Gadgets and Gizmos

With my 100 mile month challenge coming up starting on Sunday, I thought I would mention some gadgets that might just make it easier.

The first is technically an app, I mention all the time. My Fitness Pal (which can also be used online- no smartphone required!) This free website is how I made the plan that has helped me lose 31 pounds so far. I love this site!

Another handy gadget for helping, is a pedometer. I have this one:

And it is nice to know how far you walk! If you are using a pedometer to gauge your steps for the 100 mile challenge, just estimate your stride length!

The last item on my list is actually an item on my wishlist. A heart monitor.

This one from Amazon is pink, and it doubles as a pedometer, so score!

Keeping track of your heart rate is a great way to monitor your fitness and weight loss, and gauge how hard your body is working.  The way to use it is really simple- take your resting heart rate first thing when you wake up.

Then calculate your "max" heart rate. You can pay for someone to calculate all this for you with a treadmill and stuff, or you can use a basic formula. A good rule of thumb is 220- your age is a rough estimate of your max.

Then all you need is a little math, to tell you what your zones are.

Zones 2-3 are where you want to be for aerobic fitness and 4 &5 are anaerobic (basically you build muscle not burn fat) 

The easy/ free way to monitor your heart rate (which is what I do now) is the talking/ singing rule. 

If you can sing, you aren't working out hard enough, if you can't talk you are working out too hard.

For me a sign of fitness is how hard I have to work to get into a certain heart rate zone. At first- just thinking about the gym made me sweat, and 5 minutes on the elliptical got my heart rate up there. Now I have to be seriously rocking out with the resistance up to get my heart rate going when I fist start to work out. That little bit of progress helps me keep going, and push just a little more. 

Regardless of which zone you are in for your 100 miles, even if you do the whole month in zone one, Just think of how far you will have gone! And you will see how fast your body gets used to the work! 

Back to it and "Resolutioners"

New year means being back on the bandwagon. I know I ate poorly and sat around too much over the holidays.
So the new year is a food chance/ excuse to get myself back on track with eating right and working out. The downside to the whole "healthy new year" concept is the frustration of a jam packed gym, full of new years resolutioners.

This year I'm just hoping they buy a lot of home use equipment, then give up early and sell it for cheap on the internet. We got an elliptical machine, but i can totally see why the last owners sold it, it is squeaky and definitely not as great as the ones at the gym.

But this is my year. I'm back on My Fitness Pal (which I highly recommend) you don't need a smartphone to use it, and there is no special diet. You just tell it your weight and your goals, and it reinforces every positive thing you do. Oh and it's free. So if you are a resolutioner, definitely check it out! (www.myfitnespal.com)