Muve, a Minneapolis-based company has developed the Gruve Solution, a patent-pending weight management system that tracks energy expenditure using a wearable device. The Gruve comes with an online tracking service and the company’s Muvology consulting service. The Gruve is unique in allowing an individual to accurately track their personal caloric burn throughout the day to determine the amount of activity needed to exceed their caloric intake and lose weight.
The Gruve Solution is a new, revolutionary approach to weight management, which provides a personalized, scientifically proven solution that enables healthy, sustainable weight loss. The patent-pending Gruve weight management system uses an omni-directional accelerometer to measure activity intensity and duration. Synchronizing the Gruve device with the Gruve web site gives the customer the ability to view their daily calorie burn and track their weight loss progress.
Muve, who developed their activity-based weight management products in cooperation with the Mayo Clinic, is currently providing their weight management program to corporations and their employees. In commercial and industrial applications, motivation and support are provided, from initiation to completion of the program, using trained “Muvologists.”
Gruve Muvologists have been trained in the areas of activity based weight loss, exercise, physiology, nutrition, and psychology, as well as kinetic
ergonomics. The Muvologist will analyze the work environment, assist in creating an active workspace, and help implement healthy changes for employees.
When the Gruve is worn, the data is downloaded to the interactive web site, Gruve Online, to track daily progress made. A user’s personal Gruve Online, set up to be individualized and is based on a number of personal factors which determine a user’s daily caloric burn goal. The Gruve web site details how the user is doing in reaching his/her goals, on a minute-by-minute basis, or by the hour, day, or month. In addition, the user’s personal Gruve home page allows access to personal health statistics (blood pressure, weight, cholesterol levels), as well as how many calories are burned during different daily activities (using stairs, grocery shopping, yard work, etc).
Gruve Online can be accessed through any computer connected to the web and Gruve Online requires a secure user ID and password and provides 128-bit encryption; however, the Gruve Solution program currently only works with PCs running Windows XP or Vista 32-bit operating systems. A program for Mac is expected late in 2009.
With an estimated 125 million Americans and 1 billion people worldwide that are overweight or obese, as well as a 50% increase in overweight children over the past 20 years, there is a growing market for weight loss products. The total U.S. weight loss market worth an estimated $58.7 billion in 2007 has an expected annual growth rate of 6% projected to $68.7 billion by 2010. Muve’s plans include the release of the Gruve weight management program to consumers, with rollout to begin the end of March 2009. Consumer Gruve production will have planned program enhancements such as a proprietary active feedback system.
The Gruve Solution includes the Gruve real time activity monitor, Gruve Online with support, and the Gruve Guide, a 12-week learning program geared toward teaching a healthier, active lifestyle. Cost of the program is $300 with a one-year online subscription, or $460 with a two-year subscription.
TFOT has covered other stories concerning weight loss and healthy lifestyles, including “
The Exercise Pill,” about the development of a drug that imitates the effect of exercise on the body. Other stories include the
Poweriser, an innovative exercise device, and a review of the concept idea,
River Gym; a floating gym that converts the energy dissipated through exercise back into usable electric energy.
You can visit Muve’s
website for more information.
