Running With Zombies? Beating Mental Roadblocks

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I'm getting stronger, running my longest distance yet (3.28 miles). Now its time to work on those negative thoughts with a fun, new app that combines storytelling and 5K training. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhoto.net and Sura Nualpradid.

I’m getting stronger, running my longest distance yet (3.28 miles). Now its time to work on those negative thoughts with a fun, new app that combines storytelling and 5K training. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhoto.net and Sura Nualpradid.

Maybe I felt guilty about eating that ice cream this weekend. Or there was some residual stress from my husband’s hospital stay. Whatever the reason, after a short warm up walk, I ran 3.28 miles Monday. That’s more than a 5k baby!

During the run, my greatest challenge was mental not physical. As I hit the 1.5-mile mark, I started telling myself “I need to stop.” I felt physically great and my legs were strong. For some reason “I need to stop” became a mantra on endless loop in my head. Ugh! Read More

Attention Water Drinkers — A Must Have App For Movie Date Night

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Getting in my 3 liters of water a day is awesome. But it can play havoc on my movie going experience. Well thanks to this nifty little app, I can better plan my bladder breaks.

Getting in my 3 liters of water a day is awesome. But it can play havoc on my movie going experience. Well thanks to this nifty little app, I can better plan my bladder breaks.

To lose weight, I drink a lot of water. I’m talking more than 100 ounces a day.  But that means more trips to the little girls room, which is fine, except on our little date night outings to the movies.

I normally love going to the movies. But with all the water I drink, at some point, usually during an important part of the film, nature calls.  Ugh! It’s not like I have a pause button on the projector. How do I know when to make a break for it if I’ve never seen the film before?

It’s worse with my husband. He usually has multiple runs to the bathroom thanks to the troth of diet coke he drinks before and during a film. It also means he’ll ask me 20 questions on what he missed.

Well RunPee is the perfect solution! It tells you the best time to run to the bathroom during a film. That’s amazing! Now I don’t have to think about how much water I should have two hours before a movie starts. And the hubby can proudly drink his Homer Simpson size drink and hold his head high knowing he’ll only miss the slow/dull/unimportant parts of a film.

But wait, it gets better! The app also provides you with a little synopsis with each pee run so you know exactly what you missed. Sweet! No more asking me 20 questions.

The app includes timers so it vibrates to let you know it’s time to go to the bathroom, leaving fellow movie goers in peace.

It’s $0.99, but it’s so worth it.

How Much Water Is Enough For Weight Loss

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Are you getting enough water? The old rule of 8 8-ounce glasses of water a day is all wrong. Photo courtesy of zirconicusso and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Are you getting enough water? The old rule of 8 8-ounce glasses of water a day is all wrong. Photo courtesy of zirconicusso and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

We’ve all heard the 8 x 8 rule – drink 8 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Easy to remember, but it doesn’t really work. Why? It’s a one size fits all mindset that doesn’t take into account your size, weight, activity level or environment (altitude, heat, humidity).

Let’s face it, The water needs of a 250-pound man vs. a 165-pound woman are very different. In fact, for those of us who are viewed as obese, 8 x 8 doesn’t even come close to what we need daily.

5 Reasons Water Is Important To Weight Loss
Up to 60% of the human body is water. Water is a big key to successful weight loss and staying healthy. Read More

How Many Calories Should You Eat To Lose Weight?

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A nifty little calculator can help you calculate how many calories you need every day to maintain or lose weight. Turns out my eating is spot on for fast weight loss.

A nifty little calculator can help you calculate how many calories you need every day to maintain or lose weight. Turns out my eating is spot on for fast weight loss.

Do you count how may calories you eat every day? If so, how do you know how many calories you need to eat to lose or maintain weight? Well, Authority Nutrition now has a calorie calculator that tells you just how much you should eat.

Based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, just plug-in your sex, age, weight, height and activity level into the calculator.  Plus you’ll find some tips to cut your calorie intake without starving.

Since my diet is low-carb, I’m not a calorie counter. Using My Fitness Pal to track my carbs, I do get to see my daily caloric consumption. On average I eat about 1550-1700 calories a day.  According to the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation, I’m spot on with fast weight loss. Sweet!

July Workout Log: Burned 32,500+ Calories So Far

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I’ve been busy this month workout wise! With my 2 main fitness apps (Map My Walk and My Fitness Pal) finally talking to each other and to Fitbit, I get a more accurate picture of my workouts.

While not all of my workouts are accounted for, this log is a nifty little snap shot of how well I'm doing in July.

While not all of my workouts are accounted for, this log (via Map My Walk) is a nifty little snap shot of how well I’m doing in July.

Not all of my runs, yoga classes,  weight training or the first week of July show up here — mostly because I logged them in my Fitbook rather than My Fitness Pal.  But the workouts I did log add up to some impressive stats:

  • Miles: 78
  • Hours: 73
  • Calories Burned: 32,55011.2+
  • Steps: 111,884

I’ve never really looked at my workouts like this.  Normally I just go workout and don’t think about it. Granted, I keep a log to track mileage only for my virtual walk to Denver challenge. My little virtual challenge does a nice job motivating me to rack more miles than the previous month.

