Good morning Shape Shifters. Here is the card for today. Happy Friday everyone

@pedal_power - The air quality is still unhealthy here so the coach canceled rowing practice again but it’s supposed to rain tomorrow so I’m guessing that will help clear the air. I hope the situation has improved for you!

@jessicakrall8 and @bearchested - Thanks for sharing the features you like in the paid version of MFP. The barcode scanner is convenient and would definitely give me a more accurate reading than my calorie ‘guesstimating.’ Usually, I round up on calories and down on exercise since I know most people make the opposite mistake.

The macro breakdown at each meal is something I could benefit from so I check the macros after each meal to gauge the balance. Since my breakfast is typically the same, it’s easy to figure out lunch. Then, I try to round out the numbers to my goal if I snack in the afternoon before dinner time. Usually, I need some extra protein. I like the idea of sharing the data with your coach @bearchested.

A nutritionist recommended MFP to me and asked me to open my diary so she could see the kind of food I liked, etc. She suggested my macro targets of 50% carbs, 30% fat, and 20% protein. She made some meal plans for my son based on his college food hall choices, too. Our family paid for a set number of sessions with her - and I haven’t met with her in years, but I thought it might be good to schedule an annual consultation. So, thanks for the reminder to follow through on my original plan!

@pupowl - I’ve rented e-bikes a couple of times and enjoyed them for sightseeing but I never thought about how far I could travel before recharging the battery. It’s a good idea to carry a spare. I mostly pedal but I find the e-bike really helpful for bigger hills. My husband and sons love to take advantage of the speed so I have to take a different approach to cycling when I ride with them!

Photographers and other artists are really under appreciated in my opinion. Everyone wants them to work for free to ‘build their portfolios’ instead of paying them for their skills and services. There are some gorgeous photos on Instagram accounts. My son is interested in photography and takes some beautiful pictures. However, he realized he didn’t want to pursue it as a career because he likes the freedom to photograph the things that appeal to him personally. He took a class in high school and had assignments to photograph food and other typical commercial items. He was inspired by the movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” and still likes nature and landscape photography as an occasional hobby.

We live near the National Geographic Museum so we sometimes visit there and he has been fortunate to take a couple of workshops there as birthday gifts to learn some useful tips. The workshop leaders often stress the way photographers need to demonstrate exceptional skills with the camera AND some other talent — like repelling from mountain tops! 😬 I’m terrible about taking photos and often regret not capturing a scene or experience so I especially appreciate @pupowl and my family for sharing!