I've had my GoWear Fit for three weeks now. I love it.
What I puchased: the armband, the display unit, and 6 mos of online subscription.
Initial impression:
Armband - good fit and finish; very lightweight; armband was a little too snug for a 300 lb man (but has loosened up with wear); took around 3 hours hooked to computer USB for initial charge-up.
Display - good fit and finish; displays time, mins of moderate activity, minutes of vigorous activity, steps taken, calories burned; displays yesterday's totals for the above info; has a "trip" that you can zero out and measure over a certain time period; has a light; displays the targets set in your software; beeps at you when you meet targets.
Online software - was iniitally confusing; you download some database software to your computer, but can't execute/do anything. The downloaded software just stores your data for interpretation by the online subscription software, which is a Java application. Once I realized I had to both install something on my computer AND run the Java app from the website... it was very smooth.
What it does:
The armband continuously tracks your steps taken and calories burned. It also records minutes of moderate and minutes of vigorous activity, based on its interpretation of how you are moving and the heat/sweat you are generating. The software graphs it out for you and allows you to make PDF reports.
Why I like it:
1) I am a 41-year old, 5'10", 315 lb man who has recently solved one health problem and can now finally focus on weight. The software told me to eat 3480 calories/day. That is the first helpful bit! I was cutting my calories too much, based on other calulators, and feel better with more energy at this higher calorie level.
2) It told me that if I'm eating 3480 calories/day, I need to burn an extra 1000 calories/day to lose a couple pounds per week. OK, eat 3480...burn 4480! Got it!
3) It showed me that I was burning ~2480/day with my desk job and no exercise... ouch! I needed to burn another 2000 calories/day! No wonder I'm having problems. But using this armband and display has really increased my awareness of how sedentary my life had become during my illness. I find myself checking the display of steps and calories several times/day and the data reminds me to get up and take a walk around the block every couple hours.
Key point: It acts as a constant source of awareness and motivation to just get up and move every once in awhile!
Three weeks ago, I said to myself, "Oh crap! There's no way I can burn 4480 calories in a day. I'm too fat and too out of shape!"
But now, three weeks later, I've hit that goal twice and it's becoming easier and easier. I started going on a few little 15-minute walks/day. Then they turned into two brisk 25-min walks/day. I started parking further away at my work's parking lot, to make my steps goal. I started parking farther away from stores when going out on errands. And I see instant, measureable results in my "steps taken" and "calories burned" through the GoWear Fit. I find myself constantly pushing to get my calories burned a little higher every day.
This daily "calories burned game" is also a much more approachable goal than looking in the mirror and saying "my goal is to lose 140 pounds". I don't do that anymore (much). Now I simply look at my GoWear display and say, "my goal is to hit 4480 calories-burned today". It's a much more manageable (sane) mindset. And it's getting results. My fitness level is getting better and I'm starting to lose weight! I'm much more active and I've lost several pounds in the last three weeks, without really dieting.
Anyway, I can say that the GoWear Fit is really helping me realize how sedentary I was and how easy it is to make lots of little adjustments to become significantly more active. I love it!
A side note about "BodyBugg":
As near as I can tell the GoWear Fit and the current version of the BodyBugg (known as "v3" or "black") are the same device by Body Media. Body Media's website describes the BodyBugg as a "fitness club solution" and the GoWear Fit as a "personal solution". The BodyBugg appears to be marketed through Apex Fitness (24 Hour Fitness Club) while the GoWear Fit is the direct-to-market version sold directly from Body Media. I think they may have different software interfaces...
Sleep Efficiency:
The GoWear Fit software reports "sleep efficiency". As near as I can tell, this is sort of a bogus piece of data. It seems to just look at how much time you are prone (lying down) and assumes that you are asleep if you are remaining still. I've had it tell me I am sleeping when I am lying back in my recliner reading a book, so it's not the greatest measurement of "sleep". I've stopped wearing my armband at night, and I just let it fill in the default 1.8 cals/min for the hours I don't wear it at night.
I still rate the product 5 stars, because "sleep efficiency" measurement is not why I bought the device. I bought it to see roughly how many calories I was burning and to help motivate me to be more active. And this device rocks for that!
EDIT: I've had it about 7 weeks now. I've lost about 12 pounds. Still no problems with the GoWear Fit and still think it's a great product. Is it worth the price tag? That depends on your pocketbook.
But I still think it's a great tool for making yourself more aware of how much (or how little) activity and calorie burn you're really getting on a daily basis.Get more detail about GoWear fit Lifestyle and Calorie Management System.
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