Bodybugg V.1 Review

Another uneventful evening. I am big fan of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice so I was glued to the t.v. for last nights episodes. I had forgotten to bring home the Bellydancing DVD so I will do that this weekend.




A few readers have asked how I feel about my Bodybugg so I have decided to write a review for it. Here is the info from their website on how it works:


The bodybugg® is the most accurate device on the market today for measuring calorie expenditure outside of a clinical setting.

It utilizes a patented process for interpreting calorie burn called "sensor fusion" developed by BodyMedia, Inc. This process involves collecting a range of body-data using multiple physiological sensors instead of a single sensor, which is what other calorie estimation devices such as pedometers and heart rate monitors rely on. It's this multi-sensor approach that enables bodybugg® to "see" the wearer's context (whether they are sitting, sleeping, jogging, walking, etc.) that makes bodybugg® such a reliably accurate device for calorie expenditure estimation.

The Physiological Sensors

Here is a list of the sensors in the bodybugg® followed by a short description of how they contribute to energy expenditure estimation.

• Accelerometer - The accelerometer in bodybugg® is a tri-axis micro-electro-mechanical sensor (MEMS) device that measures motion. This motion can be mapped to forces (g-force) exerted on the body. By taking gravity and motion into account along with the other sensor data, the wearer's body context and true level of physical exertion can be accurately predicted.

• Heat Flux - The bodybugg® also contains a proprietary heat flux sensor located on the side that measures the amount of heat being dissipated by the body via a thermally resistant material. In short, this sensor measures how much heat the wearer's body is giving off. Heat flux is an important parameter because the body tends to heat up the faster it burns calories.

• Galvanic Skin Response - Better known as GSR, this sensor is comprised of two "hypo-allergenic" stainless steel electrodes on the back of the armband that measure skin conductivity. Skin conductivity is how much an electrical current can pass between two points on the surface of the skin and is affected by sweat due to physical exertion as well as emotional stimuli such as psychological stress.

• Skin Temperature - Skin temperature is measured by using a highly accurate thermistor-based sensor located on the back of the bodybugg®. Looking at continuous measurement of skin temperature in conjunction with data collected from the other sensors can reveal the body's core temperature trends which are affected by the level of a person's physical exertion or lack thereof.

The data these 4 sensors collect, in conjunction with the wearer's specific body parameters (age, gender, height, weight) enable the most accurate estimation of energy expenditure on the market today outside of a clinical setting.


My bodybugg is the older model. It does require batteries whereas the newer model is charged on your computer. I have to replace the batteries about once every 10-14 days. It is also thicker then the newer model but otherwise its pretty much the same.

I also have the digital display. It provides an "on-the-go" snapshot of my numbers for the day. It shows the daily info that I post on my screenshots. It also gives you little alerts when you have achieved your goals. I must say it is pretty motivating to hear the little "beep beep beep" It is like a mini cheerleader!

The bodybugg tracks Calories burned, Number of steps taken and Physical activity. The data is uploaded via a USB cord to the program. I input the calories that I consume. Then it gives you the difference or the deficit you have for that day. When setting up the program you put in all your personal data and set up a program based on what you want to do. For example, I have mine set up for me to lose 1.5 lbs. per week. If I achieve the daily target deficit I should be able to lose that based on the bugg. My target deficit is 750 calories right now.


The deterrent for most people is the cost. If I had to go out and buy one I would be hesitant too. Mine was a gift from my coworker Nicole. The bugg costs $200 and the display costs $100. You also have to pay for the monthly subscription to use the database. The first 6 months it is covered and it is about $9.95 per month thereafter. By the way you can purchase just the calorie counting portion even if you don't have a bugg. There is also a very similar product call the "Go Wear Fit" which apparently is less expensive but pretty darn similar. It is made by Apex as well. You can also find bodybuggs and Go Wears cheaper on Craig's list or eBay.


I totally love my bugg!!! I have used it for 10 months now and have been able to lose the 1.5 lbs. per week pretty consecutively. My goal by year end is to lose 68 lbs. according to my current program. The best feature to me is all the data it provides. I am such a visual learner and this puts it into perspective for me. I know what I need to do. It has bar graphs, pie charts and line graphs to show all the information. I do not count calories but I track them. The only negatives about the bugg is that it does show up under my clothes sometimes. If I am going to dress up for the evening I generally won't wear it but I do wear it at work every day all day unless I forget to put it on. Also having short sleeved shirts doesn't really work. The other disadvantage is the batteries. It takes just one AAA battery.


I am so happy it is Friday! Looking forward to having a motivated weekend. No more slug bug darn it! Until next time...