Review

Review Of The New EatSmart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale

A couple of weeks ago I got a new scale from the folks over at EatSmart, the EatSmart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale. I got an EatSmart GetFit body fat scale to review from those same folks about a year ago or so, and I was impressed with the accuracy of that scale, the beautiful design and especially the ease of use (you just step on the scale and it turns itself on!).

This new scale arrived in the mail just a few days after they said they were going to send it, but it’s been sitting in my closet through the busy holidays until now. I finally got around to opening it to do a review today. So let’s do an unboxing and review of the EatSmart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale.

The EatSmart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale

The EatSmart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale can be found at a number of places online, including my favorite online retailer, Amazon.com. It currently sells for a very reasonable $44.95 on Amazon.

So let’s look at some of the specs behind the scale, and look at some of the things it measures.

Track Long Term and Short Term Weight Goals with EatSmart Proprietary AccuTrack Software
Proprietary Automatic User Identification Technology; Stores profile data for up to 8 users
EatSmart “Step-On” Technology – Get instant readings with no tapping to turn on!
Large 3.5″ White LCD display – Easy to read in any lighting
Auto Calibrated; Auto Power-Off; Runs on 4 AAA batteries (included); 100% EatSmart Satisfaction Guarantee

The main selling feature of this scale is the ease of use, and the fact that it tracks your weight for you over time. Who wouldn’t want that in a scale?

Opening The Scale

The scale came in a pretty thin box from FedEx. After opening the box up the packaging for the scale shows a picture of the scale’s glass surface with gray and black coloring. (see below) On the back of the box there’s a photo of a pretty young woman, measuring her tiny little waist – motivation I suppose?

When you open the box you’ll find several things hiding inside.

The Precision Tracker scale
4 AAA batteries
Manual

The scale itself was wrapped in a plastic bag. After unwrapping it and setting it down you can see right away that this scale is well built. It has a nice reflective glass surface, with an attractive black and gray backing. While I prefer the all black look of the GetFit scale I reviewed last year, this one isn’t half bad. The backlight is a bright white light that you can read in just about any light, again, I prefer the blue backlight for the GetFit scale, but this one is still nice.

When you take the scale out you’ll need to insert the batteries in the recessed back panel, and as mentioned before it takes 4 AAA which are included. The other EatSmart scale I have takes the same number of batteries, and a year later they’re still going strong. You shouldn’t need to replace them very often.

The scale can be set to report your weight in either lbs or kgs, so if you want to have it list in kg you’ll need to click on the little “units” button on the back of the scale.

Setting Up The Scale

Setting up the scale is extremely easy. You just click on the “set” button on the front, choose which user you are (user 1-8), and then step on the scale. It will weight you, and from then on it will recognize you by your weight, and record your ongoing progress.

Tracking Your Weight Loss Progress

One of the greatest selling points of this scale is how it tracks your weight loss progress for you. Here’s a look at how it works.

So basically when you weigh yourself it will recognize which user you are. It will then give you a weight reading, and if you’ve been weighed before it will tell you your previous weight. It will then tell you what your total weight change in that time has been – along with your total weight loss (or gain) since you’ve been using the scale.

Using The Scale

I’ve been using the scale for a few days now, and so far it has done exactly what it advertises.

The scale seems to be pretty accurate as far as the readings go. It gives a similar weight to the other two scales we have in the house.
Easy to use after initial setup
Looks beautiful, although not as pretty as the GetFit body fat scale.
Love the ease with which you can track how you’re doing on your weight loss goals, etc.

So there you have it. I love the scale so far because it’s easy to use, it’s accurate, it looks great and it makes checking and tracking your weight changes so much easier by removing un-necessary steps that you might otherwise have to perform, like recording the weight numbers from day to day. Only things I would like to see added to the scale is tracking of body fat percentages, and some sort of wi-fi functionality to also track your numbers online or on your computer. In this price range, however, I see how that might not be feasible. In any event, a scale worth checking out.