But now that my apps are talking to each other, and I’m getting more accurate data, I think about pushing myself on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Pretty sweet!

Once July is over, it becomes the month I benchmark all other months against.

Fitbit One Review, Part 1

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Today's Fitbit One data. Before 1:00 p.m. I walked over 12,000 steps and climbed 12 floors. Not too frickin' bad!

Today’s Fitbit One data. Before 1:00 p.m. I walked over 12,000 steps and climbed 12 floors. Not too frickin’ bad!

Three days in, and I have to say I’m really enjoying my new fitness tracker. As you know, I anguished over picking the right tracker for me at an affordable price. I ended up choosing the Fitbit One, and I love it.

Cool Features
Designed so anyone can use it, there are 4 key features that really stand out so far.

It’s So Simple To Use
Initially I thought about getting the Fitbit Flex, but decided against it. Constantly wearing a bracelet isn’t my thing. I needed something smaller.

The Fitbit One is very light (big bonus!) and you just clip it on to your pocket or bra. Its screen is easy to read, even in full sunlight.

My only concern is forgetting that I have it attached to my bra. I don’t want to wash it by mistake – it’s water-resistant, but not waterproof! So I paid $20 extra for Fitbit insurance — it gets replace for free it if I lose it (it’s so small it could happen) or if it gets damaged (cough, laundry, cough). Read More

Jumping On The Fitness Tracker Bandwagon…But Which Device Is Best?

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Picking a wearable fitness tracker is next to impossible. Ugh!

Picking a wearable fitness tracker is next to impossible. Ugh!

Ugh! I’m breaking down. I’ve decided to get a wearable fitness tracker. Sigh…You know how I feel about pedometers. But the electronic fitness trackers do have some cool features like elevation changes, distance walked, calories burned/consumed, and sleep tracking to name a few. Most of the devices sync to my iPhone and Mac, making it easier for me to analyze my data. Plus many connect with my fitness apps, a nice bonus.

These aren’t your grandmothers pedometers. No ma’am! These smart, wearable devices go beyond counting steps. They can tell you the times of day and the seasons you’re more likely to sit on the couch rather than move, the intensity of your activity, and the length and (allegedly) quality of your sleep. To me that’s worth the investment.

The problem I’ve experienced is deciding on which tracker is best for me.

Oh, did I say “problem.” It’s not a “problem.” It’s downright frustrating. For the last month I’ve read product and Amazon user reviews and I’m still confused.

Yesterday I finally decided to get off the pot and picked the Fitbit Flex. It syncs with all of my fitness apps (Lose It, My Fitness Pal, Map My Walk). A lot of my friends use it, so I can connect with them now. But the Flex is a bit dated (Fitbit had to recall its latest tracker, the Force). Well, for some strange reason, I decided to do one more search (why God, why?) and came across two awesome trackers that are not the Fitbit Flex.

The Basis Carbon Steel Edition actually tracks cycling. Holy cow! This is like the Holy Grail for me. None of the other devices I looked at track cycling. Just steps, maybe stairs. This is a biggie for me because I spin 3 times a week. But then, my husband – the voice of reason (please don’t tell him I wrote that!) asked if that includes a stationary bike or if it uses GPS to track bike rides.

Oh, man! Why can’t this be simple?

Well the price tag took the Carbon Steel out of the running. At $199, that’s a lot of tracking for someone who needs to create a habit of wearing a device. Nope, I need something cheaper. If I really like the tracker and put the data to use, then I’ll see about upgrading to the Carbon Steel next year.

Then I came across Withings Pulse O2. This one doesn’t track cycling, but it can tell the difference between walking and running. Bingo! It also includes heart rate monitor and measures blood oxygen levels. It’s a nice design and you can wear it on your wrist or clip it onto a bra, a belt or just wear in your pocket.

But the Pulse O2 retails for $119…$19 over budget for me. Can I cry now?

To add to the confusion, I just watched CNET’s 2014 video on the top 5 fitness trackers. The Pulse O2 was rated #1 and almost made me think the additional $19 was worth it. But the video also mentioned Apple and Google were coming out with their own devices soon.

The only upshot is there’s no way Apple or Google will introduce a new smart device for less than $100.

So both Withings and Carbon Steel are out of the running. So do I go with the Flex?  I don’t know. I like the idea of wearing a clip rather than a “bracelet.” Maybe the Fitbit One is The One…and hey, it’s under budget (by $2).

Need Help Staying Motivated? Try My Diet Coach

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My Diet Coach is like having your own weight loss cheerleader at your fingertips. The motivational tips and words of encouragement can help you stay the course.

My Diet Coach is like having your own weight loss cheerleader at your fingertips. The motivational tips and words of encouragement can help you stay the course.

