weight

Fitbit steps up its game with Aria Wi-Fi scale

LAS VEGAS--Fitbit, maker of a wireless clip-on activity tracker, is adding the Aria Wi-Fi scale to its lineup this April due, according to the company, to user requests.

The Aria has competition in the "smart" scale department, with the Withings booth and its very similar scales for adults and yes, even babies, just a few yards away.

But Fitbit has introduced a multiple-user feature that recognizes--out of as many as eight different users--who is standing on the scale. Think large households, dorm quads, sports teams, etc.

Priced at $129.99, Fitbit's first Wi-Fi scale can tally weight, body fat, and body mass index, and automatically uploads that info with every step on the scale to an online tool with graphs that perhaps too-handily track one's progress (or lack thereof). The online and mobile tools are free and also include weight goals and a food and exercise log.… Read more

Five fitness-tracking apps for Android

Are you wondering how you're going to reach and maintain your fitness goals in the new year?

Fitness-tracking apps take advantage of your Android phone's GPS sensor and can track your route, pace, distance, and heart rate (with a supported heart rate monitor). Most of them also allow you to upload your stats so you can view your activity history. Going further, most of them even allow you to share your workouts on Twitter or Facebook, which is a great way to solicit encouragement from your friends and family.

Here are five popular fitness-tracking apps for your Android … Read more

Uber-app Macaw to watch those fitness goals like a hawk

All right, people, I hate to be the bearer of such grave news, but resolution season is almost upon us. If you're wondering how to make 2012 the year you finally shed those extra pounds, start choosing the apple over the fries, floss every day, etc., read on.

As of late last night, there's an app for all that--and it's free. Called Macaw, the app for iPhone and Android phones could just be the health and fitness app game changer.

Developed by U.S. Preventive Medicine alongside wireless health network provider Qualcomm Life, design firm Fjord (… Read more

Calorie Shaper: Fat-burning Japanese undies

Americans are always looking for ways to drop weight without actually doing anything. That's why the Calorie Shaper line of underwear out of Japan is so enticing.

The fabric of the unmentionables features a honeycomb structure that theoretically forces your body to work harder to move. All that resistance is supposed to burn calories, but I'm more concerned about chafing.

Calorie Shapers--which, from what we can see online, sell for between $30 and $38 per pair--are available in training and daily-life versions. The daily-life option is designed to hide under your usual clothing so no one will suspect you're actually exercising as you stroll down the office hallway with a doughnut in your hand.… Read more

Seeking weight-loss counseling? Pick up the phone

Obesity is a growing problem in the U.S. Just this week, researchers at the American Heart Association projected that by 2020, the vast majority of Americans will be overweight or obese, with more than half of the country either diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Amidst all the bad news, however, researchers at Johns Hopkins University are offering a small ray of light. Their recent study on telephone counseling by health coaches finds it to be just as effective a means of losing weight as more traditional in-person programs.

That's particularly important because in-person programs are, by nature, more time-consuming and … Read more

Does silly new fitness device Free Flexor work?

There's a new fitness gadget making the rounds. Even more silly (not to mention sexual) than the good ol' Thigh Master and newcomer Shake Weight, the Free Flexor makes us giggle when it's in use.

Just watch the below commercial we found on YouTube, for starters. Within seconds, you will probably blush, laugh, and copy and paste the URL. We'd tell you why it makes us laugh, but we're too ashamed to get into it (no pun intended). Guaranteed, you will share it with your friends. Some of them might even buy it for novelty alone.

I'm not judging--I have a Shake Weight at home. I don't know if it really works, but it sure is a great conversation piece at house parties.

Now about the Free Flexor... We have yet to try it, so we couldn't tell you if it's effective or not. To get the lowdown, we turned to fitness experts for their opinions.… Read more

Crave 59: Stop judging me (podcast)

Japan is killing it this week with a working demo of touchable 3D, subway rail lightsabers, and a pregnancy simulation vest that's a little too realistic. Plus, a $900 robot that will shame you into weight loss, and Eric's take on the upcoming Star Wars game The Old Republic.

Subscribe in iTunes SD Video |  Subscribe in RSS SD Video

… Read more

Magic mirror: Show me the meds

We've written about mirrors that tell us more than whether we have a piece of spinach stuck between our teeth. A year ago, a Harvard-MIT student showed off a mirror that's able to read certain vital signs.

Now The New York Times Research & Development Lab is taking things a step further--bringing body tracking, shopping, news, and of course advertising to one's most intimate of places: the bathroom.

The group's "magic mirror" uses LCD and Kinect technology (it's really more of a computer with a reflective surface) that lets users browse the Web while brushing their teeth.

How is this better than using a smartphone in the bathroom? For one, it's hands-free. In fact, in the group's demo, one of the designers simply places a box of meds on the mirror's small ledge; it uses RFID tagging to recognize the type of meds and pull up information about dosages and where to buy more.… Read more

The 404 875: Where we jump the Shark Week (podcast)

It's Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, so The 404 wants to remind everyone to stay safe when you're playing in open waters. Joey returns as a substitute for Jeff, and today we're chatting about a kid who changed his name to Emperor Spiderman Gandalf Wolverine Skywalker Optimus Prime Goku Sonic Xavier Ryu Cloud Superman HeMan Batman Thrash.

In other news, Boston schools are testing a class on Facebook breakup etiquette, GQ's list of the worst-dressed nerds, a pregnancy status addition to Facebook, and a bite counter that has a lot in common with the Shake Weight.

The 404 Digest for Episode 875

Dynamic duo take superhero names. Boston-area schools teach 200 teenagers Facebook breakup etiquette. Bite Counter helps you lose weight by keeping track of every bite you take. Mark Zuckerberg beats Steve Jobs for worst-dressed geek. Facebook adds pregnancy status.

Episode 875 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more