{"id":10293,"date":"2013-07-24T08:28:15","date_gmt":"2013-07-24T01:28:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/?p=10293"},"modified":"2013-07-31T05:18:46","modified_gmt":"2013-07-30T22:18:46","slug":"dieting-armed-with-knowledge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/dieting-armed-with-knowledge\/","title":{"rendered":"Dieting:  Armed with Knowledge"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #888888;\">by Lori Cunningham<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ll admit it, I&#8217;m a stats junkie. \u00a0When it comes to seeing how many steps I walked in a day, hours I slept at night, even pounds I <del>gained<\/del> lost in a day, I want to know! \u00a0So when BodyMedia approached us and asked if we wanted to try out their subscription based BodyMedia LINK, I was all over it. \u00a0The BodyMedia LINK is an armband that you wear on your upper arm and it tracks your steps, sleep, intensity of your workouts, and calories burned. \u00a0I have been using it now for over 3 months and even took it on vacation with me, in fact, I rarely take it off, you might say we&#8217;re attached at the <del>hip<\/del> arm.<\/p>\n<p>I have come to really appreciate and enjoy the BodyMedia LINK and found that it\u00a0acts as my:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"line-height: 13px;\"><strong>coach<\/strong> &#8211; gives suggestions on how to keep my eating, sleeping, and fitness on track<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>analyst<\/strong> &#8211; gives me stats to identify trends<\/li>\n<li><strong>accountability\u00a0partner<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; makes me more accountable for what I eat and when I exercise as &#8220;someone&#8221; is watching<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Food Journal\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I&#8217;ve never been one to add food items to a food journal, I had hoped that somehow magically, the LINK would count calories for me, wouldn&#8217;t that be great? \u00a0But no, you have to enter in each item manually,\u00a0but the food journal on the BodyMedia site and apps is pretty easy and straightforward. \u00a0I typically add my food in for the day without problem, unless it was just one of those really bad days. \u00a0Then I can&#8217;t bear to input it all in. \u00a0\u00a0 BodyMedia does however have an extensive database of food, so entering in a food log is not as cumbersome as it used to be. \u00a0You can even add in custom recipes of items you use most often. \u00a0I did this right away, as I drink a custom protein shake every morning.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10700\" alt=\"BodyMedia LINK My Custom Foods - WellConnectedMom\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-My-Custom-Foods-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=795%2C154&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"795\" height=\"154\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-My-Custom-Foods-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?w=795&amp;ssl=1 795w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-My-Custom-Foods-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=300%2C58&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 795px) 100vw, 795px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-align: center;\">Oh, and I added Costco\/Sams Club samples, a must staple in my diet!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10697 alignnone\" style=\"font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\" alt=\"BodyMedia LINK Activity Manager - Food Log WellConnectedMom\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-Food-Log-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=542%2C373&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"542\" height=\"373\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-Food-Log-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?w=903&amp;ssl=1 903w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-Food-Log-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=300%2C206&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 542px) 100vw, 542px\" \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10696 alignnone\" style=\"font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\" alt=\"BodyMedia LINK Activity Manager - CALORIES CONSUMED WellConnectedMom\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-CALORIES-CONSUMED-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=520%2C469&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"520\" height=\"469\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-CALORIES-CONSUMED-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?w=867&amp;ssl=1 867w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-CALORIES-CONSUMED-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=300%2C270&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This is what the Food Journal looks like. \u00a0It is chock full of name brand grocery items. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Here you can see what you have been filling your body with. \u00a0Tsk, tsk! \u00a0Not a good day for me.