gym

Upgraded To The Fitbit Charge 3

December 12, 2018

I’m a sucker for Fitbit. I’ve had pretty much all the different options you could own. As my workouts and needs changed, I found myself upgrading along the way. If you’re reading this Fitbit, it would be awesome if you offered a trade in program or something. Anyway, during Black Friday, tons of stores were offering some pretty heavy discounts. I walked myself over to Target and grabbed the new Charge 3. Now that I’ve owned it for a bit, I feel it’s a good time to give some thoughts on it!

I’ll start with the way it fits. I have pretty small wrists and don’t like anything too large. I find the Charge 3 the perfect size for me. The screen isn’t overwhelming and the band offers enough options for the right fit. I haven’t had any irritation yet with this band either. In the past I’ve had issues with the band that comes with the Fitbit but so far so good this time around. I do give my skin a break though when I take a shower. Even though the Charge 3 is water/swim proof, I still take it off just to give my skin a rest.

Now onto the fun stuff! I love that I can start or end a workout via the device and don’t have to worry about using my phone. You can pick a number of workouts for easy access via the screen. A few of my options include elliptical, weights, and workout. I use the “workout” option for my Saturday morning floor/chair class! I find the calorie counts to be pretty exact. When compared with a workout machine, they’re pretty close to the same. I always assume that a machine will overestimate since it’s not programed for you. My heart rate is pretty similar to what the machine reads as well. All in all, I’m pretty confident in the information that the Charge 3 supplies. Just like with the other devices, it’ll remind you to get your steps in for the hour (mine is set to 250 steps an hour). You can change the watch face too if you want. There aren’t too many options right now but most will show the time/date, your steps, and if you want your heart rate. Hopefully they’ll add more down the road. Oh and this one counts stairs as well! Not just steps. If that’s something you care about.

All in all, I’m pretty impressed with my Charge 3. I think it does a better job of auto detecting workouts vs the Alta HR (which was my last device). While on a trip visiting Karl and Jenna, it automatically picked up our 80 minute walk around an awesome cemetery. That means I feel it reads active minutes a little better as well. Honestly, the biggest advantage is being able to start workouts via the Charge 3. I had issues in the past with the Alta HR picking up elliptical workouts and it never really read my Saturday morning classes either. It was a pain in the ass to try and guesstimate calorie burn or remember to note whatever the machine said at the end of a workout. If you’re someone who’s torn between the Alta HR and the Charge 3, I’d highly recommend the Charge 3. I feel like it’s the perfect device if you feel the Versa is a bit much but the Alta HR doesn’t really hit all the items on your list. Right now you can grab one from Amazon for $130 Be sure to keep an eye on the Fitbit site as well as they’ve been having a number of sales lately. Other options include Target and Best Buy!

Do any of you have a Charge 3 or another Fitbit? What do you guys think? Does it help you move more? Let me know in the comments!

From 136lbs To 128.8lbs!

January 17, 2018

I wasn’t sure about writing this post yet. I didn’t want to jinx any of the hard work I’ve been doing but then I realized that was dumb as hell! At my heaviest weight I was around 135/136 and I hated it. I’m very short (4 10) and all my short people out there know we carry weight differently than our taller counterparts. If we gain 5lbs, everyone knows. It doesn’t take much for clothes to feel tight, it doesn’t take much to feel sluggish. I’m not one to diet though. I don’t want to start something I know won’t be sustainable, that’s why I’m simply counting calories and working out. That’s it. I’m not joining some fad diet, or doing some weird juice cleanse. What I did do was rejoin MyFitnessPal. I didn’t just start using it again, I started 100% over. I deleted my old account and started a new one. I wanted to have a clean slate for this new journey. I joined /r/LoseIt on Reddit as well and found a really helpful and supportive community! Plus there’s the Powerpuff Bloggers group on Facebook! Of course there’s the support of friends like Katy who’s on her own journey. It’s nice to have someone who you can vent to but also understands the struggles. Xpose Fitness has played a huge part in all of this as well. As you all know, I love my classes that I take and it helps me get to the gym during the week because I want to keep the good vibes going.

I wasn’t sure about writing this yet because I haven’t hit my first goal. Instead of having one giant goal and feeling overwhelmed by it, I’m doing smaller goals and adjusting along the way. The first weight goal is 125lbs. I have no date set for it. Whenever I hit it, I hit it. Do you know how much stress that takes off?! A ton! There’s no fighting the calendar or worrying about an event that’s months away. I fully believe that small victories are a huge part of hitting whatever your end goal might be. I’ll be honest in the fact that I don’t have one yet. I know I’ll never be down to my lowest weight, and that’s fine! I’m not 21 years old anymore. I’m 35 and I have boobs and an ass. And I like them! But I also have a bit of a pouch and some extra jiggle that I don’t like. And guess what? That’s fine too. Because in the end, it’s about how you feel about your body. No one else but you wakes up in your body every day. You’re the only one who deals with it 24/7. And while we’re on the topic of how we feel about our bodies, please refrain from making certain statements to friends or family who are trying to drop a few pounds or get healthy. I know I’m not “fat.” I know I look pretty fine. I know all of this, but again it’s not what you think about their bodies or health. It’s how they feel. When we’re sharing our progress or thoughts we’re not looking for reassurance, or fishing for compliments. Trust me, if I want/need compliments you’ll know it! We’re just sharing! Just like we share everything else on social media. If I talk about a vacation I have booked, I’m not looking for suggestions on other options. If I post about a cosplay I’m planning, I’m not looking for input for the next one. And look, I know you mean well. We all do. And I’m sure 99% of us (myself included) are guilty of telling someone “But you’re fine!.” Just stop and think next time when someone is sharing about their weight before responding is all I’m asking. We know you mean well, but when every other comment is kinda along the same lines, it gets annoying quick.

