Make Money with Your New Fitbit, And Some Tips

Today in the paper it announced that the Fitbit app was the most downloaded app on Christmas Day. That means lots of people are going to start tracking their steps and hopefully get healthier. I got a fitbit early this year and have enjoyed the confirmation of my daily steps and it is one of my apps I check almost daily. The cool thing is you can turn your daily steps into money by linking your fitbit with some reward programs and other apps.

If you've got a new fitbit, here are some tips.

• Wear it and forget it. If you take it off, you may forget it and miss out on your tracking.
• The unit charge lasts several days, it charges on a usb port on PC or wall charger. charge it while sedentary reading or watching tv, or overnight.
• Track specific workouts by tapping twice. then you can check the data on your PC to see expanded view of your activity progress.
• Log sleep manually if you forget to tap twice before you lay your head down.
• Link your fitbit to My Fitness Pal app to automatically add your steps to that app. Go to settings on your MFP app and click add devices, it will take you to website to allow fitbit to access your account.
• If unsure of accuracy compare to cardio trainer app, or Moves app to validate movement. Actually if you don't want to buy a fitbit, the moves app will track activity without an additional device, just have your phone with you. Won't work for swimming or yoga, but would work for biking. The Moves app also can be linked to your www.ShopYourWay.com account to earn you points and $2 each week at Kmart or Sears.
• Join higi.com to make money from exercising, android app. Link your fitbit and moves app to higi to earn even more. There is usually a new Challenge every month where you can win gift cards by logging in at higi stations (blood pressure machines) in Publix stores and other retail pharmacies.
• Join www.Fitstudio.com and link it to your www.ShopYourWay.com account (at Kmart and Sears) to earn 2000 points each week you walk 15 miles. The points expire quickly within the week, but we've used it to get stuff almost every week.
• Download app and join Google Fit which you can link to GoodCoins to earn points. Not really sure how many points you need or what they are worth.
• Fitbit comes with a small and large wristband. Its good to have spare. If you don't like your color you can buy a fashionable band. They even sell leather and metal ornaments to make it look pretty.

Enjoy!

35,000 Miles

I was just reading my RSS feeds and this blog Bits of Wisdom shared some trivia that the average person walks 35,000 miles in a lifetime. So of course this got me wondering if I'm average. I walk for exercise, along with biking - as they are both low impact activities good for old people like me and dear. The 37F air this morning made me feel old because it appears that this will be a no ride month for the bicycle. I have not had it past the driveway due to the cold weather. Quite depressing. Also our walking  has been curtailed due to the "boot" that dear is still wearing 13 weeks after his motorcycle collision.

 

So, normally in the good old days we used to walk 10,000 steps a day which is about 5 miles. We did this an average of 5 days of week, so 20 days a month at 5 miles is about 100 miles a month. However, it has decreased to about 40 miles a month the last 3 months, so this year the total will be close to 1000 miles walked for me. That means it would take 35 years for me to walk 35,000 miles. I figure I probably have been active since I was a teenager so I probably already have my 35,000 miles under my belt and am on my way to walking more than the average person. This does not surprise me, as I live a healthy active life. In addition to my walking 1000 miles this year, I have also ridden my bike 1500 miles to work this year. Its not quite as much as I would have liked to, but acceptable and an improvement over last year.

 

So, 1000 miles walking and 1500 miles biking is a lot of self propelled mileage. But where the heck did that get me? You would think I would be skinny by now with all that exercise. But one thing I've learned for sure, is that I get hungry when I exercise. I consume a lot more food and enjoy it. However, due to the decline in exercise the last quarter of the year, I have gained some weight and this is not good. The evil scale will make a reappearance next year I'm sure as I chronicle my efforts to once again get back into those petite jeans.

 

Anyway, it would be interesting for you to figure out how much you walk and if you're above average, or if you need to start hoofing it.

Free Workout Music Download

Subway and The Biggest Loser have come up with a pretty good workout mix of songs for you. I just downloaded them and then you have to unzip the file. Then just import the folder into itunes, and you can put it on your ipod!. It may seem like a few steps but it only just took a couple minutes. And the workout mix is great!. I am so tired of my same 200 songs on my ipod while biking to work, this will be a nice change.

1. Telephone Lady Gaga

2. In My Head Jason Derulo
3. Revolver Madonna
4. Empire State of Mind Jay Z Feat. Alicia Keys
5. Hard Rihanna
6. Bulletproof La Roux
7. Hey Soul Sister Train
8. Blah Blah Blah Ke$ha
9. According To You Orianthi
10. Whataya Want From Me Adam Lambert
11. Russian Roulette Rihanna
12. Need You Now Lady Antebellum

So go ahead and download from HERE, you'll love it.

