Technology Works: Final Project

Finishing up my summer college class, I had to start thinking about doing my final project. The involved the use of technology and the internet, and the way that it shaped our identity. It was really an open ended project, but yet I struggled with trying to figure out what question I wanted to ask and research. Then it dawned on me.

 

I had created the blog for this very class that I am talking about. I have really grown to like blogging, and the people that have supported me through my journey of weight loss. I then began to formulate a whole new question. Is technology shaping the way that people are losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

I did a bunch of research, did some interviews, and found out some pretty cool things about technology in the fitness world. Now technology can mean the all the equipment that you use at the gym, but I focused more on the apps, online resources, trackers, and even blogs.

I knew with my own experience the important role that technology has played in my weight loss journey, but I wanted to know if it was just me, or if people were also having success like I have. I am an avid fit bit user and My Fitness Pal user.  These have helped me loose the weight, and also now keep it off. Then I got thinking that I use Pinterest to find new ways to work out or recipes, YouTube to find work out videos when I am in a pinch at school. Look at all the ways that technology can shape a person’s fitness!

In my research I was able to do some interviews and really look at different articles to try and answer my question. Both of my interviews had great success using Weight Watchers online and its app, and also someone who has used My Fitness Pal successfully. Combined they have lost over 100 pounds. Both of them felt that technology has given them that boost that they needed, because they are able to access it at anytime, anywhere, and at their convenience.

One of the major things that I took from the class this class is how connected we are now more than ever. This applies to why technology is working so well in the fitness world. We are using this tool, because we have a constant support system out there, we can connect to it whenever we want, and we see the cold hard facts right away.

Julian Michaels said in an article that I read that the Biggest loser is now using technology to boost the weight loss of the contestants. When the show first came out they were taking 100 pounds of the contestants in 14 weeks. Now with the help of trackers and other technology, people are dropping 100 pounds in 6 weeks!

I feel that the answer to my question for my project was answered. Yes, technology is aiding and essentially shaping the way that people are losing weight. Jillian Michaels said that technology got us into this mess, and it is going to help us get out of it. I would agree with this,  but then I began to formulate another thought. Technology is helping people lose weight and maintain, but it is not the technology that is doing it. It is the person using the technology that decides whether the tool is going to be useful or not. If we want it to be, then we are connected instantly to our support systems, able to track our food on a whim, or even look up a new fitness routine. If we don’t, then that fitness tracker around our wrist just becomes a new piece of jewelry.

I for one am happy that technology has made its way into my fitness routine and into my life in general. It has connected me to the people that are reading this blog, people with the same story as me to tell, and has given me some really great tools that have gotten me to such an amazing place. Technology has defiantly shaped my identity in the 21^st century literally and figuratively.

Thought that I would share my findings with everyone! I hope to be able to continue blogging, and using technology to get me through my journey!!

 

 

A Little Bit of Everything

I get really tired with the same old same old, and love to be able to switch things up in my healthy lifestyle. There are two different places that I go to get different ideas about working out, healthy recipes, and just other general information about all the aspects of a healthy life.

I am sure that most of you if not all of you have heard about Pinterest. I am constantly on there looking at the different posts under the health a fitness section. I could spend hours looking at the benefits of different exercises, food, relaxing techniques and other things. If you want to make your journey to your journey a little bit easier, then using Pinterest would defiantly be something that would be worth your while to use. Plus, it is Pinterest there are lots of things that anyone can use!

The second place that I like to look at for new ideas is a blog called Pop Sugar Fitness. This site has a blog, and also can be found on Facebook. They do stories on tons of different things about a healthy lifestyle.

These are just two helpful tools that I look to liven up my dull workout, or find healthier recipes for the things that I love.  What I really like about these is that they cover all aspects of  a healthy lifestyle, and give the reader/ pinner the ability to learn about all things that keep them on their journey to health.