Have you tried the EatSmart scale, or any other weight tracking scales? What are your impressions?

Medifast Weight Loss Plans Review: A Great Way To Lose Weight Fast

By Peter Leave a Comment

I‘m a big guy at 6’4″, and because of my tall frame I tend to wear excess weight pretty well. While I would be considered overweight by most measures I don’t necessarily look too bad. Because of that a lot of people will look at me funny when I say I’m trying to lose weight, because they don’t think I really need to lose any weight.

Despite what others think, I really do want to lose the excess fat, over the past ten years I’ve struggled with my weight off and on. I’ve had periods where I’ve lost a considerable amount of weight, like in 2007 when I was down to around 225 lbs or so, down from around 260. I’ve also had periods where life got in the way and I overate, and my weight ballooned to an all time high of 271 in 2011.

Last year I reluctantly joined the Weight Watchers program with my wife, and we both ended up losing around 30 lbs on the program. I got down to about 241 pounds after 6 months or so in the program. At the end of the year we ended up stopping the program due to being out of town and having a bit of burnout, and in the meantime we both ended up gaining about 15 pounds of the weight we lost back.

A month or two ago I decided to give the weight loss another chance. This time my starting weight was 255.5, and I didn’t want to do Weight Watchers this time, I didn’t want to be the only guy in meetings with 20 women again, I wanted to try a program more focused towards guys.

A Simple New Plan With Medifast

So what plan did I decide to give a try? This time around I decided to give Medifast a try. Some family friends had gone on the program and had lost a considerable amount of weight in a short time period. Here’s a quick blurb from the folks at Medifast giving an overview of the program.

When you want to lose weight and get healthy, Medifast makes sense. Whether your doctor has recommended that you lose weight or you just want to look and feel better, Medifast can help you get results quickly and simply.

Medifast has been recommended by over 20,000 doctors since 1980 and is clinically proven to be safe and effective. Studies at major university teaching hospitals have proven Medifast Meals to be safe and effective. Studies published in major medical journals have proven meal replacements to be an effective method of weight loss and weight maintenance.

So Medifast has a good track record and has been recommended by doctors for over 30 years to lose weight and get healthy. Maybe not a bad program to try. When I checked out the company’s website, they also have two main programs to check out, one for women and one for men.

I decided to jump in on the Men’s program and try it out for a few weeks.

The Medifast 5 & 1 Plan

So how does Medifast work? There are a couple of different ways you can do it. You can sign up through one of their weight loss centers, and attend and get weighed in at their bricks and mortar location.

If you prefer, you can do it all online like I am. You just sign up, buy your Medifast meals online, and then you start eating the Medifast meals 5 times a day – every 2 to 3 hours. Then eat your own healthy “lean and green” meal once a day, usually either at night for dinner, or at lunch. Here’s how they explain the program, and the meals:

Medifast Meals are doctor-designed nutrition. Each has a similar nutritional footprint, which means you can choose among more than 70 items and be thoroughly nourished and satisfied. Our low-glycemic meals are low in calories and fat. After a few days on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan, your body will reach a mild fat-burning state, so you can lose quickly while preserving muscle tissue.

The Medifast 5 & 1 Plan for weight loss is simple. Each day, you eat six times, once every two to three hours. The plan puts your body in a mild fat-burning state so you lose weight quickly and safely without taking weight-loss drugs or missing out on nutrition. You choose five Medifast Meals (the “5”) and one self-prepared Lean & Green Meal (the “1”), consisting of measured portions of lean protein and non-starchy vegetables. You can make the Lean & Green Meal yourself, or order it in a restaurant. The plan is easy to follow, with no guesswork and no counting of carbohydrates, calories, or points. Medifast Meals are portable and are either ready to eat right out of the package or mix easily with water. It’s the perfect fast weight-loss plan for those with busy lifestyles.

So basically they have designed these easy Medifast meals that you’re supposed to eat which give you all the nutrition that you need every day. You eat the meals, but all the while you’re creating a deficit in calories so you’re losing weight. You also eat your own lean protein and green veggies meal, and that’s it. Super simple!

