"Fitbit Finder" Comes Through Again!

We are a Fitbit Family. The BTLExplorer screen shot above shows all of our devices as we went for a drive. There are seven people in our immediate family, and seven Fitbits (the "unknown device" is #1 sons new Charge). I downloaded the BTLExplorer app a while back when I heard stories of how it had helped people find a lost Fitbit. It was free, so I figured I'd have it on hand just in case. Then I needed to put the app to use (Lost and Found) and was so thankful I'd heard about it!

In addition to my immediate family being fitted with Fitbits, my extended family is too. My parents, brothers, SILs and sister all have one now. Last week, my mother copied me on an email my brother had sent. He was so sad, as he'd lost his Fitbit Flex. He had searched the house to no avail. I emailed him back and told him about this app. Here was a bit of our email exchange ...

• Me:  You do still have to be somewhat close...15 feet or so, but as Mom said I was able to find mine on a grass soccer field in the dark. It's worth a try.  I've attached a screenshot of the app while my family was in the car ... the One and Flex (with the smallest number) are me and Gray in the front seat of the car, Landon is right behind me (with the Unknown, which has now updated to show it is a Charge). Callahan is in the other second row seat, and the three little boys (two Zips and a One) are in the back. You can see how the numbers are higher when the Fitbit is further away from the phone. If you walked all around your house, hopefully it would pick up the Flex, then you could play "hot and cold" once you've narrowed it down to a room or something. IF it's in the house ... 
• D: Cool app! I'm using it now, and it says "Flex" under my "Peripherals" but I keep walking around and I can't seem to locate it. My numbers for the Flex are all negative (i.e. -92). I got it down to -60 or so in the garage but still couldn't find it anywhere! I'm scared that the battery is going to die on my Flex and then I'll be really out of luck! I lost it Monday night so the battery should be pretty well gone by now.  
• Me: I don't know if it's a negative or a dash (-), but regardless, 127 means you are in the same room, as you get closer, the number drops. Around 50-60 and you should be right on top of it. So go back to the garage, it's there somewhere! 
• D: Oh my gosh - I can't believe it, but that app totally worked. I found it! I went back to the garage and the lowest rating was right by my work shelf. I started rummaging through a box that I don't even remember using this week and there it was! I must have come off while I was working and fallen into this obscure box of random supplies! I wouldn't have found it for years! Thanks Jen! That app saved $99!

Aren't I a handy sister to have around?  It helped me in my "mommy" role too ...

Yesterday, #4 was looking around, and looking guilty! I asked him what was up and he admitted he couldn't find his Fitbit. I grabbed my phone and pulled up the handy dandy BTLExplorer app. I walked all around the house, but no extra One appeared on the screen. I checked the car, but it wasn't there either. I suggested we try going back to the school and retracing his steps. We went back to the elementary, and almost upon getting out of the car ... another One popped up on my app. It WAS here somewhere. I actually don't think we really even needed the app at this point, as it was in plain site there on the sidewalk (it must have fallen off as he and his brother raced to the car after school). If it had been out in the field though, the app would have been essential. It had been SO nice to know it wasn't in the house or the car though, so we didn't even spend any time looking there.

So if YOU have a Fitbit and an Apple product (ipod touch, phone or Ipad, I don't know if it's available for android) I really suggest downloading this app. It's free! play around with it a bit to get an idea of how it works (like my little screen shot at the top of this post). If your Fitbit disappears, maybe this can help you track it back down. 

Late linkup with Workout Wednesday!

 

Lost and Found

I've been a Fitbit Fan(atic) for over four years now. I'll admit, I have been rather proud of myself that during that time I've never worn it in the water, accidentally washed it, or lost it. My streak came to an end this past week.

I was at my son's soccer game, when I felt for my Fitbit. It wasn't there. I had changed from my workout wear into actual clothes, so I assumed I had simply forgotten to transfer the device ... I'm pretty good at remembering, but that does happen from time to time. Do steps really count if you're not wearing your Fitbit? *Ü*

We went home, and I looked around. No little Fitbit One to be found. I could then distinctly remember I HAD reattached it after I had changed earlier ... which meant one thing. It was LOST! It had fallen off somewhere. Oh no!

