Introduction
You can find information about BodyMedia FIT and get help in these documents:
Overview
Intended Use
The system records and analyzes physiological parameters, and uses algorithms to report daily movement, calories burned, degree of physical activity, and steps taken. These objective health metrics facilitate maintenance of a healthy weight and an active lifestyle, and in conjunction with a balanced diet can result in a favorable influence on overall health. Maintaining a healthy weight, balanced diet and active lifestyle are routinely cited as key to combating and managing serious medical conditions including obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The information presented by the system can be used by a physician or healthcare practitioner and may aid the assessment and medical management of conditions influenced by weight and activity.
BodyMedia FIT is an internet-based service comprised of three main components:
- A wearable monitor called the BodyMedia FIT Armband
- An interactive website called the BodyMedia FIT Activity Manager
- An OPTIONAL feedback device called the BodyMedia Display
The BodyMedia Armband is a wearable body monitor with sensors that track caloric burn, physical activity, steps and sleep duration and efficiency.
The Activity Manager is designed to track your progress toward weight goals and daily lifestyle targets and to give you insight into your caloric consumption habits. To get started using the BodyMedia FIT System, please refer to the Quick Start Guide included in the BodyMedia Armband box.
The optional Display provides real-time, minute-to-minute feedback on calories burned, number of steps and physical activity. It can be worn as a watch, or clipped to clothing.
Risks and Benefits
The predominant benefit of the product is the enabling of the monitoring and management of daily metabolic and lifestyle data in order to reach your activity and weight goals. In addition to weight management, known benefits of increasing activity levels include increased life expectancy, improved sleep, and enhanced appearance and self perception.
Analysis and post market surveillance indicates that the risks of using the product are extremely low. No significant health risks have been identified. The most frequently reported health risk, occurring in less than 1% of users, is a mild to severe skin irritation resulting from wearing the Armband. Following proper wear and cleaning instructions often resolves this issue. If irritation continues, discontinue use and consult a physician. Follow all instructions regarding how to properly wear and clean the Armband to minimize the chance of irritation. If you have a known metal allergy consult your physician prior to using the product. Read the instructions provided and all cautions before using the Armband.
For Your Safety
Medical
CAUTION: Always consult a physician before starting any new diet or exercise program. This system is not to be used for diagnostic purposes. This system is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice or supervision of your personal physician.
Reminders
CAUTION: The BodyMedia FIT System has a "reminders" feature. Reminders should not be used for life-critical events, such as taking certain medications if they are vital to your daily health.
Sensitive Skin
CAUTION: If you experience a skin irritation then discontinue use and contact your physician. See the product specifications for a list of materials used.
Additional CAUTIONS
Refer to the Armband and Display Help for additional cautions.
System Requirements
PC system requirements:
- PC with USB Port
- Windows XP (32 bit), Windows Vista (32 bit and 64 bit), Windows 7 (32 bit and 64 bit)
- 256 MB RAM or higher
- Internet access (high-speed strongly recommended)
- User with administrative rights to computer
- Internet Explorer versions 7.0 or 8.0, Firefox versions 3.5 or 3.6 or Google Chrome (v4)
- Internet Settings: allow cookies, pop-ups and JavaScript
- Required Plug Ins : FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader and FREE Adobe Flash Player
Mac system requirements:
- Mac with USB Port
- Mac OS X v10.5 or Mac OS X v10.6 on the Intel platform
- 256 MB RAM or higher
- Internet access (high-speed strongly recommended)
- User with administrative rights to computer
- Safari 4
- Internet Settings: allow cookies, pop-ups and JavaScript
- Required Plug Ins : FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader and FREE Adobe Flash Player
Getting Started
Complete information for using the Armband and Display are provided in the Armband and Display User Guides and Armband and Display Help.
To get started using the BodyMedia FIT System follow the steps below:
- Go to www.bodymedia.com and click on the "Get Started" button.
Follow the on-screen instructions.
