loosing weight: there's an app for that!

In response to Ashley's comment on my previous post, I thought I would share a bit into how I've been loosing weight this past month.

Truth be told, it's been kind of fun...and the process for loosing weight has been solely based on 3 iPhone app's that I downloaded.

App #1: iFitness - a great app that allows you to scroll through numerous work out routines, specific exercises for targeting muscle groups, and even allows you to track your entire progress. It's a decent app that only costs $1.99 in the app store.

App #2: Loose It - this FREE app has been at the heart of my entire weight loss program. What I've done is simple.
Part 1: Input current weight, height, age
Part 2: Input desired weight
Part 3: Input time frame to achieve desired weight

The program does the rest. It computes how many calories you can eat per day, provides you with a very thorough database for selecting the foods you ate and adding them to your "calorie count" for the day. It also provides you with the ability to select what exercise you've done and adds that to your daily "log".

I am currently on an 1,834 calorie a day budget. What I eat to meet my budget is solely up to me. It has been quite a learning experience to see before this how many calories of food I would eat in a "normal" day. It was anywhere from 3,000-4,000! No wonder I was getting "husky".

App #3: Restaurants: This free app provides a fairly detailed list of mostly fast-food restaurants that we all tend to frequent. It allows you to quickly look up what the calorie count is that you're about to consume....and then allows you to possibly make a more healthier choice.

I still eat 3 meals a day. I do snack in between those meals....but I am FAR SMARTER, about what foods I do eat, and what foods I've cut out of my life all together: foods such as all Pop (diet & regular), High Fat/Sugar snacks, High Calorie Starbucks beverages (mocha's, latte's) etc...

It's been a sobering experience to actually read the "nutritional label" on some of the foods that I frequently consumed only to be horrified with how fatty & high calorie they are!

I've also made exercise a very regular part of my life-routine. I am at the gym for 1.5 hrs 3 times a week (Monday, Thursday & Saturday mornings). This takes a great deal of discipline, and was REALLY HARD for the first few weeks, when I could barely do anything for more than a few minutes. Now that I can (PHYSICALLY SEE & FEEL) the difference it makes it so worth while...and so much easier to keep going back to the gym. I even when out and purchased an iPod shuffle so that I could have my tunes with me the entire time ('cause I almost shattered my iPhone one day on the treadmill!) Anything technological seems to really help me!

So there you go. That's how I've been doing this for the past month. I'm still only 1/3 of the way through my 3 month process. I would encourage any & all of my "20 something" friends/blog readers to take seriously their health and fitness. Our metabolism's are NOT THAT of what they were when we were in our teens'/early 20's.

The best part about loosing 18 pounds so far--CLOTHES FIT AGAIN! I don't even really need to go out and spend money on clothes....'cause old clothes that I barely wore before I packed on the pounds now fit again! WOO HOO.

-Ty