Staying the Course -- 8-31-2015

[Superbob]

So welcome to a Staying the Course week that starts in August and end in September with the last holiday weekend of summer -- and college football season starting. Go Vols!

Looks like I'm going to need to get me one of them there Fitbits in order to gain some fitness buddies. Motivational.

It has been raining buckets this morning. Charleston has picked up 6 to 9 inches of rain and there is a photo online of an alligator paddling in someone's yard that is now a river. At least partly this is the remnants of Tropical Storm Erika (remember her?) and not wanting to drive into the teeth of that, plus last-holiday-of-summer traffic I changed my wife's Murrells Inlet medical appointment to one closer to home later this week. (Okay, well, our very good local weatherman says our heavy rain is NOT coming from Erika, which is still down in FL, but wherever it's coming from -- the heavens, the Atlantic? -- it's persistent and it's heavy.

NEXT Monday (September 7, Labor Day, or any day that week) will be the first weigh-day for those who want to participate. Can still take a baseline weight (or use one from a week or two ago) and then report changes minus or plus off it. My eating has been pretty helter-skelter consistent with my life in general -- but I have a week to try to impose some order and discipline on myself.

Adding back a weigh-in just shows how much we owe Cooker for starting this forum originally as weight-loss venture and keeping it going for -- what? -- close to 8 years I believe. Very glad that he's going to continue to be a part of this.....

Cheers to all. I am now going to try to dry off after going out and encouraging the granddog Dasher to do his business in a downpour.

STAY THE COURSE!

SUPERBOB

 

[honeybunny]

Two weeks ago I was at 153.2 lbs. Last week I went up to 153.8 and stayed there all week. This morning I was back down to 153.2. I know that 1/2 lb. is not a big deal when I need to lose ~30, but I want the scale going down, not up. Hope I can report another loss next week, no matter how small.

 

[Duffey]

Summer vacation has been tough on my weight loss efforts. I've actually gained five pounds, and we're off again Wednesday to the land of pie. I have an appointment this afternoon to learn the results of blood work that is mandatory in order to keep a very large discount provided by my husband's employer. For the first time ever, I'm a little worried that they might not be in range. I guess I'll find out soon enough! Everyone enjoy their Labor Day holiday!

 

[Superbob]

Managed to get to workout room for a half-hour of pedaling on a rainy day -- it's something! Been taking care of Dasher the Wonder Dawg for past five days -- that's a workout, too -- though it has been nice for us to have a big ol' friendly dawg in the house again.

 

[Superbob]

wow, you all really like the 8-24-15 Staying the Course better than the 8-31-15 Staying the Course!

What I take from the discussions of fitbits and various permutations is that I am way too low-tech for these gadgets. Guess I will stay in old-fashioned kickbutt mode. :Face-Raspberry:

dornole, stay away from the candy -- or send it to my wife, who is a genuine sugarholic. She's got it stashed all over the house. Poison to a type 2 diabetic like me.

 

[Garserin]

I also need a good kick in the butt. I have absolutely no motivation to go to the gym (Y). I was really good until the start of summer and then I got busy with gardening and other stuff and now I just can't get back into workout mode. I find all kinds of excuses not to go. Anybody have any ideas how to motivate myself? Suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Dodger Fan]

I tried to post screenshots from my Fitbit and Forerunner but the site says I am not authorized. Old-fashioned kickbutt mode is good too.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

I tried to post screenshots from my Fitbit and Forerunner but the site says I am not authorized.

use an external host (say, flickr) and embed the URL in img bbcode tags here

 

[Cooker]

We hit Cherokee and the Gatlinburg area this past weekend and to say the least I enjoyed all of the local cuisine that was possible. Greasy burgers, the famous blueberry pancakes at The Little Pancake House (had to text Wise and Cindy who introduced us the theses fluffy delights and rub it in) and finished of at Apollo Flame in Asheville (best Alfredo in the world)....

DW and I have been back on WW and are making progress. Need to get some exercise going but don't want to get too radical about this.... Life is for living.... enjoy the ride!!!

Sidebar: A big thanks to Bob for an excellent job is keeping this thing going with the style that only he could bring... big thumbs up!!

 

[Paleowoman]

Tomorow we're off to France for two weeks. Looking forward to a lot of hill walking and a lot of saucisses fraîche - fresh sausages that are pure pork, no additives except salt, so yum….oh and wine and cheese and chicken and so on, all the good French foods that there are Not forgetting fresh sardines !

 

[Superbob]

wow, loving the discussions here this week. French cuisine, yum, enjoy Paleogirl! And Cooker, blueberry pancakes are a favorite of mine, too. I let myself have them as a special treat once in a while. Have to be careful though because order them at some restaurants and they glop blueberry pie filling on top of regular pancakes. Gross! Fresh blueberries have to be baked carefully into the pancake batter -- I find that Eggs Up Grill around here does them very well. My son has gotten promoted to a regional director in his job and his region includes Gatlinburg, so I'm hoping he takes us old folks along someday and if so we will definitely visit The Little Pancake House. Hoping maybe for Tennessee Vols tickets, too, sometime. I can dream, can't I?

enjoyed the techie talk, too, and oh Garserin, did you just do light gardening or heavy duty? Gardening as well as house cleaning can be every bit as much a workout as a gym workout or a walk or jog or a bike ride. So you may have had your workout and not realized it.