Some time ago, I had heard of a helpful app called BTL Explorer. It SHOULD be called the "Find My Fitbit" app! It can detect the Blue Tooth signal coming from a Fitbit. I'm not sure exactly how it works, but if you are close enough (you need to be within about 20feet or so) it will pick up the signal. It will show you if it is a One, Zip or Flex. There is a number displayed next to the device name, and the lower the number, the closer you are to the device. 

I opened up the app ... my husband's Flex appeared, three of the boys were home, and their three Zips showed up. No One. I knew it was a long shot, but I decided to go back to the soccer field and walk around. 

I parked in the same spot and retraced my steps. It had been a bit of a walk in. I went to the spot where I had sat down watching the warmup. I walked around the entire field ... as I had walked around the field during the game. I was about to give up when... "One" appeared on the app! My Fitbit was out there. It was close by! Unfortunately, by this time it was completely dark! I hadn't thought to bring a flashlight, so I was on my hands and knees, running my fingers through the grass, trying to use the light from my phone, while watching the app, playing hot/cold with the changing numbers.

I found it!

I was SO happy to be reunited with my Fitbit! I am addicted to the feedback. I just thought I'd share my little story, and give a shout out to the BTL Explorer app (it's free!). I mentioned it to my boys, so they would know there is an option if the Fitbit falls off. You DO need to know the general area for this to work ... but it worked for me. I then used the app to narrow down WHERE exactly Hub's Flex was (he hadn't been able to locate it in a couple days) ... the numbers grew smaller as I approached the closet, then one side of the closet. I found it in the pocket of a pair of shorts.

It's a handy little app to have!

And speaking of soccer ... it's been a tough season for my munchkin. He's coming off an undefeated season last Spring.  He scored a goal (usually more than one) in every game. This year? They hadn't been able to score yet. But Thursday night ... the first (and still only) goal for the team!

My little guy had HIS Fitbit on ... he gets quite a few steps during these soccer games. I haven't made it back to MY soccer in a while. I need to. It is such a workout, I really need to get my motivation up to attempt it. It's at the same time as my Zumba, and it's hard to have to choose between the two. But seeing my munchkin out there running and kicking does put in me a soccer mood.

Men's Metabolism

I've mentioned I've been struggling with my motivation lately. My mile jog, biking and strength training have taken a hit of late. Because my elliptical (I almost always get in three 20min sessions a day) and Zumba (an hour) are part of my routine, I've still been getting in decent numbers most days though. My personal goals are 22,000 steps, 100 "active minutes" and a 3000 total calorie burn from Fitbit. Now I'm not saying I count any of these numbers as gospel (I "burned 3000 calories, therefore I can eat 2500 calories and still lose!"), they are just some numbers I use to compare my day to day. You can see I barely got to the 3000 burn yesterday.

I was looking at the Fitbit family comparisons, and noticed that my dad had dropped a little. He's nice and active, and usually  quite competitive for my kids. I went onto his Fitbit page to look at his numbers. I noticed even though he had 10,000 steps LESS than I did, his calorie burn was higher! He only had eight "active minutes" and I had 145!  Our weight is almost exactly the same. He's a bit taller, he's older (obviously, as he's my dad) ... so his only real advantage is, he's a MAN.

 My Dad

Again, not saying these Fitbit numbers are gospel truth ... 

but Fitbit is certainly going by industry standards as they attempt their estimates.

 My 18-year old

I looked at my oldest son's numbers. He had over 13500 steps less than I did and still managed to top me in the calorie burn (just barely). He does weigh just a bit more than me. He has YOUTH and the manly metabolism on his side.

 My 15-year old

My second son ... this was a slow day for him. He had 35,000 steps on Monday! Not as many steps as I did yesterday, yet a higher burn. And he weighs less than I do too.

