About the FitBit.....

Photo Credit: FitBit.com

Is it just me, or has there been an overabundance of articles floating around the Internet stating that one's life expectancy is shortened if she works at a job where she sits most of the day? And to make things worse, these articles say that even if you workout religiously, it does not negate the fact that you are sitting down all day. Now, I am one of those people who sits at a computer or in meetings for most of the day. As was the case at the beginning of my career, I no longer run around courtrooms all day...I am now what they call "sedentary." Ugh! Such an awful sounding word! And, as I said, it doesn't matter that I work out 5 days a week...I am still considered sedentary!

My first reaction in reading these articles was to panic, which lasted approximately 5 minutes (no more, I swear!). My next reaction was to come up with a list of ways to move my body more during work hours. Made the list...blogged about it...made some changes. But I still felt like I needed something quantifiable where I could actually see the results of these changes...clearly, the lawyer in me had taken over. Luckily for me, a combination of events and necessities caused me to stumble upon the FitBit. Have any of you heard of this device? Well, give me a couple of minutes and I'll explain...

The FitBit is sought of like a pedometer with super powers. It's a tiny, wireless device that you clip to your shirt, pants, belt buckle, bra, etc., and it tracks the amount of steps you take on a daily basis. Additionally, the FitBit tells you how many calories you burn, how many miles you walk, and how many flights of stairs you climb throughout the day. Nice, right?! The FitBit also syncs to a free online program that permits you to log your food and activities, and track your weight. And of course you can earn badges for meeting certain milestones, and you know us adults love badges! Depending on the type of FitBit, the device may also double as a sleep tracker. It tracks when you fall asleep, and the amount of times you wake up throughout the night. It is a pretty neat feature for someone like me who generally has difficulty sleeping, and who may want to show the results to a sleep specialist.

Photo Credit: Ashstar01

So now that you have a general idea what a FitBit is, I can freely explain to you how the FitBit has helped to reduce the amount of time I spend sitting all day. It's actually a really simple explanation...the FitBit proved to me in unmistakable numbers that I was lazy. Sure, I go to the gym for an hour and a half a day, but during the other 22 and half hours...LAZY! After seeing my raggedy stats, the answer was pretty clear...I needed to move my tail a whole lot more. And I did!

I started taking 10 minute walks around my office three times a day. I began parking my car far away from the entrance of my office, the gym, the supermarket, or any place with an entrance. I boycotted the elevators at my office and forced myself to walk up the stairs. I closed my office door and jogged in place for 5 minutes at a time. I walked around my house a lot more than I normally would. I walked Q in the park an extra 10 minutes per day. I really was making an effort to increase my activity. And let's be honest...I was really trying to outsmart my FitBit. Whatever works right? And then the plot thickened...

In addition to its overall fabulousness, the FitBit program also allows you to connect with friends to challenge each other to walk and move more. I mean it ranks you against them and everything. So it adds a competitive element while helping you to be less sedentary. All in all, the FitBit has been a great accountability tool for me, and I think it will help other professionals that sit during most of the day.

So, that's the FitBit in a seriously quick nutshell...it does so much more than I can possibly describe in one post. Please check out the FitBit website to get more information on the different devices and additional online features. And you (and your waistline) can thank me later!

Disclaimer: FitBit did not pay me to rave about this product. Please be assured that these are my opinions free from any commercial or financial influence....seriously!

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About GymPact...the Ultimate Workout Motivator!

How many times have you looked in the mirror and decided that it was time for you to get back in shape? How many Sunday nights have you said to yourself that starting Monday, you are going to get back in the gym and get your sexy back? And then by the following Wednesday, your workout plan and motivation to get back in shape is a distant memory. And then you start using the typical excuses that working professionals employ when they put working out on the back burner: “I had to work late”…“I have to get home and make dinner”…“I have to attend a networking event”…“it’s Friday and I’ve had a rough week”…“a client invited me to a happy hour”…blah, blah, blah! Does any of this sound familiar?

As many of you may know, I am always on the lookout for new smart phone apps that make my life easier…or those that are a fun distraction from what I’m really supposed to being doing…whatever!  In my never-ending search, I happen to come across the GymPact app for the iPhone. GymPact is the perfect app for those of us who constantly promise ourselves that we are going to work out regularly…starting Monday of course!

