If you’re having a tough time keeping your weight down, you may be interested to know that a new gadget is available to help. It’s called the Bodybugg and it helps in pretty much every aspect of weight loss.
The Bodybugg measures skin temperature and motion to get an idea of what kind of movement you’re engaging in, and thus get a better idea of your muscle use and therefore exercise. Plus, there’s a pedometer, and can coordinate with a web based program to help you monitor your food intake.
It’s battery operated and the people behind it claim a ninety percent accuracy rate in terms of measurement, so you’ll be able to get a handle on things even if it isn’t total accuracy. They retail for about two hundred and fifty dollars, so you’ll be able to get your hands on one without too much trouble.
An electronic cigarette? Man, now I’ve seen a gadget for just about every possible occasion. But in this case, maybe it’d do some good.
We all know that there’s a raftload of chemicals in cigarette smoke. It smells horrible, stains teeth and destroys lungs. But what if there were a cigarette that delivered nicotine but without the smoke? Enter the electronic cigarette to do just that.
See, you may not know this, but nicotine is actually found in things like potatoes and eggplant and tomatoes, basically any plant in the nightshade family. So it becomes possible to distill nicotine outside of tobacco and instead put it into a slow-delivery system like the electronic cigarette. There’s no smoke, no stink, just nicotine going directly into a smoker’s bloodstream without the problems associated with smoking.
They cost about two hundred bucks each, but considering that a pack of smokes go for at least five bucks these days, it’s not so hard to see where this could get a lot of people off cigarettes for good.
Christ burgers, what the hell is this thing? For all you wellness junkies out there comes the USB Posture Alert Module thingy to keep scoliosis off your back. Looking like a disassembled buddy of Wall-E’s,the USB Posture Alert Reminder uses ultrasonic sensors to detect how close you are sitting to the computer and then flashes red and blue LED’s to let you know your posture has changed for the worse. As a bonus function you can also have it alert you via chime noises when it notices you slouching.
Couple this device with the iPosture and you will be the master of all things upright. The USB Posture Reminder is the gift that keeps on giving for only $22.
Being somewhat into bouldering, the ClimbStation would be the ultimate training tool. For the absurdly wealthy that is. At a crazy ass price of $42,000, the ClimbStation is more like a vertical treadmill. The platform is about 150 Cm’s long and you can place around 90 holds wherever you like. For an added challenge the platform will tilt at various angles and the treadmill part maxes out at a speed of 17 meters per minute. That’s pretty fast. There’s no way the guy in the picture could climb that fast at that angle. While there’s no way anyone could justify this price, it is undeniably cool.
While the video for Microsoft’s Project Natal was actually very cool indeed, it just seems like everyone is in a race to get rid of controllers entirely. I happen to like controllers very much. Wii is cool for parties but I’d never play that type of game by myself and consider solo play as some of my most enjoyable video game experiences. At any rate, Ubisoft has announced a camera based motion capture accessory for their new fitness game “Your Shape” for the Wii. More like Pre-Natal in that it is game and not system specific, the accessory boasts real time feedback and monitors your exercise movements unlike any other fitness game currently for Wii. The game and peripheral will hit shelves this fall but no word yet on price.
It’s still up for debate as whether or not the Wii Fit actually helps anyone lose weight. But one company is looking to put some kibosh on the whole phenomenon. Arriving this summer – you know, in time for that beach bod – are the Riflex Wii Weights. Just slip in the Wiimote and Nunchuck into either the green (2lb) or blue (4lb) weights and follow the on screen action.
Last month I was introduced to the Sportline company by means of their highly innovative HydraCoach Intelligent Water Bottle. This month I have the pleasure of reviewing their TQR 775 Analog Heart Rate Watch.
Anyone even remotely into fitness knows that heart rate monitoring is essential to overall health awareness. Knowing your maximum and resting heart rate can tell your a great deal about your body from cholesterol to fat burning and is the stepping stone to good health.
