Once a month, within the first week of the month, I will try to make a post about my progress. Maybe I'll include pictures, maybe I won't. It kinda depends on how life is going at the time. My current motivation that I've shared on IG @aaandersen1772 with #expensivemotivation is my semi-new (it was my mom's but she used it for about a week) FitBit. I know this is a little mainstream-y and apparently the meat-heads are using them, but I'm on day 2.5 of using it (woot?) and so far, SO GOOD!!
So, here's my post for July (hey, look, I'm ahead?!):
So far this summer, I have had close to no (if not just straight-up no) progress. With a lack of motivation, lack of knowledge of what I need to be eating, when, and how much, and an extreme case of frustration when I'm starving by MyFitnessPal (MFP) tells me I'm 100 calories over (or, if I'm under at ALL, that it won't track my progress because I'm not eating enough?). So I've been working out here and there, mostly just maintaining the weight I've been at for about a year now.
I've been asking my mom for a FitBit (or something like it) for a couple months now. When she and I went to Lifetime Fitness together, we were talking about fitness and such over a Berry smoothie (I really can't remember which one it was, but it had blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. So, if you go to LTF, you should know which one I'm talking about. It was pretty good!) I was telling her about the off-brand FitBit a friend showed me on Amazon, and suddenly my mom tells me I could have her FitBit. WHAT!? She said she never had the patience to learn how to use it, so, low and behold, I HAVE A NEW FITBIT!
(Insert Picture of the "Now" screen from any SPN season/episode here)
I have an android as of right now (Samsung GS3), although I'm thinking I might make the switch to the Dark Side because I like how you can call, text, and all that jazz on both iPhone and Mac... it's the big things. Beside the point, I have the FitBit app on my phone and every so often I sync the app with my FitBit. This can also be done via computer with the "dongle" USB that comes with the FitBit, as to sync with the phone requires you to use Bluetooth. It tracks just about everything! Steps taken, miles walked, calories burned, active minutes, it lets you track your exercise (as in, if you go for a run outside, you set the thing to log and it'll map out the route you take), it has a constant reminder of how many pounds you have yet to go until your goal (which it's recommended you do short-term goals first [like instead of saying you want to lose 30 lbs in 8 mo, you set it to 10 lbs in 2.5 mo), it tracks your sleep (which I think is really, really neat), it tells you a "budget" of calories in and out, so how many calories you take in (eating) by how many you take out (working out), and then it tracks how much water you've had. PLEASE NOTE: MOST OF THIS STUFF YOU DO HAVE TO TRACK ON YOUR OWN (e.g. food, water, mapping your route, and physically pressing the 'log' button to track sleep).
My favorite thing about the FitBit, why I think it'll work, and why I'll most likely recommend you get one yourself (or something like it, I know how incredibly expensive they are and I personally think the other brands would work just as well -- do check to see if the other brands have a compatible app, which makes it easier to keep track) is that you wear it constantly. Yeah, the plain, black band (which is what I have, though you can certainly get other, more attractive bands) looks a little... odd (kinda looks a little like a house arrest band), I'm always wearing it. The battery life seems outstanding -- I charged it for about 4 hours (not a particular science here, just was busy with other things for that amount of time) and have been wearing it ever since -- this was two nights ago and the battery says it's still at about 50% (medium).
That seemed a little jumbled, so I'll rephrase:
I love the FitBit because I'm wearing all the time and it's a constant reminder that I need to not go for the Cheezits, but the grapes. Not the ice cream, but some water. (More or less). It's a constant reminder that I need to get up and be active! And it's a constant reminder of my goal and how I would love nothing more than to fit back into size 6 jeans by Christmas (if not sooner...).
So, how's my progress? I'd give it about a 65% -- I didn't workout yesterday or eat the best for dinner, but today, I must say, I kicked butt and made up for the not-so-healthy dinner I ate with my parents. Tomorrow I plan to kick some more butt (specifically mine) to try to fully attain my goals (I was about 800 steps away from my goal today... SO FRUSTRATING!!!)
Good luck to you all on your fitness endeavors as well, and I shall see you in a month!
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