Weight-loss gadgets that help balance intake, output

Have you heard the news? Americans are apparently getting fatter, according to a new national report.

No wonder then, that businesses seem to be producing a flurry of products to help with weight loss. There's everything from portion-control plates and pedometers to the ever-popular BodyBugg used on "The Biggest Loser."

But do these gadgets actually work?

It depends on whom you ask, and also the product you chose to buy. If a company promises you "instant success" in just "minutes a day," keep your money in your wallet, fitness trainers say.

"If you do (weight loss) the right way, it won't happen in a day or two days or weeks," said Rob Dunfield, owner of Holladay Health & Fitness in Salt Lake City. "The biggest thing is to get started exercising and to get on a nutrition program where you can tip the scale to where you will lose weight."

In his opinion, consumers should be careful about gadgets that promote weight loss. In most cases he's seen, they end up being unused.

Instead, Dunfield believes the best way to lose weight is to "eat less and move more." But if a gadget can help you achieve the right balance between intake and output, then go for it, he said.

For Charlotte Howe of Salt Lake City, the BodyBugg has helped her achieve that balance. She purchased one about three months ago, saying she has since lost about 14 pounds.

The key: It allowed her to track her food intake and also the calories she burned daily through exercise and activities such as housecleaning, Howe said.

"This really, it has just made it all so very plain," she said. "I think the main thing about it is it takes all the mystery out of the whole calories in and calories out kind of thing."

The BodyBugg came on the market in late 2004. In 2007, it was featured on "The Biggest Loser" and has since become one of the most talked-about gadgets on the market these days.

It works by using four sensors attached to a device on your arm to track your activity levels throughout the day. The device is 90 percent accurate at tracking calories burned, which makes it the most accurate on the commercial market these days, according to Kim Slover, BodyBugg Services Manager.

In addition to calorie monitoring, the BodyBugg also comes with a Web application where you can input your daily food intake. People are also given the chance to talk with a coach to ensure they are using the device correctly, Slover said.