 My 13-year old

Son #3 beat me in active minutes, but not steps ... but look at the calorie burn! He only weighs a little over 100 pounds too. All his green spikes were running and jumping at the local inflatable place. I try to stay active, walking while they play. I often can get in some steps (although I didn't do well yesterday in that regard ... my little yellow spikes, it was too crowded for me to walk around much) the kids always get a bigger burn from Fitbit (not sure if it's somehow factoring in their impact or what).

It just seems like the guys can get a higher calorie burn with a lot less effort. I can and do reach my 3000 goal quite often, but I  feel like I have to work REALLY hard to get there.

Not fair! Not that anything about this life IS fair :)
I enjoy being a girl, but I wouldn't mind a man's metabolism!

Linking up with the Hump Day Blog Hop and Workout Wednesday. 

Library Love ♥

I've been an avid reader since I was a little girl. But I love my local library even more now as an adult. What does my local library have to do with fitness? Why am I bringing it up here on my blog? There are so many things that a good library offers that I'm not sure everyone is aware of ...

• Books: I think everyone knows libraries carry books. Whether it's novels (I read while working out on my stationary bike... Riding and Reading) or non-fiction (health and exercise or other interests), my library has a huge selection. I am a convert to digital reading.  Most libraries have adapted to the times. I can hold, download, read and return books without even stepping foot in the actual building.
• Magazines: My library has subscriptions to almost every magazine ... including all the health and fitness ones. Personally, I subscribe to many of them (Mucho Magazines), but when my subscriptions have lapsed, I've turned to the library to catch up on anything I might have missed. Like books, many magazines are also available in digital format too.
• Music: Many libraries all across the country participate in a music download service called "Freegal" ... it's a completely legal music offering sponsored by the library service. You can download and keep three songs a week. While not every song is available, there have been many top 10 songs I've been able to snag from my library instead of having to purchase myself. I've added many a workout song to my playlists this way. Of course there are still plenty of CDs to check out and try too ...
• DVDs: Libraries carry a wide range of DVDs. I use the service to grab TV programs to keep me entertained while I workout (TV Time = Exercise Time). I'm content to wait on shows, then watch all the episodes back to back. No waiting between weeks, or commercial breaks (I like subtitles too). There are health and fitness finds too. I'm pretty picky with fitness workouts. I really like to borrow and try before I commit and buy. In my last trip to the library, I grabbed a few workouts...

Another great thing about my library, is that I can look at the catalog online, and request something from ANY of the libraries it is associated with. I can request books or DVDs be transferred to my branch, and held there. I just go in and pick them up. Now I realize, that not every library offers everything MY library does ... but if you haven't checked out YOUR local library lately, you might be surprised at what is available for you!  That's my tip and trick offer for today *Ü* Linking up with Kristen and Lisa and their Tuesday Tips!

Amazon & Exercise

I've been an Amazon Prime member for a couple of years now. Admittedly, I do like the convenience of shopping online, and I've been impressed with Amazon's prices and customer service. So our Prime membership was mainly to get the free two-day shipping. 

The streaming services Amazon offered were just an extra. Our family had converted to Netflix a few years ago and we were finding plenty to keep us busy. I did eventually start looking through Amazon's offerings and watching some of the programming that they stocked that Netflix did not.  It wasn't until recently that I stumbled upon all the exercise and fitness videos available (and what is pictured above is just a small sampling, there were a lot more!) 

I'm not sure if this is a recent change  (I know I purchased Jillian Michael's No More Trouble Zones on DVD just a month or so ago ... something I wouldn't have done if I had realized it was available to stream for free) or if I just hadn't noticed it was one of the "prime" titles.  I do know that Netflix (and I assume Amazon) is constantly changing their streaming library as contracts come and go, with with my PlayLater service, I can actually copy any available title to my home computer to keep on hand, even if it is removed from the Prime library. 

Linking up with Kristen and Kristen 

for Tips and Tricks Tuesday.

If you already have Amazon Prime, be sure to check out the fitness titles they have available for free streaming. If you don't have Amazon Prime, they offer a 2-week free trial to try it out (you do have to cancel if you don't want to be charged, and they do auto-renew ... but I love my Amazon Prime so I don't think we'll be cancelling anytime soon).  I hope to be trying out some of these many exercise offerings and letting you know which ones I like.  Have you tried any of the titles listed above? What did you think? 

