I GOT MY FIT BIT :)

I first hear about the FitBit on Jo's website, a wonderfull blogger whom I have been following for over a year now. She is great and I discovered the item on her site, however since I live in Ireland it was a little tricky getting my hands on the item. FitBit as of yet does not ship to Europe so I had a friend in the States order the item for me and bring it back to me when coming on a holiday to Ireland, so I finally have it how. I would like to mention now that I am in no way sponsired by FitBit and anything in this post if entirely my own optinion, but I just had to write about it since Im in love with it. 

The FitBit is a great little gadget which is basically like a really good pedometer. Not only that but it also tells you the distance you have travelled in the day, estimated calorie burn, flights of staris climbed and your activity levels. Aparently for women it gives most accurete results when worn on a bra, so I use the belt clip and attach it to my bra everyday, it is very comfortable, I dont even feel it. It also at sometime gives you little messages like 'You Rock', 'Let's Go' or 'Hug Me'. Ontop of all of this the item also tracks your sleep. When you get the fit bit you also get a wristband in which the FitBit fits, so at night you attach it to your non dominant wrist (which in my case is the right) and turn on the sleep mode. The item will then track the kind of sleep you get, how long it takes you to get to sleep, how frequently you wake up and from that you can work out the REM. All this combined and it will tell you the quality of your sleep, mine seems to average 96%.

Im am over the moon, I actually got it about a week ago and I have used it everyday. I seem to do 10,000 to 15,000 a day without any additional exercise. Id like to do 20,000 most days without an addtional workout and then add steps for additional workouts.

But that is onlyone half of the FitBit...

Not only does it give you and all this data but it wirelessly transmits it to the FitBit website. As long as your computer is on, is connected to the internet and the docking station is attached it will automatically transmit all the current information to your FitBit account. On this website you can review all the data in one place, you can set goals, view timelines and see your data in charts. Setting goals here can help keep you motivated.

Here you also have a chance to track your food intake by chosing from their online database of foods or creating your own foods. The online system will compare your food intake to your energy ependiture on graphs and charts giving you an accurate view of your day to day relationship with food andexercise, giving you an opertunity to see issues and make changes where possible.

You can also join groups, and if you are lucky you can find one in your city orcountry. You can also make friends with other people with a FitBit account and compete and encourage eachother, this is helpfull as the system will automatically compare your daily steps. There are forums for further help and encouragement and technical advice if required.

You have the option of getting premium membership with the FitBit site for a subscription fee. This will allow you to get more detailed information from your FitBit and further advise on how to proceed further. For now I have devided not to avail of this.

So, so far I am very happy with my new gadget. Its give accurate information and thus provides encouragement. I would recommend it to anyone as the item only costs $99 and the website account is completely free, which I dont think it is for some of the FibBits competitiors. However I could be wrong, I have not tested any of the other similar products and can only speak from my own research and use of the FitBit. I would again like to mention that I am in no way being sponsored by FitBit or anyhing like that.

My BodPod Experience

So yesterday, I went to UCD- Belfield in Dublin to have a go at the BodPod. This is a machine that you sit into and somehow it measures your body fat percentage and your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) along with some other measureemnts.

I still had to work yesterday, which usually statrs at 9am, so I had to get up really early to go see the BodPod, my appointemnet was at 8. So even at that, with all the rush hour traffic I was still an hour late for work.

When I get there the gentleman asks me to change into shorts and a loose tshirt, he takes my hight and weight and then asks me to put on a swimming cap and sit in the BodPod (there is a picutre of a BodPod below) and then we do the test twice to make sure ots right. The test costs about €65 which is quite steep, but I think it was worth it.

I found out that my body fat percentage is 37%. 30%-40% an excess of fat and over 40% things begin to look grim. Goal one is to drop into the 22%-30% mark which is considered generally healthy.

My estiamted RMR was 1070 calories, so this is what I burn for one day if I do nothing but sit and breath. This leaves my usually daily life, without extercise, at 1327 calories and around 1626 calories. I think the plan is from here to eat 1200 cals a day.
 

Day 2 - Commit to a Diet Plan

So this is the fun part where we get to think about in what way we would like to lose weight. Firstly a primary diet is chosen, this is the main diet you will stick to and then a back up diet is chosen in case you falter on the first one and don't go on a binge. This is in case you slip-up on the first one you will not fall off the wagon and binge but instead continue with a different modified diet plan. Its so that if the first plan just isn't working for you can fall back on the backup plan.


Judith (the author) ask you to chose your two diets (I prefer the word 'Plans' more) carefully, so as not to set yourself up for failure before you have even started. She says to plan modifications into the 'Plan' so that when an on the spot decision comes along you do not deviate from the plan.

So here are my choices:

- Calorie counting and Gym

- Weight Watchers and Gym

I chose calorie counting and exercise as my main diet- this is the most merited and advised way to control wight loss and maintain the lost weight. There is a lot of research and information including studies and online tools that can help you to lose weight. There are also lots of books and such that can educate on this subject and one cam make it strict or easy as they like.

Also I will try and investigate this as much as possible to keep my motivation up. I am getting my fitbit soon and have taken a trip to the local bodpod :) I will use regular weigh ins and measurements as motivation also.

I think that weight watchers is a great plan to fall back on as its a little simpler than calories counting and its a good place to fall back on as it can be a bit more easy going. Sometimes the calorie counting gets heavy and meticulous.