As I write one of my last blog postings for this class, I hope that all who have read this have been able to find something that is helpful to them. It has been really helpful for me to get some of the struggles and joys that I have had along this life long journey to health that I am on. I am seriously thinking about continuing to do this blog even when I turn in the final paper. This has helped me with the things that I have been struggling with, and given me new ideas about my own health. I thank you for all the nice comments.

I hope Everyone’s Journey is filled with Joys that patch all the bumps in your Road !!

On My Mind For The Day

I am going to be brutally honest today. Recently, I have been told by my doctor that it is time to up my calories from 1200 to about 1500 or 1600 calories. While this may not seem like a lot, I have been doing 1200 calories for so long, that it scares me to try and up my calories to ensure that my body is getting the right amount of nutrition. I often times with exercise or without it will not reach my 1200 calorie limit, so imagine the struggle that I am going through to get to the right amount of calories for my body. It is constantly a struggle for me to get the right nutrition and the right amount of calories for my body to even function.

My body is starting to show the wear and tear, so I am now trying to find healthy ways that I can fit more calories into my diet. It may sound weird to put onto a blog about my weight loss journey, but it is all a part of my journey. Everyone’s journey is going to be totally different, but I hope any of the things that I have talked about will reach that one person that need that little bit of inspiration to take the first step.

Now that I have gotten off track, let me bring it back to my original thought. To add more calories to maintain a healthy lifestyle, I have decided to start making healthy and nutritional smoothies. It was suggested to me by the trainer of my circuit group that attends twice weekly.  My family went out and bought a new blender, and all sort of fruit. We bought strawberries, bananas, pineapple, apples, blueberries, peaches, and to add it spinach. I know I am going to be looking like Popeye in now time! I also needed some more substance, so I got vanilla protein powder.

I will let everyone know how they taste. I am really hoping that these can make a difference for me on my journey to health. I don’t want to have lost all of this weight , to in the end end up damaging my body in another way.

 

PS. If anyone has any questions for me, or wants me to blog about something I am taking suggestions. You can email me at taylor.tuin@smsu.edu

 

Tootles J

Rest and Relaxation

There is only so far that you can push your body until unfortunately, you push it too far. It is only mid-week, and my body feels like it has been run over by a truck. I decided to work really hard  to combat what how I felt after vacation. I walked two miles, and did this super intense workout class.  Then it came to this morning, and well I could not move.

 I made the tough decision not to head to the gym in the morning, but rather let my body take rest from the wear and tear of planks, shoulder presses, and sprints. I know that I will be going to the same intense workout class tomorrow, so I want to make sure that I can give it my all when I am there.

This may seem to contradict some of the previous posts that I have made, but I have come to realize that if you want to see results, you have to be able to know your own body, and right now my body is not very happy with me. This does not mean that I am not going to do some sort of activity.  I will be going for a nice long walk tonight, and I work at   a daycare with preschoolers ( which is a marathon in itself).

The moral of my post today, is not to feel bad about giving your body a break. I have trouble doing this, but then I have to remember that it took me two years to get to where I am today. It didn’t happen overnight, and me walking instead of lifting weights won’t  send me to back from where I was. To stay on this journey, a person has to know their own body, its limitations, and when you simply just need to take it easy.

 

These are my thoughts from me to you!

Hope you all enjoy your day J

A Bump In The Road

On my Journey to weight loss I have tried lots of different exercises.  I kind of hit a wall in Zumba, where my body just wasn’t really responding to the exercise like I wanted it to. So, I started going to an early morning circuit group twice a week in the morning. I have come to really love it!

It is just a group of gals that get together with the trainer. She guides us through the different exercises that we have to do. We sprint for 30 seconds then walk for 30 seconds for 10 minutes. Then comes a bunch of lifting weights, squats, lunges, ab workouts, and then finish with the running and walking again. I have notice that I can run so much more than I ever thought that I could!

