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May 3, 2013
Creative Living
Great Technology Tool that Supports Health
by Dian Thomas

This is the age of technology. If I picked up and mastered every tool that comes by I would not have time to live life. That being the case, I am a little cautious on what I pick up, because each tool takes time to master. 

A couple of weeks ago, I stopped in to visit Jackie Keller, my health coach, who supported me as I lost more than 100 pounds. She showed me a new tool for health support that she had been using for about three weeks, called the "Jawbone Up."  As I left she said, "You should get one, because I know it will help you. When you have it set up, let's team up and use it in our coaching sessions."

I must admit that I struggle with food when I travel, hence a few pounds have crept on and I want to get them off. When I got back from South America I purchased the Jawbone Up. It is like the dashboard in my car. It gives me up-to-the-minute information about the three keys to weight loss — my exercise, my sleep, and what I eat. To use it, you will need an Ipad, Iphone or Android device.

The Jawbone Up is a band that you wear around your wrist. When I want to update my data, (which I do often,) I have to take it off and remove the cover to a plug in that goes into the speaker port of my Ipad.  When the app for the Up is selected, it downloads all my information and updates my profile for the day. Then I can check in all through that day and see how I am doing.

When I got the device I went into the settings and set my goals. I set my sleep for 8 hours and my exercise for 12,000 steps. I know from working with Jackie that 10,000 steps per day is what the U.S. Surgeon General recommends for maintenance — so I decided to set my goal higher. Then each time I eat I input my foods. The food part is a little complicated, but once I got it down I found it easy to enter what I eat. It gives me the nutritional breakdown for each item I enter.

The areas that it tracks are: calories, fiber, unsaturated fat, carbohydrates, proteins, sugars, saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol. You have a graph, which keeps track of your total daily intake.

Jackie and I have discussed what my goals should be for weight loss and health. By dinnertime yesterday, it told me to quit eating carbohydrates since I had reached my limit. When I put the cheese on my salad I learned that I had 8 portion sizes and that I must cut that down.

Yes, I know that it is the little things that I eat mindlessly that often keep me from losing the weight that I would like. This device has really shown me where my daily habits are deviating from the goals that I've set!

It is motivating to have something that tracks every step. It measures the energy output for exercise, so when I went on my bike ride and came home it gave me a graph of where I worked hard and where I was not working so hard. What I realize now is that I have to get going on my exercise early and do it all through the day. Right now I am off to water aerobics and will log that in separately when I get home since I cannot wear the band when I swim. It is water resistant, so I don't have to worry about a little water once in awhile.

The sleep has also been very interesting. It tells me how long it takes me to go to sleep and how many hours I had light sleep and how many hours I had deep sleep. I've learned about the importance of good rest for weight management from Jackie, and now I can really see what's happening with my deep sleep, light sleep and total sleep.

Finally I have found a tool that can really support me in knowing exactly how I am doing each day.  Here is a big thanks to Jackie for recommending it to me. I've teamed up with her so she can see my results as well, and it really helps keep me accountable knowing that I'm sharing the data with her.

Yes, it has taken me a little time to learn but it shows me exactly where I am at all through the day without extensive calculations. For this tool, a little time investment has paid off in a big way and after just a few days I can see that it will be a huge key to keeping me on track.

Dian’s Book Tipping the Scales in Your Favor shares her weight loss journey. For years Dian tried to lose weight, but it was not until Jackie Keller said to her in California, “I can help you lose weight,” that she caught the vision and lost more than 100 pounds. Most important, she has been able to keep it off. Get Dian’s book today and begin the journey to healthy living. Go to www.DianThomas.com to learn more.

Dian Thomas’s Library: You will never run out of ideas when you have this wonderful set of books. Check out Dian Thomas’ Creative Books Library Special: She now has a special offer to save 60% on 5 books and 2 DVDs. Get Dian’s creative library for only $49.99. Save $70 and have more than 25 years of her creative and amazing ideas. This package will be great for gifts, for fun, and for kids and grandchildren. Take advantage of this limited offer at www.DianThomas.com.

Want to travel with Dian?  Join one of her trips to China or Vietnam this fall, where you will enjoy a cultural feast and fun adventure.  Email Dian at Contact@DianThomas.com or call 801-277-4332 for more information. 


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