Cheers to all!

 

[Superbob]

For the past 15 years, I have had a loyal dog to bark at me every day until I took her on our daily walk. Now the dog has passed away (and we don't have a fenced yard so I'm hesitant to get another) and I'm finding it harder to make myself exercise.

My wife asked what she could get me for anniversary and I am thinking about fitbit. Might help me become more active.

Just wondering. I have just a cheapo cellphone but due for an upgrade. Is it best to have an iPhone to mesh with fitbit? I do have a Macbook -- can you just connect your fitbit to a Macbook at end of day and get your readings?

Tracking steps taken sounds useful, or distance Calories burned. Heart rate. I don't now how it could ever assess my sleep b/c I am such a restless sleeper.

I am not super-tech-savvy, but I guess do a fair amount for an old-timer (blog, social networking etc).

What do you think would be the best fitbit model for me? Don't necessarily need all the bells and whistles. Would like one that you wear around your wrist -- never have had luck with clip-on pedometers.

Best way to buy -- online, or a store like Best Buy or even Sam's Club?

Do they come with easy-to-follow instructions?

Any guidance appreciated.

 

[honeybunny]

Don't underestimate the benefits of gardening. It's not something I do but I've read that it's good exercise, or at least far better than watching TV or sitting at the computer.

 

[honeybunny]

Ooops! I commented on Garserin's post before reading yours, Superbob. I agree 100% with your assessment of gardening.

 

[Cooker]

Bob .... don't have any answers for you on this. Losing a dog is a heart breaking thing. Personally I don't think one of these would work for me.... I'm kind of a carrot on a stick type guy... make that a cranberry scone on a stick kind of guy ;-)

 

[honeybunny]

Yes, you can sync a Fitbit to your Mac; just download the free app.

I'm pretty tech savvy but have had some problems s figuring mine out. I was going good, getting up to 6000 steps a day when I noticed this past Thursday that I had logged over 3000 steps and climbed 15 flights of stairs by 7:00 a.m. That was completely wrong. I finally figured out that it tracked me walking as I rode to work in a car with poor suspension (my carpool co-driver used a different vechicle that morning). That's what also logged me as climbing stairs. Checked online and followed the suggestion to change sensivity to the dominate hand. Now I'm tracking far less steps. (I think it also tracked when I moved my hands typing).

My point is, check into other trackers also. I've finally got mine adjusted but there may be some that are more accurate. Of course you're not commuting 70 miles daily or typing all day so you won't have the problems I had. Just look into different types and styles.

 

[Superbob]

Thanks, honeybunny, that's very helpful. I had seen similar comments about false readings of steps tracked. Still considering. This would be pretty gadgety for me but thought it might be a fun anniversary present.

Anybody have info on other types and styles of these fitness gadgets?

Another option: I might just order me and the Missus spiffy new walking sticks and get on the trails again. Go by time walked instead of measured steps. Probably should face it: I am just a throwback kind of guy. Would have been cool to walk with Thoreau or Thomas Jefferson.

 

[Superbob]

Bob .... don't have any answers for you on this. Losing a dog is a heart breaking thing. Personally I don't think one of these would work for me.... I'm kind of a carrot on a stick type guy... make that a cranberry scone on a stick kind of guy ;-)

Cooker, I am thinking adding another fine Whistle Creek walking stick to my collection would be more in my zone. Plus, I could attach a whole knapsack of cranberry-orange scones. Yum! :Face-Smile:

 

[pellicle]

Bob

Couple of thoughts

The Garmin (cos I don't own a fit bit I know less about them) does not aim to be 100% accurate as a step counter. What it aims to do is track your bodies total energy consumption / expenditure and your sleep. Of this it does a good job. To me it does the best job on the market, and ATS why I chose it after 3 months of reading. I also like the red bar reminder of not having moved.

If you do less than ten steps and stop for more than a few seconds it does not add those steps to your total because to garmins philosophy it hasn't resulted in any exersize. However during the last few months there has been the global walking challenge and our team had a variety of devices. Every device (including specialist pedometers) had their issues. So put 100% accuracy aside.

When I walk on the paths I know my Garmin is very close (< 5%) to the GPS in my phone. Here is a good review of the vivofit (which I use)
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/03/garmin-vivofit-review.html

Garmin also allows for teams to form up on their web site, happy to join with you as a walking partner if you like

With respect to poles, as well as the style of walking have a look at Nordic walking poles. I use them and find that it gives great shoulder movement too.

Lastly with respect to a dog, have you considered a rescue from the pound? Skips the puppy phase and can be great dogs

 

[Agian]

Superbob, I thought of you when I saw this. I think it willbe released in America, as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7AV2ZYlxvI