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You are here: Home / Archives for Life / body mind spirit

My 5 Favourite Health and Fitness Apps #NewMapsGirl

February 11, 2014 by Wendy S

Fitness Apps

Over the last 5 months, I’ve been gathering an arsenal of heath and fitness apps to help keep me motivated on track to reach my goal.

Here are my top 5 favourites! I hope they help you like they help me!


myfitnesspal #1

myfitnesspal

Cost: Free

 This app allows me to track:myfitnesspal_logo-300x64

  • my food intake
  • water intake
  • exercise
  • progress

What I like about it:

  • lots of foods are in the database
  • can set up reminders to enter your food
  • easy to add food, exercise and water
  • lots of reports for nutrition, progress
  • can connect with friends and support each other
  • can track using the app and it syncs with myfitnesspal.com

appstore


Nike+ FuelBand#2

Nike+ FuelBand

Cost: Free

nike fuel band** Please note: This requires you to own a Nike+ FuelBand.  Other fitness trackers (ie. FitBit) may have their own apps **

Craig and I each have a Nike+ FuelBand which tracks the amount of movement we do throughout the day.  It assigns “Fuel points” and you can set daily goals for the number of Fuel points you want to achieve.

Based on your height and weight, the FuelBand tells you the number of steps you have taken and  the calories burned.

It also makes for a cool watch!

What I like about it:

  • easy to set up and use
  • easy to sync the band to the app
  • can connect with friends and support each other
  • works with Nike+ Running (see below)

appstore


nike-plus-gps-icon#3

Nike+ Running

Cost: Free

 The Nike+ Running app is a great running app!  It uses the GPS feature in your phone to track your route.

What I like about it:

  • easy to use
  • connects with Nike+ account and syncs with Nike+ FuelBand data
  • can sync into mapmyfitness.com (see below)

appstore


MapMyFitness#4

mapmyfitness

Cost: Free

 Another running app?  Sort of.  I’m hoping that this becomes a “bridging” app.  Nike+ data doesn’t sync directly into myfitnesspal.

Here’s how I hope I can get it to work:

  • Nike+ FuelBand data is synced into mapmyfitness
  • mapmyfitness data syncs into myfitnesspal

Currently only data entered directly into mapmyfitness gets pushed across to myfitnesspal.  Since the Nike+ data is synced, it doesn’t seem to get pushed across.  I’m hoping there will be more integration between the two.  This is very new and you can read more about the MapMyFitness / myfitnesspal integrations: MapMyFitness, MyFitnessPal announce API integration

What I like about it:

  • it will track my walks (running is tracked in the Nike+ Running)
  • you can connect with friends and support each other

appstore


WaterMinders#5

WaterMinder

Cost: $0.99

I just recently found this app while browsing the iPhone AppStore.  And what a find it is!

You enter your height and weight and it calculates how much water you need to consume!

What I like about it:

  • reminders throughout the day to tell you that you need to drink water and/or enter how much water you’ve consumed
  • it figures out how much water you need

appstore


Just so you know: I wasn’t paid a dime for this post. I truly like these apps and want to help others who are working towards a healthier lifestyle.

Filed Under: body mind spirit, Life, techie tips Tagged With: fitness, health, iPhone apps, motivation

Getting Healthy: The tale of the tape #NewMapsgirl

February 10, 2014 by Wendy S

Saturday morning, I woke up excited. I was meeting with Mike, my trainer, again to change up my workout. I had been focusing on the workout that he set out for me back in September and I was ready for a change. Since I see Mike at the gym all the time, he had casually mentioned to me that we should check my measurements the next time we got together.

After a good breakfast and a bit of coffee, I was a the gym by 9:30am.

Getting helthy - Tale of the Tape #NewMapsgirlJust as Mike said, we were checking my progress.  If you remember from the last time he did this, I ended up crying in the middle of the gym.    Today I was more confident because I knew that there were changes: the number on the scale was going down and I had to buy new pants at Christmas time. I was excited to see how my measurements had changed.

 photo IMG_90861.jpg

September 19th

Weight – 171lbs
Body fat% – 33.2
Chest – 40″
Waist – 37″
Hip – 46″
Thigh – 24″
Bicep – 13″

February 8th

Weight – 150lbs
Body fat % – 28.4
Chest – 37″
Waist – 33.5″
Hip – 42.5″
Thigh – 22″
Bicep – 12″

 

I didn’t have time to stop and do the math so I just had to go with Mike’s reaction that my numbers looked really good.  I knew that numbers going down was meant that what I was doing was working!

New workout = new challenges

The rest of our session was a lesson on free weights.  I had been using the machines up until then but he said that it was time to take to the next level. 

