Omron HBF-306C Fat Loss Monitor, Black
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List Price: Our Price: $28.53 You Save: $11.00 (28%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy 3rd Party: from $26.99 (click here) Category: Health Care See more product details |
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Customer Reviews of Omron HBF-306C Fat Loss Monitor, Black
Customer Review: Easy to use, not sure about accuracy
Summary: 4 Stars
I got this mainly for my teenage son, who has been trying out bodybuilding this summer. We've had a Tanita scale for years. My wife and I can get consistent results from the Tanita scale, but our son was having difficulty with consistency. We got this product because we had seen positive reviews.
First off, it's pretty easy to use. Plug in the required data, start the reading session, hold the device straight in front (stiff arm and steady), and voila! you've got a reading pretty quickly.
Everyone in our family that has used the device gets consistent results as long as conditions are consistent as well: same time of day, same type of clothing, same hydration/feeding condition, etc. If any of these conditions differ, you can expect varying results.
Comparing the Tanita scale and the Omron handheld device, both require that you enter your height, sex, and fitness level. The fitness level is limited to normal and athlete. The Omron device requires you to enter your age and weight. The Tanita scale doesn't mention age. It measures your weight on its own, of course.
Making the choice on the fitness setting has always been frustrating for me. I'm no couch potato. I work out daily. But I'm not sure that I'd class myself as an athlete either. I'm somewhere in between. The difference in readings on the Omron device between the two settings can be as much as 1.5% for me. But on the Tanita scale, the difference can be as much as 10% for me.
I'd like to know more about the age variable, which is lacking on the Tanita scale. Dropping 10 years off my age on the Omron drops my fat percentage by about 2%. While I appreciate the normal changes in body composition that occur with age, I'd like to understand how Omron applies it and whether any kind of computation could be applied to the Tanita scale result to control for age.
The athlete reading on the Omron comes somewhat close to the normal reading on the Tanita for me. My teenage son comes in close to the same on both devices using the athlete setting. The upshot is that he's pretty happy with the Omron device, while I am left wondering how useful either the Omron or Tanita devices are for me.
While I may be mystified about the accuracy of the readings of the Omron and Tanita devices for me, I have found that both devices provide a good trend analysis when used over time. I may not know my actual body fat percentage, but I can tell whether I'm gaining or losing fat. And maybe that's sufficient.
Customer Review: bad reviewers: knowledge is power!
Summary: 5 Stars
I never buy anything without doing research on what to buy first. If you read about BMI analyzers on About.com it not only recommends this as one of their top 3 picks over ANY kind of body fat analyzer, but it also explains why some people didnt get the results expected on these comments...because of user error.
Most admit to using this first thing in the morning.
It says on about.com never to do that. For accurate readings, use 3 hours after a meal, never first thing in the morning, (you are dehydrated then) never use when dehydrated, but you should use after emptying your bladder. (remember it's guaging what percent of you is muscle vs water so you want your body water to be balanced and normal...not too low with dehydration, not too high with a full bladder.) Also it's best to use this, or any monitor, when unclothed if possible. Ive found that part not to matter that much as everyone at my office borrows this sometimes and, because bare workers would be awkward, we've found it to read accurately clothed. :-)
Also, if you have a very high muscle mass and a very low BMI set it on "athlete" for an accurate reading. So yes, even bodybuilders CAN use it...you just have to know how.
This explained those who had problems and the unbiased rating on the aformentioned website (and others) states that this is WAY more accurate than calipers...made me buy it. I"d used it before at the gym and it was always great. But before I purchase on my own, I learn.
I use mine often and it is right on target as to what's going on with my body. A handheld non-electronic (or even electronic if it's the kind you place ON your fat) caliper will vary if you do not measure the EXACTLY in the same place each time and squeeze to the exact resistance. You avoid that common error via this latest technology.This has the latest.
I bought this one because or reading about what technology works the best from consumer tests by the experts. And I am happy with my purchase.
As an aside, I also discovered the scales that do fat testing through your feet are not as accurate as this method of testing either, even the Omron scale didnt test for accuracy as well as this Omron fat tester.
So I thought I'd share what i found in my week of research prior to purchase.
I love this body fat analyzer and my friends who have used it got their own as well. If you are bloated, your scale can't tell you why your weight is up. This can. And some days, I thank it for that!
Customer Review: Great Overall Gauge At A Good Price
Summary: 5 Stars
I highly recommend the Omron fat loss monitor for anybody who is serious about monitoring their body fat.
Why I Recommend It:
1. EASY to use. It's almost dummy-proof
2. Inexpensive. For less than $26 you can have it delivered (Super-Saver shipping) including batteries.
3. I don't need help to use it. I don't know of any other method that you can do in the privacy of your home each and every day with the exception of calipers. And you need somebody else to use the calipers on you. Since they're only accurate if that person knows what he/she is doing and measures you in the exact same place each time, I think it's just easy to get a monitor.
