Review: The Fitbit

When Sean and I decided it was time to lose weight and get healthy, he started saying he wanted to BodyBug. Unfortunately, they are like $300 for the system, so I started doing some research into an alternative. After looking at reviews and prices, I found the Fitbit.



For about $100 you get the device, a clip that it can be put into to wear on thicker clothing, a charging station, and a band to strap around your wrist so you can wear it at night.

As part of the purchase price, you also get access to this fantastic tracking site.



In addition to tracking your steps, it also calculates your sleep efficiency, calories burned, and you can even track what you eat. It gives you a base calorie consumption based on your gender, height, and weight and then you input what you eat. It's so easy and I love that I can track it all in one place.

Pros:

I love being able to track everything in one place. The website it truly one of the best features of the device. It's very easy to use and all you have to do is plug your Fitbit into the charging station for it to sync up with the website. I also like the Friends feature. Its nice to be able to compare with my husband (who also has one). My competitive side takes over and I want to get more steps than him in.

I also like that its small, because I can wear it on my clothes easily and its not as noticeable as, say, the Body Bug.

It's very easy to read and shows calories burned, steps taken, and distance walked right on the screen. It also has a screen with a flower on it that grows as you become more active. I love this feature because it makes you want to be more active, just to see how tall the flower will grow.

Cons:

It's small size is a big plus, but its also the biggest con. I've thought I lost it a few times already and because it clips onto your pants like a clothes pin, it does feel like it could break easily.

I also don't like the band that it straps to for you to wear at night. It has to go around your wrist, so if you have sensitive skin its not ideal. And it falls out of the strap pretty easily, so your sleep efficiency is not always accurate.

Overall, I would definitely recommend it. It you get a lot features and it seems to be pretty accurate (as far as I can tell). I would not recommend it for people who tend to lose things, because it is extremely easy to misplace. Otherwise its a great product that does exactly what it says it will and for a reasonable price.

The "D" Word

We all cringe when we hear it.

That awful "D" word.



Yup, it's that time. Time to go on a "diet."

Though, not a diet in a traditional sense. I'm not going to deprive myself of the things I love. It's just time to get my eating habits back under control.

Step 1: Detox.

Thanks to one of my lovely sisters, I have everything I need to do a detox. Basically, going to cut a lot of crap out of my diet for 4 weeks, including caffeine and sugar.



If you know me, you know this is going to be a challenge. I love coffee and have a serious sweet tooth. But, from everything I've heard from Mandee, I will feel SO much better when the 4 weeks are up. So, in the end, totally worth it.

The ultimate goal?



No, but seriously...

The ultimate goal is to be healthy again. Something I can't say I really have been for some time now.

So, goodbye frozen yogurt... I will see you in a month (maybe....)

Happy Hera Day!

Happy Hera Day to all my AXΩ sisters!!

Oscar Fashion Recap

I love Fashion and often wish I was a size 2 so I could pull of some of the cute stuff that I'd love to wear. But I'm not, so I do the best I can with what I have.

Anyways, so during awards season I kind of go crazy. I watch all of these shows just to see what the women will be wearing. Since the Oscars were last night, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite (and least favorite) dresses from the evening.

First, my Top 5 Least Favorite Dresses from the Oscar's:

5. Nicole Kidman in Christian Dior



Nicole Kidman use to be one of my favorite and I looked forward to seeing what she was wearing. This award season has been midocre at best, and this dress was no exception. I thought it made her hips look huge and I wasn't digging the shoes with it.

4. Reese Witherspoon in Giorgio Armani



Again, I LOVE Reese and her style, but this was just SO boring. For being Armani, it sure looked an awful lot like a bridesmaid dress.

3. Michelle Williams in Chanel



I just felt like this was just the wrong color for her. The silhouette is nice, but it reminded me of Britney Spears in the Toxic video. She could have easily been naked underneath.

2. Cate Blanchett in Givenchy Couture



This was just awful. The top makes her look so boxy (like she is literally wearing a box with a dress over it) and the pattern on the front just makes her look like she has no figure. Not a nice dress at all.