I felt like I was starting all over again.  I had to learn new body positions and posture and how to properly control with weights through the movements. I felt so uncoordinated.

How big was the loss?

But after our session, before my 20 minutes on the elliptical, I had to find out what all those numbers added up to.

I started with
Total inches = 160

And now I’m at
Total inches = 147

That’s 21 lbs and 13″ lost!

I was so excited!  I totally rocked my 20 minutes on the elliptical!  I am so proud of me!! 

What a difference 13″ makes

 photo 21lbs.jpg

When I looked at the photos, my jaw dropped. 

“Wow.  I really looked like that?!?”

Gotta keep going!

I’m so excited to keep going on this path!  My hard work is paying off. I feel better, I have more energy and I’m getting healthy! 

Current goals:

  • decrease my body fat
  • build more muscle
  • run another 5K
  • decide what my target weight should be (gotta talk with Mike about this one)

Are you focused on health too??

NewBDKIf you want to link up on myfitnesspal or join in on this amazing journey, let me know!  Craig and I are surrounding ourselves with an amazing support network who motivates and supports each other — body, mind and spirit. 

Filed Under: body mind spirit, Life Tagged With: #NewMapsgirl

Things I’ve learned since I’ve started running again!

January 3, 2014 by Wendy S

Over the last few months, I’ve started running again.  There are few things that I have discovered and some are a bit funny!

In no particular order…

Snowman running…running in 0 degree weather in Canada (or probably anywhere) sucks!

Leading up to my 5K race in Florida for runDisney, I ran 5K outside twice to prepare myself for the length.  However, it was cold outside.  I came to the immediate concision that cold-weather running is not for me.

feet…cut your toenails before they rip apart their neighbouring toes

On my first practice 5K run, I slapped on my shoes and away I went.  My feet were sore, but I thought that was because it was the first time I had run that far in a while.  When I took my shoe off, my sock was red.  Futher examination, one toe nail cut the skin of the toe beside it.  Ouch!

Casual…good headphones are essential (my ear buds aren’t cutting it)

I’m on the quest for good headphones that will stay in my ears.  Constantly poking my iPhone earbuds back in is getting tedious.

Run-Disney-Logo…runDisney is a great motivator

I’m so glad that I got invited to do the Jingle Jungle 5K with runDisney.  It got me back into a level of working out that I was hoping I could achieve!

itunes3…good music at the right tempo is essential

I need to go though my music and set up some play lists based on the speeds that I run.  I think having a constant beat would keep me moving without wanting to slow down when the music slows down. There are a few apps out there that you can select the music you want by the pace that you’re running.  Maybe I should look into one of those.

516JferDAOL._SX300_…always go to the bathroom before you leave

Half way through a 5K run is the wrong time to figure out you need to go!

 

Do you run? What interesting or quirky things have you found about running??

Filed Under: body mind spirit, Life Tagged With: exercise, health, running

Understanding MyFitnessPal: Goals, exercise and calories

January 2, 2014 by Wendy S

myfitnespalal-infoIn several posts, I have written about the fact that I use myfitnesspal.com to track my food and my exercise.

Since it took me a little bit of time to understand what it all means and how it works, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned!

 

 

 

What do the numbers mean?

MyFitnessPal - SetupWhen you set up myfitnesspal, you’ll be asked some info:

  • weight
  • goal weight
  • height
  • age
  • activity level
  • exercise frequency
  • your goal (ie. how much weight per week)

This will determine your “Your Suggested Fitness And Nutrition Goals”

  • net calories
  • calories burned per week.

When I set up myfitnesspal, it gave me these goals:

  • Net Calories consumed/day —  1,200 cal/day
  • Calories Burned / Week  — 760 Calories / Week  (based on 3 45-minute workout sessions)

Net calories consumed = total calories consumed – exercise calories burned

The more exercise I do, the more I can eat.

Each day, I enter the foods that I eat (3 meals, plus snacks) and the exercise/activities that I do.   I not only track the 3 workouts at the gym, but that 30 minutes of vacuuming and 20 minutes of scrubbing the bathroom counts too!  (How do I get started using myfitnesspal.com?)

As yesterday was New Year’s Day, it was a lazy day.  I didn’t burn a lot of calories (burned 196 calories) so I watched what I ate  (consumed 1220 calories). This leaves me with 176 calories left to eat (the big green number, below).

My Fitness Pal - Calories

On the days that I go to the gym, I eat good foods that are higher in calories because I’ll need that energy at the gym.

 You have to eat.

And you have to eat the right foods.

