What would we do without today’s technology?
I came across a quote on Pinterest the other day that said, “Without my cell phone, I wouldn’t: 1. Know what time it is; 2. Be able to solve a math question; 3. Know a single phone number; 4. Know the date; 5. Be able to text my friend when I’m at their house; 6. Take a snap shot at a picture-perfect time; 7. Be able to wake up from an alarm in the morning; 8. Find my way in the dark.”
I agree with all of the above and would like to add: 9. Know anything that I have to do or get done on any given day; 10. Have a grocery list or any list for that matter; 11. Be able to stalk my best friend’s ex-boyfriend’s new fiancé’s Facebook page.
Like most folks these days, I depend on technology to keep my life running smoothly, keep up with friends and family, and entertain myself for hours on end. But did you know that techie gadgets can actually help you get fit or even lose weight?
There are tons of gadgets on the market to track your calories burned, steps stepped, and/or your heart rate during any given activity. There’s also lots of good smartphone apps and websites out there to count your daily calories, fat, points, or whatever you like to count. But with all of the choices it can be hard to make the right decision. Luckily for you I’ve got all the details on my personal favorite fitness gadget and my favorite weight loss app/website to share with you today.
Motorola Motoactv
I’m convinced that the only reason anyone can tolerate the treadmill for any length of time whatsoever is simply to watch that ‘total calories burned’ number climb higher and higher. The heart rate monitor is pretty addicting too. Now you can step off the dreadmill and still keep an eye on your calorie burn and heart rate with the first ever GPS fitness tracker and MP3 player all in one, the Motorola Motoactv.
This thing is so cool. You can wear it as a watch, on an arm band, or just clip it on your waistband to track speed, distance, heart rate, and calories burned all while it measures your performance against your music to create a personal power play list to pump you up when you need a boost. It even syncs with your phone to take calls and view texts, tweets, and Facebook posts so that you never have to go digging for your phone to stay in the loop during a workout. And after you’re finished with your sweat session the Motoactv wirelessly uploads your data and conveniently charts your progress, which makes it easy to see how far you’ve come whether you’re training for a marathon or just trying to stay off the couch.
Lose It!
When I first started my weight loss journey, I knew that I had to not only change what I was eating but also (and in my case most importantly) the amount I was consuming. It doesn’t matter how healthy you’re eating if you’re ending up with too many calories every day.
I wasn’t sure exactly how many calories I needed to budget and so I started an account with loseit.com. When you sign up (on the website or via the Lose It! smartphone app), your calorie budget is calculated by your weight, height, sex, and how many pounds you want to lose every week. You log everything you put into your mouth (I use the iPhone app because it’s super convenient) in addition to entering your daily exercise and watch as the weight falls off.
In addition to calories, Lose It! also tracks fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar and protein because all that stuff is important, too. You can even enter custom foods and your own recipes. You’ll be cheered along for your diligence and can even post on facebook via Lose It! to hold yourself accountable. I started my 60 pound weigh loss with Lose It! and continue to go back again and again any time I need to streamline my daily calorie intake.
The Motorola Motoactv starts at $249.99 and is available at Verizon Wireless. Go to Motoactv.com for more information. Sign up for a free Lose It! account at loseit.com or download the free app for your smartphone or tablet.
Leah Sullivan of Columbus has been on a productive journey to a healthier lifestyle and shares some of her experiences with Dispatch readers. Follow {Nourish} on Facebook.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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