1. Polar Heart Rate Monitor: I wear this watch to EVERY workout. It helps me track my heart rate to be sure that I am staying in my Target Heart Zone, and it tells me how many calories I burned. I find it very gratifying to know that I may be tired and sweaty after a workout, but I burned 700 or so calories. It has a really cool feature that reminds you to move if you haven't used it in more than 2 days. All in all TOTALLY worth the money, and definitely a must have tool for me.
2. Local YMCA: Now don't get me wrong, I don't think you have to belong to a gym to lose weight, but the Y has brought us so much more than just some fitness equipment. Since we have joined the Y, we go there 6 days a week. It has made being active a lifestyle. It is a close time for our family. We may take the boys swimming, rock climb... it doesn't only have to be about climbing on a treadmill to sweat. I also love having knowledgeable trainers and athletes wandering the building. I can always find someone to help answer a question, or to motivate me out of a rut. Our YMCA has been a great place to lose weight, be encouraged, and to get to know new friends.
3. The Biggest Loser: Laugh if you want, but you know you secretly love watching also. Watching the Biggest Loser has always created such inspiration in me. I was one of them. Am one of them. Going through a journey to lose over 100 pounds. I laugh, cry, and sometimes my body literally even aches with them. The Biggest Loser cookbooks, and products have also been wonderful to use.
4. www.caloriecount.about.com : The best free website I have ever found for weight loss. Like all websites, you have to take time to get to know it, but after using calorie count for a short time, I was very comfortable with it. I log my food and weight into it everyday to help keep track of where I am. With over 80,000 foods already pre-logged into the system, it is rare that I have to copy nutrition labels which saves me a lot of time. It is a wonderful tool, and like I said... IT'S FREE!
5. A food scale: WE EAT TOO MUCH. Most of us anyways. I never realized what a serving of anything was until I started taking the time to weigh it. Now my husband laughs at me because I weigh almost everything. I have 2 tips if you plan to purchase one: 1. find a scale that zeros out. This allows use to leave food on the scale, and hit a button to take it back to zero, so if you are making a salad for example, you can weigh your lettuce, hit zero, weigh your veggies, hit zero, and weigh your dressing all without having to make a mess of lots of containers to weigh them. 2. Use the gram setting. Most labels are weighed in grams also, and that tends to be more precise.There you have it. A few of my favorite things. Do you have any fitness tools you can't live without?
Protein shakes. Gotta drink my breakfast because I am so busy. I buy the Optimum 100% Whey at Supplement Giant, $20 for 30 servings, 120 calories 4 carbs, 24 protein.
ReplyDeleteWeight lifting gloves.
Good shoes. I have high end Brooks and Nikes.
Home gym. I live far away! In bad weather, sick kid days, I need options. I have a good treadmill, so so elliptical, 80 pounds of weights, exercise ball, jump ropes. I can accomplish nearly anything in my basement.
We LOVE LOVE LOVE the Y also. Like, I know we will hang out there as a family always. We do much more than work out also. We hang out in the pool, game room. I can't wait until my youngest is old enough to do the MDO and PNOs.
The YMCA is my #1 must have! And I totally agree, it isn't all about going to the gym to lose weight. The YMCA is a great way to promote healthy living and having fun in a close family setting! What a great message to send young minds! I also love getting to know others who have an interest in getting fit and living healthy!
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