Here how GymPact works: every Sunday, you decide how many days you intend to work out during the upcoming week (Monday through Sunday) and you make a pact (at least one day). During the week, you use the GymPactapp to “check in” to your gym when you arrive and “check out” when you are done working out. If you choose to work out outdoors (i.e. running or cycling), you can use the RunKeeper app to record your work out…which will then sync to GymPact. If you successfully hit the gym for the amount of days you pledged to go, then GymPact will pay you. You read that right….GymPact will PAY YOU for successfully completing your pact. Nice, right?! Now on the other hand, if you fail to complete your pact for the week, you have to pay GymPact at least $5 per missed work out (you decide how much you pay per missed work out). That’s about it…really simple!

Before anyone gets excited, let me be clear that GymPactis not going to make you rich...it is merely a way to "incentivize your workout."  Last week, I made a pact to work out at least 5 days during the week. When I successfully completed my pact, I was paid $3.10…nothing earth-shattering, but knowing that I would be penalized for not completing my pact is an excellent motivator! I don’t know about any of you, but I am highly skilled in the art of talking myself out of going to the gym after a long day at work. Since starting with GymPact 4 weeks ago, however, I have successfully completely my pact 3 times (no judgment about that 4^th week please!). And since GymPact only requires you to be at the gym for at least 30 minutes per check in, I really have no excuse as to why I can’t make it to the gym.

In sum, I really enjoy using GymPact as a motivational tool to get off my butt and work out…and everyone can use a little motivation, right? The one drawback is that the GymPact app is currently available only for the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, so Android users are going to have to wait. But for those of you with Apple devices, check out the GymPact app on the iTunes store.

To learn more about GymPact, check out the website.

So, given my review of this app, would you try it? Let me know!

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Spinning.....My Newest Obsession!

I have been authoring the Martini Chronicles for almost two years, and I have had the opportunity to actually and virtually meet and fellowship with many Professional Divas that face the same professional values, ideals, and challenges. One of the major challenges that my fellow Professional Divas and I face is that there are not enough hours in the day. Trust me when I tell you that I sincerely wish that I had more time to clean my home, cook for my family, and hang out with my girls...but clearly, I do not! There is one thing, however, that I always try to make time for...working out. With all the sitting down I do at work and all of the lunch meetings and trainings that I attend, my body would be utterly anti-sexy if I didn't manage to get in some exercise at least 4 times per week. 

As many of you know, running has typically been my exercise of choice. I have graduated from both the CouchTo5K and BridgeTo10K programs, which is a huge accomplishment for me. I also regularly frequent a boot camp class so that I can get my strength training served to me with a little bit of crazy (courtesy of the instructor, of course). All of these workouts have one thing in common...they all allow me to work out for 60 to 90 minutes, which is usually all the time I can spare in my busy day. 

After becoming what I consider an amateur runner, I started getting bored and my knees were starting to ache a little more than usual. I knew that I needed to find another activity that would allow me to get a great cardio workout and that would not put as much strain on my knees. I swear Living Social must have had a hidden camera in my office...at the exact moment I was discussing this issue with a colleague, I received an email from Living Social telling me that I could purchase 5 indoor cycling classes for $29. It was too much of a coincidence for me to pass it up, so I purchased the deal...quickly!

Now, I had never taken a spin class before. Scratch that...I had attempted to take a spin class a few times in the past, but the second my butt started hurting (about 2 minutes into the class), I quit! I was determined not to let that happen to me this time. So, I signed up for my first class at the Revolution Indoor Cycling Studio in Pine Brook, New Jersey, about 15 minutes from my office. Here we go!

As I headed over to the studio on the evening of my first class, I literally talked to myself the entire time in the car to convince myself not to quit this time. I mean, I was seriously scolding myself! When I made it to the studio and walked in the door, I immediately knew that I was not going to quit and that this was going to be my newest obsession. How did I know you ask? For one, the people were so nice! And nice goes a long way with me. I could also tell right away that this studio was a family business. Family goes a long way with me, too! I just instantly felt comfortable, and for me, comfort is extremely important. It was evident that this was my first class, but no one made me feel bad about it. Lisa, the fabulous instructor, was nice enough to help me set up my bike and explain how the the bike and the class works. I was ready....I think!