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I found that during while wearing the LINK armband,<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"line-height: 13px;\">I had more intent in what I was doing. \u00a0I walked faster on my morning walk because I had checked out the online exercise calculator on BodyMedia&#8217;s website and found that by picking up my pace I can burn more calories<\/span><\/li>\n<li>I thought more carefully about my eating choices, I wasn&#8217;t as mindless about them like before. \u00a0I now know I need to enter in every item I eat<\/li>\n<li>I was actually a little excited about trying to lose 10 lbs. again. \u00a0I have tried on and off over the years and this seems like an unattainable goal. \u00a0But now, armed with knowledge, I have a really good idea of what effort is needed or food to avoid to lose my needed amount of pounds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10695\" alt=\"BodyMedia LINK Activity Manager -CALORIES BURNED WellConnectedMom\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-CALORIES-BURNED-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=858%2C416&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"858\" height=\"416\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-CALORIES-BURNED-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?w=858&amp;ssl=1 858w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-CALORIES-BURNED-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=300%2C145&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 858px) 100vw, 858px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>On this day, I didn&#8217;t meet my goal for burning calories, but you can see I burned 1908 calories, which isn&#8217;t terrible. \u00a0The goal comes from the number of pounds you want to lose within a chosen time period. \u00a0\u00a0Now, three months later, I hardly take it off except to shower, swim, and charge it.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Getting More Sleep<\/span><\/h2>\n<div><span style=\"font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\">I have always known that I don&#8217;t get enough sleep at night. \u00a0I guessed that I would get between 5 1\/2 hrs. to 6 1\/2 hrs. every night. \u00a0According to the American Heart Association, people who get less than 7 hours of sleep a night, eat 500 more calories on the average than those who do. \u00a0In addition, \u00a0a number of articles I have read told me that I am jeopardizing my health, causing me to not think clearly and possibly develop diabetes and cancer down the road. \u00a0Wow. \u00a0I exercise regularly, try to eat right, but I am putting myself at risk by not focusing enough on my sleep.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Since I have gotten the BodyMedia LINK, my sleep time has dramatically improved (of course, it&#8217;s Summer now too, no early morning schedules). \u00a0I now know exactly how much time I spent lying down, sleeping, and when I awoke through the night. \u00a0Seeing the number of hours I slept each night makes me more accountable and more likely to go to bed earlier to ensure my rest. \u00a0At first I thought going to bed with my armband on would be disruptive, due to lying on the armband when I roll over on my side. \u00a0And it was quite noticeable. \u00a0But after loosening the strap, I don&#8217;t even feel it anymore.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10694\" alt=\"BodyMedia LINK Activity Manager -SLEEP - WellConnectedMom\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-SLEEP-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=848%2C310&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"848\" height=\"310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-SLEEP-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?w=848&amp;ssl=1 848w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-SLEEP-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=300%2C109&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 848px) 100vw, 848px\" \/><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>You can see here, I didn&#8217;t make my goal of 8 hrs. sleep. \u00a0I came up short at 5 hours and 53 minutes, though I did lie down for 7hrs and 28 minutes. \u00a0Lying down time includes watching TV in bed, reading a book, playing SongPop on my iPad in bed, or just plain not being able to get to sleep. \u00a0As you can see, at 3am in the morning, I was awake for a bit.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-10699\" alt=\"BodyMedia LINK Extra App - WellConnectedMom\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Extra-App-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=496%2C547&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"496\" height=\"547\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Extra-App-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?w=827&amp;ssl=1 827w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Extra-App-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=272%2C300&amp;ssl=1 272w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 496px) 100vw, 496px\" \/><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><strong>Features<\/strong><\/div>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>measures all physical activity<\/li>\n<li>differentiates and keeps track of both moderate and intense exercise<\/li>\n<li>links to your phone\/tablet app via Bluetooth &#8211; no need to take off band to link up<\/li>\n<li>long battery life &#8211; typically lasts 4-5 days before the need to recharge<\/li>\n<li>evaluates sleep &#8211; hours lying down, hours sleeping, when in the night you woke up<\/li>\n<li>provides charts to show you your progress towards your goals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/div>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>seeing your nightly sleep quality gives you a broader picture of your overall health<\/li>\n<li>tracks your daily exercise towards your stated goals<\/li>\n<li>can send your data to a host of other websites and apps to get an even bigger picture of your health and attain rewards for it \u00a0(see right screenprint)<\/li>\n<li>you can add custom recipes into the food journal for things you eat often<\/li>\n<li>if you keep up on your food journal, you can see how many calories, fats, carbohydrates, and more you&#8217;ve ingested<\/li>\n<li>the colorful graphs and statistics it shows you are helpful and cool<\/li>\n<li>BodyMedia links with other devices, like the <a href=\"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/27\/weighing-in-on-the-wireless-withings-scale\/\" target=\"_blank\">Withings WiFi Scale<\/a> and other sites very easily<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/div>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>the band after time can get a bit dirty and needs to be cleaned<\/li>\n<li>the band can be a bit unsightly when wearing