I got the Bodybugg and digital display for Christmas, and I am really happy with it so far.  You wear it on your arm as much as possible (but you cannot get it wet) and it keeps track of all of the calories you burn.  I don't think it is uncomfortable, and I've been able to wear it even when I sleep.  At the same time, you keep track of all of the calories you are eating so that you can get the proper calorie deficit to lose weight at a safe rate. 

You do have to pay for a membership for the website, but depending on where you purchased the Bobybugg from, it will probably come with a six or twelve month membership.  It also helps if you get the digital display, so you can check on your calorie burning progress during the day.  The worst part is the intial cost (the Bodybugg was around $190 with a twelve month membership, the digital display was $79).

do you wear this thing 24 hours except for a shower?

I wear it almost 24 hous a day.  I take it off to shower and to upload information or charge it.  I think a lot of people take it off to sleep and then put it back on first thing in the morning.

It is working, between the counting calories and making sure I burn enough almost everyday, I've lost 12 pounds so far this year!

Do you mind if I ask: How many calories are you consuming per day? How many times are you working out per week? Just curious.

I have a bodybugg and I LOVE it. 

I will say that I have owned one for almost 3 years.  Just placing the darn thing on your arm won't make you lose weight.  I was having a love/hate relationship with it and finally stopped wearing it for a good 6 months.  I finally put it back on in August and recommited myself to tracking every morsel I ate.  Four months later I was down 20 lbs.  I know it doesn't seem like much - but I know in the past it took me a full year to lose 50 lbs.

I too, wear mine every day and only take it off to shower or if I have forgotten to charge it while showering.

Carolyn - do you post on the Apex site?  I visit there, along with the Body Bugg Sparkpeople group and the facebook group.

My recommended calories per day is 1650, and I am recommended to burn 2550.  This is to lose 1.75 pounds per week.  The program says the deficit number is the most important, so if you end up taking in more calories it balances out if you burn extra.  I think the reason I lost so much the first week was because I would drink probably 2 regular Cokes a day before I started this, and if I drink it now it is usually only about half a can.  The second week was much closer to the 1.75 pounds.

I'm not consistent on how many days a week I am working out, at least 3, possibly 5.  It depends on what I have done the rest of the day.  If I'm running around doing laundry, recycling, dishes, errands, etc. I can be pretty close to the recommended burn level without working out.  If I have worked at my desk most of the day, then I will need to work out. 

When I work out at the gym I like to use a split treadmill, eliptical, or weights, but if I am at home I use a regular treadmill.  If I work out it is usally for an hour or an hour and a half.

Joann, I have not posted on the APEX site.  I have usually just logged into my account, so I may try to look around some more.  Are there a lot of people posting?

I also hadn't thought of charging it while I was in the shower, that's a good idea.  I was just trying to leave it hooked up while I was logging food, but that is finally starting to get faster.

There has been a huge influx of posters on the Apex message board.  I guess many got them as Christmas gifts and NY resolution gifts :)

Cutting calories is generally a bad idea. If you want to lose weight, you should never consume less to do it. You should continue on a steady diet, and simply increase the amount of exercise you get. I am assuming that when you say you are trying to lose weight, you mean fat, and not muscle. It is a very common misconception that eating less calories than you burn will make you lose fat, because people generally associate losing weight with fat loss, but it is not true. The way you are currently doing your program, you are most likely losing a lot of muscle and water weight. If you are serious about losing body fat, consider a change in diet: more fruits, vegetables, and less sugars, especially cut out the coke. As far as working out goes, you should never exceed 60 minutes during a cardio vascular exercise. If you do so, you risk losing muscle, and not fat. Lifting weights is a very good idea, because the more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn during sedentary activities (such as working at your desk). If you don't want to get bulky, simply use light resistance with 12-15 repetitions. As a general rule of thumb, you should not try to lose more than 10% of your body weight per week.

