Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Ready, Set, Go.....

So lately I have been on a health kick. Why you ask? Well, at work I am heading the planning committee for our holiday party, and this year my staff wants something nice. And I have a killer dress to wear. Only it doesn't fit. So Operation Get Healthy has begun or OGH as I call it.  Cheesy I know. Now my goals are not only to lose weight but to also get fit. So I plan on running a 5k sometime in October or maybe November... depending on how confident I am.  I haven't registered for anything just yet but the idea is in the back of my head.

Anywho so moving on.... So how am I going to do this? Well with the help of my iphone of course! First I am using MyFoodDiary.com to track everything I eat. It is awesome!  It is a handy little website that lets me track my meals, my weight, and it provides all the nutritional info that I need to stay on track. And if I eat something unhealthy it lets me know so I can adjust accordingly. I love it. And it is only $9 a month. Pretty cheap if you ask me. They also have a cute little app that I have on my phone so I am never without it.


But that's not all. Our family also joined a gym, and I have been running on the treadmill. Thus, why I want to run a 5k. And to help me do it, I have been using another app wonder called Run 5k. The idea is that in 8 weeks you will be ready to run 3.1 miles without stopping.  Perfect for a beginner like me, I am on week 5 at the moment and loving it. It is a series of walk/run intervals, and it tells you exactly when to do what. No more me having to watch the time on the treadmill trying to figure out when I can walk again. (just being honest folks!)  And it runs in the background while I jam out to my workout playlist.  


But that's not all. I am no statistics guru and I don't know the facts but I am pretty sure that when most people join a gym they lose interest after awhile and stop going. And then it becomes a waste of money. Heck it has even happened to me. At times, going to the gym can seem like such a chore. It is just easier to stay at home and veg out on the couch. Not.Anymore.More. Yes folks, I give you GymPact


iPhone Screenshot 1iPhone Screenshot 2iPhone Screenshot 3

It has to be one of the coolest apps out there.  The concept behind GymPact is that you get paid to work out and when you don't, you have to fork over the moolah! Pure genius I tell you!  So I set a pact to workout 3 days a week and I put $10 on the line. Now it is not just $10 that I pay if I don't meet my pact it is $10 per workout!  So if I don't go to the gym at all during the week it costs me $30 bucks! Which is a huge motivator for me to go! And if I make my pact well then I get paid! The idea is that they disperse the funds from those members that didn't meet their pact and pay it to those who did. Seriously, why didn't I think of that?

And the results so far? I am proud to say that I have lost 7 lbs. Ok, so I am obviously not going to break any records here as I have only just started. But it is more then just the weight, it is how I feel. And I feel awesome! I am proud of myself for attempting something that I haven't done in years. I am excited to be focusing on myself for a few shorts minutes at the gym each week. My stress level is less and overall I am healthier for it.  I know it because I can feel it. And that is all that matters.

Now if only I could find my phone....

I was not compensated in anyway, shape or form for discussing these apps. They are just tools that I genuinely love to use and thought I would spread the love.