Wahoo Fitness Review & Giveaway

I received the Wahoo Tickr X for the purpose of a review. As always, all opinions expressed here are my own.

With school year-end events, the boys lacrosse tournaments, work and life in general, I am sometimes finding myself needing to be more flexible than usual to get a workout in. And in these situations of late, my go to workout has been to strap on my Wahoo Tickr X and crank out a few rounds of their 7-minute workout.

Wahoo Fitness

The Tickr X is a heart rate monitor with lots of fun features. With the Wahoo Fitness App (both iPhone and Android), the Tickr X syncs with your phone to track your workouts, runs, cycling and swimming. Best of all, it has up to 16 hours of memory so you still track a workout sans phone and sync up later. The Tickr X measures your movement so beyond your heart rate, it will track your distance and stride rate when running and your cadence when cycling.

Since I’ve only just returned to running I haven’t tried the run features yet – but I plan to! What I have really enjoyed is using the Tickr X with Wahoo’s 7 Minute Workout App. This was my first time working with a heart rate monitor of any kind – I’ve always been leery of the whole chest strap thing. The Tickr X band is soft plastic and much more comfortable then I anticipated, and once I got moving I quickly forgot about it.

The 7 Minute Workout app features 12 high-intensity bodyweight exercises, counts reps for each 30 second interval, tells you when to rest and congratulates you when you set a new personal best. At the end of the 7 minutes, it gives you a great recap to show you if you’ve completed more (or fewer) reps than the previous workout and your heart rate throughout. For me, 2 -3 rounds made for a good workout and I was still done in well under a half hour.  Perfect for when you’re short on time! There is also an alternative 7 minute workout and a 7 minute Pilates workout available for 99 cents each if you want to mix it up a bit.

So what do you think? Want to try one for yourself?

Win it! The great folks at Wahoo Fitness are giving away one Tickr X to a lucky RWA reader!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Friday Five – Fave Summer Activities

With temps now dancing just below 90, it is safe to say that summer has officially arrived! After such a brutal winter (yes, I think I’m still traumatized), I am not going to complain about the heat and look forward to making the most of the summer months ahead.

Courtney, Mar & Cynthia have invited everyone to share their favorite summer activities for this week’s #FridayFive linkup, so here are a few of my faves.

Time at the beach

Beach: When you say summer to me, one of the first thing that comes to mind is hitting the beach! I can’t wait to get in some day trips to one of my favorite beaches.  

Hiking: Hiking is another popular family activity.  A well-shaded trail is a welcome escape on a hot summer day.

hiking

farmers market

 

Farmer’s Markets: I could spend all Saturday morning at our local farmers market – great produce, cheeses, wine and other great local finds – nothing better!

 

Dining alfresco:  Whether at home on our deck or at a favorite restaurant, there’s something about dining outdoors that I just love – I just want to slow down and linger. 

al-fresco-dining

Lazing a day away: Sometimes my favorite activity in the summer is no activity. We’re always so go-go-go in the RWA household, and summer gives us a chance to just hang out. Sometimes doing a whole lot of nothing is perfect!

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3-Day Refresh Review

So as I mentioned on Saturday, I did the 3-day Refresh last week and lived to tell about it 🙂

Source

Source: Beachbody

The Beachbody program combines 3 daily shakes, a fiber drink, lots of water and 3 small daily meals of fresh fruits and vegetables to help re-set your eating habits and drop some lbs. I did the program last Monday  – Wednesday and for added fun had both my husband J and my brother join me.

The Pros:

–  lost 4 lbs and my jeans fit much better on Friday!

– helped me to refocus on putting more fruits and veggies into my daily diet – I had definitely gotten lax on this.

– eliminated sugar from my diet.

– made me very aware that my late afternoon snacking is a trouble spot for me.

– three great nights of sleep!

The Cons:

– I missed my coffee.

– the Fiber Sweep drink tastes god-awful — The Sweep is a mix of whole ground flax, chia, and psyllium seed husks that you mix with 8 oz of water and drink mid-morning. I tried sipping on Day 1 and almost didn’t make it – thanks to my brother who suggested just chugging it as quickly as possible!

– Post-run on Day 2, I was seriously hungry…and seriously cranky! I quickly learned yoga was the better choice of workout during the Refresh.

– Pricey – At $69.95 the Refresh runs you about $23+ per day, not including the cost of the fruits and veggies.

I have to say that I’m so glad I had company on this little venture – the group text messages throughout each day were comical…some less than PG language keeps me from re-posting here 😉 It was great to share ideas on how to make the shakes and meals more flavorful (hello spices!), to commiserate over the lack of coffee and the taste of the Fiber Sweep, and just to keep each other laughing (and honest!)

