Bye Bye Training Wheels

And by training wheels I mean Bodybugg

I’m not throwing it away or anything but I think we will all agree that it’s not a realistic permanent solution. Now that I’ve lost some extra lbs I’m going to test out what I’ve learned and see how well I can do on my own. Honestly, if the Bodybugg was smaller and more discreet I don’t think I’d ever give it up. But alas, it is a bulky band that goes on your arm and kind of makes you look like a robot… or like you have huge triceps (under clothes). The biggest lessons I learned during my tryst with Buggsy were the following:

1. The little things really do add up. Take the stairs, park farther away, clean your house instead of watching TV and for heaven’s sake, DO YOUR CARDIO! That is what really made the biggest difference in my calories burned. I can totally tell a difference when I start slacking off. Also, I’m totally serious about cleaning your house. I was super surprised when I saw that the thirty minutes I spent cleaning burnt more calories than the hour I had just spent at the gym.
2. Just because you don’t know how many calories are in it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any. Do your research and know what you’re putting in your mouth. I promise you’ll be shocked at the crazy amount of calories some foods have. A big shocker for me was learning that the Plain Jane baked potato at Jason’s Deli has around 2,200 calories in it. Um… that’s just silly. A regular baking potato has 120 calories in it and when you add low-fat sour cream and cheese and Smart Balance “butter” it all adds up to 400 calories max. That’s an 1,800 difference just for making it at home. They must just put gobs of butter on there. If you eat at home you will save so many calories and it will be so much easier to stay on target.
3. I do love a good glass of wine, especially after a really long day. This is another source of calories I never really thought much about before. One glass has around 100 calories in it. When you’re trying to cut back, that’s a good place to start (sadly).

I’m going to keep a close eye on things for the next few weeks and see how things go. If you see Buggsy make a comeback you’ll know I just wasn’t ready to take on temptation on my own. I really do feel like I have learned a lot about what works for my body and I’m excited to see how things go!

Still Kickin…

I just wanted to let everyone know that my Bodybugg and I are still in love. I think I’m down about 8 pounds and honestly it couldn’t have been easier. The first week or two were the hardest just because I was used to eating so much more than I need to be but after I got over that little hurdle it’s been a piece of cake (mmm…. cake)! Nothing can rid me of my sweet tooth! That’s the greatest part about this, though. I can eat whatever I want just as long as I’m honest with myself about it and count it on my program, which I have been doing religiously. So I don’t have any huge news but just wanted to let you know that things are still going well and my progress is on track!

High Five!

Well my first five pounds have officially been shed since beginning my Bodybugg program. I would have to say it’s been the easiest five pounds I have ever lost and it makes the rest of them seem not so daunting. I believe that this will be the first year ever when I can confidently say I will be ready for bikini season and that’s a pretty good feeling! Usually the onset of summer is a little foreboding but this year I am really excited about it because I know by then I will have reached my goal! I had my second coaching call yesterday with Laura, my Bodybugg coach and as we looked over my progress it was pretty cool to see a snapshot of my entire program since I usually just concentrate on one day at a time. It was really motivating and I was proud of myself for sticking with it! I think it is now safe for me to say that this crazy band works! I am so happy to have found something that actually makes this so easy! I will keep you posted!

Coaching Call

So I had my first coaching call with Laura my Bodybugg coach the other day. I have played around on the site a lot and have it pretty well figured out but she was still able to answer some questions for me and let me know about some other cool stuff I hadn’t found yet! It was really motivating and knowing that someone will be checking in with you really helps keep you on target. She was so nice and helpful and it was good to have a pat on the back. So far I am on target with my goals so I just have to keep pushing forward! I will keep you posted!

I’m Hungry…

Talk about a rude awakening. It’s amazing how FEW calories you burn during the day whilst sitting behind a desk staring at a computer. If I get nothing else out of this at least I have gotten slapped in the face by reality. If you have a sedentary job and are trying to lose weight, I highly recommend this device. Actually I recommend it to anyone but being someone who has to sit a lot during the day I can relate to all of you cubies out there! One thing I have started doing to combat my low level of movement during the hours of 9-6 is to start doing a few trips up and down the stairs in my building. I work in a 9-story office building with two stairwells. One is usually empty so it’s a private little workout that reminds my heart it’s supposed to be beating. It really has made a difference in boosting my “Calories Burned”. Another thing that I have come to realize is how many calories I was taking in a day (again… while not moving). No wonder I need this thing! This is really helping me get a handle on what I eat and what that means for my progress. You really can’t help but to make some positive changes. I have now been on the program for a full week and would still recommend it to anyone who, like me, needs to be hit over the head with a good dose of reality when it comes to their dietary choices. Some of you have come to me after class and asked me about it. You can attest to the fact that I love talking about it so if anyone has a questions about the Bodybugg just come ask me! See you in class!

Day Two – Still Smitten

As I continue to unfold this elaborate Bodybugg system the more fascinated I become. I’m like a kid with an awesome new toy! I want to play with it 24 hours a day! It’s addicting. I’m constantly checking to see how many calories I have burned today. For instance, right now it is 5pm and I have burned 1496 calories and I have consumed 776. It tells me that to reach my goal today I have 937 calories left to burn and 624 calories left in my budget to consume. Does that make it easy or what?

Something new that I discovered today is that it also acts as a pedometer. So far today it says I have taken 3648 steps. Who knew? It breaks down the nutritional information of what you eat so you can see not only how many calories you are consuming but how much of that is fat, carbs, protein, etc and how that measures up to your daily allowance. I also got a phone call today from some woman named Laura in Wisconsin who is apparently my “Bodybugg Coach” and she wanted to schedule a time to go over my plan with me next week. I get a coach?? Wow. The surprises just keep on coming.

Seriously, with all of this information at my fingertips I can’t help but hold myself accountable for what I put in my mouth and how active I decide to be. I no longer have any excuses. Darn.

Day One – I’m in Love

I officially believe that this is the coolest thing I have ever bought! The online system is very user friendly and being able to see the numbers in front of you really puts things in perspective. I will say that there was some initial frustration in trying to get this thing set up on my own… I was not patient enough to wait for a trainer to do it for me but I recommend that you do. I learned my lesson but alas I got it figured out thanks to Bodybugg Support which was more than helpful. Once you get it set up, however, the program could not be easier and it’s just so cool how you can see where you stand with your caloric intake! The only thing that is kind of annoying is having to wear this band on your arm all the time but I figure it’s a small price to pay if it works. I’m just going to have to get more shirts with sleeves! I have set my goal date for the middle of May. Now I am really curious to see how my physical results correspond to what the computer says. I’ll keep you posted!

Bodybugg – The Ultimate Test

So I took a giant step today and purchased the 24 Hour Fitness Bodybugg. For those of you who don’t know what this is, talk to a trainer at the gym or check it out online. I am the ultimate skeptic but even I can’t see how this couldn’t work. It seems to take all the guesswork out of caloric intake vs. caloric expenditure which is the calculation everyone hates to try and figure out. Face it, if it were easy to do on our own we would all look like Heidi Klum. I purchased the armband today and am meeting with a trainer this week to get my measurements and set up the online portion of the program. I will definitely keep you all posted about my progress and thoughts about the product. It may seem initially pricey but if it really does work and is as easy as they say it is to use then I say it is money well spent. More to follow!