Does Couponing Make You Fat?

As I pull on my pants each morning, lately the button seems a little harder to get closed. My tummy is a little more jiggly, and my boobs are bigger. I hate to step on the scale because I told DH and myself that I'm going to lose some weight as swimming season is here. But it hasn't been happening. I did step on the evil scale earlier this month and weighed about 12 pounds more than I want to be. According to my favorite weight log site www.fitday.com, I'm about 15 lbs over the desired weight. Either way, I don't like it.

 

I usually have no trouble losing weight quickly and maintaining the loss, but this past year has been different. I'm a firm believer in the thought that you can't improve what you don't measure. So I log my weight into www.fitday.com  (its free BTW) and I know that I used to weigh my goal weight last year in April 2009. I gained about 20 lbs by Christmas and then lost 15 after New Years, but now its creeping up again. My bike riding has been pretty consistent with about 380 miles ridden each quarter (I ride about 15 of 20 weekdays to work each month.) It did drop off during the winter when we were remodeling the bathrooms and kitchen so I could meet with the contractor each morning, and have the car to pick up supplies. I rode about 150 miles the 4QTR, and 200 miles the 1QTR of 2010. This lack of exercise probably contributed to my weight gain, since my body is pretty responsive to exercise.

 

However, now I am riding almost every day, and walking an hour a day, and still not losing weight. I eat the same breakfast and lunch I've had for years ( I know boring!) cereal with a banana, and a lettuce salad w/ chicken, plus a yogurt. So dinner is the change. And guess what we now eat for dinner? Yup, you guessed it - all that prepackaged, processed food that we get cheap with coupons. Frozen fish fillets, Curlys BBQ pulled pork, Zatarains Jambalaya with Premio sausage, Steamfresh meals, TGIF appetizers, Contessa frozen pasta meals, etc..

 

Since I've been couponing over a year now, I have it down to a point where I don't really even have a grocery budget, I spend less on food for the month than we spend on our cheap SERO cell phone bill. But, its taking a toll on my health and beauty. I'm trying not to buy the junk food, but when its free with coupons I can't resist. I tell myself I'll give it away, or serve it when we have company so that we don't eat it. But its just so darn convenient to open a package and have a quick meal.

 

So, the struggle continues. The evil scale vs the full freezer.

Frugal Sports Attire

As I was gathering my clothes this morning to go for my bike ride to work, I was thinking how great it was to have exactly the right thing - like padded lycra shorts, polypropylene tights, keen commuting sandals, padded fingerless gloves, etc. None of these items are cheap to buy, but once you get them they last forever. And I really mean forever. My bicycle shorts are over 20 years old, so are my tights - I wore them when I was in my twenties. They are top quality and will probably last the rest of my biking days. The Keen commuter sandals were expensive too - $115, but they too will last forever and in my opinion worth the cost avoidance in preventing numbness and pain from absorbing too much road shock while riding.

 

My point is that just because something costs a lot, doesn't mean its not a frugal purchase. To have proper athletic gear is critical to enjoying the activity, and therefore doing it as much as you can. It also will help prevent injuries and irritants that you may get from wearing inappropriate clothing or cheap clothing that doesn't offer the protection you need.

 

However, there are areas where its not critical to have all the fancy apparel. I always wear plain $5 hi vis tshirt when I'm riding, I skip the colorful biking jerseys. I also just wear regular socks, or when it gets warmer I won't wear any.

 

But you may ask, what if I want to get active and wear the proper apparel but I can't afford $40 shorts, and $100 shoes. Well, here are some tips.

 

1. Search Craigslist for used running shorts, bicycle attire or other sport gear you need.

2. Go to garage sales that list clothing, although sporting attire may be rare to find.

3. Go to 2nd hand consignment stores and ask where the sporting attire is, they'll have good quality gently used stuff.

4. Google "used sports clothing and your city name" to come up with retailers that sell used sport equipment, like Play It Again Sports.

5. Ask your buddies if they have any old clothing that doesn't fit but is in good shape. I use lots of my husbands old biking stuff, like gloves, shorts and panniers.

6. Use inexpensive garden gloves over your fingerless gloves during cold weather.

7. Cut the arms off old long underwear or turtle necks and use them for arm warmers when its cold.

 

There are lots of ways to be creative with your clothing, but you might look like a nerd. But who cares. Not me.