And so the class begins...the room is dark and the music is bumping...really good, heart pumping music...and then here comes the pain in my butt...ugh! Right on cue, Lisa announced that the pain in your butt goes away after a few classes...whew! I stuck it out through the hills and the weights, and before I knew it an hour had passed and the class was over. No, seriously! We had done an entire hour and I had biked about 18 miles, and I hardly noticed because I was having so much fun. And then I saw the single most shocking thing that I had seen in the last hour...are you guys ready for this....I had burned 512 calories...SHUT UP! And I had a great time doing it! At that very moment, spinning became my new obsession. 

Since I have taken this first class, I have been back 5 more times. I have taken classes not only with Lisa, but also with her wonderful sister Traci and the amazing Christian. I have also dropped about 9 pounds in the last 6 weeks or so since I started spinning. Needless to say, I will definitely be back for more. Oh...your butt does stop hurting after taking a few classes...thank God!

For those of you inspired by this post to try my newest obsession, here are some of the benefits of spinning:

- You burn a lot of calories (anywhere from 400 - 700 in a 60 minute session)

- You build muscle tone in your core, butt, and thighs (the most problematic areas ever!)

- It is a low impact exercise (better for your knees)

- It is a great stress reliever (which is a must for Professional Divas)

- The spin bikes allow you to control resistance and go at your own pace

- The classes are fun (the music does it for me)

Have any of you taken an indoor cycling class? If so, what are your thoughts on the classes? Would you recommend these classes to others?

I want to thank all of the instructors and staff over at the Revolution Indoor Cycling Studio for contributing to my newest obsession. You guys are just as much as a factor in my enjoyment of the classes as the classes themselves. For more information on the studio, click here. For more information on indoor cycling in general, please see Spinning.com. 

Have a great week!

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6 Easy Exercises You Can Do At Work!!!

Greetings Divas! And welcome to the beginning of what I hope will be a fabulous and productive work week. Personally, I am optimistic about this week as I have issued myself a challenge: to be more active at work. I recently purchased a Fitbit (more about this later this week), which has made me painfully aware of just how sedentary I am at work. I sit at my desk during the majority of the day, and my only source of exercise are my walks to and from conference rooms for meetings, my walks to and from the bathroom, and the walking I do when going to get my coffee, lunch, and snacks. Clearly, this is not enough exercise. Yes I work out almost daily at the gym, but according to my Fitbit and several other articles I have read, this is not enough!

Well, I have issued myself a challenge to be more active during work hours. How do I intend to do this? Check out this list of 6 Easy Exercises You Can Do At Work. My hope is that doing at least 4 of these exercises per day will pump up my activity level at work. Check them out and let me know what you think!

1. Park Far Away - How many of us are guilty of circling the parking lot in search of a spot closest to the door? In an effort to keep active throughout the day, look for a spot in the section farthest away from the door. This will force you to walk a little more than usual.

2. Climb the Stairs - Whenever feasible, take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you work on a higher floor in a taller building, take the elevator to a lower floor and walk up to your floor. Does that make sense? I confused myself a little bit while writing that sentence!

3. Take a Walk - Step away from your computer 2 or 3 times a day, and take a 10 minute walk. If the weather is cool, walk around the inside of the office. If the weather is pleasant, take a walk outside of the building. Be sure to incorporate a couple of flights of stairs during your walk. Not only will a walk pump up your activity level, but it may enhance your mood...simply because you are taking a break from work.

4. Swap Your Chair For and Exercise Ball - If feasible, bring in an exercise ball and swap it for your chair. Sit on the ball in 20 minute increments throughout the day. Many say that doing so could improve your stability and posture, and strengthen your core. For more information on using the exercise ball as a chair, click here! 

5. Do a Few Tricep Dips - I recently came across an article posted on Forbes' website regarding tricep dips in the work place (see article here). This article gives the following instruction on how to properly perform tricep dips at your desk: "Place your butt on the edge of the desk, then place your palms on the edge of the desk on either side of you. Keeping your feet together, bend at the elbows and slide forward off of the desk and dip down a few inches, and then push back up. Dip to where your elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Do this 20 times." 

6. Lunge in the Stairwell - Head to the stairwell for this quick exercise. At the bottom of a landing, take the stairs up two steps at a time. In each step, slowly lunge your way to the top of the next landing. Do this up 5 flights of stairs, run back down, and repeat. Once you're back up to your floor, you're done! In only 10 minutes!

That's all I have on my list! Don't forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day, and don't forget your sneakers!

What other easy exercises are easy to do at work? Share please! And have a great week!

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Bridge To 10K...Week Two!

