Well, Spring took its good old sweet time, but looks like it finally made it here! Our efforts at having better healthy habits seem to have thawed and kicked into gear. Everything seems a little easier with sun, warm temperatures and increased daylight hours. So why have I developed a love/hate relationship with my Fitbit? You know, the one I asked for and gratefully received for Christmas? The one that found its way into a work week competition at my office?

To say I didn’t understand the sharing features of my Fitbit is an understatement. Whenever I have questions about social media or sharing technologies I immediately find someone younger than me and ask questions. The person I asked to help me with my Fitbit, took my phone pressed a couple of things with lightning speed, ensuring the continuation of my ignorance, and the next thing I knew I was in a competition with 10 other people in the office! To make things worse, my phone was not synching correctly so my steps were not being recorded and I quickly realized I was dead LAST. Even though I was in a competition I didn’t want to be in, I certainly couldn’t be in last place! That would just be sad. When I showed the rankings on my phone to Colin, it took him a second and he said “Where are you?” And then quickly “Are you LAST?” I nodded. He said “You can’t be last!” I said “I know.” He told me to put my shoes on, he put on his, and before I knew it we were off for a brisk neighborhood walk. The next day, my phone finally worked out its sync issue and I jumped to the middle of the pack. At some point I realized my competition was made up of mostly single 20 something’s who wiped the floor with me as the week progressed. After this “work week hustle” was over, I ended up in 7^th place with the top steppers posting upwards of 30 thousand steps in a single day as compared to my seemingly measly 8 thousand. Still, I had exercised and watched my food choices throughout the week so I was feeling pretty good about a Saturday morning weigh in. Turns out I gained a pound and ended up feeling rotten about myself and my dismal performance in the competition! In thinking about the week I realized that I had changed my daily routine, moving my exercise to the afternoon instead of the morning and that I had taken to walking instead of running. What have I learned? First, be careful who you ask to help you with technology! Following that…

1. Stick with what works for you. I am a morning exerciser and get a better workout if I do it first thing. I also know running is a staple for me. Walking is ok but I still need to run to see results.
2. Try to find more ways to feel good about yourself and fewer ways to feel bad. Negative self-talk is powerful and can sabotage the best of intentions. I find just ten minutes of meditation following my workout allows me to appreciate what I have in my life and starts my day on a positive note.
3. Consistency is king. While I appreciate the Fitbit technology and recognize it can be a great motivator for people, it can also make you feel bad if you’re not keeping up with others in your social circle. For me, the best results come from consistency and trying to beat my personal best, rather than trying to beat everyone else.

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Good News! Kevin has perfected the smoothie. I’ve been making different kinds of smoothie’s for years, but Kevin took the best of what I was making and added some extra healthiness taking them to the next level. The recipe below will super charge your day and keep you full longer than you think. We like this combination of fruit because it contains fewer seeds – a smooth smoothie! Don’t be afraid of the egg white! It adds some great protein without the cholesterol. You won’t notice it after its blended and you can channel your inner Rocky! Kevin makes these on weekend mornings and has even gotten Colin, the world’s pickiest eater, on board with them!

Kevin’s Fruit Smoothie

Kevin’s Tip: Buying either fresh or frozen fruit for smoothies can be expensive! Raiding the salad bar at the grocery store is a great way to save money, and allows you to get just the right amount without buying extra fruit you may not need or eat right away.

Ingredients

½ cup Ice

¼ cup Strawberries

1 Banana

¼ cup Peaches

¼ Pineapple

1 small container Light vanilla yogurt

1 Egg white

1 tsp Vanilla extract

2 cups unsweetened Almond milk

¼ cup Fat free half and half

2 packets Stevia

How to Make it!

Come on people, you know what to do…throw it all in a blender and press the button!

Fat 3g | Calories 179| Carbs 31g | Protein 7g | Fiber 3g