This all sounds great doesn’t it! I am going to be honest with you. As I have shared before, I have struggled with the mental aspects of losing a large amount of weight, well losing any amount of weight for that matter. When you start to weight lift, the results may be different than you expect.

My results have yield another pant size smaller, and my body really toning up. What I was not mentally prepared for was gaining a few pounds in the process. Everyone that I have talked to says how normal this is, and not to worry so much about what the scale says, but how I look and feel. This may be really easy for some, but for me it is terrifying to see. I know that I look more toned, I have went down in clothes sizes, but the scale has gone up. Not dramatically, but enough to send my psychological state spinning.

So for everyone reading this post, I still have the same insecurities that you all may face if you trying to turn your lifestyle around. Like always, it’s a step at a time kind of deal. I have made a vow to myself that I will not factor into the statistic of a person who has gained back what they have lost. I love the new me, but there are always things that need to be worked on. I am just going to try on fixing my mental state to match my body and determination.

Keep traveling on your journey my friends!

Taylor

Update ! Update! Read All About It !!!

Update! I told everyone about that I got a Fitbit. I wasn’t sure how it was going to work, but I have found that I LOVE it.

I have always been an avid My Fitness Pal user, and decided that I wanted to take my tracking to the next step. I rewarded myself for all of my achievements and bought the Fitbit. It took me a while to figure out how to use it and work my way through the multiple useful features that the Fitbit has.

First off, the Fitbit is loaded on to my computer and also on to my phone. I get daily updates about how many steps I am taking, how much calories I am burning versus what I am consuming, and tracking my sleep all on my phone. It is so nice to see in my day in numbers, and is even pushed me to be even more active, because I want to hit those goals that my Fitbit has sent to me. Even today I just received a badge for logging 50 miles since I have started using my Fitbit.

One of my favorite features of the Fitbit is the sleep features. You double tap it and it goes into sleep mode, and then in the morning you do the same thing. It then tells you how many hours you slept, how many times you woke up , and how many times your were restless. It also has a feature where you can set and alarm clock. When the alarm goes off, the wrist ban starts to vibrate on your wrist, waking you up this way. I love, love, love this feature.

Just last week I found out the most beneficial feature I have found yet. The Fitbit can be synced to My Fitness Pal. I had been using My Fitness Pal for so long that all of my food had been logged in it. When I started logging my  food into the Fitbit, I really disliked it. It was hard to find food, and it didn’t have some of the food options that My Fitness Pal did. When I found that I could log my food, and it would be synced into my Fitbit I was ecstatic. I am also able to track activites that my Fitbit does not pick up on such as lifting weights, or swimming since you can’t wear it in water for long periods of time. Everything works together so that you can see your progress in both apps. I find that I cross check my calories burned an consumed, but that's just me.

Overall, I would recommend this for anyone on their journey to having a healthier lifestyle.  It motivates you to move more, and really shows you what you are putting into your body or doing with it. So if you have a few dollars lying around, or its time to reward yourself for your success, go out and grab a Fitbit!

 

Living and Loving Life!

View from my balcony

Greetings! I write to you from my amazing vacation up north in Minnesota. I am enjoying swimming, walking the trails, mini golfing, and most of all being with my family. My blog is about my journey on the weight loss journey, but there are so many more parts of this journey that aren’t just working out or tracking what you eat.

As I am able to sit down and spend all of this time with my family, I have found realized how lucky I am to have a support system like them. They support me on this life long journey that I have started, and stick with by my side no matter what. Without them I would not be able to accomplish all of the things that I have done so far. I have literally changed my entire world around, and they have decided to go along on the ride with me. I can’t tell you how much easier it makes this tough journey.

The second thing that I have realized is how much I have bettered my life by choosing this path over the other path that I was on. I am able to walk where ever I want and not get tired. I am able to fit in the go karts and speed around the track with my little sister. I was able to put on a swim suit that I never thought I would be able to wear in a million years, and feel confident enough to be around people. They may not seem like big things, but they just reconfirm the hard work that I have put in, and the total lifestyle change that I have made worth it. It makes it worth it to me.