Greetings Divas and Gents! And welcome to Friday! Once again, I am grateful for yet another productive work week. I am also grateful, and excited, because I have completed Week Two of the Bridge To 10K program! Give me a second while I do the cabbage patch.......And I'm back! Back to tell you all how it all went down this week. Ready? Let's go!

This Week's Workouts: This week's three workouts consisted of a 5 minute warm up walk...followed by 3 repetitions of 15 minutes running and 1 minute of brisk walking...and concluding with a 5 minute cool down.

Average Workout Time: Each of the three workouts are identical, and take 57 minutes to complete...warm up and cool down included!

The Pro Diva's Reaction: Well...this week was definitely a challenge! I found myself having to play little games with myself while I was running in order to get through it. For example, I would tell myself that I would not look down at the time and distance on the treadmill until the end of each song. Or, I would take a sip of water after every five minutes. Anything to keep myself entertained and keep my mind off the fact that I am running, almost nonstop, for 45 minutes.

I completed the first workout on Sunday afternoon, and this time I did eat breakfast. I was exhausted when I was finished, but I was surprised that I was able to push myself to do it. Now, I can't lie, I was not looking forward to the second workout, but I did finish it on Tuesday after work. Again, this is always a little tough because I an usually exhausted from working all day...but I finished it! Unfortunately, I felt horrible afterwards. I honestly don't think I drank enough water throughout the day, and this contributed to the nausea. I went to the 7 Eleven and got some Gatorade, and I felt better. Finally, I finished the third workout on Thursday after work, and I nailed it! I don't know what it was, but I felt great throughout my run and afterwards. I had learned my lesson after Tuesday, and I was sure to drink a lot of fluids throughout the day. I also think I was fueled by the fact that it was the last workout of the week. Who cares what it was...I finished it!

In sum, Week Two was more challenging than Week One, but it is totally doable! Two weeks down, 4 to go! Also, I want to thank all of you who have decided to join me on this journey and offering words of support and motivation. I really do appreciate your comments! Keep 'em coming!

Next Week: Next week's three workouts will consist of a 5 minute warm up walk...followed by 3 repetitions of 17 minutes running and 1 minute of brisk walking...and concluding with a 5 minute cool down. If the good Lord sees fit,  I'll be back here next week to share my thoughts. I hope to see you back here too!

Quick question: How many of you have started your Couch To 5K or Bridge To 10K program? Please share your thoughts with us in the Comments below! Thanks in advance!

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Bridge To 10K...Week One!

Greetings Divas and Gents! And welcome to Thursday! Or as I like to call it, Almost Friday! Not only am I excited that the weekend is here, but I am pleased to report that I have completed Week One of the Bridge To 10K program! Yes, I know I have a long way to go, but I have decided that I am going to celebrate each week until I finish.

As you may recall, I completed the Couch To 5K program last week, and decided to continue on with the Bridge To 10K program. I received such positive feedback from you all last week, much of which came from those who are currently doing the either the Couch To 5K or the Bridge To 10K program or who are thinking of starting one of the programs. I also received an email from a long-time reader suggesting that I publish periodic updates as I progress through the Bridge To 10K program to serve as a forum for conversation...so here I go! Week One is in the books, and here's what I have to say about it:

 

This Week's Workouts: This week's three workouts consisted of a 5 minute warm up walk...followed by 4 repetitions of 10 minutes running and 1 minute of brisk walking...and concluding with a 5 minute cool down.

Average Workout Time: Each of the three workouts are identical, and take 53 minutes to complete...warm up and cool down included!

The Pro Diva's Reaction: Well...I'm here to blog about it, so that means I haven't passed out from exhaustion! Honestly, the runs weren't that bad. The total workout is a bit longer than the C25K workouts, but it was totally doable! I did the first workout on Sunday morning on an empty stomach, which is never a great idea...but I finished it! I completed the second workout on Tuesday afternoon after work, which was a little tough because I was already exhausted from working all day...but I finished it! Finally, I finished the third workout this afternoon after work, which was dreadful because I did strength training yesterday. I'm a little irritated that my body hurts this bad...but I finished it! Barely!

In sum, Week One was okay. I kind of feel a little good about myself! There were plenty of times this week when I tried to talk myself out of going to the gym, but I guess I'm not as convincing as I once was. One week down, 5 to go!

