Does the BodyBugg Really Work?

The BodyBugg unit is a way for you to track how many calories are coming and going in and out of your body. It’s supposed to calculate how many you’re burning off by keeping a record of your exercise activities, and it can determine how many calories you’re taking in if you let it know what you’re eating. There are several different products competing with it, so we broke it down to see what today’s users are already saying about it.

Overview
The future is here and moving along pretty fast with the pace of all the gadgetry coming out. They say at some point we’ll have implants that can keep track of our vital signs and log it all so that we can stay in an optimum state of health. Until then they’ve got these external monitors that will likely get more and more sophisticated with each new generation. The fun thing is that what’s available today is pretty great, and can really give you a boost when you’re feeling like you need one.

The Claim
The makers of BodyBugg claim that it can help you more accurately track your calorie intake and expenditure. It tracks how many calories you burn throughout the day, and you can input the food you’re eating so it can determine how many calories you’ve consumed. The net result should give you a more detailed look at your caloric surplus or deficit. A typical weight loss equation is that if you’re running a caloric deficit you’ll lose weight and if you’ve got a surplus you’ll gain it.

The Hype
These body tracking devices have been getting more and more popular. In fact we just sized up the BodyBugg against the FitBit to see which one would win. It seems there’s a bit of an arms race to see who can be the king of the digital exercise buddy contest. Some naturalists will also say that you don’t need all of this technology, and that it’s more about taking a holistic approach to better health and well-being, and you don’t need to micromanage your body’s levels like this.

The Cost
The BodyBugg comes in a few different options, depending on how many features you want,

and what you’re looking to spend. The CORE unit is $120, and they also have their LINK model for $150. The two have several features in common, but the LINK is Bluetooth enabled so you can wirelessly transmit your data from your tracker to the online interface. If you want to see real time information they have a display you can wear on your wrist for an additional cost of around $75. There’s also a monthly fee involved if you want to continue using the software on the site. It’s $7 a month after the first six months.

The Commitment
This should work to keep you more committed to staying fit and active, because now you’ll have objective data that you can look at to quickly determine how well you’re doing on any given week or month. It could also help to keep you motivated to move more, and eat better if you know that you’ll be entering your activity, or lack thereof, into the system. As far as ease of use, you’d have to get into the habit of both entering in the food you eat, and wearing the unit when you plan to get active. This can take some getting used to.

Evaluation
BodyBugg is sold through 24 Hour Fitness, and has a Biggest Loser model. They’ve done well to try to integrate it into some of the more popular gyms and television programs. But at this price point, and considering that you’d have to pay a fee to continue to use it, it should work flawlessly. Unfortunately from the feedback it’s gotten, it’s clear to see that this is not the case. Users report h

assles with transferring the data from their tracker to the online system, and they also say that the interface is hard to navigate, doesn’t display the information in a useful way, and doesn’t help with weight loss and fitness goals.

Another drawback is that you need to wear an armband and a wristwatch-like device on their version 3 release if you want to be able to see what’s going on as it’s happening. This is one extra device than you’d have to wear with competing equipment, and it’s one extra step you’d have to take when getting ready for a run or a workout.

Final BodyBugg Review

We’ve noticed that many people find the online site and service to be less than adequate, and so we’re giving the Thumbs Down on BodyBugg. For this to be truly effective, it’s got to be a seamless transition from collecting the data to analyzing it. When it comes to fitness, you definitely don’t want a gadget that adds struggle to your regimen, as it’s not likely to become part of your daily routine, and it can hamper your resolve to stay focused on your health goals.

Our Recommendation
After comparing the BodyBugg system to the FitBit unit, we found that the Fitbit was the better choice. You can read our full analysis of the two models, and then decide for yourself which you prefer, or consider a different device altogether. With the FitBit there’s no ongoing charges to use their site, which many say is much easier to use, navigate, and assess the data, with fun games and activities you can link to your potentially mundane routine.

What do you think? Does BodyBugg work or not?