The advice that I can give you about losing weight and creating a healthy lifestyle would be to find the things that matter most to your in your life. Take them  and let them inspire you to be better than you are now. Better than you think you can be, and don’t be afraid  to use them to patch the holes on your journey to a healthier you.

Hope everyone has a good week, as I know I will spending time with my family. Better get going to the Pool now!!!

I Don't Sweat I Sparkle :)

As I get ready for my vacation , I have been working out harder than normal. As my achey body got stuff ready for tomorrow’s circuit workout, I decided that I was going to wear my cute workout outfit. You may now be laughing, but there are actually really cute workout clothes, and I personally feel that dressing in a cute outfit to go workout can make your workout that much better.

Like everything else in life if you  feel confident and good about the way you are looking and feeling , you are  going to have a better workout. I have noticed that when I workout in the morning, and I feel like I am going to have a good day, my workouts are more intense. I am not saying that your workout clothes have to be designer labels, but if they make you feel good and motivate your workouts, that is really all that you can ask for. It doesn't matter if your wearing Under Armour, or if you are wearing Wal-Mart. It all works, and as long as you look good GO FOR IT! I am telling you, It will make you feel not so drab and depressed as you head to your next gym visit.

This doesn’t mean that you need to go out and spend lots of money to buy cute workout clothes so that you will be motivated to workout. As Pinterest has taught me, you can take your old faded workout t-shirt, and make it into something that the person on the treadmill next to you will be jealous of. Here is the link to one of the cute shirt ideas that I have found !http://www.pinterest.com/pin/8303580536080620/ .

So my motivation for my morning workouts is to look cute while doing them. So go get a new workout outfit if you can, or fire up Pinterest. Why can’t you look FAB while working on those ABS?

 

Vacation All I Ever Wanted !

I hope this week goes fast, because I am going on vacation. YES!!! This is exciting, but yet also a stressful time as far as making your vacation healthy.

Craguns in Brainer MN

When you are on vacation you want to be able to enjoy yourself, and you can within limits. Like all of the other posts that I have done, I am a firm believer that you can enjoy all things in moderation.  Some things that I like to remember is that you have to enjoy life, but there are a few things that I do when I am on vacation to make sure that I am keeping on track, while being able to enjoy myself.

The first thing that I do is make sure that I am getting all three meals. Just as if I were at home I need to make sure that I am eating breakfast. I know that on vacation there can be a lot of meal skipping, but eating the three important meals of the day will ensure that you do no over indulge when it comes to a meal. There is no “ I didn’t eat breakfast so I can gorge on whatever I want”.

Secondly, on vacation you are usually still very active.  You  are site seeing, swimming, walking, and doing all sorts of other things, so don’t try to sell yourself short when it comes to exercise portion, you are doing more than you think.  Also, don’t be afraid to workout. Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean that you don’t have to be active. I have looked, and found free classes that I am going to attend in the morning. This means I still have time to be with my family, but get my workout in.

Lastly, don’t forget to track your food. This will help you see what you are eating on vacation. I know that it can be hard on vacation, because a lot of the time you are eating out. Try to find healthy options on the menu. I know that my family and I try to go to sit down restaurants where we are able to look at things more closely to eat. I know that I look up in my Fitbit tracker or my fitness pals to see the calories in the meals of different restaurants that we go to.

Don’t forget to remember that you are on vacation. I know that I will probably eat something that I will regret later, but that’s the magic of living the lifestyle and not being on a diet. I don’t think that being  where I am at now would be worth it if I could not enjoy one small treat on a vacation with my family. The experts may not agree with me ,but sometimes you have to do things your own way to make it work for your lifestyle, and so far it boosted me so far on my journey to a healthy life.

Anyways , I am going to be getting ready all week by hitting the gym, and eating healthy! Hope everyone has an awesome week! I can’t wait for mine to be over so my vacation can start.