After neglecting it for the past 6 months, I started using my pedometer again on Friday. I’ve been slacking off in the exercise department and needed a bit of motivation.

I have the Omron HJ-720 Pocket Pedometer. Whenever I need to push myself to get more active, I take along my pedometer and aim for a healthy goal of 10,000 steps a day. Having instant visual feedback of my progress really gets me going.

My Omron HJ-720ITC Pocket Pedometer

This particular model is one of a few approved devices that work with the Microsoft HealthVault Connection Center.  It’s a service that downloads data from your health device, uploads it to your Microsoft HealthVault account, and then that data can be used in a variety of applications and third-party websites.  There’s only a few that currently use this beta service but the possibilities are very exciting.

Here’s my Microsoft HealthVault data used by a service called WalkMe, which I had created a free account at and then allowed it to access my HealthVault:

WalkMe working with Microsoft HealthVault

It’s trying to be somewhat social with groups and rankings, but there aren’t very many registered users. There’s only a couple hundred from what I could tell.

I tried some of the other websites but nothing interested me until I came across MSN’s My Health Info (beta).  This application has a very sleek interface and though it wouldn’t work in Firefox, it was a pleasure to mess with in IE.

I signed up for a free account and authorized it to access my HealthVault info.  That data was used to populate highly customizable widgets.  I really like having the ability to drag and drop widgets, change the layout, and resize widgets.  Here’s my homepage that I created:

My Health Info (beta) at MSN Health & Fitness

Widgets are easy to customize and drag around.

The Exercise Journal widget lets me add activity not uploaded by my pedometer.

The Food Journal widget tracks meals and calories.

Part of the Food Journal is the option to set a meal plan and get recommendations.

So far, I really like the fluid interface of the My Health Info service but despite the prettiness, I’m not sure if I need all that information. I don’t really track my food or activities and just want to log my daily steps from my pedometer.

I can use WalkMe for that, but the default view shows weekly steps when I prefer to see it on a daily comparison basis. Right now, I’ll probably use My Health Info and maybe force myself to pay a bit more attention to my food and exercise journals.

I love discovering fancy new websites! Now I better make sure I continue to give my pedometer data to upload. I plan to be using this in conjunction with the Nike+ running program to keep track of my walks and runs. Let’s do this!

So after buying the Nike+ sensor and sportband, I had to decide how I would attach the sensor to my running shoes.  There are third-party pouches that secure the sensor to your laces or sneaker tongue. There are also do-it-yourself techniques for cutting a slit in the tongue or duct taping the sensor in place - a bit ghetto, I know.

I looked at my current pair of running shoes and realized that they were pretty worn. Since I needed a new pair of sneakers anyway I decided I might as well get some Nike+ shoes; they already have a built-in alcove for the sensor. But then I saw the prices - yikes!

I went through their Shoe Finder and they recommended 5 models ranging from $68 up to $130.  These prices were based on what they were currently selling for in their online store.  I looked up some of the models on other sites and saw that the prices were basically the same across the board.

The $68 model was the LunarSwift+.  It was currently on sale at Nike while many other sites still have it for $80 - $85.  I considered buying it from Nike, but with shipping added, I didn’t want to spend $76 for sneakers.

After shopping around, including eBay, I found it at the Finish Line website for $49.98 - what a steal! Unfortunately, my size was out of stock in all the colors I would wanted. :-(  I added one of the colors I didn’t like to to my cart and with tax and shipping it came up to $62.85.  That’s a really big discount compared to ther sites but I still wasn’t biting, especially not for a color I didn’t like.  I looked for Finish Line coupons and found nothing that would work with my order.  Then I spotted a free shipping coupon for orders $50 or higher. ARGH! Of course they would price these just 2 cents under.  I looked through the Finish Line catalog and saw another version of the LunarSwift+, the LunarSwift+ Breathe.  I didn’t really like the color either but it was on sale for $50.  I added these to my cart instead, and with the coupon code and tax, my new total was only $54.88!