So of course the big question is – Would you do it again? Was it worth it?

As I told a friend the other day who asked me this question over lunch the other day (and yes I was good and had a great field greens salad with fruit instead of the pizza the restaurant is famous for!), I needed good kick in the pants and this definitely provided it. And, it provided that kick in a way that I’m not convinced I would have pulled off on my own. So, if you’re looking for that kind of jump start then I would say it is worth it…but don’t say I didn’t warn you about that Fiber Sweep 😉

*I am in no way affiliated with Beachbody – I purchased the 3-day Refresh, and all opinions expressed here, as always are my own.

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June’s Ultimate Coffee Date

The Ultimate Coffee Date

Busy morning ahead, but before I get going I’m making a little time to join with one of my favorite link-ups, The Ultimate Coffee Date. Thanks to Coco, Lynda and Deborah, as always, for hosting! Be sure to check out the link-up and see what the other ladies are dishing about.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that I’m in the homestretch on all of the school projects/concerts/field trips, etc. After May Madness, things are starting to wind down a bit. I did spend yesterday in my youngest son’s class room helping out with a project – it was a sea of glue sticks, construction paper and stickers, but I survived and made my kiddo happy so it was all worth it.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that I cannot believe my oldest son is leaving for overnight camp in just a few weeks! He’s really excited and I’m excited for him…but I’m going to miss him terribly!

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that returning to running after a short hiatus is hard…harder than I thought it would be. Some days I feel like I’m starting from scratch and I’m working on not being too hard on myself.

If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that I survived my 3-day refresh, and did lose a few pounds. I’ve got a lot of thoughts to share on the whole thing, but my boys are waiting and lacrosse calls, so I’m gonna save that for a separate post. 🙂

If we were having coffee together, what would you tell me? 

 

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National Running Day 2015

Happy National Running Day!

Today is a day to celebrate all things running…not that runners really need an excuse to celebrate 🙂  But who knows, maybe someone will be inspired to lace up for the first time! And, from the look at my inbox, it looks like there will be a lot of great deals for both gear and races available today – never a bad thing, right?

2015 national running day

Fellow SweatPink Ambassador Kristen from Jonesin’ for a Run invited a bunch of us to answer the questions of her running interview for “a look into my miles” – so here goes…

national running day interview

1. Why do you run? There are so many reasons why I run…my sanity, my health, for the challenge…because it helps me to be a better version of myself.

2. How do you plan to celebrate National Running Day? After being sidelined these last few weeks, being able to run today makes me smile.

3. How many miles have you run so far this year?  I honestly haven’t checked – thanks to over 100 inches of snow this winter (forcing me to deal with treadmill runs) and my left knee woes, there have not been a lot of miles. But I’ve got 7 months of 2015 left and I plan to make the most of them!

4. What big events do you have on the race calendar so far this year? My race calendar has been a bit of a moving target, but I am really looking forward to running RnR Philly and RnR Vegas. I’m looking for an early fall race and would like to get a couple of shorter distances in.

5. Before I leave for a run I must have:  Garmin, iPhone, earbuds, SPIbelt,  usually a hat /visor, and, if it’s really bright, sunglasses.

6. Do you have one favorite app to track your runs?  I haven’t tried any of the running apps yet.

7. Who is your favorite running partner? Of late, my husband has been running with me on the weekends, otherwise I run solo.

8. What races have you ran so far this year? Just one – the BAA 5K with my family…always fun!

9. If you had to give someone one piece of advice about running what would it be? Run for yourself and don’t get caught up in the comparison game.

10.  Describe your relationship with running in one word: Complex

Kara quote

What one word would you chose? 

Check out how others answered these questions or answer yourself and link up with us! 

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June Refresh

It’s the first of June…and a Monday…sounds like a perfect time for a refresh!

I confessed during my Runfessions that my eating has gotten a little off track. I hadn’t stepped on a scale but I could tell I’d added a few pounds. Well I got on the scale this weekend…um yeah, there are definitely some extra pounds that have shown up. Time for these uninvited guests to go!

Refresh

Just some of our food prep

So starting today I’m doing Beachbody’s 3-day Refresh. The program’s a combination of protein shakes, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats. The goal is to help re-set your eating habits and maybe drop a couple of pounds.

After reviewing the program, I liked that this doesn’t look a “starvation” plan, and that there’s lots of real food involved. I’ve even convinced my husband J to do the program with me! I’ll let you know how it goes…

What do you do when you find your eating gotten off track?

*I am in no way affiliated with Beachbody – I purchased the 3-day Refresh, and all opinions expressed here, as always are my own.

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May Runfessions

It’s Runfession Friday and I’m linking up with Marcia again  – time to cleanse my sweaty soul. Who’s in?