- Complete your Activity Manager Setup by following the on-screen instructions
- For PC users, download the BodyMedia SYNC software.
For Mac users, you will sync your Armband from inside the Activity Manager.
- After your set-up is complete, keep your Armband plugged in until the battery is fully charged, and the light turns green. (This could take up to three hours.)
- Snap the Armband into the strap and slide it onto your left arm. Please see the Armband and Display Help for instructions on wearing the Armband to maximize your comfort and safety.
- Periodically, take the Armband off and plug it into your computer. Your data will automatically upload to the Activity Manager if you are using BodyMedia SYNC. You can immediately view your data on the Activity Manager and see how close you are to reaching your goals.
The BodyMedia FIT Activity Manager
The Activity Manager is the web site component of the BodyMedia FIT System. The main navigation tabs are listed at the top of the Activity Manager. Upon hovering over any of the main tabs, a subnavigation popup will display. Clicking on the main tab will load the default option for the navigation tab. You will also find quick links listed at the bottom of the Activity Manager to provide one click access to many features.
Summary Tab
The "Summary" tab is the main screen of the Activity Manager and is designed to give a quick snap-shot of your achievements and adherence to your daily lifestyle goals. The tab provides a high level view of your activity and nutrition data and allows you to expand on particular areas like calories burned to see detailed information.
Viewing Data
You can view data for today, a specific day in the past or for multiple days. Click on "Specific Days" and choose between Single Day, 7, 14, 21, or 28 day periods. You can also use the left and right arrows surrounding "Specific Days" to navigate a single day backwards or forwards. Note that the date or date range currently being displayed on the "Summary" tab is indicated in the form of Month, Day, and Year.
Click on the arrow on the left side of each data section (Calories Burned is an example) to expand detailed graphs and information for that section. You can also use the quick expand arrows located to the right of the "Export" button to expand or close all data sections at the same time.
The Activity Manager allows you to share all or a subset of your data by clicking on the Facebook icon on the top of the Dashboard page. Select only the data that you wish to publish and optionally provide some commentary to your posting via the comments section of the Facebook popup.
Creating Reports
The "Report" button will allow you to see progress over a chosen date range. This report is generated as a PDF and can cover 7, 14, 21, or 28 day periods. You can print the PDF report or save it and send it as an attachment in e-mails. A food log report is available if your default nutrition method is Meal Logging.
The "Export" button will allow you to export data into a file that can be loaded into a spreadsheet program. Meal logging details will be exported if your default nutrition method is Meal Logging.
Add Health Measure (Weight, Waist Circumference)
This allows you to enter and track weight and waist circumference measurements. To add or edit a health measure, click on the "Add/Edit Waist Measurement" link listed to the right of the health measure data section. You can enter a single value per day. You can toggle which health measure is displayed and which health measure you wish to log by selecting the drop down box on the left and choosing the desired health measure.
The system will remind you to enter your weight based upon the schedule you determined on the Preferences page (defaulted to every 2 weeks). The reminder will display as a notification upon logging into the system and will allow you to enter your weight directly within the notification popup.
Personal Bests
The Personal Bests page represents the historical view of each time you achieved a new record value for a select set of information tracked within the Activity Manager. Unless you've deleted a personal best, the current value represents the highest value that's been recorded for you by the system. To help add context, the Activity Manager allows you to note the circumstances that lead up to the establishment of each personal best.
The Activity Manager allows you to share your current personal bests with your network of Facebook friends. To share them individually, click on the Facebook icon next to each personal best. To share all or a subset of your current personal bests, click on the Facebook icon on the top of the Personal Bests page, selecting only those that you wish to publish. If you would like to provide some commentary to your posting, simply type the note in the comments section of the Facebook popup.
The system will let you know each time you've broken a personal best by displaying a notification that informs you of the type, time and date of the new personal best. You can share the new record immediately by clicking on the Facebook icon next to the notification.
