Living with Up


Something good, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

OK, so you’ll have to forgive my usual bantering on about art and photography. That’s right, Snowflakes, today Queen Flake interrupts this blog posting with news of a more mundane kind.

Lately, anyway, it seems like I’ve gotten a bit lazy. I haven’t been walking enough. I’ve been eating too much. Sitting too much. Not moving enough and just, well, feeling “yuckie” (to use a technical term on you there.) With travel plans fast approaching, I thought it might be a good idea to try and fix this. Now, never being big on the “let’s go to the gym” bandwagon, I opted instead to throw technology at the problem.

I’ve recently purchased a device called a Jawbone Up!

What this device does, is it, well, it’s complicated, but it’s something you wear on your wrist (looks like a bracelet in fact) and it tracks how much you move (how many steps you take each day) along with how well you sleep. You can also tell it how much (and when) you eat and it, in turn, tells you how far along on your goals you are and how well you are doing.

Now, I know it doesn’t sound like much, and I’m not really doing a very good job of describing said “Up!” device but, I have to say, at this point in time, gosh, I really love this thing. It just sort of…well….works on so many levels for me. I am old enough to realize that not everything will work for everybody. Some people (and you know who you are!) actually prefer going to the dark, dreary gym and working out while strapped to some machine. (More power to them.) Others, why they like going for an afternoon jog or a walk in the park (if I must confess, I’m much more of a “walk in the park” kind of girl.) For me, anyway, the Up! device is just, well, it just seems to be working.

For starters, you’re looking at what I ate for lunch yesterday. Yesterday, you see, I was invited to go out to a lunchtime event and I thought, while the menu was filled with lots of poor choices, I opted for a pasta and chicken lunch, in a lighter sauce. And, to make matters worse (or better!) I actually left some food on my plate (large portions be damned! I’m downsizing!) Yes, it’s true, I’m already eating healthier (and I have the photos to prove it!) In other, related developments, I’ve stopped drinking sugary sodas and have, instead, opted to get up, talk a bit of a walk, and go and get myself some water when thirsty. This is a big development for me, as I’ve always been a soda-a-day kind of gal (yes, I will admit it. I usually only have one per day but, what can I say? I love my Coke!) Even yesterday, when driving over to the lunch place, I was offered to be dropped off at the door. “No thanks!” I said, “I need the walk! In fact, please park as far away from the door as you possibly can.” Such a change, let me tell you, what a change for me. My Up! device also tells me I’ve been sleeping better and that I’m gradually (by about 450-500 steps a day) increasing the activity level in my life. Yes, it’s true, I’m actually getting up and walking more (OK, so maybe only a little bit but, hey, it’s a start, right?)

Now, I’m not much of a dieter, and I promise to not bore you with the details of my Up! device (really, I won’t) but I thought I should mention this here, as all of this does have an impact upon my photography. You see, I’ve been so out of shape and so just, well, out of it lately, that I haven’t wanted to walk around and take pictures anymore. And that? That’s what’s got to really change because, you see, I don’t give a flip about what jean size I wear (no, I really don’t) but, not being able or “feeling up to” walking around with camera? Why, that’s killing me! I can’t go on like this, really I can’t. I have to go out for some photo walks and soon (or else!)

So, here we have it. Up! It is. And I hope you won’t be too bored with it. I promise to try to keep my Up! related post count a bit low. Maybe to just check in from time-to-time with a few key highlights (should there be any!) And, it goes without saying really, but now you know what I’ve been….Up! to (oh, so sorry about that one. Bad joke alert!)

Should you happen to be interested in joining me on this Up! related journey, you too can purchase said UP! device at your local BestBuy store or it’s available online at the Jawbone website. I have mine in a mint green color but they come in colors and sizes to fit every need. There’s an app you can download to your iPhone and you plug in your Up! armband into your headphone jack of your iPhone. It really could not be easier (and, in my case anyway, it seems to be working. Let’s hope I can stay on it!)

So, there you have it. What I’ve been Up! to recently. (Jawbone, anyone?)

Until next time…

1 Comment

  1. Great Grandma Lin
    Author
    March 8, 2013 / 10:05 pm

    interesting I need something like that…only problem my knee isn't cooperating!

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