As a generally lazy person, I have always been interested in ways to burn extra calories without expending extra effort. Two years ago I happened across the website http://www.bodytogs.com/ and decided to try out their product. They claim that Body Togs wearable weights allows you to “wear your workout wherever you go,” even to work, because they are thin enough to subtly wear under your clothes. In fact, the website features pictures of a woman who clearly does not need the benefits of Body Togs wearing them under her business suit.
At first, I was a bit hesitant to purchase wearable weights because in my previous research I had always heard that wearing added weights for a long period of time can put unnecessary stress on your joints, and that the damage can outweigh the benefits in the long term. But my curiosity was piqued, so I searched around a bit more. I learned that Body Togs were supposed to put less stress on the joints than traditional weights because the weight is distributed along the calf and forearm where the body naturally stores weight anyway.
Apparently, the man who developed Body Togs, Dr. Ayaz Virji, devised them for his patients who have had bariatric surgery to help them lose extra weight faster. The website claims that “using Body Togs for up to 10 hours per day may be as effective as a 2 mile run.” I noted the use of the words “may be.” However, anything is better than nothing, right? Plus, Christmas was coming up so I would be able to dodge the rather imposing price of $50-$60 for a pair of leg weights and $40-$50 for the arm weights. I am including this range because they do not actually sell Body Togs on their own website for some reason. Instead they provide you with links to their distributors, who list them at varying prices.
When I got them, I put them on immediately, under my jeans and sweatshirt. I felt like I had on lightweight armor. They were surprisingly comfortable, conforming to the natural shape of my arms and legs. They were not heavy enough to tire me out when I moved around, but they did provide a noticeable difference in the amount of effort I was expending. After a while, I mostly forgot I had them on. The only thing that was very uncomfortable was when I tried to fold my legs beneath me to sit on the couch- maybe I had made the velcro too tight around the top of my calves. There is also a little rubber strip on the inside rim, similar to the one found in strapless bras, that helps it to grip your skin and not slide around. This is a useful feature in my experience, but a little uncomfortable for extended wear.
At the end of the day when I took them off I was no more tired than usual, but I did notice it was much easier to lift my arms and legs than it had been all day. This effect is similar to the feeling you get after lifting weights for a long period of time and then setting the weights down and raising just your arm. It was a nice feeling- it told me that the Body Togs had done their job. I did, however, have red marks around the top of my legs and arms. I had readjusted the Body Togs occasionally, but found that in order for them to be tight enough not to slip down, they had to be tight enough to be a little bit uncomfortable. In my opinion, it is a fair trade for the benefits they claim you will get.
Since then, I have worn my body togs many, many times, and have learned more about them:
Yes, they do fit nicely under clothes in the winter, but in the summer they are nearly impossible to hide. I’ve worn them in public with shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. Yes, you will get odd looks if you do this. That didn’t bother me, but it might bother you.
Don’t wear Body Togs while you are using a computer. Apparently the metal they use to add the extra weight is magnetic, and will harm your computer. I learned that the hard way.
Washing them is pretty easy- just follow their directions that are included in the packaging.
I do not have high-tech equipment to tell me how effective the Body Togs are at burning calories, but my experience tells me that they are helpful. Any time you expend extra effort, you are burning calories at a higher rate than normal. If you take into consideration that you are wearing the Body Togs all day, those few extra burned calories start to add up.
