New Fitness Gadget: The FitBit

The FitBit

My friend Lauren (over at Dimples Does It) has had this little contraption for a while now so she is much more experienced with it.  I just got it on Sunday and used it for the first time yesterday but I will tell you what I know so far!

Basically, its a little clip on tricked-out pedometer that you can wear anywhere on your body (I wear it on my bra, TMI?  LoL).  I have the FitBit Ultra which tracks steps, calories, distance, and stairs climbed (not on regular one).  It syncs wirelessly with your computer to upload data to the FitBit website where you can see all your data (OMG graphs!!!) and log your food and other activities throughout the day.  You can make goals and have friends on the website also.  It costs $99 and I believe is available at Best Buy.

Food Log

When you start your day, it gives you a baseline calorie target for the day based on if you were to lay in bed and not move the entire day.  My target intake for the day is shown at the top here.  It shows how much I have eaten so far (178) and how much I have left (1386).

Then as you begin moving around and logging activities, it will increase your calorie intake for the day as shown in the second box.  So far today, I have moved around enough to increase my calories by 52.

Additionally, I have mine set to have a weight loss goal of 0.5lbs per week until I reach 140lbs.  "Easier" is the 0.5lbs per week.  It shows the date I should reach my goal all the way on the right.




Sleep

One really cool thing about the FitBit is that it will monitor your sleep. It really just watches how much you move around but it is still pretty cool.  Apparently I don't move at all when I'm sleeping!

I think this feature will really come in handy!  Only issue is, when do I charge it then???  Well, this morning, I put it on the charger while I was in the shower and then just tracked "Standing - preparing for bed" for 10 minutes.  LoL!

Activities & Steps

This one is pretty self explanatory.  You just track what you were doing during a certain time.  You can track everything throughout your day including things like sitting at your desk, cleaning the house, etc.  If you click on the picture to the right, you can see where I tracked standing this morning.  I will probably only track major workouts in this.  I guess it just helps to give a more accurate picture of the calories you burned throughout the day.  It works with the readings from your FitBit for better accuracy.  Below, you can see my Calories Burned chart for today so far.  You can also view steps, floors and your "active score".

Ok, now you guys can all see why I love this thing already!  Lauren has been just raving about it for months.  I wanted it but didn't want to spend the money and find out I didn't like it.  Of course I love it!  Look at all those charts and graphs!!!  But seriously, this is really going to help me get back on the band wagon.  I have been struggling a lot lately.  Here comes confession time.

I've gained 2% Body Fat and 6lbs  (7 yesterday but I lost 1 since yesterday)

This summer was emotionally rough.  Then the moving, then school started.  I just haven't been able to get into a groove.  I'm finally feeling more like myself now though and armed with my new gadget, I am totally ready to tackle this weight loss thing again!  I took my measurements immediately when I set up my FitBit yesterday morning:

My tactic is going to be the same one I used to lose the weight the first time.  I'm going to think about my calorie differential (difference between how many calories you burn during the day and the calories you ate, i.e. calories in, calories out).  And the FitBit basically does all that for you with the way it increases your calories intake the move active you are.  I'm going to concentrate a lot on building muscle so I'm going to make sure I eat at least 1500 calories per day (under 1400 and you break down muscle) and take my measurements every few weeks, not just weight.

Also, I'm just going to use the FitBit website to track everything and not Spark People.  I know!!!  I love Spark People but now its just going to be to check in with friends and maybe do some team stuff (been too busy for that lately).  I will always love Spark People but I've got to pick one place.  I am really excited though!  How many people do you know get excited about fitness and weight loss??  Here we go!

New Things

Yesterday, I tried 3 new things.

McCutcheon's Pumpkin Butter

 All natural, homemade type stuff.  I found it at that little farmer's market I randomly stopped at on the way home on Monday.  I figured I would give it a try in my oatmeal first.

I made my oatmeal as usual with half milk, half water and added 3 tablespoons of this (30 calories per tablespoon).  WAY too sweet.  I knew it would be sweet but woah.  I almost couldn't taste the pumpkin it was so sweet.  Otherwise, it would have been good.  I will need to find a more dessert-like use for this stuff!  Next time, I'll just add straight up pumpkin to my oats with a little pumpkin pie spice!

Free Range Chicken Poop (Lip Junk)

I have been wanting to get this chapstick for a while now!  It is called Chicken Poop.  Haha!  I used to use chapstick all the time but I've noticed since I drink so much more water now, that I don't really need it that often.  I still like to have some in my purse though and use it occasionally.  This one is all natural made out of beeswax.  Usually I don't like that because of the taste of beeswax but this one, you couldn't even tell!  You could taste all the other extracts and such which made for a nice scent/flavor.  It is pretty good!  And it makes me laugh every time I use it :)

Saranac Irish Red Ale

I bought a Saranac Brewery fall sample pack and am loving it!  I love to have different beers rather than a pack of just one type.  This one was pretty good and light.  I didn't think it was too hoppy but Rob didn't like it.  It was a little too light for me though.  I wouldn't mind having one here and there but its not my go-to!