Sportline’s TQR technology was specifically designed for their analog heart rate monitor watches and the 775 is the newest addition. The 775’s design focus is to bridge the gap between dress watches and sport watches with a meat and potatoes approach to form and function. Aging 9-5ers should flock to this watch as they don’t have to worry about switching out watches from the office to the gym. Here’s a rundown of the features of the 775:
Stainless steel top ring, case, and rotating bezel
Analog time with three hand movement
ECG Accurate LED heart-rate display,
Quick-touch heart-rate without a chest strap
Digital LED Calendar (month, date, day)
Digital LED time display
Digital LED Alarm
Illuminated bezel and minute/hour hands
Mineral glass lens
Water resistant to 100 meters
Heavy duty resin band
Even before unpacking the 775 I knew I was in the presence of a man product. The packaging just oozed man (no pun intended) and looked like a can of AXE Body Spray with a glory hole. The watch itself had a solid weighty feel to it that denoted quality of construction and looked like it could take a licking. Aesthetically, I found the watch to be very attractive and it responded well to any form of light cast upon it. My wrists are a bit third world and I tend to usually wear kid’s watches but the 775 looked good on me. I’d say moderately sophisticated with a dollop of debonaire. I don’t even own a suit so there’s no way I can describe how that might of felt, but I’ll let you know if I ever get one.
I think the majority of targeted 9-5ers will enjoy the chromed out finish of the watch face but might not like the band. I see the point of the heavy duty plastic resin strap in regards to exercise but it definitely loses some style points. From the looks of it though, you can switch out the band for something more swank if you so choose.
Setting up and using the 775 was a breeze thanks to the large and comfortable buttons on the face of the watch. Setting the analog and digital time was super easy as were the date and alarm functions, and it took only a few minutes due to the intuitive nature of the 775. The glowing red LED display was illuminating and bright, and all digital features were easily readable in dark and bright light scenarios. The rotating bezel also glowed in the dark to make it useful at all times of the day. With those things said, the 775 performed well in terms of basic functionality.
The heart rate monitor aspect of the 775 was also very streamlined. All the contact points are on the watch with one being on the bottom side lying flush against your wrist, and the other using two buttons on the face of the watch. Using your index finger you press the heart rate initiating button, then you immediately press your thumb on the contact button and hold. Moments later your current heart rate is displayed in the same radiant LED display as mentioned earlier.
My only real gripe I have with the 775 is that it is inconsistent and at times required undeterred concentration to get a accurate heart rate reading out of the watch. Sometimes I had to use extreme prejudice when it came to holding down the contact points. I know I don’t have meaty wrists, but there were times where I couldn’t get a reading unless I was pressing the contact points with all my might. Other instances proved the opposite in that only the slightest touch would give me a reading. It was hard to gauge and either pressing very hard or soft would be totally random and inconsistent. So I think it all depends on the girth of your wrist and how “in place” the contact points are. No other complaints other than that though. It fit really well and felt comfortable on my wrist during exercise and times at rest. Despite the weight of the 775, I hardly noticed it while I was exercising and riding my bike.
Personally I would have liked to see some more sport watch functions on the 775 like a chronograph or a stopwatch, but that would be a different product altogether and defeat the purpose of this watch. I think the target market of the 775 are not going to need these features anyway as they tend do do more aerobic and cardio activities rather than strength training.
Sporting (pun intended) business sheen and flair while letting you “seamlessly” check your heart rate, the 775 is a totally viable product that deserves a space in the marketplace as it is an landmark product that doesn’t have many competitors at this point. The price may not agree with those of us on food stamps but any aging 9-5er shouldn’t think twice about the price if they are looking for a combo hybrid watch like the 775.