Next Week: Next week's three workouts will consist of a 5 minute warm up walk...followed by 3 repetitions of 15 minutes running and 1 minute of brisk walking...and concluding with a 5 minute cool down. God willing, I'll be back here next Friday to share my thoughts. You come back too!

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Couch To 5K....Done!!!

Greetings Divas and Gents! Today is a great day, as I am happy to report that I have completed the Couch to 5K Program!!! Over the past 9 weeks I have steadily worked at completing the program, and I finally completed the 5K run today...I am ridiculously proud of myself! I feel stronger, I can run faster and further, and I dropped 10 pounds! Pow!

For those of you who don't know, the Couch to 5K Program (C25K) is designed to help anyone go from the couch to running 5 kilometers or 30 minutes in just 9 weeks. The programs starts you off with walking/running intervals, and slowly builds you up to running 5 kilometers or 30 minutes. The program is designed to give you 3 great workouts per week over the 9 week period. The great thing about this program is that you do not have to be "in shape" to be successful. You can literally hop off the couch and start the program. Nine weeks later, you'll be running like you wouldn't believe...seriously!

Another great thing about this program is that there are tons of smart phone apps for the C25K program, which give you the benefit of a "personal coach" telling you when to walk and when to run. In between the coaching, the program plays music you have stored on your device. My program allowed me to create playlists...and you know I did! Overall, I love the C25K Program, and I highly recommend it to those of you looking for a way to get in shape and build endurance. 

Now that we've got the business out of the way, let me tell you all the real reason why I love this program...it fits wonderfully into my busy schedule. The longest workout lasts 40 minutes, which didn't happen until Week 9. It's perfect for Professional Divas who have hectic schedule, but who still want to get a great workout.

Next up...Bridge to 10K! I'll let you all know how it goes...in 9 weeks!

Have any of you completed a C25K or similar running program? If you haven't, would you consider it?

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Get Your Credit Score In Check…Part One!

3 Simple Tips To Begin Improving Your Credit Score

Divas, I’ve got a question for you! How many times in your adult life have you been reminded of the importance of a good credit score? I can easily count 10 separate times in my adult life when my credit score has played an important role. Financing a car…applying for a student loan…getting cable TV…in each of these instances, my credit score was the obvious difference between getting it, and not getting it!

I have recently found that many of my peers are in the process of building their credit scores for various reasons. This got me to thinking of the many different factors that affect ones credit score. In speaking with my peers, I also became aware of the many misconceptions associated with building credit. Since the Martini Chronicles is all about sharing and exchanging information, I thought it would be a good idea to create a series of posts dedicated to sharing credit score building tips. Let’s call this post Part One shall we!

Let’s start this series with 3 simple tips to begin improving your credit score. I am currently in the process of building my credit score, so I figured I’d share these tips that I’ve gathered from various sources. I think these tips are also great for those who are attempting to repair their credit. Read on and let me know what you think! As always, please feel free to share additional tips in the Comments section below.

1. Check Your Credit Report – We all know what a credit report is…it’s a detailed report of your credit history as reported by lenders who have extended you credit. The report provides a ton of useful information, including “what types of credit you use, the length of time your accounts have been open, and whether you've paid your bills on time.” Ideally, checking your credit report will alert you to any discrepancies, and will put you in a position to resolve those discrepancies that may be hurting your credit score. You should get your credit report from all three reporting agencies at least once a year (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian). My paranoia forces me, however, to check mine twice a year…just in case. In any event, this is a great place to start learning about your credit history, which is important if you’re going to improve your score. (Source: MyFico.com)

2. Pay Down Credit Cards – You should constantly work towards paying down credit card balances, as reducing the amount of debt you owe can boost your credit score. Having a credit card balance 25-30% below the credit limit can dramatically increase your credit score. You should also work on continuously keeping your credit card balance low, or paying off balances completely each month.

3. Pay Bills On Time – Pay your bills on time all the time. Delinquent payments can negatively impact your credit score in a big way. One way to ensure that your bills are paid on time is to set up automatic payments with your bank or the lender. If you have missed payments in the past, catch up and get back on track. Also, if you are having trouble making payments, contact the payee and see if you can work out a deal…but don’t ignore them. Ignored debts may be sent to a collection agency….collection accounts stay on your credit report for seven years (ouch!).

That’s it…three simple tips that can jump start the credit score building process. Be sure to check in with the Martini Chronicles for additional credit score building tips.

Part Deux coming soon! 

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