sleeveless shirts<\/li>\n<li>there is no battery indicator on the LINK, you have to connect it to your PC to find out, although it will flash orange when it needs to be charged<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\">there is a monthly fee for service<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>I love the statistics I get daily for wearing my BodyMedia armband. \u00a0To be honest with you, we did not review the BodyMedia armband sooner because it was hard to stomach the monthly fee. \u00a0But for the information you receive and if you are truly ready to lose those final pounds, the BodyMedia LINK provides a wealth of info. to help a dieter understand what changes need to be made to lose the weight. \u00a0Entering your food intake shows you exactly how many calories you have left for the day dependent upon your exercise. \u00a0It puts the information you need in your hands and you decide whether it makes sense to eat more or exercise more to lose your desired weight for the week.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Fitness Monitor Choices<\/span><\/h2>\n<div>There are a lot of fitness monitors on the market today, it can get overwhelming as to which once best suits your needs. \u00a0On their website, BodyMedia allows you to compare the various monitors in one chart by choosing up to three to compare at once. \u00a0There are several multi-sensor fitness monitors similar to the LINK but they don&#8217;t necessarily measure up to it or can be more costly. \u00a0Visit\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.bodymedia.com\/Products\/Learn-More\/Compare\" target=\"_blank\">BodyMedia<\/a>\u00a0to compare monitors yourself.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><!--more--><!--more--><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-10692\" alt=\"BodyMedia LINK Fitness Monitors Comparison Chart\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Fitness-Monitors-Comparison-Chart1.jpg?resize=478%2C539&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"478\" height=\"539\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Fitness-Monitors-Comparison-Chart1.jpg?w=796&amp;ssl=1 796w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Fitness-Monitors-Comparison-Chart1.jpg?resize=265%2C300&amp;ssl=1 265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 478px) 100vw, 478px\" \/><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>The BodyMedia LINK sells for $149 on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bodymedia.com\/Shop\/Armband-Packages\" target=\"_blank\">BodyMedia&#8217;s website<\/a>. \u00a0A monthly fee of $6.95 is required after the first three months of service.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10698 alignright\" alt=\"BodyMedia LINK Personal Bests - WellConnectedMom\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Personal-Bests-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=536%2C530&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"536\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Personal-Bests-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?w=893&amp;ssl=1 893w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Personal-Bests-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?resize=300%2C296&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 536px) 100vw, 536px\" \/><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">A Mom&#8217;s Perspective<\/span><\/h2>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>I have really enjoyed using the BodyMedia armband. \u00a0I love gadgets and statistics and the LINK meets that criteria. \u00a0The BodyMedia LINK is like an accountability partner to me. \u00a0It knows my goal, it knows how much I&#8217;m eating, sleeping, and exercising and tells me right away when I&#8217;m falling short. \u00a0It even gives me coaching tips on how I can do things better. \u00a0For example, when it sees that I&#8217;m below my goal for exercising for the day, it recommends that I take a bike ride.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>The LINK also keeps track of your Personal Bests, motivating you to beat yourself. \u00a0The chart to the right shows me my best times and provides an interesting history of my effort.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Most likely, like me, you might not be a fan of monthly fees, but I would recommend you try the BodyMedia to arm yourself with the best information possible to help you lose weight. And since you can update your food journal and LINK progress right to your smartphone (iPhone and Android), it&#8217;s never been easier to keep track of your health and make your food journal entries.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>* \u00a0I was given a BodyMedia LINK armband and a 12 mos subscription in exchange for my honest, fitness loving opinions. \u00a0All opinions are my own.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WellConnectedMom.com reviews the BodyMedia LINK, a fitness and sleep armband that arms you with the information you need to succeed in your fitness and\/or dieting goals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10693,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[793,6,971,14],"tags":[1892,1895,1894,1893,496,972,2792,1898,1897,1896,178,970,1902,1899,1901,1900],"class_list":["post-10293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accessories","category-dads","category-health","category-moms","tag-armband","tag-bodymedia","tag-diet","tag-dieting","tag-family-technology","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-health-tech","tag-health-technology","tag-link","tag-mom-tech","tag-pedometer","tag-sleep-tracking","tag-track-calories","tag-track-sleep","tag-track-steps","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2013\/07\/BodyMedia-LINK-Activity-Manager-WellConnectedMom1.jpg?fit=891%2C418&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10293"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10293\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}