Losing weight is near impossible without focus and motivation. Well My Diet Coach by InspiredApps is a nifty little app to keep you moving forward or get you back on track after a slip.

It doesn’t have a lot of features, and I sort of like that. It’s not overly complicated and you don’t get bogged down with too many bells and whistles. You’ll find helpful reminders, from drinking water to meal planning, to keep you on track and build good eating habits.

Speaking of reinforcing good habits, I suggest starting out with setting 1-2 reminders. Playing with the app, I set up reminders for 10 habits. That proved too many as those little chimes drove me crazy all day. I’m limiting my reminders to 2 now and all is right with the world.

The app’s challenge section helps you get through the frenzy of everyday life – dining out, parties or sweet cravings to name a few. Just press a button and you’ll find multiple messages and tips to keep you focused.

I put that feature to the test last night as I wrestled with my old nemesis, night hunger. This one is a biggie for me, especially over the last few evenings.  Like clockwork, at midnight I went to open the fridge door. But this time I stopped and I pressed the “Night Hunger” challenge on the app. There I found a series of tips and messages to help talk me down. Awesome!

One of those messages (“Make sure you aren’t eating just because you are up late or bored”) was spot on. The app let me make that message a priority so when night hunger strikes again, it’s the first message I see.

For some reason the app is only for women. I’m not sure why that is as guys also have weight issues. Maybe it’s because guys look at weight loss differently then we do?

I started with the free version a few weeks ago but upgraded to Pro (only $0.99) on Saturday. The pro version includes a food craving panic button that helps talk you down. In an emergency, the app launches a countdown timer to help you get through the craving, which lasts 10-20 minutes on average.

You can also track your weight with the pro version (My Weight Watchers app tracks my weigh-ins, so I don’t use this feature).

Available for iPhone and Android, My Diet Coach is a great little app. It gives you the the little pat on the back or kick in the pants that we all need now and again.

Cool Tool To Find Perfect Gym While On The Road

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weight loss cycling, spinning class for beginners

GymVisit.com makes my search for a gym away from home a little easier.

This week we head off to Texas to spend the holidays with family. I want to keep up with my exercise routine so I’m on the hunt for a good, local gym. I want a clean gym that offers barbells, a yoga studio and spinning classes.

Enter GymVisit.com!

This is a great little tool if you are looking for a gym while you’re on the go. Not only does Gym Visit tell you what gyms are nearby, it tells you what the gym offers and how much it costs for a daily or weekly pass.

The site is crowd sourced, so the information isn’t always complete or perfect. But it makes searching a heck of a lot easier.

Are you planning to keep up with your workout while traveling for over the holidays?

Time For This Fat Girl To Start Running

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interval training and weight loss

Yes, I’m interval training again. I may run as fast as a turtle, but dagnabit, I’m running!

I planned to do an easy 2-mile walk this morning. Instead, I ended up interval training.  After my 5K on Sunday and quick recovery on Monday, something inside of me decided that it’s time for this fat girl to start running.

Now the last time I tried interval training, back in February, I weighed about 280.  My doc suggested I lose another 50 lbs. before trying again. Well I’m 243 lbs. now. Not quite 50 lbs., but why not give it a try?

So I dusted off my 5K app and set out this morning.

App of Choice: Easy 5K with Jeff Galloway
Let me start by stating Easy 5K with Jeff Galloway is awesome.  I paid $3.99 for the app and it’s worth every penny.

For those who don’t know, Jeff Galloway’s an Olympian who created the run-walk-run technique for runners. The technique — essentially timed walk breaks between runs — helps to prevent injuries. Perfect for a newbie like me.

The app creates a specialized training program for you, based on the pace you want to meet. Then it provides you with a daily and weekly schedule for interval training.  You do 3 workouts a week for 8 weeks. Your distance increases with each workout. Today I ended up going slightly more than a mile.  That will increase to 1.25 miles on Thursday.

I love walking to music. I work harder with the right songs playing. The faster the beat, the quicker my pace and the better my time. The Easy 5K app actually changes the beat of your music to match your running/walking pace.  Very cool!

Another nice feature is Jeff Galloway…actually his voice. Galloway walks you through the interval training. He provides useful hints and encouragement, tells you when to walk or run, provides count downs, and lets you know how far you have to go.

Easy 5K is a great app for either someone getting off the couch for the first time or a power walker who wants to run their first 5K (like me).

Dot2Trot’s Run/Walk/Run Ratio
Since I’m new to running and still have a ton of weight to lose, I decided to go easy and choose a 15-minute mile pace.  I’ll stick with this for the full 8 weeks. At that point, depending on how I feel, I’ll increase the pace.

So my Run/Walk/Run ratio is: 15-minutes per mile/20-second run/45-second walk

The whole workout lasted 18 minutes: 3-minute warm-up, 12-minute intervals, 3-minute cool-down.

Afterwards I felt great.  I made sure to stretch before and after I started to avoid any problems.

I have tomorrow off, but pick up the interval training Thursday morning.

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