If you’re someone who’s trying to get into a new healthy habit, I highly recommend checking out the groups I mentioned above. They’re great places for finding support, workout ideas, recipes, and more. Plus LoseIt has scheduled challenges which can help put a little fire under you if you feel like you’ve been slacking a bit. I’m taking part in my first challenge and I’m pretty excited about it! If you’re looking to get started at home, I want to mention I saw some workout related gear in the “Dollar Spot” at Target. I noticed yoga mats, water bottles, cute gym bags, yoga blocks, and a few other things. The prices ranged from $3-$5. I think right now via Cartwheel you can get 30% off of Champion brand workout clothing too. Don’t quote me on the amount though, double check via the app! TJ Maxx has some great pricing on things too! I actually bought my super thick yoga mat there for just $12 compared to $25-$30 at other stores. Seriously, if you’re like me and your knees are kinda shitty, invest in a decent mat! You’ll thank me later.

Alright, this post is getting too long but if anyone out there is on a related journey, you can do it! I believe in you. It’s hard but it’ll be worth it. You didn’t gain the weight overnight, don’t expect it to vanish overnight either!

Gym Frustrations

February 13, 2017

All I want is for the scale to move. That’s it! I mean, the nice thing is it hasn’t moved in the “wrong” direction. And I know, it’s not about numbers and all that jazz. I do “feel” better but I want to start looking better too. I’ve cut out soda, drink pretty much nothing but water, watch my calories, work out on a pretty regular basis now, and nothing. It’s just frustrating and I know plenty of you out there have felt the same way when going on a journey like this. And that’s the thing, I know it’s something that takes time but that’s dumb.

This post is more of a rant than anything. I know this is just part of the cycle of trying to make changes. I hope everyone else is hanging in there too with their health goals. It’s not easy guys, but we got this.

Check Out These Nerdy Workout Tops From Activate Apparel!

November 7, 2014

It’s the little thing in life that motivate my ass to get to the gym. The little things like fun shirts from Activate Apparel! I honestly don’t know how I found them. I think I did a search for “nerdy workout shirts” and they popped up. I’ve already bought two tanks from them and can’t wait to buy more.

These are the two tanks I have. If you’re thinking about ordering I’d go a size up. I went with a large and it fits pretty good. I think a medium might have been a little snug. It all comes down to personal comfort though! I like my shirts to be a little loose when I’m working out. Plus my boobs get in the way. They don’t have just tanks though. They offer tees and sweatshirts too! It doesn’t matter what kind of workout you do either, running or weights. They have something fun for everyone! Here are a few more I have my eye on:

Ok, that was more than a few but oh well. If you have a gym rat in your life though, these shirts would make a great gift this holiday season! Do you own any nerdy workout shirts? If so, where do you find yours? I’m always looking for more!

One Month Done!

February 1, 2013

It’s been about a month since I started using MyFitnessPal again and started hitting the gym. I didn’t make it to the gym as often as I had liked, life happens, but something is better than nothing. Here’s what I burned in the month of January!

1/7: 34 Minutes/298 Calories
1/9: 52 Minutes/534 Calories
1/10: 47 Minutes/470 Calories
1/14: 48 Minutes/430 Calories
1/16: 57 Minutes/530 Calories
1/23: 30 Minutes/241 Calories
1/28: 42 Minutes/408 Calories
1/30: 36 Minutes/317 Calories

All of that was done on the elliptical. I love that machine! As you can see I try to do at least 30 minutes but a few times I almost made an hour. It’s funny, as much as I don’t like people, I find that gym time passes faster when I have someone to talk to. Sometimes there’s a coworker on the machine next to me and we’ll talk about random things like football or how much college costs. Of course if I’m alone I just watch the TV the gym has or just stick my earphones on and rock out.

And since I started keeping track of calories I’ve dropped 6lbs! I started at around 130 and right now I’m at 124. The best part is I see a difference as well. My pants aren’t as tight, my muffin top isn’t as bad and I just feel better. It’s amazing what you can do when you really want to do it. Now if I know I’m going out to eat I try to look info up before I head out. I’ve been trying to cut out the soda (it’s a battle) and drink more water. Granted, I normally consider my weekends “free” and don’t track as much, especially since I’ve been watching the Ravens which means extra food and beer! It’s not like I’m shoving my face though, I still try to watch what I eat.

Hopefully I’ll be able to make it to the gym more this month. I want to try to throw in an Xpose Fitness (stripperobics) class too if I can. I might actually try to do that tomorrow if I have the time.

Oh and in September I plan on taking part in a Color Run 5k. I actually really dislike running but it looks really fun!

Is anyone else out there hitting the gym?