The only problem I’ve had so far with the program is with some of the food options. They have everything from shakes to bars to soups and brownies. Some of the menu choices aren’t half bad, but others are, quite frankly, awful. I’m about a month in now and I’ve tried most of the menu options, and I now know which ones I prefer. Until you find which ones you like, however, you may end up buying a few that you don’t like.

If you want, you can also work out while you’re on the program, although they suggest holding off on too much exercise for a week or so until your body gets used to your new level of calorie intake.

Weight Loss With Medifast: 1 Month Later

I’ve been doing the 5 & 1 Medifast weight loss plan for just over a month now, and in that time I’ve lost quite a bit of weight, at a faster rate than I did on the Weight Watchers program.

Starting weight: 255.5 pounds
Current weight: 241.5 pounds
Weight lost: 14 pounds

I’ve lost just over 14 pounds in about 5 weeks, about 3 pounds a week or so. All that and the change in my fitness has been minimal. I may have been walking or playing with my son a bit more, but not much more. The main change has been the diet.

I plan on adding in more fitness back into my schedule, working out in the mornings 5-6 days a week. I’m sure doing that will only increase the amount I’m able to lose – although at some point I expect somewhat of a plateau. We’ll see.

Medifast: A Good Way To Lose Weight Fast

So far I’ve been pretty happy with the Medifast program. It’s dead simple to do, you just eat 5 of their pre-packaged food choices every day, and one meal of your own. That’s it. No points to keep track of, and no weekly meetings (which could be a downside I suppose if you get something out of them).

The only downsides I’ve run into include the fact that some of the food choices just don’t taste very good (so you’ll need to try them out to see which ones you like), and the fact that it can be pretty expensive. I’ve found that it has cost around $150 or so every two weeks (You only pay for the food). Granted, I’ve cut my grocery and eating out spending substantially by doing the program, so in the end I think we’re actually spending less. But for those who are good about keeping food spending low, doing the program may mean an increase in your food budget.

Have you tried Medifast in the past? What were your thoughts about the program?

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Review Of The New EatSmart Precision GetFit Digital Body Fat Scale

By Peter Leave a Comment

A couple of weeks ago I got a new digital body fat scale from the folks over at EatSmart, the EatSmart Precision GetFit Digital Body Fat Scale. I’ve had a body fat scale from another manufacturer for a while now that I thought worked reasonably well, but after seeing the new Ipad looking scale from EatSmart I agreed to try it out and do a quick review. The GetFit scale just looks cool.

The scale arrived in the mail a few days after the agreed to send it out. The first thing I noticed when taking it out of the box is that it was thin – and had a decidedly high tech look. The first things that came to mind were the Apple iPad, and one of those Star Trek control panels. It just looks nice – and the black color should fit into just about any bathroom’s decor.

The EatSmart Precision GetFit Digital Body Fat Scale

The EatSmart Precision GetFit Digital Body Fat Scale can be found at a variety of retailers including Amazon.com where it currently retails for around $55.

body fat scale So let’s look at some of the specs behind the scale, and look at some of the things it measures.

Measuring Functions: % Body Fat, % Total Body Water, % Muscle Mass and Bone Mass
Proprietary Automatic User Identification Technology; Stores personal data for up to 8 users
EatSmart “Step-On” Technology – Get instant readings with no tapping to turn on!
Large 3.5″ Blue LCD display with white backlight – Easy to read.
Auto Calibrated; Auto Power-Off; Runs on 4 AAA batteries (included); 100% EatSmart Satisfaction Guarantee

So not only does the scale measure your weight and body fat percentage, but it also goes the extra mile and gives you numbers for total body water percentage, muscle mass percentage and bone mass. I’ve never actually seen a scale this affordable that calculates all of those things. Honestly I’m not sure how I’d use those stats, but it’s cool to have them if i need them.

Among the other features I also love the fact that it automatically identifies the person who steps on the scale, and the fact that you just step on the scale and it turns on and gives you your stats. It also has a super easy to read screen that you don’t have to bend over to read.

