FAQs
BC1 and Body Composition Frequently Asked Questions
- What if I move, bend my arms, etc.?
Answer: To get the best, most accurate results, place the device on a waist-high countertop or hold it at waist level with your arms straight out in front of you.
- What if I hold it straight out in front of me?
Answer: If you hold it at shoulder level, it will not give the most accurate reading due to muscle contractions in your arms and shoulders.
- Do I need to squeeze the BC1?
Answer: No, just place your hands on the electrodes on each side of the unit and hold firmly. Ensure your hands do not touch each other
- Can I sit down and hold the BC1?
Answer: It's best to stand, but the most important thing is to be consistent in your position every time you take a reading, as results may vary slightly from standing to seated positions.
- How does the BC1 Body Composition Analyzer work?
Answer: The BC1 Body Composition Analyzer uses bio-impedance technology, a state-of-the art, very accurate method of determining body mass. The device sends a mild electrical current through your body, measuring both the strength and speed of the return current. From these readings, the software calculates your body mass. The device is safe, but you should not use it if you are pregnant or have an implanted electrical medical device such as a pacemaker.
- Will it hurt?
Answer: No, the electrical current generated is extremely low power.
- What is lean body mass?
Answer: Lean body mass is everything in your body except body fat - muscles, bones, organs, blood, etc.
- How come I have so much body water?
Answer: Your body and all other mammal bodies contain approximately 70% of water by weight.
- Why does my lean body mass, body fat, and body water add up to more than 100% or more than my total weight?
Answer: Your lean body mass and body fat add up to 100% or your total weight. Your body water is virtually all contained within your lean body mass and is not added to the other two figures. In other words, water is part of the lean body mass.
- How does it know how much body fat/water I have?
Answer: The device sends a small number of electrical currents into your body. Because certain body tissues conduct electricity better than others, the device can measure the current leaving your body and estimate your body composition, based on very sophisticated algorithms developed over years of clinical testing.
- If I just ate, drank, or worked out will it affect my results?
Answer: In most instances it won't, but we recommend you adopt a routine of capturing your reading in the morning before you begin your daily activity.
- How come other bio-impedance devices tell me I have really high body fat?
Answer: With normal bio-impedance devices, your hydration status can affect the results. For example, the devices see that you don't have much body water, and since your body water is all contained within your lean body mass, the devices think you do not have very much lean tissue. And if you don't have very much lean tissue, the devices assume the rest must be fat.
- How often should I test my body fat?
Answer: It is not a good idea to put much emphasis on back-to-back readings whether 1 day apart or 1 week apart. Looking for trends over a series of readings will give you much more help in reaching and maintaining your desired body composition.
- How accurate is this device?
Answer: The prediction error for the BC1 is between 2% to 2.5%. This is comparable to hydrostatic (underwater) weighing.
- Is there any way to know your true body composition for sure?
Answer: The only way to measure your body composition with 100% accuracy is to do an autopsy.
- Why is there so much error?
Answer: As stated above, the only way to eliminate error is to actually physically examine the organs, muscles and bones. Even a full body scan is not exact. Once you introduce an estimation into the mix via an equation (which all methods do) it's impossible to be exact. The trick is to eliminate as much variability and error as possible given the tool you're using. Stayhealthy has spent over a decade refining its measurement algorithms to be as accurate as possible.
- What is essential fat?
Answer: This is the amount of fat you need to be healthy and for your body to function properly. Having less than this amount of fat can be dangerous to your health. Generally speaking, a female's essential fat is 10-12% and a male's is 2-4%.
- Why do women have more body fat?
Answer: In addition to the basic essential fat we all need, women have an additional 9-12% fat primarily to provide protection for child-bearing and to account for additional breast tissue.
- What does total body water mean?
Answer: Your percentage of body water refers to the amount of water in your lean body mass. This number varies from person to person, depending on your lean to fat ratio. The more lean body mass you have, the more body water you will have. Generally, men have 65% - 75% body water and women have slightly less, 50% - 60%.
- What should my lean body mass be?
Answer: Your lean body mass is just the inverse of your body fat percentage, or in other words, everything but fat is lean body mass. By decreasing body fat and increasing lean body mass simultaneously, you improve the ratio, which is what you want to do, as long as you don't go below your essential body fat percentage. You can use this chart as a general guideline:
- How can I increase my lean body mass?
Answer: You can increase your lean body mass through resistance training, which increases strength and muscle mass. Additionally, cardiovascular exercise can improve your lean body mass in your lower extremities.
- How can I decrease body fat?
Answer: You can decrease body fat by burning more calories than you consume, and by exercising regularly with a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training.