4. Quick. I can take a measurement in about 10 seconds.
General Thoughts/Suggestions:
1. The instruction manual mentions this also but... Make sure to take the measurement at the same time each day. I take my measurements right before I leave the house for work before I've eaten or drank anything for the day.
2. Don't expect the results to be perfect. If the measurement tells you that you're 16% body fat, that's probably pretty close to what you actually are. But depending on how much water you've had to drink, how recently you've exercised, how recently you've eaten, etc., the reading could go up to 17% or down to 15%. It's best to be consistent with when you take your measurements and to use the monitor as a guide to tell you if you're gaining or losing. I think of it as a fat loss compass... not a fat loss GPS.
3. Make sure that you keep your stats updated in the computer memory. I'm on a fat loss routine right now. I've lost 15 lbs since I began using the Omron monitor. It only takes a second to update your personal stats in the monitor's memory. But you need to do it. Otherwise it'll give you an inaccurate reading.
All in all, I'd say this is a great investment. Yes, you can lose body fat without using a monitor. But it is also possible to lose weight without losing body fat (i.e. water weight or muscle). I'm constantly tweaking my diet and workout routine to keep that percentage dropping. Without the monitor I'd be in the dark and I'm confident that I wouldn't have seen the progress that I've seen thus far.
Good luck & good health!
Customer Review: More Accurate than my Other Scales
Summary: 5 Stars
If you're trying to maintain a healthy weight - or reach one - then a fat monitor can be key. Being 150 pounds and 50% fat is much different than being 150 pounds at 20% fat!
If you haven't used an electronic fat monitor before, here is how they work. You enter your height and weight. This gives the monitor a rough idea of how long an electrical current should take to go in one end of you and out the other. Then you hold two plates in your hands, and it sends a quick electrical message in one hand and out the other. It doesn't hurt at all - you can't feel it at all. But by tracking the speed of the signal, the monitor knows how dense your body is. That tells it what percentage of you is fat, and what percentage is other stuff (muscle, water, etc.)
How is this helpful? Well, your aim as you lose weight is to be less and less fat. Fat is large, unhealthy and bulky. Muscle is slim and actively burns calories. Don't think of gaining muscle as bulking up like Conan. Think of it as gaining lean active muscle like a ballerina or a dancer. It means you can climb stairs more easily, lift items more easily, and your overall shape will be much slimmer.
So, how well does this Ormon monitor work? We've tried it out with many people now. It stores up to 9 settings inside it, and it's really easy for a guest to instantly use it as well. You just enter your height, weight and age. It instantly knows your BMI based on that since BMI is just weight and height. Then you hold the two sides for a few moments and it tells you your body fat as well. Quick, easy, painless. We use this several times a day, just to play with it and see the progress we're making.
There are many times when you're losing weight that it seems you "aren't losing weight". But really, you are converting from fat to muscle and fat is thick and light while muscle is thin and heavy. So for example you might go from a 38" waist to a 34" waist and still "weigh the same". This is good overall, because you are slimmer, healthier, and it means that going forward it'll be even easier for you to lose the remaining weight! So seeing that progression with your body fat can be very encouraging.
Highly recommended!
Customer Review: Read the directions
Summary: 4 Stars
I first saw the personal trainers in my gym using this device and that's where I became curious about it. Now that I own one I can tell you that the bad reviews on this device are more than likely a product of user error. In order for it to produce an accurate reading it must be used at the same time each day, before excerise and showering, and with minimal water in you. It works by measuring the electrical resitance to fluid in your body, otherwise called BioElectrical Impedence, to measure the percentage of fat-free mass in your body; and inversely your bodyfat. But first you need to program it correctly including height, age, fitnese level, and adjust for any differences in weight. If you program in 210 pounds but them lose 7 pounds in 2 weeks, and don't tell the monitor that, it will not give you a good reading. It's a very good idea to also purchase a quality bathroom scale as well if you don't already have one. That being said, no it is not going to give you a pinpoint accurate bodyfat composition. There are other ways to do that which require the assistance of a professional. But it will give you a very close reading and a valuable baseline to gauge your progress. It also measures your BMI which for many, like me, is useless. As a bodybuilder I expect my BMI measurement in the obese range, it's the bodyfat I'm more interested in. I really like this device. Very simple to use and it can be programmed for up to 9 different people. I use it FIRST thing in the morning (well, second thing..) and it gives me great readings each time. If you are going to purchase it I suggest you learn how to use it correctly and do not forget to adjust your vitals as your body changes. Uses two AAA batteries (included) which last for months. Great product for anyone serious about weight loss and keeping it lost. You have to track yourself to keep yourself motivated. The mirror will not give you the full story.