Here we go again

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beccaroli
beccaroli Posts: 5 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi I'm Becca and am restarting the journey to a fitter and leaner me. I'm 44, am an expat Brit living in Switzerland, am married and have four kids. Three years ago I tore my Achilles' tendon (during Zumba of all places!) which put me out of action for a year and I gained 10kgs (22 lbs) and lost the desire to keep fit and watch what I was eating. Last year I was plagued with two slipped discs in my lower back which laid me flat for quite awhile and put me back another 5kgs (11bs). I am really motivated to be here and be part of the mfp community. I bought a Jawbone Up fitness tracker last week, so coupled with that and this food diary here I feel confident and hopeful that I can see some progress soon. Feel free to add me, would love some new mfp friends.

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  • AlecB62
    AlecB62 Posts: 264 Member
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    Hi Becca, how are you finding the Jawbone Up? I'm looking at fitness trackers but am unsure which to get, had decided on a Fitbit but I have started looking at other makes now. Sounds as though you've had a rough time of it.
  • janel_G
    janel_G Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi Becca,
    I'm 44 also and just starting to work out again (tonight I did my first crossfit class in awhile and I was pooped!). I'm divorced and have 2 awesome daughters, 8 and 12, and they are a great motivation for me to be fit. I want to be a good example for them to help them through the tumultuous teenage years of self loathing and comparing themselves to the awful social media queens.

    I go through spurts of fitness and right now is the launch of my most recent one. So, I hear you when you say, Here We Go Again :)

    I like to give myself short term goals that are attainable, yet a stretch. I find that I can stick to something for 5-6 weeks. So, I break my goals into little periods like that.

    I've tried a few different activity trackers. I found that the fit bit surge was almost perfect. Almost. I like that it's an all day tracker, heart rate monitor, sleep, and even sends you your texts and phone calls so you aren't completely out of the loop when you're exercising. But, the hrm just wasn't accurate enough to me. So, I'll hold out til I find the perfect tracker, if ever.

    I have friends who say they're going to stick to workouts and nutrition, but they never do. I hope we can be mfp friends and help to hold each other accountable to our goals!

    Take care,
    Janel

  • beccaroli
    beccaroli Posts: 5 Member
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    tweaker62 wrote: »
    Hi Becca, how are you finding the Jawbone Up? I'm looking at fitness trackers but am unsure which to get, had decided on a Fitbit but I have started looking at other makes now. Sounds as though you've had a rough time of it.

    Hi tweaker62
    I looked at the reviews and comparisons for the different trackers and it was the Jawbone UP app which sold it for me. I needed it to see how much movement I was doing and to force me off my butt ;) I also love the sleep tracker with deep sleep and light sleep viewing and coupled with this app I find it fits all my needs. I also didn't want to pay a lot of money and the UP Move was the ideal choice for me. I hope this helps you make a choice. Good luck.
  • AlecB62
    AlecB62 Posts: 264 Member
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    That looks really good and a great price too, I have fairly chunky wrists so am struggling to find a fitness tracker to fit so am now looking down the clip on type route.
    Just read a review saying that they clip theirs to a sweat band at night.
    You can call me Al by the way ;)

    Good luck with reaching your goals.
  • beccaroli
    beccaroli Posts: 5 Member
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    Hi Janel
    I started having to watch my weight around 2008, when I was 37. For years I would fluctuate around the 60-62kg (132lbs - 136lbs) mark and would freak out if I gained a measly 2lbs. I am 5'6". Oh, how I'd love to be that thin again. Why are we never happy where we are! I have always been a fit person and have always excercised in one form of another but age and injury have been my enemy for the past few years and I can't believe I let myself get this heavy. Once I make the effort to move more and watch what I'm eating, I generally do okay but I have the feeling that my age is going to make things a little harder this time. I'm going to need all the help I can get! I have a gym membership (since March) and have also started using the videos on FitnessBlender.com which I find really effective. Here's to a new journey!
    Hugs,
    Becca
  • beccaroli
    beccaroli Posts: 5 Member
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    tweaker62 wrote: »
    That looks really good and a great price too, I have fairly chunky wrists so am struggling to find a fitness tracker to fit so am now looking down the clip on type route.
    Just read a review saying that they clip theirs to a sweat band at night.
    You can call me Al by the way ;)

    Good luck with reaching your goals.

    Thanks Al! I liked the clip on idea as the majority of the wrist bands look like the old bands you used to get at the swimming pool (remember them!) I bought the combi pack with the clip and the wrist band and have only used the wrist band twice. At night time I just clip it onto my t-shirt of pyjama top.
  • ShrinkingShona
    ShrinkingShona Posts: 218 Member
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    Hiya,

    I'm a 40 year old Aussie living in Switzerland :) I lost about 110lbs in 2013 by tracking everything on MFP and using a Polar HRM. Then I thought I knew what I was doing, got cocky and put if all on slowly (after tearing my knee meniscus doing yoga!). Now I'm peeling those lbs off again.

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