Nutrition Tab
The "Nutrition" tab gives you three methods of tracking your calorie consumption: Day Estimating, Meal Logging and Nutrition Assessment. You have the flexibility to choose the method that matches your lifestyle at any given time. As a time saver, the "Nutrition" tab will display your default nutrition method first. You can set this under "Preferences" in the "Settings" tab.
Meal Logging
This method allows you to record up to six meals every day, resulting in the most accurate comparison of your intake vs. expenditure.
Day Estimating
This method allows you to input your caloric intake total on a daily basis; it's especially helpful if you record consumption details outside of the Activity Manager.
Nutrition Assessment
For those too busy to log meals each day, this option creates an average caloric intake by assessing three days of your typical eating patterns. You can use this number to guide your targets so you will be able to compare this average caloric intake vs. the calories you burn each day.
Tools Tab
Calculators
The "Exercise Calculator" allows you to estimate the average number of calories burned for hundreds of popular activities. This calculator uses standard exercise tables to estimate energy expenditure for specific activities based on your gender, age, height, and weight.
Reminders
Use the "Reminders" to set up to six alarm-like reminders in the Armband. Reminders should not be used for life-critical events, such as taking certain medications if they are vital to your daily health.
Settings Tab
User Profile
Your personal information (Age, Height, Weight, and Gender) is entered and maintained here. The body parameters are used to calibrate the Armband as well as tailor the system to your specific body type. It is important to maintain accurate information here as it will impact the accuracy of the data from the Armband.
Goals
Knowing your goal helps you set targets that best meet your needs. If you change your mind later, it's easy to reset your goal. Choose between getting active or managing your weight. You can set your weight loss goal, weight loss rate, calorie intake, calorie burn and daily lifestyle targets here.
Register Armband
This section allows you to register a new Armband. Remove the Armband from the strap and connect it to your computer with the USB cable.
Note to PC Users: PC users that started the system after November 17th, 2009 will not see this option. You should plug in a new Armband to your PC and the BodyMedia SYNC software will take care of the new registration.
Preferences
You can set preferences for:
- The caloric logging method that displays by default when you click on the "Nutrition" tab can be changed by selecting between Meal Logging, Daily Estimate and Nutrition Assessment. The system default for this preference is Meal Logging.
- The units (Metric or English) used to display measurement data.
- The units (Calories or Joules) used to display energy values.
- Adjusting your physical activity thresholds.
- Linking your Facebook and BodyMedia FIT accounts.
- List of third party accounts to whom you've externally linked your BodyMedia FIT account. This will only appear once an account has been linked. This will also let you set your preference for allowing viewers other than yourself to see your data on the third party website.
- The frequency at which you'd like the Activity Manager to remind you to update your weight.
BodyMedia SYNC
BodyMedia SYNC is a desktop application that runs in your system tray and detects when you have plugged your Armband into your computer via a USB cable. SYNC then automatically uploads the data to the Activity Manager so you can view your data easily.
Syncing Armband
The first step in updating activity information is to upload the data your Armband has collected. To sync the data from the Armband, remove the Armband from your arm, and remove the Armband module from the strap. Then, insert the USB cable from your computer into the Armband.
For PC Users:
BodyMedia SYNC software will launch from your desktop and automatically upload your data to the Activity Manager.
For Mac Users:
Go to www.bodymedia.com and enter your username and password, then click on the "Launch Activity Manager" button. Click on the "Sync Armband" button and Select "Upload via USB".
Viewing Data
Once the Armband has been uploaded via BodyMedia SYNC your data can be viewed within the Activity Manager. BodyMedia SYNC makes it easy to view the data with quick launch buttons and preference settings that allow you to launch automatically into the Activity Manager.
Setting Preferences
To change configurable behaviors click on the BodyMedia SYNC icon located in your system tray and select "Preferences" from the popup menu.
Contacting BodyMedia
You can contact us through the Support & Help section of our web site: www.bodymedia.com.
Last updated: July 31, 2010