Constantly being below your calorie goal isn’t healthy.  The daily calorie goal that myfitnesspal gives you is low enough that you’ll lose weight at the rate you specified. You don’t need to eat less than that to lose more.  Your body needs calories (ie. energy) to keep going. You   As you exercise, you can eat more.

If you do a lot of activity that burns a lot of calories, you’ll need to eat the right foods to have the energy to do those activities.  At the end of the day, your Net Calories should equal your Goal Calories.

Planning is very important.  You’ll want to eat the high calorie (ie. high energy) foods before you do your activities so you can do those activities well and without getting tired.

Here is a great article from Heart & Stroke – Healthy Weight.

In the end of the article, they talk about the importance of not allowing yourself to feel hungry:

One way to stay on track during tough times is to minimize that struggle between mind and body. If your body perceives starvation, it will try to protect itself. If you were denied food for a day or two, you would feel hunger. If you were denied food for a week or more that hunger would become a complete and relentless obsession with food. At the same time, the body lags — feeling fatigued as the metabolism slows. Once food is made available, your incredible hunger combined with a slow metabolism make weight gain inevitable. So avoid starving yourself. Instead, load up on healthy foods that won’t leave you feeling deprived.

Food is not the enemy, food is energy.  Food will only harm you if you choose to eat the wrong food.

 

Get tracking!


I am not a doctor, dietician or trainer. I am only a woman who is focused on being healthy. You should always check with a trained professional to find out what is right for you.

Filed Under: body mind spirit, Life

New Life’s Resolutions

January 1, 2014 by Wendy S

The calendar now says 2014, but I’ve already started my “New Life’s” resolutions.  Yes, you read that correctly; it’s not a typo.

I have never been one to make and/or keep “New Year’s” resolutions.  So now, I’m making resolutions for  my New Life.  A lot more staying power when you commit to something for more than just one year.

New Life Resolutions

Back in October, I wrote a goodbye post to the old me.  My new way of life includes better eating and lots of exercise. Since then, I’ve been going to the gym 3 days a week, I’ve continued to eat healthy, and I’ve lost 17 lbs!  Yay me!

Craig is 110% on board as well!  I’m so glad that we are in this together.  He has had some great accomplishments so far:  smaller clothes, adding holes to his belt, and people complimenting him on how great he looks.  He’s writing about his journey on his blog — bigdaddykreativ.ca

 

As we look forward into 2014 and beyond, I want to make some promises to myself and my family:

check-mark-2-256I will focus on my health and the health of my family

We’ll eat better and stay active. Teaching the girls good eating and exercise habits is so important.

Check MarkI will keep going to the gym

That seems pretty simple, but with our busy schedules, it can be hard. I have put my workouts on our family calendar. This will show that I’m not just “fitting in a workout”, but it is important enough as anything else on the calendar.  My mom got Craig and I gift certificates for a month each at Snap Fitness Burloak with a 30 minutes session with Mike!  I love that she is so supportive of us.

Check MarkI will run in the Ford Canada JDRF Run on April 26, 2014

Last year, when Craig covered the event on all of Ford Canada’s social media channels, I said “Next year I will run this!” So I am.

Does anyone want to run with me??

Check MarkI will stop saying “Just a sec” when my kids want to show me something

It’s very easy for me to get too focused on something that isn’t as important as my family. This will stop.

Check MarkI will spend more time with my family.

There were several people in my life who lost a loved ones over the last few months. Deaths are a vivid reminder that life is in God’s time  and you never know how long anyone has. The girls love spending time with their cousins, something I didn’t get to do as my cousins lived far away, so if we can make this happen, we will.

Check MarkI will make phone calls.

How silly does that sound? It is too easy send a quick email or text to a friend. Life needs to slow down for a few minutes. I will pick up the phone and call some friend who I haven’t spoken with in a while.

Check MarkI will love me a little bit more.

And that sounds conceited and self-centered, not like me at all. But I have spent too many years being worried about with how I look. This is not what I want to be teaching my girls. For the longest time I said to myself, “When I’m skinnier, I will get skinny jeans with cool boots”. I’m not at my goal yet, but I am skinnier. I’ve lost 17 lbs! And that is to be celebrated! I bought the skinny jeans, now I just need the boots.

 

Here to family and boots! Friends and phones!

 


Do you make resolutions?

What are you goals for your better life??


Filed Under: body mind spirit, Life

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mapsgirl@gmail.com

Why “mapsgirl” ?

Wendy is a cartographer! She draws maps!

When not mapping, Wendy is also a mom to two daughters. They are the inspiration of this blog. Passionate about child passenger safety, Wendy was a certified Car Seat Technician in Ontario, Canada from 2008 to 2020. [Read More …]

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