Say What?

When I first started on MFP (My Fitness Pal) and checked out the forums, there were a LOT of acronyms, abbreviations and terms that left me scratching my head a bit. Usually, I could just google the phrase I didn't understand and find a quick answer, but as a list of helpful explanations and definitions came across the forums, I thought I'd post it here on my blog for quick reference (I did ask the OP for permission) ...

Even if you're not on MFP, you'll probably come across many of these terms on blogs or other fitness forums ...  HTH *Ü*

• 30DS: 30 Day Shred: A cardiovascular and plyometric exercise program. Developed by Jillian Michaels. 
• AMRAP: "As Many Rounds As Possible" ... often used in CrossFit and circuit training.
• BodyBugg: From the website: the bodybugg calorie management system is a proven solution in weight loss management. The bodybugg system works by keeping an accurate daily record of calories consumed vs. burned making it easier to stay informed, make decisions and more effectively manage your weight. (http://www.bodybugg.com/) 
• BMR: Base or Basal Metabolic Rate ... the number of calories you burn each day at rest.
• Bump: To bump a thread on an internet forum is to post a reply to it purely in order to raise the thread's profile. This will typically return it to the top of the list of active threads. At MFP, it will also cause the thread to be listed in your "My Topics" for easy reference.
• C25K: Couch to 5 K: A running program designed for beginner and non-runners to get them from the couch to running a 5K. Some are 8 weeks, others are slightly longer. 
• DH/DW/DD/DS or : Dear Husband (Darn Husband as the care may be) ... wife, daughter, son. SO: Significant Other
• DOMS: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: From wikipedia: Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), also called muscle fever, is the pain and stiffness felt in muscles several hours to days after unaccustomed or strenuous exercise. The soreness is felt most strongly 24 to 72 hours after the exercise. 
• DYEL: Do you even lift? 
• ED: Eating Disorder. There are several kinds. Go to www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/information-resources/ for more information. 
• ESE: Eat Stop Eat. A type of Intermittent Fasting diet plan. 
• EMTLW/EMTWL: Eat More to Lose Weight/Eat More to Weigh Less 
• ETA: Edited to Add (people often like to explain what was edited as they modify an existing post)
• Fitbit: a small electronic device attached to clothing to monitor steps taken and movement throughout the day. http://www.fitbit.com 
• GW: Goal Weight- Related to the following:  UGW- Ultimate goal weight- The final weight goal a person wishes to attain  SW- Starting Weight  CW- Current Weight 
• HIIT: High Intensity Interval Training- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training 
• HRM: Heart Rate Monitor 
• IF: Intermittent Fasting is a pattern of eating that alternates between periods of fasting (usually meaning consumption of water only) and non-fasting. 16:8, 5:2, 4:3, are numeric terms you will in see in conjunction with IF discussions. 
• IIFYM: If It Fits Your Macros- See Macronutrients.  
• IPOARM: In Place of a Road Map: From the MFP page: "In Place of a Road Map is simply a way to get your metabolism functioning at max capacity while eating as much as you can and getting the results that you need. This is also a Fat Loss program.  Never confuse Fat Loss with Weight Loss.
• Macros: Macronutrients- the large categories of nutritional ratios of Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat. 
• MFP: My Fitness Pal 
• Net Calories: number of calories eaten minus number of calories burned in exercise and baseline metabolism. 
• NROL4W: New Rules of Lifting for Women (an often quoted book).
• NSV: Non Scale Victory a dieting and weight loss term for noticing your weight loss success off the scale. This includes smaller clothing sizes, measurements, compliments, etc. 
• OP: Means "original post" or "original poster" of a forum topic. Example: "The OP was clearly talking about carbs instead of fat." 
• P90X: A high intensity, 90 day cardiovascular/plyometric fitness routine. Created by Tony Horton. 
• Paleo: From Wikipedia: "The paleolithic diet (abbreviated paleo diet or paleodiet), also popularly referred to as the caveman diet, Stone Age diet and hunter-gatherer diet, is a modern nutritional plan based on the presumed ancient diet of wild plants and animals that various hominid species habitually consumed..." 
• PCOS: Polycystic ovary syndrome- Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition in which a woman has an imbalance of a female sex hormones. This may lead to menstrual cycle changes, cysts in the ovaries, trouble getting pregnant, and other health changes. Weight gain and obesity is common in women with PCOS. Losing weight can help treat the hormone changes and health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Read more at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001408/
• Primal: From Wikipedia: "The Primal Diet is a carnivorous, low carbohydrate raw foods diet, pioneered by Aajonus Vonderplanitz. It can also be considered as a Paleolithic diet with the addition of raw milk products."
• QFT: Quote(d) for Truth- QFT is used when a previous or quoted post is so on point and correct, you "QFT it" for emphasis and agreement.
• SL5x5SL5x5 (or plain SL) = StrongLifts 5x5 - a strength training problem stressing compound lifts - squat, deadlift, bench press, barbell row and overhead press.  Other related weight lifting terms: BW - bodyweight (as in bodyweight exercises, like push-ups)  DL - deadlift  OHP - overhead press  BP - bench press  LP - leg press 
• TDEE: Total Daily Energy Expenditure 
• TLDR/TL;DR: Too Long Didn't Read. 
• TOM: For women- "Time Of the Month"- The monthly menstrual cycle. Important in terms of fitness because of the uncontrolled body changes and water retention that can affect weight loss and fitness goals and plans. 
• Vegetarian,Vegan,Pescatarian,Flexitarian:  http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianvegan101/tp/TypesofVeg.htm 
• VLCD: Very Low Calorie Diet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very-low-calorie_diet) 
• WOD:  Workout of the day 
• YMMV: Your mileage may vary. Basically means that if you try what the poster recommended, it may not produce exactly the same results. 