Pros:
Quality design and construction
Easy setup and navigation of functions and controls
Attractive chrome polish aesthetic
Cons:
Heart rate functions sometimes inconsistent and either require the utmost in concentration and “roid raged” fingers, or the slightest feather touch
When I first saw the HydraCoach Intelligent Water Bottle, I was mildly stupefied. I thought, who would use this? Boy was I proven wrong! Everyone should use this. Never having had a problem with maintaining a healthy body water percentage, I rarely paid much attention to my water intake. I do know this guy I used to work with who painfully passed a couple stones because he was so dehydrated all the time. Maintaining a positive body water percentage requires some level attention, but should not be overlooked as it is a vital part of being healthy. Here are the many reasons why you should drink the right amount of water on a daily basis:
Improved muscle tone
Appetite suppression
Conversion of food into energy
Transportation of nutrients and oxygen to cells
Enhanced strength and endurance
Rapid removal of body waste and toxins
Protection against heat exhaustion
Insulation in the cold
Body temperature regulation
Increased cushioning for your joints
Increased protection for your organs
Here are the components and features of the HydraCoach Intelligent Water Bottle:
Soft Silicone Mouth Piece
Finger Ring
Easy to Clean
Poly Carbonate Shell
Built-In Computer
Personal Hydration Calculator
Average Consumption Display
Time Tracker
Sip Tracker
The HydraCoach is actually pretty simple to explain. Upon setting it up, you enter your body weight. It divides that in half and gives you have the amount of water in ounces you should be consuming in a 24 hour period. I roughly weigh around 150lbs. so I should be drinking 75 ounces of water a day. Easy right? There are three modes on the large and easy to read display. The instruction manual will throw a ton of acronyms at you that you’ll immediately forget but it won’t matter. These are the three modes:
Ounces Goal, Percentage Completed, Average Ounces Per Hour Consumed
Ounces Consumed, Current Running Time, Average Ounces Per Hour Consumed
Date & Time
There are three buttons on the water bottle: Mode, Setup, and Start/Stop/Reset. All are very intuitive and easy to figure out. The only thing that’s weird is that you can’t be on the Date/Time mode to Start, Stop or Reset the program. The program runs for 24 hours from the time that you begin. Each time you take a sip, the counter in the “CamelPak” type sipper counts how much you are consuming. I usually kept the “Percentage Completed” mode running so I could see how close I was getting to my daily hydration goal.
Getting to the goal was easy for me. Everyday I went over 100%, and one day I reached over 160%. Over drinking water is fine in moderation, but I wouldn’t recommend drinking over 200%. Consuming too much water made national headlines a few years back when A Chico State student died from drinking excess amounts of water that his body couldn’t process fast enough during a hazing ritual.
There are two things you will be doing all day when you dedicate yourself to this bottle. Filling the bottle up and urinating. It took me around 6-8 fills daily to complete my hydration goal. Don’t do the math, I never filled it exactly to its 22oz limit. I was urinating 15-25 times a day and I thought I was trying to pass a drug test. That might not work for some people, but I ruined my bladder in elementary school, so I am probably a bit of an anomaly on that one.
You may think of the HydraCoach as being an annoying pest as you have other things to do with your day than pay attention to hydration needs, but it was like a fun game for me. I never though of it as a chore and I always wanted to reach my goal. The HydraCoach disassembles quickly for easy cleaning and should be done at least once a week. I wouldn’t want to share this bottle with anyone as the nozzle requires you to put your teeth and mouth all over it. And although the HydraCoach looks sporty, you don’t have to have an active lifestyle to maintain healthy body water stats. I would recommend this water bottle to all age groups in every demographic in that proper water consumption is a vital part of everyday living.
Not without its faults, the HydraCoach is not perfect by any means. My biggest gripe is that it has a dedicated thread for screwing on the top. I mean all water bottles have this, but this is the only bottle I have ever encountered where I have had trouble screwing it on every time. Since the handle always faces the same direction, there should be markings to show you where to place the top for a proper fit. Sort of like a Tylenol bottle. Below are my suggestions for future iterations of this revolutionary hydration monitoring device.
Stainless Steel, anyone who seriously drinks water uses steel
More Modes such as a Chronograph, and other sport watch functions
Illuminating display for night and low light level scenarios
Noise Alerts for when you are almost at 100% and time is running out, etc.
Compensation mode for when you are drinking alcohol
Thread markings for easy screw top action
Larger Sizes for less refilling
Honestly, I was blown away by this product. I don’t know about their patents, but so far this is the only product of its kind, and it’s sweet. Easily worth its price, and I’m glad I jumped on this review. I’m proud to give the HydraCoach a glowing review in hopes that they are successful and continue to make quality products. Get your thirsty on!