1. Melissa Leo in Marc Bouwer



When she got up to make her acceptance speech, all I could think is "Wow, that's just awful." It looks like a wedding dress that someone in the 50+ age group would wear. I just expect a lot more from an Oscar Nominee (and from Marc Bouwer to be honest).

Note: Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, and Melissa Leo were all also on the Fashion Police (one of my favorite shows) worst dressed list. :-)

And now my Top 5 Favorite Dresses:

5. Sandra Bullock in Vera Wang



I love Sandra Bullock in red and, of all the red dresses last night, I think she wore it best. Anne Hathaway's Red Carpet dress was a close second for me, but this dress was just SO flattering on her and I think she accessorized it the right way.

4. Halle Berry in Marchesa



Marchesa is hands down one of my favorite red carpet designers. He always has the most beautiful dresses and I loved everything about this dress. In contrast to Michelle Williams, Halle Berry can pull off something that pale. Plus, she is just gorgeous, and has my all time favorite Oscar gown (her Elie Saab dress from 2002 - AMAZING!).

3. Amy Adams in L'Wren Scott



I absolutely adore this dress and this was probably the dress of the night that most made me wish I was a size 2 (and famous). This dress stood out for so many reasons, but I love the color and I'm always a fan of a little sparkle. And it just popped against her bright red hair. She just looked perfect.

2. Jennifer Hudson in Versace



This dress was just a "WOW." Jennifer Hudson has lost SO much weight and is flaunting it. Not too many other women could pull of this color but this was a great choice for her.

1. Mila Kunis in Elie Saab




I know a lot of the "experts" disagree with me, but I thought this dress was astonishing. Elie Saab is a close second for my favorite designer (see Halle Berry post), and this dress is part of the reason why. He does the "show a little skin in a classy way" thing so well. The color is gorgeous on her, the skirt flow is perfect red carpet, and Mila just looks fantastic in it.

So there you have it. My best and worst of the night.

Who were you favorite (and least favorites) of last nights Oscars?

I Love My Ducks!

So I just got a FB message from my best friend that she won tickets to one of the last two Oregon basketball games this season. She was kind enough to ask if I wanted to be her date. My response...

HECK YES!



I don't know if its tomorrow or Saturday, but I'm sure my loving husband will understand. I can't wait to see the new arena.



I've been a duck fan since birth, and this would be my first basketball game since I got to see them play in the NCAA tournament my freshman year of college. They had a game in Madison and one of my sisters got tickets. It was amazing.

So yay for that! Pictures to come I'm sure.

I LOVE MY DUCKS!

Wish I Was Here Wednesday

With the snow coming in, I would love to be somewhere warm.



I LOVE Cabo San Lucas. Sean and I got to go there on our first cruise, and I keep bugging him to take me back. Gorgeous and warm. Wish I was there.

Just Another Manic Monday

Okay, not really.

I'm sick... AGAIN!

I missed chapter last night for the 3rd time this term due to illness. Not sure what is going on, but I just can't seem to stay healthy. I made it until the end of January without even a sniffle, and now this.

But, I still have stuff to do today. Laundry to do, a kitchen to clean, groceries to buy... I don't have any kids, but just taking care of my husband is a full time job. If your married, you know what I mean.

What does this Manic Monday have in store for you?

Throwing Money Away

Spent last night at one of our favorite places, Spirit Mountain Casino.



We got to hang out with some of our favorite people and eat some buffet. And we were up gambling until 3am. Sean spent hours playing blackjack and craps, while I found myself drawn to the penny slots.



Small public service announcement here: If you are going to gamble, do it in moderation. Set a limit, walk away when your done.

Sean and I ALWAYS have a limit on what we spend. We take however much cash we are going to play with and, when that is gone, we are done. And we only go every few months and only after we've paid all our bills.

That being said, in the end, we lost about 60 bucks. Which isn't bad for 8+ hours of playing. Especially since at one point we were down $180 total. So a decent recovery.

Then today we stopped in Newberg and this decent little BBQ place for dinner.



Doesn't that look good? Ya, I thought so too. Clearly not a vegetarian. :)

Overall it was a good night. Unfortunately, my big plans with my bff this weekend got canceled and my husband is cranky. So not sure what I am going to do the rest of the weekend.

Have a great weekend one and all!