Simple Success with the Weight Watchers Simple Start App

I was given a free one month subscription to Weight Watchers to try their new Simple Start plan and write about my experience.Though I was compensated for my time and commitment, all views, positive and negative, are my own.

Weight Watchers Simple Start App success  #SimpleStart

Over the past two weeks I’ve jumped back in to the Weight Watchers lifestyle with the help of the Weight Watchers Simple Start app. And during these two weeks I’ve learned a lot about myself and what I’m capable of.

Now I’ve never had problems losing weight. it’s sticking with a weight loss plan/healthy lifestyle that I have trouble with. But luckily I’ve found over these two weeks that Simple Start is my answer to this problem.

Whenever I get tired of counting points I can simply switch to Simple Start for two weeks to reset myself and focus on eating until I am comfortably full and satisfied while still trying to get the good health guidelines in. [Read more…]

Creating a Healthy Lifestyle with Weight Watchers Simple Start

I was given a free one month subscription to Weight Watchers to try their new Simple Start plan and write about my experience.Though I was compensated for my time and commitment, all views, positive and negative, are my own.

Creating a Healthy Lifestyle with Weight Watchers Simple Start #SimpleStart

It all starts with a plan. And attainable goals. What might seem like small little changes will eventually start to turn into a large lifestyle change. That’s what Weight Watchers Simple Start has provided for me.

Now I’ve been on Weight Watchers before. Before having my son, and then again after the birth of my son and my daughter. However keeping track of points, logging in, and staying on track proved to get away from me when I started showing signs of success, usually around the 25 pound loss mark.

So with a new year comes a new goal… to not hop off the wagon! To stay OP (on plan) and to try new things. That’s why I love that Weight Watchers has this new Simple Start app that can help me follow the simply filling plan easier for two weeks to reset my eating habits and get me on the right track. Without counting points. [Read more…]

What Fitbit Should I Get? {Fitbit Buying Guide}

Disclaimer - Review Posts
Fitbit Buying Guide

Over the past two years of being a Fitbit Ambassador one of the first questions someone asks me is what is the difference between the devices? Now I’m more than happy to sit down with someone and chat about the devices. I ask them what they’re looking for in the device and try and figure out what product would best suit them. No… I’m not paid to do this!

So I figured I’d put it all down in writing for others to see. And I was able to get some of my Fitbit loving friends to let me know why they love the device they own. Some of these friends purchased their Fitbit after chatting with me (and doing their own research) so I’m always excited to hear how much they love them.

I’ll give a brief description of each device below and include a link to my review as well as a link taking you to Amazon to purchase them. The Amazon link is an affiliate code. If you don’t want to use it, feel free to bypass it and search Amazon in a separate window. I don’t mind either way. Then at the very end of this post I’ve created a comparison chart for a quick glance at the differences between each device. [Read more…]

Bringing Fitness and Friends Together with Fitbit One

Fitbit One display

Getting back in shape this time around has been a very social journey. If it wasn’t for the help and support of my friends I don’t think I would have come as far as I have in my quest to getting down to my goal weight. So when I was asked to review the Fitbit One I knew I’d be able to utilize all that Fitbit has to offer with the help of my friends.

You see, Fitbit devices aren’t just pedometers, they’re a way to connect and check in with friends  in a friendly, competitive way to help motivate us to keep moving.

Since I was already familiar with the Zip and Flex, the One quickly found a home with me as I put it to work each day monitoring my steps, stairs, and sleep. [Read more…]

Keep Moving in Style with the New Fitbit Flex

fitbit flex

It’s no surprise that over the past few months I’ve kicked up the motivation and have started moving more regularly. Since first being introduced to Fitbit and receiving my Ultra I’ve increased the steps I take daily from an average of 5,000 to 10,000.

As a Fitbit ambassador I’ve enjoyed testing out and reviewing the products Fitbit continually creates and I love how much better each product gets!

Since first receiving my Ultra I’ve had the chance to try out the Fitbit Zip and Fitbit Aria scale. And now my Fitbit family includes the new Fitbit Flex. As soon as I saw that my Flex arrived for review I started jumping for joy and quickly figured out how to charge and use it ASAP.

Oh my wow! I am in LOVE with the Fitbit Flex. Not only do I consider it a fashionable accessory, I love how it keeps me on track and determined to constantly push myself through the day.

[Read more…]

5 Free Apps for Weight Loss Motivation

5 Free Apps for Weight Loss Motivation

With the craziness that is my life I rely on technology to get me through the day. Whether that’s scheduling doctors appointments, keeping in contact with my friends and family, or staying motivated to lose weight. In order to continue leading a healthy lifestyle I’ve relied heavily on a few great apps to get me through the day and stay on track with my weight loss plan.

These 5 apps are not only easy to access if you have a smartphone, they’re also free! And you might have already downloaded them to your smartphone and didn’t even know it. So head over to your app store and check these out if you’re looking for great motivation to get in shape and stay healthy.

[Read more…]

Staying Organized In The Kitchen: Meal Planning

Meal Planning Kitchen Organization

One of my biggest resolutions this year is to get organized. I plan to organize the house, my work schedule, and, of course, my road to a healthier life.

In order to save time and money as well as stay on plan with my healthy eating, I like to meal plan once a week. This helps me gauge how many calories I’ll need left over in the evening and helps the husband know what we’re having for dinner every night.