Opening The Scale

When the scale arrived from FedEX I opened the package and was met with a full color image on the box of the new scale. Even before I opened it up I knew I was going to like the design of the unit.

After taking the scale out of the box I unwrapped it and admired it’s shiny surface. It gives off a nice reflection and is as smooth as the touchscreen on a tablet PC. In some respects that’s what it feels like as you touch the buttons on the unit as well. The buttons are touch sensitive, not raised buttons that you depress like you see on so many other scales.

The unit comes with 4 AAA batteries which you insert into the panel into the recess in the middle of the back of the unit. You also need to set the units that the scale will use, either kg or lb, by setting a switch on the back of the scale. Default is set to pounds so I left it.

eatsmart scale review

Setting Up The Scale

After inserting the batteries I started the unit up and hit the set button to enter my height and body type (regular/athletic) into the unit, which it remembers for future use. I also entered my wife’s stats so that she can use the scale as well.

From then on when you step on the scale it will remember which person you are (Person 1-P erson 8), and use your stats to calculate everything from body fat percentage to total body water. There is no need to turn the scale on either as it will turn itself on when you step on it. It will automatically decide which person you are when weighing you.

When you step on the scale it will tell you what your weight is, and if you stay on the scale for a few more seconds it will calculate all your other stats as well.

Using The Scale

I’ve been using the scale for a couple of weeks now, and here are my first impressions:

Seems to be accurate enough with the scale readings matching or being close enough to other scales we use, and the one at the doctor’s office this week when I had an appointment.
It’s easier to use than our old body fat scale. Our old scale doesn’t save our personal stats, needs to be turned on by clicking a toe button, and then you have to enter your sex and height every time. This scale you just do that once and save it.
The blue lighted display is super easy to read, versus our old scale that has a simple LCD display that can be hard to read at times.
Love having that extra data that it calculates, despite the fact that I’m not sure how to use it quite yet.

So there you have it. I love the scale so far because it’s easy to use, it’s accurate, it looks great and it makes checking your weight and body fat percentage so much easier by removing un-necessary steps that other scales ask you to perform.

While the scale may not be as advanced as some others that I’ve seen, like the Withings scale that has Wi-Fi and Ipod/Android apps, it does a good job of what it does at a price that’s affordable for most folks. Definitely a good scale to check out if you’re in the market for a body fat scale.

Have you tried the EatSmart scale, or any other body fat scales? What are your impressions?

Review Of Weight Watchers Weight Loss Program

By Peter

A few weeks back my wife and I started talking about how we both thought that it was time that we lose some weight. We’ve allowed things to go on for far too long, and we’re both pretty far from our ideal weight. Funny how life can just start flying by you, and before you know it you’ve gained 50 lbs!

We both also wanted to set a good example for our 7 month old son, and be able to run and play with him once he gets to that point in a few months. We’re both so out of shape now that there would be no way that would be possible without some changes.

When we were talking about methods of losing weight, Maria suggested that we both join Weight Watchers weight loss program, and that we attend meetings through a local Weight Watchers location. At first I was hesitant to do that. In fact, I was dead set against it. I think I’ve got an ingrained bias against Weight Watchers, that it’s a program only for women, and that more than anything it’s a group therapy session for folks who need some help in losing weight. I like to think of myself as a self-sufficient kind of guy, and even thinking of going to group meetings made me not want to join. I’ve lost significant weight in the past ( Over 50 lbs back in 2007), and I was sure I could do it again. But then again, I wanted something that could make the weight loss stick – a life change.

After some discussion lengthy discussion I decided to join Weight Watchers and attend meetings with my wife. I did it mainly because she didn’t want to join on her own, and I wanted to encourage her on her weight loss journey. I also realized that I just might learn some things for myself that would help me to lose weight and maintain the weight loss. So two weeks ago yesterday we got a babysitter and went to our first Weight Watchers meeting.

