Thursday, September 26, 2013

30/30 Challenge and FitBit Flurry

I've not been a happy camper. I upped my exercise a little bit and am tracking my food again and guess what? The scale went up. BAH! Yes, it could be I am building some muscle, but somehow I don't think it is. It could be stress. I tend to pooh-pooh the stress levels I live with, as normal living that everyone does. Maybe I have more stress than I think I do? Whatever the reason, I am not thrilled that the scale is not going back into the 180's, like I think it should be. I am not over exercising. Sometimes you can over exercise and under eat. That isn't the case with me.

One constant throughout the past six months or more, has been my yoga class, twice a week. I have slacked off on walking. Biking stopped when the hot weather hit. I did finally get back in the gym and am still going there. The workouts have been mediocre at best. My heart is not in it. I wish I had money for a trainer, but I don't. The trainer I used to work with is affordable but is not available. I am trying to suck it up and do something that resembles a workout in the gym, but so far it has been hit and miss.

What am I going to try to do next? Well, I bought a FitBit and have been using it for almost two weeks now. I am liking this gadget a lot! I can see where it isn't for everyone, but for me, it is almost perfect. I like it best for tracking steps, activity, sleep patterns, and their badges help motivate. You get new badges for accomplishing things. Two that I recently got were this one for flights of stairs walked:
I was actually walking in a very hilly area. I was surprised that hills count as flights of stairs. (duh) I like that I can walk stairs without actually walking stairs. Hills are easier on knees than actual stair steps.

The other recent badge was this one for having walked over 10,000 steps:

Fitbit has motivated me several times. I seem to have a competitive nature inside me. When I noticed I was only a few hundred steps from 10,000, I made it a point to walk extra steps to achieve that! 

I really love the sleep tracking feature. I found out I slept more than I thought I did. I sleep about the same when using medication vs no medication. That really surprised me. I thought when I was on my medication, I slept better. I found out that wasn't true. 

Next week I go in for my annual checkup. I plan to ask doc about my meds. I originally took them to help 'turn off my brain' so I could fall asleep and not be anxious about things in life. I do not like taking a chemical aide to control anxiety or depression or sleep. That includes smoking and alcohol too. This is the part of changing my lifestyle that has become the hardest. The mental issues. Yes, I just said I am mental. I think most of us are. I'd like to say all of us, but I don't believe in absolutes. 

So what am I doing to change things around this time? I am starting a 30/30 challenge! Starting today I pledge to walk 30 minutes a day for 30 days in a row. I already got my first 30 done this morning! I am including the support group where I co-teach weight loss and healthier living classes. I was pleasantly surprised at the positive response from the group members! This will keep me more motivated as well as hopefully motivating my fellow support group at the same time!

This afternoon I plan to go to the gym before getting my son at school. I have been going in the mornings, but I would rather walk in the mornings. I don't know how this will go, but I am going to give it a try. I also need to make a chart to put up at the center so the group and I can track how well we are doing with this 30/30 challenge. 

That's it for today. I hope you have a great weekend! Join in the fun and pledge to do a 30/30 challenge with me! After all, it is one way you can "Walk-On"!!!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Love your 30/30 challenge.

I'm in!

And I agree, U R MENTAL !!!
(but in a GOOD way.)

Good thoughts for others
Good research for real facts
Good openness for new ideas/ways
Good perseverance for stay'n at it

Plus summer's gone & Fall is here!

FALL Glorious FALL...My Favorite

Robert

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