Friday, June 14, 2013

My Fitness Pal app

I downloaded the My Fitness Pal app on my Android phone and I LOOOOOVE it! I also created an online profile at www.myfitnesspal.com.  These are handy tools to keep track of your overall wellness at home or on the go.

Pros:
+Links to your online profile so you can use your computer OR phone
+Counts calories, fat, sugar, vitamins, etc. of your food/beverage intake and compares it to my daily limits to keep me accountable
+Scans the bar code of food packaging for quick input
+The nutrition database has nearly everything you search for
+You can add your own recipes and it makes that info searchable (ex. I added a smoothie recipe I regularly drink)

Cons:
-The scanner can be a bit difficult to focus and may take 2 or 3 tries, depending on the packaging type
-There are multiple entries with conflicting information (ex. a banana of differing brands may show a different calorie count) which makes me cheat and choose the item with the lowest calories
-The water consumption counter uses cups as the measuring unit, and I like to use ounces (simple conversion, but annoying)
-The exercise log gives you calorie credit for cardio exercise, but nothing for strength training, which MUST burn at least one calorie...? 


Friday, June 7, 2013

Well, hellllooooooooo!

Hi! Welcome to my fitness blog! I started my fitness journey in the Fall of 2012 at the age of 30, and I would like to chronicle my journey with you, giving updates on my progress, explain what I've tried, what works and what doesn't, and hopefully inspire someone else in their fitness journey.  My focus is on overall wellness, so I will explore a variety of topics; not just exercise.  I will start by posting every Friday, and see where it goes from there.