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Runfession #1 – OK, this one should come as no great surprise given my knee woes – I haven’t run much this month. But, now that I’ve got the green light, I’ll be adding miles in June!

Runfession #2 — This one’s more of a food-fession: my schedule has been super hectic lately and I have been eating a lot on the fly…and not always the best choices. I haven’t stepped on the scale but I’m fairly sure a few extra lbs have crept on to the scene – no bueno.

Runfession #3 — The gym crazies flood gates are now officially open at my gym! And, while I haven’t seen Mr. Dress Shoes lately, I have to admit I’m enjoying the people watching – it’s made the time on the elliptical go by faster.

Runfession #4 — While I know I’m suppose to ramp up my running slowly, I’m having a hard time suppressing the desire to sign up for a summer race. I generally don’t love running much less racing in the heat, but I’m feeling the need to put a target out there before I get to my fall races. Crazy to add the race calendar?

I’m also linking up with Courtney, Mar & Cynthia for their Friday link-up. It’s a “Free Friday” this week so be sure to stop and check out what everyone’s talking about!

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So tell me, what’s your Runfession? Do you race in the summer?

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MRI update

 

It’s been 3 weeks since I first went to see the orthopedic doc and she said I needed an MRI to get to the bottom of my left knee issues. The real question – is there a meniscal tear?

Let me just say it’s been a long three weeks people! One’s imagination can be a dangerous thing…I’ve imagined being told of tears and the need for knee surgery…of being told no running for unbearable lengths of time. I’ve been trying to keep the negative thinking at bay, but I’ve definitely had my super cranky moments – just ask my family!

Well, I’m very happy to say that the final verdict is a good one – all of the cartilage is just fine! I do have a little osteoarthritis to deal with, but at least it’s something that can be managed. I have a green light to return to running and build my mileage (slowly!) and will continue with my strength work, plus add in some PT.

Breathing a huge sigh of relief here and am ready to get going!!

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Meditation Tips & Benefits

I had dinner with a friend the other night and over the course of catching up, she smiled and said, “You’ll be happy to know that I’ve started mediating and I’m really loving it!” And, she was right, it did make me happy to hear it. Meditation has become an important ritual to me – a chance to get centered before the bluster of the day threatens to take over. Often when I share with others that I meditate, I often get a reaction along the lines of “Oh that’s great, but I could never do that” or “I tried meditating once and just couldn’t sit still for THAT long!”

Now before you dismiss meditation as a little too new-agey for you, consider some of these benefits, so well summoned up in this infographic:

10-Science-Based-Reasons-To-Start-Meditating-Today-INFOGRAPHIC

OK – so now that I’ve got your attention, here are my tips for getting started:

Start small — Start with 5 minutes and build up to 10 minutes, but don’t push it.

Location matters – Pick a spot in your house, garden/yard, wherever you feel a sense of peace. Find a quiet spot, a place that will help you to feel calmer and not distracted.

Breathe —  While some people like mantras, I found that when I first started meditating that trying to remember the mantra was distracting and stressful. I think it’s easier to just focus on your breath – just breathe naturally, focusing on the natural in and out rhythm.

Thoughts happen — If you try to “clear your mind,” you will make yourself crazy! Thoughts are going to come – notice them but then bring your attention back to your breath.  I will admit this one will take a bit to get the hang of, but it will get easier with practice.

Be consistent — Do your best to carve out some time every day. Consider this time a little gift to yourself and enjoy it.

Do you meditate? What tips would you add?

Infographic courtesy of Emma Seppala, PhD.

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Return of the Gym Crazies

It was not too long ago that I had commented on how much I liked my new gym…and that so far there had been no gym crazy sightings. Well, I should have known it wouldn’t last…so I happily share with you another edition of Gym Crazies!

This week’s cast of characters:

First, there was Running Man – this guy was clipping along at a good pace on the treadmill behind me when all the sudden he hops off and does a slow lap around the gym floor all while leaving the treadmill running…and then he’d jump back on again! This went on for a good 30 minutes the other day…and did I mention my gym does not have an indoor track so he was literally running in and around the equipment, all while his treadmill kept going.

Then there was Dress Shoes – I kid you not, a guy got on the elliptical next to me the other day wearing khaki pants and dress shoes! There’s no explaining this one…

And, finally I give you the Grunter – this woman grunted through her treadmill run and then upped the ante on the stairmaster. And, I’m not talking the occasionally grunt…it sounded like she was literally grunting with each step! She had headphones on so I can only imagine she couldn’t hear herself, right?

I’ll be heading over to the gym in a bit to get my strength workout in – can’t wait to see who will show up today!

Source: Cartoonstock

Source: Cartoonstock

Do you ever feel like you’re the only sane person at your gym?

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