Have YOU encountered any of these acronyms as you've been reading? 

If I missed any, feel free to leave a comment and I'll try to update the list. 

I'm linking up today with Tips and Tricks Tuesday.  I hope this has been a helpful tip.

I know I wanted to keep it handy for myself!

Weighing in on Graphs

I really like graphs. It takes numbers and makes them visual. It's very helpful to me. But even the same numbers can get a different look depending on the graph. Checking in here today for Weigh In Wednesday to take a peek at how different your weight graph can look, even when using the exact same numbers. 

I looked at my weight graph on my Iphone (using my Fitbit app, above). 

It looks pretty bumpy there.

Pretty big ups and downs.

When I look at the Fitbit website instead of the app (below), it looks very different! 

The reference numbers on the axis expand (showing more weight variety and a longer time) and this totally changed the look, makes it look super smooth (and so slllllooooooowwwww). 

The graph above is from the MFP website ... 

Shows some ups and downs, but decent progress overall.

The MFP app squished the numbers together a bit more, 

and the downward trend looks much more impressive,

of course the small ups look bigger too.

I also sync to Trendweight.com, which in addition to keeping track of actual weight, also projects your "trend" which really smooths out the bumps! It really is an interesting way to look at the numbers, and having your "actual" weigh-in come in UNDER your trend can be motivating, even when the numbers have gone up a bit. I'm not as down as I was, but I'm still down ...

I DID dip into the 150s once (159.5 on Sunday) ... it's moving SO slowly. My MPF ticker has been fluctuating between 20 pounds lost, and 19 pounds lost. It's bad enough when it stays the same for a week, I really don't like when it goes backwards!

... I know, I get a little obsessive with my numbers and graphs. It's often said how important perspective is ... how you look at things. That CAN even come into play with how you look at the numbers from your scale, you know?  

I thought this post worked with the Weigh-In Wednesday link-up. Post your own scale stories and check out other people's progress as well!

Reaping the Rewards

Now for most of us ... FITNESS is its own reward. Just being healthier. Looking better. Feeling more confident. Being able to eat a few more calories. But as I've been actively being active ... I've noticed some programs that give you a little something back for your fitness. Even though I am going to work out for myself, I thought I'd check into what else I could get while I was at it ...

