Did you ever think there would be a day when you could press a button and have the world at your fingertips? We live in a time where anything you want is only a click away. Need a wedding gift? Click. Don’t have time to cook dinner? Click. Dying for that pair of Loubs you saw on Pinterest? Double Click. Well did you ever think about using your computer to turn yourself into a lean, mean fitness machine?
Utilizing technology has significantly decreased my need for a gym membership. The WWW has saved me hours of drive time and allowed extra cash to be spent on other fitness endeavors that nourish mind, body and soul. The App store has become my new BFF, and with the amount of fitness Apps, Websites and Programs available, there is something out there for everyone. It does take a certain amount of discipline to get your sweat on at home, but after establishing a “habit loop” which will be discussed at a later date you can absolutely increase your physical fitness from the comfort of your own living room.
Today, I am here to break down my ways around the gym. Now, I must tell you…I love the gym environment, and I am not knocking it; However, in the area where I live there are not many options that the hubs and I feel comfortable going to alone and the other health clubs are extremely overpriced. It is my choice and the fact that we no longer have access to the fitness center in our old building to find ways around the gym which led me to embrace technology to help me through! We also have the luxury of warm weather 24/7 where we live. This ultimately enables us to allow the world to be our “gym” no matter what time of year.
Let’s Get Down To Business!
A good friend and former teammate introduced me to Nike Training Club or NTC over a year ago. NTC is a free App that uses HIIT otherwise known as High Intensity Interval Training that gets the job done in 30 minutes or less. If you have 15 minutes you can also get a serious burn in with workouts that target major muscle groups like the “Butt Buster” and “Shoulder Ripper”. Sometimes I like to do these on work days when I have an early call time and or minimal space. When starting Nike Training Club I thought I was in relatively good shape, but quickly learned that starting on a beginner level and stabilizing my body, then building strength and endurance was a much better approach. Day by day I started to get stronger and little by little was able to set my fitness goal a little higher. So, when starting this program start at beginner and work your way up. This way, you will more than likely stick to it than fall off the wagon.
This past weekend my buddy Aygeman and I attended an awesome NTC event at the Dadeland mall, as shown above. We received a free waterbottle, headband, got a killer 30 min NTC workout in and even won the a burpee contest! The prize was a Nike+ Fuel Band….More technology! I just set this bad boy up and cannot wait to start setting goals and taking names. I have had it on for about an hour and have already tracked 141 steps! Nike has really upped their tech game over the past decade. A few years ago I had the honor of shooting for their first video game, Nike for X box Kinect. A video game that pushes you to the limits! This is something great you can even do with your kiddos. Before you invest in a new game console download NTC on your iphone, ipad or computer today! It’s free, but the results are real!
The Daily Burn–http://dailyburn.com
I found the daily burn about four months ago when a commercial aired on TV. After trying my 30-Day free trial I really fell in love with this program because of the wide array of workout options it has to offer. Think of it as a health club on your computer. Daily uses social media to connect with other users as well as a personal fitness tracker to keep you on point. You can choose from a variety of workouts including Inferno (HIIT Training), Core, Hip Hop Cardio, True Beginner even Beautiful Belly- Yoga for expectant mommies. Daily Burn Gives you the ability to choose your program and maps out your entire month in seconds. If you do get bored…don’t sweat it because you have the ability to change your program whenever you want. You can sign up and cancel at any time!
I’m Fit and Happy:
Now, I know that I posted about this site earlier in the month, but I am officially obsessed with my online trainer. I just entered my second phase of training and I am seeing results. I also get modifications straight from a real human being. The basic program is 39.95 a month and a personal program is now only 79.99 a month. After every workout I track progress in my personal fitness journal, and get a response from Kelly my personal trainer within hours of writing. She gives me suggestions to make things easier or harder and consistently pumps me up! Every workout video here is 5-10 minutes long, which is ideal for people with busy schedules or mommies who have kiddos running around constantly. You can access it from wherever you are! I use ImFitandHappy in many hotel rooms and in my living room on a daily basis. They are offering a 14 Day Free Trial and 20% off here http://imfitandhappy.refr.cc/64XG2MH Sign up today!
Utilize Social Media:
Pinterest: Thousands of healthy recipes at your fingertips.
Youtube: Find plenty of free workout videos! I love blogilates. Here are a couple of videos from my youtube channel!
Instagram: @workouts_Daily @MankoFit @paleoishprincess
Facebook/Twitter: Follow NTC or LuLuLemon in your area to find out where daily sweat sessions happen. More than likely they will be FREE.
Blogs like this one! There are tons of health and fitness blogs our there. Google away!
Need help with tracking fitness and nutrition? Back to the WWW and App store we go!
Apps:
Fit Bit-Automatically syncs to your smart phone. Keeps track of daily goals with friends and against historic averages.
Hot 5-5 minute workouts that get results!
GymPact-Literally get paid to workout. If you miss a workout…beware your credit card will be charged.
Weight Watchers Mobile-An oldie but goodie
RunKeeper– Allows you to track all of your walks, runs, bikerides through GPS tracking on your phone. View detailed stats and of course connect with friends.
Websites:
SparkPeople.com– Great way to find the nutrition facts by adding all the ingredients from your recipe to their nutrition calculator; you will be surprised by what you find!
http://nutritiondata.self.com: Learn all about health related nutrition and how to dissect nutrition facts, BMI, eating correctly.
Even online magazines have tons of great topics and healthy recipe options!
We have come a VERY long way since the days of Oregon Trail and the fishing game on Atari. Investing in your health is an extremely important thing to do and will add to a happier more fulfilled life. Utilizing technology just makes improving physical fitness that much easier. I have found a deep love for eating right and improving my physical fitness, and a large part of my ability to stay consistent has been technology. Thank you WWW for helping me live an active and healthy lifestyle. In some ways computers have become the antithesis of lethargy in my household, forcing me to get up and get moving.
Go ahead and find your program today!
Love and Technology,
Taylor