Slimming Saturday-I Got a New Gadget
I did much much much better than last week. I lost a pound! Woohooo. I finally buckled down and started tracking my
food. As much as I hate doing it, it
obviously it makes a difference.
Even better, I got a new toy!
Meet my new Fitbit Flex.
A Fitbit is basically pedometer on steroids. It tracks your
steps/movement and calculates that data into miles traveled and total calories
burned. It also keeps track of your active minutes so you can see how lazy
you’ve been during the day. It even
tracks your sleep patterns! I’m not exactly sure how it works though my guess
would be through magic. It’s not an
exact science but I did a lot of research about the various types of activity
trackers (Like Jawbone and Nike Fuel Band) and Fitbit was usually one of the
most accurate.
There are several types of Fitbit trackers and I went with
the Flex, which you wear around your wrist.
It’s water resistant so you can wear it in the shower though you can’t
take it in the pool or bath. Basically I wear it 24/7. It’s easier than a
pedometer or even the Fitbit One, because I can just leave it on my wrist and
not think about it. I’m very absent-minded and other than inserting a microchip
under my skin, this is about the only way I would remember to keep it on my
person.
The best part about the Fitbit is the Dashboard that syncs
wirelessly to your computer or through an app on your smartphone, via
Bluetooth. The dashboard shows you everything.- steps taken, calories burned,
miles traveled ect. You can even track your food intake or add exercises that
the Fitbit might not have picked up (like swimming or stationary biking). What I really love is that it syncs with many
other online food/fitness trackers. I
‘ve been using My Fitness Pal (off and on) for over a year and many of my
favorite meals and recipes are already stored in their database. I can continue
to track using MFP and it automatically syncs with Fitbit. If you base your
calorie intake around your activity (i.e.-you can eat more if you burn more)
there is some disconnect between MFP and Fitbit. I just stick with MFP numbers
because it’s worked in the past.
Finally, I love that you can connect with your friends who
also use Fitbit. Fitbit ranks you
against your friends list in terms of number of steps taken. Since I’m
inherently competitive, it’s a great motivator, especially since my baby sister
also uses the product. Nice people can
cheer on their friends. Assholes like me can taunt their sister. YOU ARE GOING DOWN EMILY.
I’ve only had my Fitbit Flex for three days, so I can’t give
a definitive opinion on it. My initial
impression is very positive and since I like visual reinforcement, I really
feel it will help me. Like any gadget, it’s ultimately up to me do the work. I
have to get up and take the steps. I have to check the dashboard. I have to
stop shoving cake down my gullet. I have
to kick my sister’s ass.
I’ll give an updated review in a month to see if the novelty
has warn off.
Last Weeks Goals
4) Take
measurements. Maybe I’m losing inches but not lbs.-Fail. I just keep forgetting about it.
1) Track ALL
FOOD 4 out of 7 days.-Done
2) Take all
vitamins and probiotics 6 of 7 days.-Fail.
I keep forgetting my probiotics and fish
oil. I’ve been good with the vitamins…. probably because they are gummy bears
3) Spend 30
minutes each day on Spark People-Done
Next
Week’s GoalAll of the above and add:
5) Hit 10,000 steps a day 5 out of 7 days.
Weight ChangeChange from last week: -1.0
Total pounds lost: 1.0
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