Joining The Weight Watchers Program

We walked into our first Weight Watchers meeting on a Thursday night, and signing up was pretty easy. One of the counselors just gave us the rundown of how the program worked, gave us some materials, and and signed us up. There were a couple of options for signing up. Normally there is a joining fee, but they’re currently running a promotion for the new year where you don’t have to pay that registration fee. To see current options and pricing for signing up, head on over to the Weight Watchers Site.

It should be noted that prices may vary depending upon the location you join.

Before the meeting each week everyone comes in to the front desk, signs in and does a weigh-in. Then the counselor who weighs you in will record your current weight -which they’ll do each successive week as well to mark your progress.

After everyone arrived the meeting starts. There is one group leader that heads the meeting, and there is a topic for discussion every week. For this past week for example they talked about getting active and exercising, and talked about ways that you could do that.

The meetings I’m discovering are a great motivational tool to help keep you focused. They keep you on task, they remind you of what’s important when you’re trying to lose weight, and they give you plenty of ideas when it comes to healthy eating, fitness and weight loss. They are also a good place to get some positive feedback. When you reach your smaller weight loss goals, the group will recognize you, and everyone gives words of encouragement. I can see why some people really enjoy these meetings.

Weight Watchers E-Tools

Part of Weight Watchers strong points that I’ve seen so far is how it changes your views of eating. Already in 2 weeks my eyes have been opened to just how bad my eating habits were, and just how huge my portion sizes were.

I used to think that people who were on the program must drive themselves crazy all the time trying to figure out their Weight Watchers points. They had to figure out how many points individual foods have, how much more they can eat in a day, how many fruits they’ve eaten, etc. I just sounded very frustrating.

What I’ve found so far is that the reality is much different. It really isn’t as hard or as frustrating as you might think to follow the healthy eating plan that they set out for you. When you weigh in at your first meeting they’ll give you a PointsPlus target for the number of PointsPlus values that you can eat every day. They’ll also give you some extra “splurge” PointsPlus values for the week. I’ve found that assigning PointsPlus values to the foods I eat is actually super simple using the eTools. After a while it becomes second nature, and actually doing it will open your eyes to just how much you need to change.

NOTE: Weight Watchers recently changed to their new PointsPlus program from the Momentum program. If you were in the program in the past, the old points values have changed to the PointsPlus values. This is important, especially if you’ve bought Weight Watchers products with the old points values still on them. New PointsPlus values are different, and should be re-calculated using Nutrition information in the calculator.

They have a variety of tools that help you to track your food intake, your weight loss progress, your exercise and more. Here’s a short list of the helpful features within the eTools:

PointsPlus Tracker: Tracking is the heart of the Weight Watchers program. The tool allows you to track your daily food intake by assigning PointsPlus values to all the foods you eat. It has been extremely helpful to me in realizing how much my portion sizes were out of control.
PointsPlus Calculator: This tool will help you to calculate the points your foods have if you can’t find it in the system. Just enter fat, protein, carbs and fiber for your food, and it will give you a points plus value.
Weight Tracker: You’ll weigh in each week at your meeting. You can enter it online to track your progress on your weight loss goals. My first goal was 5% of my starting weight. I’m over half way there already!
Activity Tracker: This helps you to track the exercise you’re doing during the week. You’ll get extra PointsPlus values for working out, which will allow you to eat a little more -nice if you have a splurge day like Super Bowl Sunday.
Recipe Builder: If you’re trying to figure out the PointsPlus value of a particular recipe, this tool will help you break it down into it’s parts to figure out the total value.
Restaurant Finder: Tool to help you find the points value of certain foods at certain restaurants.
Food Cheat Sheets (beer cheat sheet): They have helpful cheat sheets that will help you to eat healthier and figure out PointsPlus values at popular destinations. They’ve got cheat sheets for beer, for eating at a Chinese buffet, salads, and more.

A good number of the eTools above will be found in your Weight Watchers Plan Manager, shown in the screenshot below. I keep my plan manager open in my browser at work all day to track everything I eat. Very helpful and easy to use!
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