Pros:
Easy to setup and use
Focused design and interface
Instills a progressive attitude in regards to hydration
I definitely wouldn’t think Garmin would ever make a product that was devoid of GPS, but low and behold the FR60. Touting many wireless features, as well as ANT+ fitness device compatibility, you can beam your stats directly to you computer over your home’s network and use Garmin’s online training site, Garmin Connect, to perform analysis. Marketed towards a myriad of athletic styles, the FR60 will be priced around $129, and is substantially cheaper than it’s beefier GPS counterpart, the FR405, which is priced at $300. The FR60 comes with a heart rate monitor, and will offer bundles that will include Garmin foot pods (for tracking distance), etc. The FR60 should see streets around Q2 2009. I want one!
I remember the first time I saw the Clarus Q-Link Pendant; I was watching a Red Sox game. I thought Josh Beckett was just some crazy hippie with a bad ass shark tooth collection. I later found out through a friendly PR rep that he is a user of the Q-link, and swears by its powers. A prophet of placebo you ask? Perhaps. Or perhaps not. That will be for you to decide.
So what exactly is a Q-Link Pendant? Simply put, it’s kind of like a human tuning fork you wear around your neck. However, a more technical definition would be a biofield regulator. The company, Clarus, formed in 1991, would called it a “Sympathetic Resonance Technology.” Huh? OK, I think a brief history lesson is in order.
The year was 1994. The United States National Institute of Health coins a new term: Biofield. Reading through the included pamphlet, I still didn’t get a clear idea of what a biofield is. After typing it into Wikipedia, I was supplied with such terms as: Aura, Vitalism, “Chi”, and Pseudoscientific. Taking what I could from the pamphlet and the internet, I ascertained that a biofield is the way one’s spiritual being reacts to the world. I know, I too can’t believe I just said that! The Q-link is supposed to protect your body’s systems from cell phones, electromagnetic fields, computer monitors, traffic, and other soul crushing devices and scenarios. Anyway, during the last quarter century, a growing body of science has been dedicated to the study of these biofields. More importantly, for those of us who are not spiritually and or scientifically inclined, the Q-Link “attempts to promise” more energy, less stress, greater focus, and overall improved well-being.
So does it work? For me, I think it did. Honestly though, I am a huge fan of a placebo in general. For example, I use Rogaine for my receding hairline even though it’s only supposed to work on the monkey butt that is “Male Pattern Balding”. I think that it all depends on what’s happening in your life for the Q-Link to truly play its part.
Less stress? Over the past two months of wearing the Q-Link, I fell more in love with my girlfriend than I ever thought possible, but I also have never been more broke in my life. I am in a state of optimism these days, and have a lot less stress and anxiety than I am used to. Could it be the love, the Q-Link, or both? Who knows? Probably the love, but why take the Q-link off to see? More energy? I’d say that I don’t notice much of that because it’s still hard for me to get up early for productivity’s sake, but I don’t get the after lunch food comas that I used to, so that’s sweet! Greater focus? From the mouth of Will Smith, “Oh Hell No!” I am an ADD basket case till the day I die. And lastly, have I experienced improved well-being? I would certainly agree that yes, I do suffer from improved well-being. There’s no doubt that my state of mind has been largely affected by the love I share with my girlfriend, but I have noticed many things that have changed about me. I enjoy music more, which was something I didn’t think could happen. I am thinking before speaking more, which has always been a rarity. I still have no tact, but I’d be a zombie if I did. I love my harsh tone. I’m even giving my reflection double thumbs up more than usual!
Overall, I am just enjoying everything more, and it feels awesome. Aesthetically, I think it looks cool, and makes me look buffer. My girlfriend thinks it looks like a trinket you’d win off some Carnie folk, so go figure. The front is a silver plastic triangle with the Q-Link logo and the back features the core offering. A then there is the brushed copper ring embedded in clear plastic with Q-Link written in the middle. That’s it. Josh Beckett had his weaved through some hemp necklace.
All in all, the Clarus Q-Link Pendant is something that will react differently per individual, and it’s going to be one of those things that you won’t know if it works until you try it. But I can say that I’ve definately had a positive experience with my Q-Link SRT-3, and I would recommend it to anyone seeking resolve from their stress or anxiety.