And because I’m already going through the trouble of writing out a meal plan, I also write out a grocery list and print the recipes I’m going to use in advance so that I can cut coupons and grocery shop right after I’m done.

My system is simple but very efficient and I’d love to share it!

[Read more…]

On the Move with the FitBit Ultra

When I started my weight loss journey this time around I knew I needed something that could easily track my fitness. I have a heart rate monitor but I only wear it when I’m going to the gym so I wanted something that would be great for all day use.

And since sadly I haven’t found enough time to fit in the gym, I’ve been trying to stay active in my day-to-day activities by walking more and doing at-home training. So it’s hard to track all that I’m doing to stay fit.

That’s when I found the FitBit Ultra. And I’ve been in love ever since.

The FitBit Ultra wirelessly tracks any and all activity in the form of how many steps are taken each day, calories burned, and how far you’ve traveled, with it’s 3-D motion sensor (think: Wii technology). All in one little device that securely attaches anywhere from your waistband to your bra to the clip it comes with. It can even track floors climbed with the new altimeter technology built in. This device is much, much more than a pedometer.

I love securing it to my pocket or waist during the day and even while running around with the kids and getting up and down 100x it has never once fallen off. It can be attached via the clip that comes with it or by simply attaching the device to your waist, bra, or pocket.

And if you’re worried about someone noticing this device, don’t. It’s so small that I’ve only once been asked about it and that’s only because a friend had read a previous blog post where I mentioned using the FitBit. She didn’t even know I was wearing it at the time!

I keep the FitBit docking station on my nightstand plugged into my laptop. That way I remember to wear it as soon as I get up and I place it back on the dock when I go to sleep. I absolutely love how easy it is to keep track of everything. All of the data is instantly sent to my computer wirelessly without me having to push a button.

AND I get super awesome reports with a run down of my activity each day. A summary of the previous week is even emailed to me so I can keep up with how active I am over the course of 7 days.

Take a look at what a typical day looks like for me: 

How awesome is this for motivation?

I’m always trying to beat the previous day’s steps. Some days I succeed, others I fail miserably. But I’m having so much fun doing it. And with the push of a button I can tell how I’m doing at any point in the day.

Not only does the display on the FitBit Ultra have the steps, stairs, and calories; it also includes a clock, stopwatch and a personalized greeting! When I’m out and about I just need to look down and check what time it is instead of pulling out my cell phone. Quick and easy!

Being home full time with my kids and working from home allows me little time to really focus on the time I spend being fit. By including the FitBit Ultra in my daily routine I not only am aware of how active I am but how active I need to be; I spend less time worrying about it! And less time tracking fitness means more time focusing on what really matters.

I have yet to use it to track my sleep but will be delving into that function this month! So stay tuned for another review of the Sleep Tracker functionality of the FitBit ultra in August.

And if you want to check out the FitBit Ultra for yourself head over to the FitBit website to purchase one today! 

Disclaimer: I received a FitBit for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

Health and Fitness Update

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve given an update on how I’m doing on my weight loss journey. And I have to say that I’m kind of at a standstill. I’m in the middle of my second 6-Week Challenge at the YMCA and I just can’t seem to get out of the slump I’m in. I’m working out with a trainer as part of a group 2 times a week, I’m working out on my own the other days of the week and I’m tracking everything I eat. So I give myself a pat on the back for that.

But I kinda got ahead of myself and jumped onto the 17 Day Diet plan in hopes of an “easy” way out of the current decade I’m in. And I half assed it. I was just so excited about the success my friends have had on the plan and I knew if I was diligent enough I could see success too. But I’m working out too much for the first phase of the plan to be doable. And I found myself making excuses for sneaking bites of foods that weren’t on the list. Sure, I could have stuck with it for just a bit but I was feeling icky and almost… empty.

The lean meats and veggies (TONS of veggies) are still around but I need whole grains… I need my oatmeal! Especially when I’m doing difficult workouts with a trainer and exerting a lot of energy. So I’ve put the 17 Day Diet aside for a bit and am just focusing on the calories. I use myfitnesspal.com to input what I’m eating and I try to stick with their calorie recommendations. But instead of eating the calories I’ve burned in my workouts I leave those as a deficit. So I’m consuming about 1250 calories a day.

What I have learned from the plan is that I need to stop eating carbs after 2pm. If I do that, I lose! It might not be as much as when I totally cut out the whole grains. And I’m eating yogurt regularly. Two servings a day. With those two things combined with lean meats, low-sugar fruits and LOTS of veggies I think I can stay on track and slowly get back to losing. And once this challenge is over I might just re-visit the 17 Day Diet.

I am excited to say that I am happily in a size 12. Last Friday I tried on an old pair of jeans from high school (OMG!) and they fit. Sure they were a tiny bit snug but they fit. (Want to see how good they look on me? Check out my butt in my Boba review!) And all of my 14s are falling off of me. Too bad I have to stick with my budget. I’ll be visiting the Goodwill later on this week. Because as soon as I have more pants I’m getting rid of the 14s for good! No more turning back. I’m on a roll and I’m going to make it to goal!

Weight Loss Progress
Starting Weight: 224.6 1/30/2011
Size 16
Current Weight: 192.7 2/18/2012
Size 12
Total to go: 37.7lbs
Total lost: 31.9lbs

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