calories times 7 days equals 7000 calories or 2lbs.
Here’s a look at this past week…
This week wasn’t as solid as my first week on my new plan, but I was happy to have lost weight! My loss is completely dependent on the accuracy of my food tracking and the calories I burn each day.
Starting Weight: 233.0 lbs (weighed in at the doctor’s on 2/14/13)
Last Weigh-in: 228.2
This Weigh-in: 227.2 lbs
Difference: -1.0 lbs
Total Weight Loss: -5.8 lbs
Though I met my deficit most days, the breakdown of what I was eating wasn’t all that great. My meals were very carb heavy, which is something I’ve wanted to get away from. My downfall was not spending a good amount of time prepping food last Sunday (aka defrosting all the frozen meat I had). I wasn’t prepared for the week and thus had to make last minute food choices. They weren’t horrible, but my protein to fat to carb ratios weren’t ideal.
The other downside to the Bodymedia armbands is that I can’t wear it during football practice. The armband will just get ripped off, so for this past week, Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday did not include the calories burned at football practice.
My other complaint was that it didn’t track my activity during spin class since it was on my arm, but thankfully Sara said I can wear it on my calf. Last night I took a spin class at Revolve in Arlington and that’s just what I did. I was THRILLED to have been able to track that activity and that my stats for yesterday reflect it.
I am VERY pleased with the Bodymedia CORE armband and am grateful to be able to use it as a tool in my weight loss efforts. My goal is to lose 6 pounds a month, reaching a 45 pound weight loss by October 2013… Here we go!!
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Tagged with: Bodymedia • Dieting • Weight Loss
Filed under: My Weight Loss • Reviews • Tips For Losing Weight • Tools For Success • Weigh In • Weight Loss
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I have a BodyMedia LINK. I love it (when I actually use it). It really does help to show what activity I am actually doing or not doing. So glad you’re finding success with it and on the right track to losing weight. Way to go!
Leslie @ Body Won’t Break recently posted..the closet project (a guest post)
What a cool device! I recently got a pedometer and, outside of workouts, found that I’m way more sedentary than I’d like. Ouch.
Marcia recently posted..February Wrap-Up
I’m such a gadget geek and have always wanted to try out one of these.
You calorie burn this week is AMAZING!
Lauren @ Oatmeal after Spinning recently posted..My Strange Addiction
And- I also enjoyed reading through your “4 steps”
Lauren @ Oatmeal after Spinning recently posted..My Strange Addiction
That’s so cool! I love my Jawbone UP for the same reasons – it’s so hard to NOT look at steps on ‘rest’ day
Congrats on your weight loss!! Maybe wearing a polar during practice would help so that you can still enter calorie burns and know where you stand. So proud of you!!
Lynda @ Hit The Road Jane recently posted..Walgreens Heart Health Month & Why You’re Not Too Young To Care
Hey, I’m glad you love your BodyMedia – I can’t imagine life without mine either
It’s one of my best friends. I love your blog too! Adding you to my bookmarks. Happy Friday!
Thanks Molly!!
Wow Ive never seen this before. This should really keep you on track. good luck!
sara @ fitcupcaker recently posted..A True Blue – Blueberry Day
I’m wondering how accurate those sensors are – since you did a metabolic test, would it possible for you to determine the accuracy of those monitors by comparing what it says you burn on a resting day vs what the metabolic tests say you burn at rest?
I’ve always been interested in these sensor things. When I was working full time, I never really had a reason to own one because my calorie burn was at very specific times (like, go sit at a desk for 10 hours and then do an hour of cardio). I could just use my HRM, but now that I’m at home, I’m under this sneaking suspicion that I am burning a TON of calories just…living. Up and cleaning, out and doing yard work, collecting maple sap, gardening. And I have no idea how to track or incorporate that into my workout routine. Somedays I feel so exhausted, but I haven’t actually “worked out” and I feel guilty!
Anywho. Longwinded way of saying, “I want one!”
Cassie recently posted..a day in my life: february 28, 2013
I think you’d love it!! I saw on your confessions that you’d love to use one for a day or two. I own both the nike fuelband and the bodymedia and I think the bodymedia is WELL worth the $. I love it!
That things looks pretty awesome! May have to put that on a wish list! And your calves are so muscular!!
Brooke: Not On A Diet recently posted..Meatless Monday Menu!
LOL! Thanks Brooke!
I love the breakdown of everything, it is amazing how it makes everything look so simplistic.
Nicole @ Fruit ‘N’ Fitness recently posted..Tropical Oatmeal
I like this gadget! I was using the MyTrak (which has since been bought by another company and I think has changed names). The one thing I love about it that I have yet to see with other devices is that it tracks your heart rate (though you have to use a Polar HRM). I like that feature because it works with the machines at the gym and I can see if I’m in a fat burning zone versus cardio. I like knowing/seeing the charts of how my heart rate has increased during exercise. Yours still looks cool though and I’ll have to weigh my options once I get done with pregnancy!
Hilary @ The Big Weight recently posted..Projects Before Baby Arrives