Technology Made Me Skinny
How you can use your inner geek to change your life for the better.
After years of fast food, long hours in the conference rooms and hours behind a computer I was packing on the pounds. So much so that I ranked among the 35.7% of adult US citizens that are clinically obese. I had somehow conveniently managed to overlook the fact that I had horizontally outgrown most of my shirts and pants and had to up-size.
It took a candid and frankly painful conversation with a family member to make me realize that I had a weight problem. I say I didn't know but there were times I would buy the cheap weight loss pills but I made no effort beyond hoping that the magic pill would shed away what had taken years to put on. In June 2013 I accepted that I needed to change and made a decision that would put me on a new path both psychically and mentally. I quickly realized I needed help and if the magic pills were not working maybe technology could give me an advantage.
Its All In Your Head
The Tech
Calorie Counting:
I have spent so much time in business intelligence and pure data analysis that I was not going to settle for guess work about how much food was going into my body. I started with a free app for my phone called MyFitnessPal. I knew I was going to have to track everything that went into my mouth, if you don't address what you are putting in your body you will not succeed. MyFitnessPal links with a wide range of other fitness apps and activity trackers and has an amazing community and web portal.
Activity/Fitness Tracking:
The data analyst in me wanted total accuracy in not only the calorie intake but also how I was burning them. In my case I love new gadgets and cannot stand to waste money. After a bit of research on activity trackers that sync with my free app I settled on the Fitbit One for $99 from my local big box retailer. The activity tracker wireless syncs with your phone or PC and simply tracks every movement you make. This data is fed into my calorie tracking app and I simply have to move. The small investment also forced me to use it.
Progress Tracking:
I hate the bathroom selfies as much as the next guy but I knew just a scale was not going to cut it. I took my shirt off and did what I considered the unthinkable and started taking cell phone selfies. The first few were shocking. All I could think was “how did I let myself get this bad”. It was an enlightening exercise and one that has far greater impact than looking at numbers on a scale. When you can see the progress it makes the difference.
Also don’t just rely on the scale or perception, an old-fashioned tape measure can be huge especially once you start a regular exercise regimen.
Other Considerations:
1.) A Good Heart Rate Monitor — If you do less running or static cardio this is a must
2.) A Wireless Scale — Because sometimes I am too lazy to put the data into my apps
The Hard Part
Now came the fun part, the daily grind that is dieting and exercise. Your mind and body will fight you to the bitter end to hold on to its energy stores it has stashed all over your body. You have to be honest about the what you eat and things such as a fitness tracker or heart rate monitor keep you honest about how much you are burning while excising. There are many great communities and forums on the Internet that can provide you with the help and motivation you will need to succeed.
Since June 1st, 2013 I have lost and kept off 50.lbs. I still log every bit of food I eat and wear the Fitbit both day and night to track activity and sleep quality. This has not been an easy journey but the physical and mental benefits have made up for the difficulties faced along the way.