- Can my spouse/family/friend measure along with me?
Answer: Yes. You can create multiple profiles for the BC1 so the whole family can use it to measure their body compositions as they work to improve their health.
CT1 and Calorie Tracking Frequently Asked Questions
- My CT1 Calorie Tracker shows I'm burning calories but I'm not losing any weight. What do I need to do?
Answer: How many calories you're burning is only part of what you need to know to plan an effective weight loss program. Also important is how many calories you're consuming. If you're consuming as many or more than you're burning, then you won't lose weight. Don't reduce your calorie intake too much, though, or your metabolism will slow down, reducing your body's calorie-burning capabilities and your ability to lose weight. You should consult your physician before starting any diet or exercise program.
- I got my CT1 Calorie Tracker wet and now it doesn't work. What should I do?
Answer: Unfortunately the CT1 Calorie Tracker isn't completely waterproof. If the circuitry got wet it may be ruined for good. You can try letting is sit for a week or so to see if it dries out and starts to work. Another possibility is to place it in a bag of uncooked rice for several days. If that does not work, you'll need to order another one – sorry!
- What do I do when I'm wearing clothing that doesn't have a waistband?
Answer: While we suggest you wear your CT1 Calorie Tracker as often as you can, and to accurately track your calories burned it needs to be worn near your waist (your center of gravity),we understand that sometimes it's just not possible, and that's okay. If you can't wear it for a time (like when you're sleeping) it will still continue to count the calories your body is burning. It will just make the assumption that you're sleeping or lying down when you're not wearing it. So, just recognize that, if you're not wearing it and you're very active, the calories burned number will be less than you actually burned on that day. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint, and sometimes life will get in the way and throw up obstacles and roadblocks to your progress. Give yourself a break and do the best you can – just don't give up!
- I changed my battery on my CT1 and now it's not working any more. What's wrong?
Answer: You need to re-initialize the unit each time your CT1's battery is changed. Once it loses power, it "forgets" who you are. Insert your CT1 into the docking station as you would to upload and log in. Once logged in, select your CT1 from the list box and click "initialize" on the right hand side, then simply follow the instructions. It should start working as before.
- My unit doesn't seem to be working right. What do I do?
Answer: First, check the troubleshooting section of your user manual. If you're still having problems, contact customer support at customer.support@stayhealthy.com.
- Can someone else use my CT1?
Answer: Only if they have an account and have re-initialized the unit to match their profile. Otherwise, the unit will probably not read their caloric burn accurately. You can purchase additional units for your friends and family. There is no limit to the number of units you can buy or use with a single docking station.
- How accurate is my CT1?
Answer: For activities that involve "whole body movement" (such as running, walking, aerobic exercise, etc.) the CT1 is very accurate - the technology it's based on is used in major universities around the world to study physiology. For "specific area movement" (such as bicycling or weight lifting) it is not quite as accurate. We are currently in the process of modifying our algorithms to account for these circumstances. When completed, you won't have to do anything, the changes will be made automatically when you dock your device and upload your information.
RT3 and Research Activity Monitoring Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the minimum system requirements for the RT3?
Answer:
- English version of Windows 2000/XP
- .NET Framework 2.0
- 233MHz processor
- 64MB RAM
- 10MB free hard drive space
- CD-ROM drive
- 256 color video card and monitor
- Mouse
- Keyboard
- One available USB 1.0 port
- What is the orientation of X. Y, and Z axes?
Answer: When wearing the RT3 at one's side:
- X is up and down.
- Y is forward and back.
- Z is side to side.
- How do I view the graphs I saw when I downloaded my data?
Answer: The RT3 Assist software provides only the functionality to upload user profiles and download data. The graph shown briefly after download is displayed as a quick confirmation of the data integrity. You may use any third party data analysis or spread sheet program to open the saved data file.
- Why can't I establish communication with the RT3?
Answer: This can mean that the batteries in the RT3 Dock are weak or dead. Replace the batteries with new alkaline batteries and try again.
- Why is my downloaded data not formatted correctly?
Answer: This may happen if you are using a regional Windows setting other than US. This occurs if a comma (,) is being used instead of a period (.) as a decimal point. To correct this:
- Click Start > Setting > Control Panel
- Double Click Regional Settings
- Click the Numbers tab at the top of the window
- Change the Decimal symbol to a period using the drop down menu
- Click OK
Any data you download after making this change will be formatted correctly.
- I'm doing a study involving children. Will the RT3 work well for my age group?
Answer: The RT3 is not able to accurately calculate metabolic calorie burn in children under the age of 10, however it can be used as an activity monitor.