I've done a lot of research in this area, and I am currently training in the Exercise Science program at Eastern Michigan University. If I can help any more, let me know. :)

Scott - I'm not sure where anyone said anything about cutting calories.  The Body Bugg is not about cutting calories.  Its about realizing how many calories you are consuming and making sure your caloric burn exceeds that by a certain amount each day.  It IS about maintaining a steady diet while increasing your excersize.

For example, yesterday I intook roughly 1600 calories and I burned 2870 leaving me with a deficit of 1277.  Keep in mind that burn number was reached AFTER a Mile walk, 30 minutes on the elliptical AND 30 minute strength training with a personal trainer.  Had I not done all those activities my burn rate would have been much lower.  Oops I lied.  I didn't update my info for anything past 6:54pm - so actually my BURN rate was much HIGHER then that 2870 (I was wondering why it was so low).

The program is set up to have a certain deficit every day.  If I see I'm not meeting that deficit - maybe I intook a bit more calories then normal or I got lazy and didn't do my mile walk,  then I know I need to get off my butt and do an extra 15 minutes on the bike or take a walk .

I do have to say by tracking those calories I have made changes - those first few weeks were an eye opener when you see what you are actually intaking.  But I'm not cutting calories.

Since you are so into research feel free to check out BodyMedia, BodyBugg, GoFitWear for more info and probably a btter explanation then Icould give :)

Oh and I know the question wasn't directed at me, but I eat anywhere from 1200-1600 calories a day.  I do strength training with a trainer 3 times a week (soon changing to 2) for 30 minutes.  During those days I do get in an additional 30 minutes of cardio.  On the other days I aim for a good 45 minutes of cardio followed up with a few reps on various machines depending on what muscle groups I'm focused on for that day.  And here is what a typical day food wise might look like.   I always am open to constructive feedback

Joann--If you are consuming less than the recommended daily allowance of 2000 calories, then you are cutting calories. However, I certainly didn't mean to offend you. My statement was directed more at Carolyn. She said that sometimes she doesn't work out, simply because she has reached her burn limit for the day, but you will never lose fat by juggling your calories. It doesn't work that way.

As for your eating agenda that you posted above, a lot of your items contain huge amounts of sugars. If you were to cut those out, you would make progress much quicker. I think there is a common misconception that burning calories will burn fat, but that is not the case at all. You can be a thin fat person--meaning that you are thin, but most of the meat on your bones is fat and not muscle. Being thin does not mean you are not obese.

If you are serious about working out to lose extra pounds, you should consider doing interval training. The problem with normal cardio vascular workouts such as the elliptical or the treadmill is that as you do them more, your body becomes more efficient at using your calories, and eventually you will stop making progress.

Scott by all means please give me some suggestions of things to add into my "food log" - give me some suggestions of things that I can swap out for things that I have listed that  would be lower in sugars.  How about showing me an example of a healthy meal plan for 2000 calories.  I'd love to see that.  I struggle to up my intake of calories without adding "junk".

I don't want to have quicker progress.  As you stated one shouldn't try to loose more then 10% of my body weight a week - that is what I am doing.

I also do interval training  - just didn't list it.

Joann, I am still unsure why you are getting so offended. You are correct, however. I did say that one should not try to lose more than 10% of their body weight per week. But quicker progress would indicate losing 10% of your body fat, not 10% of your body weight. There is a mound of difference. As for the meal plan request, I will post that in a little while. My computer seems to be throwing a fit and will not let me use Google.

Edit: Here you go: http://firetometal.wordpress.com/2006/11/15/nutrition-guide/

Scott - not offended at all and truly apologize if you are reading it that way.  Sure I can Google - but figured with your degree in progress that would make you an "expert", so I figured I'd ask a question then have to sift through mounds of online junk not knowing which to believe KWIM

Thank you for the link - very detailed. I'd never come up with that on a google search.  ....of to reread

I meant I could not google for the nutrition guide that I was looking for (to give you a link) because my computer was acting up. I was not telling you to google for it.