Race Expo & Girls Night in Philly!

Last night, Claudia and I headed off to Philly to pick up our race packets for the half tomorrow.  We also planned on hanging out in town for a relaxing girls night.  It was a blast!!

The race is a Rock and Roll Half and they had all sort of crazy stuff set up (this left picture looked like a stage or concert.  LoL.  Claudia is such a good sport too!

We picked up our packets and bags and wandered into the expo.  It was huge!  I expected nothing less (although Broad Street's was really tiny and I expect much more but hey, the registration fee is like nothing for that race).

The fitting rooms just made me laugh.  Brooks also had a huge circus area set up.  You could have your foot tested, run on their treadmills for them, play games, etc.  I won a t shirt and Claudia got a head scarf.  We also played with the fortune teller!

There was just way too much to look at and buy!  I like seeing the new products but I also check out tables like Gu and Sport Beans so I can get new flavors to try.  Then if I like them, I go on vitacost.com and buy a whole box at wholesale price.  Hehe.  Anyway, we also saw all this cool decals.  Of course I got the Fierce one for my FabFit ladies!

 

I think Rob needs the athletic supporter one!  He is always taking pictures for me!!  Some people from Biggest Loser was there.  I think that's the first time I've ever seen a famous person!  Even though I didn't know them, still!  Haha!  We picked up info on their foundation.  Sounds good.  Its about helping kids and there is no minimum fundraising goal to participate.

They also had a TRX set up that I was really bummed I missed.  By the time we got to that, the expo was closed and they had everything packed up.

We were sad we didn't have more time!  But neither of us could go today so we did what we could!  Then it was off to explore Philly.  We walked past my dream place (Starbucks AND Macy's?!)

We both found cool bars online to eat at.  We headed to the one I picked first because the menu seemed pretty good (and we were starving!).  It's down this scary little alley.  We would never had found it just wandering.  Anyway, it opened in 1860!  It is the oldest pub in the city and we LOVED it!  It was already packed around 6 but we found a table.  You just sit wherever.  We decided to sit upstairs, it was a little quieter.

We both ordered authentic foods I guess you can call it.  She got the pork with sauerkraut and potatoes and I got the German sausage plate (one piece of kalbasa and one bratwurst).  SO GOOD!  Pictures didn't come out though.  So glad we ordered those dishes and they were only $10!  Our whole bill for 2 dinners and 3 beers was like $32, in center city!!!!  Oh and of course I got pumpkin beer :)  Anyway, so off it was to the next bar a few blocks away.  On the way, I saw "Vintage Wine Bar" which Tina from CarrotsNCake had gone to when she was in Philly (I had checked her blog for places to go).  It was funny because I thought it was so far but we walked right past it!  Next time then!  Off we went to the Nodding Head Brewery.

This place was pretty good but very slow.  We each had a second.  Claudia tried this one that was supposed to be "tart".  It tastes like sweet tarts!  To me anyway, it was pretty good!  After this, it was late and decided to head back home.  We had passed a Gelato place on the way there so I said we had to stop.

O.M.G.  SO GOOD!  I love Philly, I'm moving.  Seriously.  This was right by the Vintage bar.  They had all these crazy flavors.  I got Thai Coconut and Fig together.  Delicious!  I definitely liked Claudia's better.  I didn't see it but they had Chocolate Hazelnut craziness (there was more in it) and it was to die for.  If you are in Philly, GO HERE.  Wow, I want to drive up there now just for more gelato!

Finally, we headed home.  I got a lot of stuff from the expo!

 I won the Brooks t-shirt and I really like the shirt for the race.  Its even a nice sweat wicking shirt!  I also bought those earbuds there (Yurbuds).  They are supposed to not fall out and they also let ambient sound in.  That was my biggest concern because I run on the shoulder of the road a lot and need to hear cars.  They let me put them in and stood there talking to me while I had music playing.  Pretty cool!  I was sold.  My last long run, I really wanted music the whole time.  Now I just have to find and charge my ipod!

 The stuff on the left is what I bought to try.  The Gu peach Chomps tried at the expo and they were delicious.  I will try to incorporate them into my marathon training!  I also got that bright yellow jacket.  It is a safety jacket and has reflector stuff all over it.  It was cheap (for the expo) and fit nice so I got it for my night time runs!  It was also nice and light weight so I can use it more than just in the winter.  All the samples on the right were FREE!  Love free!  And yay for Larabars!

So that's it!  Oh and I was soooo enjoying fall yesterday.  I wore my cute boots to work/out to Philly

I also had a cup on Pumpkin coffee from Wawa that is delicious!  I really love their pumpkin coffee, better than DD or Starbucks.  I know!  Better than Starbucks?!  It is... but I also had a Starbucks pumpkin latte at lunch time.  Hehe.  Ok, off to start my day.  Lots of water today and lots of healthy eats for my race tomorrow!  Excited!!!