Word to the wise: Do NOT take a month off from exercise!!! As you all know I sort of took a month off from the gym back in December. Don’t ask why, I just did. OK, twist my arm! I took a month off because I had my photo shoot and got a bit lazy. Well, there was a week that I was actually sick, but the rest of the month was laziness. I’m regretting it now. Before my workout hiatus, I was up to running 2min straight, then fast paced walking for 3min during my 45-50min session. When I returned to the gym a few weeks ago I had lost so much strength and endurance, it was almost as if I had to start over. I struggled to reach 1min running. Slowly (the entire month of January) I’ve been working my way back to 2min and should probably hit that mark by the end of this week. My strength training suffered as well. I went from holding a plank for over a min, to struggling to hold a plank for 30 seconds and my overall endurance and strength has declined quite a bit. I WON’T BE MAKING THIS MISTAKE AGAIN!!! From now on I plan on keeping my workout schedule to 4-5 days a week. The days I can’t make it to the gym I will either workout at home or find an alternative to stay active whether it is I do some extra walking during my lunch breaks at works, or I try to workout at home.

I have also been upping my game by using some great tools to help keep me on track: myfitnesspal.com, my trainer Lauren, and my new Fitbit. My trainer talked me into the myfitnesspal.com app and it’s almost like facebook for fitness. You have “friends”, you track your food and activity on the app and your “friends” have access to it all (if you choose), and you can link it to your Fitbit app and your Facebook app. My trainer can monitor my meals and activity and help me adjust where needed. Just another great way to be held accountable for my calories and activity. I LOVE IT!! Now, the Fitbit is a whole new level of fun! I bought the Fitbit Charge HR last week and now I’m obsessed with it. It monitors my steps, calories burned, distance, floors climbed, AND my heart rate. The heart rate monitor does NOT require you to where the chest strap. You wear it higher up on your wrist and it monitors both your resting heart rate and your active heart rate. Fitbit even monitors my sleep patterns! CRAZY!!! I can link my Fitbit to other apps like Runkeeper, and as I mentioned earlier, myfitnesspal. Through the Fitbit app I can set goals I receive “badges” when the goals are reached. For example, when I reach 10,000 steps Fitbit vibrates. When I drink my 8 glasses of water, I get a badge on my app. The Fitbit is a fun tool that helps keep me motivated.

So, just to recap…DO NOT TAKE A MONTH OFF FROM BEING ACTIVE…EVER!!!! Just my 2 cents. 🙂

Liz

For info on the Fitbit, click here… http://www.fitbit.com

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