Okay, so it’s been a while since I posted anything here, but trust me that I’ve been much better about my resolution. I’m down about 20 pounds since the start of the year, and I may have become a little bit addicted to spin class. I decided to do some re-design and re-branding of the blog as it’s a lot more targeted than I first thought it might be. I should apologize for my continued practice of using punny domain names.
I’m taken a liking to my Fitbit, and I’m not too proud to say that I’ve learned to enjoy the game elements of it. A few of my friends also have them, and it’s kind of cool to compare our results each week. I didn’t realize how used to the device I was until I forgot it while going out for the afternoon yesterday. I mourned all the precious uncounted steps…
I got a new, potentially geekier toy last week to help with my resolution, a Withings body scale. What’s so geek about a new scale, you may ask? Well this one has a Wi-Fi antenna, and it transmits my weight, BMI, and body fat percentage to an online server that I can access through the web or on my phone.
One of the selling points for me on the scale was that it integrates with the Fitbit tracking site. Now I have one page that shows me my weight, my body fat percentage, my activities, and my calories in and out (based on foods I log on the site using their nutritional database and the accelerometer in the tracker I wear.) All these tools definitely help me measure how I’m doing a lot more accurately than the old bathroom scale in my user image!
I was trying to figure out why, despite frequent and rigorous exercise, my weight loss has slowed down. I found the answer by looking at the data that I’ve logging on my Fitbit. I’ve only been eating 900-1300 calories a day. Even though I’ve been burning in excess of 3000 calories a day, I haven’t been eating enough to convince my body to let go of my fat stores. As my brother put it, my body’s probably convinced that I just escaped a war and I don’t have food readily available!
What do you guys recommend I add to my daily diet so that I’m eating enough calories to tell my body to relax? I usually have a bowl of Special K or Greek Yogurt with Fruit for breakfast, chicken or tuna for lunch, and chicken with veggies for dinner. My snacks are stuff like apple butter on toast, raisins and peanuts, and rice cakes. Should I start putting protein powder in everything, or should I just chug the carton of egg whites that I have in my fridge? Thanks for the advice!
I’m usually not very competitive with other people, but I regularly compete with myself. I love beating a personal best.
The Fitbit is definitely helping to keep me going on my exercise plan. Tracking calories and activity levels gives me a score to beat. Yesterday was my most active day since getting the Fitbit (and probably the most active since the start of the year, thanks to a morning spin class and wannabe rock star theatrics while spending an evening snowed in playing Rock Band 3.)
Let’s see if I can beat that today. I’ve already shoveled snow for two hours, and I’ve still got an evening spin class ahead of me!
As I mentioned back in my 3sixty5 post, it’s not very fun dragging yourself to the gym when it’s single digits out. Yesterday I slacked off, but today I decided to get back on the proverbial horse. My exercise of choice at the gym has been spin classes. The class setting is good because it forces you to spend the time on exercise rather than cutting it short. (Admit it, you’ve had days when you didn’t finish the program on the elliptical or treadmill too.)
This was the first class since I had gotten my Fitbit. Since I was on a stationary bike and the Fitbit bases its measurements on an accelerometer, I wasn’t sure if it would accurately measure my activity. Obviously the “Steps” were a little off, but my recent activity level, as depicted on the device as a flower whose stalk length and number of leaves increased with activity, was pretty well maxed out. It’s a cute game element of the device (“how tall can you get the flower to grow?”), but I don’t know if it’s enough of a motivator on its own. How many times do I need to see this flower before it loses its meaning?
After I mentioned getting my Fitbit, a friend asked me to blog my thoughts about the device. Once I’ve used it for a while and gotten my thoughts together, I’ll write something up. I’m guessing that the lack of gamification in the device is going to be a big part of my analysis.
“This beats Gold’s Gym, doesn’t it?” my landlord said as he joined me in digging out the apartment building.
I decided this morning that I was going to incorporate last night’s snowfall into today’s exercise routine. Because I live in an apartment building, I really only have to dig out my car in the parking lot, as my landlord eventually comes by to shovel out our stairs and walkway. I was feeling kind of impatient, and I wanted to register some calorie burn on my Fitbit, so I opted to get a head start and shovel most of the snow before he and his wife arrived.
Granted, an hour of snow shoveling is a good workout, but I’ll still be better off when I get back to my one hour spin classes. I’ve got a few errands to finish this afternoon before my brother arrives for the weekend, but I’ll try to get some Wii Fit yoga in. The game is totally going to yell at me for ignoring it if I don’t!
After several starts and restarts, I’ve finally figured out how to put my Tumblr to good use.
Yesterday, I wrote a guest post for the3six5 blog about New Year’s resolutions. I could have picked the usual “I’ll eat healthier” or “I’ll go to the gym more”, but I decided to be more specific and measurable. I resolved to finish 2011 below 200 pounds. As I was about 240 pounds on New Year’s Eve, this wasn’t going to be any small feat, but it was something that I feel like I really have to do for my health and happiness.
About three weeks into the New Year, I’ve made some progress with getting back to the gym on a regular basis and being more careful about what I eat. I even broke out the Wii Fit tha’s been sitting in its box for the last year (after I searched like mad at Christmas 2009 to find one!) The tricky part, though, is that my only measurement tools have been an old bathroom scale and the read-outs on the gym cardio equipment. I decided that if I was really going to tackle a measurable resolution, I’d need more precise tools.
Today, I bought a
Fitbit to help track my calories and activity level. I figure that this, along with my old scale and the Wii Fit’s body measurements, will give me an idea if I’m working hard enough each day. I guess I can count this Tumblr blog as a measurement tool too, as it’s going to help keep myself accountable to my resolution. If I’m going to skip the gym some day, now I’ve got to make an excuse to all of you guys too!
I’d love to hear your comments, questions, and suggestions as the rest of the year goes on. I always says that I’m a creature of inertia, so I’m counting on consistency to make this resolution succeed!
