my secret weapon

I couldn't resist this "so ugly, he's cute" ape, orangutan, gorilla.....not sure exactly what he is other than perfect for my topic today :)

I have a secret weapon in my arsenal of "staying fit" (I try not to say lose weight, because it is more about being fit and healthy; besides some "overweight" people are in better shape that their thin counterparts).

Do you know how many calories you eat a day??????

The only way to know is to track it.....which I have done in the past by writing everything down and looking up the calories in a book.....what a pain! It was very time consuming. But now, thanks to my fitness pal, you can easily track your calories, fat, protein, carbs, and other nutrients using your computer or better yet, if you have a droid or iphone you can download the app for free!! I have it on my droid and every time I eat something I add it to my fitness pal. I have yet to eat something that I couldn't find in their database....even when you eat out!!!! You also can track the amount of water you drink a day, your workouts (and how many calories you burn), and enter your weight once a month.

You can choose how many calories you want to intake a day so that you know when you hit that mark. It really helps me to make wise choices when I eat.....going for the lower calories foods so I can eat more....let's face it.....who doesn't like to eat! It has also helped me to stop "mindless munching"....you know, when you are watching tv or on the computer and just mowing down on chips, popcorn, mixed nuts, etc. You would be surprised at how many calories you consume by doing this.

When you enter it into your droid or iphone it syncs to your online account so if you go to your computer the info you put in will show up. The computer version is more detailed. You can also add friends to help inspire each other to work out and be accountable ;)

I hope this helps you the way it has helped me in our forever quest to be fit!!!