Getting a little bit fit

It seems like we all go through seasons in our life where we have a different reason to get "fit" and that means trying new ways to go about it. A few years ago I adopted a healthier way of cooking and eating, I made the changes very quickly when I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It was around the time I decided to become a stay home mom, so I found myself going for a jog with the dog, cooking fresh recipes and really enjoying how I was starting to feel.

Since that time we have added 2 beautiful babies to our family. We have also had a lot of other changes in life. Although I still love to cook with fresh ingredients and have kept the sugary sauces and packaged meals off of my shopping list, I am struggling again with being active and portion control. I found that after a long pregnancy of insulin and nausea I feel entitled to enjoying food the way I want, when I want. It's my body, right? I mean, it's not like I'm carrying another life inside of me that I have to eat healthy for...

Well, that's mostly true. It is my body, and I'm not pregnant. Here's the catch though, I am somebody's mom, 5 somebodies to be exact. I'm also a wife. My point is that I'm just as responsible for the life of my children now as I was before they were out in the world. A world filled with delicious food, sugar, soda, TV, video games, phones... You see where I'm going with this? If I don't show them how to add some healthy choices and when to turn off the electronics for some fresh air who will? I will be the first to admit that I have lost touch with setting a good example in this area. It's time to get back to being that good example and unplugging their idea of fun!

My family recently had the biggest wake up call you NEVER want to get. My Dad, 57 years old, passed away. He was a pretty big guy, I've always known him that way. He was my Dad so that's not all he was to me though. Our Dad was also not in good health, especially the last year of his life. I don't want to ramble on about this, it's still very new to us. I do want to say that this experience really opened our eyes, my siblings and I decided on our way home from seeing our Dad in Virginia that it's time...

We all have a Fitbit and a plan. This plan doesn't involve personal trainers or some crazy diet. It's all about motivation and challenging ourselves, and each other. The bigger picture is that we all have amazing young people depending on us to be around for a long time! I am ready to feel great, have more energy and reassure my family that I will be here to watch them teach their kids the same thing!



My early mother's day gift was a new Fitbit! I already had one, but I really loved the Blaze. I like the style, but I love that you can change the bands too. I have my eye on a few different ones already. The Blaze has some great features, like Heart Rate monitor, counting your flights of stairs and the caller ID. If I write about all of it's features we could be here all day, I recommend checking it out here.



The one on the right is the Alta. When I got this one I was in love! The smaller design got me hooked. I loved the fact that it reminded me to move every hour. This one does not have the heart rate monitor and it doesn't tell you how many flights of stairs you've done. We have a two story house, and I like getting credit for going upstairs! You can change the bands on this one too though. I still use this one when I'm doing yard work and things along that line. The clasp makes it difficult for me for everyday use because I have carpal tunnel and mornings are not my wrists friend!

I really don't think you can go wrong with any of their devices, it's all about your personal style and preference. The most important part of choosing the right "fit" for you is having the motivation to get started in the first place! I am so ready to meet my goals, (which I set in my profile on my Fitbit app.) and move on to set the second set of goals! I even bought the scale, it syncs with your device and app to help you get accurate results. I just got it and will be ready to check my results in about a week.


I should also mention that it's easy to switch back and forth between devices, just sync the one you are wearing before switching to the next one. Wearing a fitness tracker is not the solution, but it's definitely a good tool for me. I enjoy being able to check my progress in this way and joining the challenges with my family and friend who also have one. What tools have you found successful? What motivates you to move?