The great thing about these programs, is that most of them are linked with applications or devices you are already using.  For me, it's the Fitbit. I can just connect and forget about it.  All my stats and steps are credited to my various reward programs automatically. If you don't have a Fitbit, many other apps and devices link too ... Runkeeper, MapMyFitness, Garmin, BodyMedia, just to name a few.    Here's what I've been connecting to, my progress and reviews ...

Everymove was the first reward site I stumbled upon. It has many "connections" ... chances are there is something you are already using that will earn you points with this site. Like other social sites, you have a friend list, and you can give a few bonus points to others when you have an active day. There is an app, so you can check in easily on your phone. Now many of the "rewards" are really just discounts in disguise. I didn't find anything that appealed to me personally, so I started earning a $5 donation to the Make a Wish foundation. I've done that several times now. The rewards do change and some nice ones are only around for a limited time. I've been lucky enough to snag a $5 Amazon gift card more than once and my son earned five free rentals from Redbox.  Everymove is limited to US residents.  ( See my EVERYMOVE UPDATE post for my experience with Everymove).

Earndit is another reward site with several connecting partners. Again, many of the rewards are merely discounts, requiring a purchase. But again, there are charitable options as well. See my Earndit Update for my experience with them.

Achievemint offers a cash award of $25. It does take a while to earn the 25,000 points to collect the cash payout. I'm getting close ... I'll update if I actually do get a check!  It doesn't have quite as many connections, but Fitbit, Runkeeper and MapMyFitness apps are accepted. While it looks like anyone can sign up, you do need to be a US resident to redeem rewards. Bummer for those outside the US. (See my ACHIEVEMINT UPDATE post for my personal experience with this program). 

I had a Balance Rewards card from my local Walgreens, but honestly, I  wasn't earning any reward points ... until I discovered that I could get points just for walking! I simply connected my Fitbit, and I earn 1000 points per month (that is the monthly limit for steps, I usually get there about mid-month) ... 5000 points will give me a $5 credit. Since I've been paying a little more attention to their rewards program, I have added some points through purchases as well. If you don't redeem your credit immediately, it will actually grow more. 40,000 points, instead of being worth $40, is actually worth $50. There are a limited number of connections (Fitbit and BodyMedia for steps, Wirthings for weight) but you can enter your workouts manually if you were willing to go to the effort. (See my WALGREENS UPDATE for my review after using it for several months and redeeming my rewards).

These are the four reward sites I've been participating in. I just connect my Fitbit and forget it ... I'm not actually working out FOR these rewards. I'd be working out anyway, but hey, I'll take a kickback if it's offered. I'll donate a little to charity. And I'll keep on walking ...

When I first wrote this post, I said I had looked into GymPact and decided against participating. I work out in my home gym, I often do 20 minute segments (GymPact requires a full 30minutes). While there is reward, there is also risk. You must provide a credit card number and you get charged $5 if you commit, then miss a workout.

In January 2014 ... MyFitnessPal announced they were partnering with GymPact - now simply called Pact, as there were food pacts as well as exercise. At this point, I also saw that Fitbit was now an accepted partner, with 10,000 steps equivalent to a "workout" ... so I joined, and you can see my review here (Pacts and Paydays). 

Another very popular possible reward/challenge is DietBet. I have not personally participated in one of these, but I know of MANY people who have. Again, it is a little more involved then simply syncing my Fitbit. It does require an upfront payment, and pictures/proof of weight loss success. Like GymPact, losing money is as much of an incentive as winning money.

I like the first four reward sites ... there is no risk, just reward. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy. 

I update this blog post with my reviews of the various programs. Another one out there now is FitStudio, which gives you ShopYourWayRewards which is basically store credit at Kmart/Sears and LandsEnd. Check out my review of that program (FitStudio Feedback).  

** and another update, check out my latest experiences (June2014) Fitness Rewards Update 

Anyone had any experiences with these sites, good or bad?  Any other reward sites out there? Does something like this motivate you more, or is it just a perk to what you would be doing already?