I decided that I didn’t need my running shoes to be stylish, just functional, so I made the decision and bought them:

Nike LunarSwift+ Breathe in Lilac

In addition, Bing cashback is giving me $5 back on the purchase so I’m actually only paying $49.88 for these!  Compare that with Zappos where it’s currently $85:

Much more at Zappos

I sure love a bargain!  If you’re anything but a size 6, check out Finish Line for the Nike LunarSwift+ since it’s a great deal especially if you can find your color and size in stock!

For a while now I’ve been seeing a friend’s running updates on Facebook. They’re auto-updates from a service provided by Nike in conjunction with their Nike+ system.  The updates look something like this.

Jane Doe ran 3.57 mi on 7/27/2010 at 4:35 PM

The geek in me loves stats and systems.  I feel more motivated if I have a visual meter of my achievements and progress.  I wasn’t quite sure what the Nike+ system was, but after some research, here’s the basics:

You need the Nike+ sensor.  This goes in your shoe.  Nike of course makes sneakers with a special alcove for the sensor, but there are third-party accessories and DIY techniques for securing the sensor to any pair of shoes.

You will need a receiver for the sensor to send information to.  The receiver can be one of two main things:

A.  A compatible Apple product.  Available options are the iPod Nano (with a Nike+ receiver attachment), the iPod Touch or an iPhone (newer models come with built-in support so need need for the attachment).

 - or -

B.  The Nike+ Sportband (it’s like a watch almost).

Nike+ Sportband in Pink and Grey

I don’t have an iPod. Also, I usually prefer to run without music so the Nike+ Sportband was the best option for me.  It’s a pretty cool device that you wear on your wrist which receives information from the sensor.  Then you can detach part of the Sportband and plug that part right into a USB port to download information - how nifty is that! The information goes online to the Nike+ running community where you can chart your progress and share your stats.  There’s also challenges, discussions, tips and more. I’m really looking forward to adding my first update!

The Nike+ Sportband, which comes with a Nike+ Sensor, sells for about $59 and comes in a few different colors.  I found one new on eBay for $49 and can’t wait to get it!  I’ll write a new post once I get it.

It’s time to dust off the treadmill!

I am just now getting over another bout of bronchitis.  Second time in a year - what’s up with that? Why are my lungs so fragile?

I’m not a smoker (well, besides the occasional cigar), I try to eat healthy, and I take my vitamins. Once upon a time I used to exercise fairly regularly, but that’s another entry altogether.

I suppose I just have a weak pulmonary system.  Well, a weak immune system in general. Every spring and every fall, my seasonal allergies make me contemplate jumping off the nearest bridge.  I’ve had allergies for as long as I can remember, even before I knew that’s what it was.  I remember always having to go the doctor as a child - always being sick.  It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized that I wasn’t sick and that what the family doctor was prescribing was simply a prescription-strength antihistamine.

My mother told me a story once about my name.  I was two and on my deathbed. We were in a refugee camp on the Thai-Cambodia border. People told her there was something wrong with my lungs. I assume now that it was pneumonia since it was quite common back then. My parents took me to the village’s doctor, a shaman, who said my spirit was conflicted because I had been given the wrong name at birth. He renamed me and it’s what my parents call me to this day (not Vuthy). My mother said I quickly recovered after I was renamed.

However, as an adult I’m still having issues with lung and sinus problems.  Maybe I should start using my shaman-given name instead of Vuthy?! The universe is so mysterious in her own ways…

This is an update on my previous post, The Birth Control Pill and Hair Loss.

Take about abrupt! Everything I’ve read has said that it takes about 6 months for the pill to completely leave your system and things to start going back to normal.  I had expected gradual changes leading up to the 6-month mark, but that didn’t happen in my case.  All of a sudden, right at the 6-month mark, things changed dramatically.

First of all, the bad new: My skin is back to the way it was before the pill.  The main reason why I went on the pill in the first place was to help control my oily skin and acne. The pill did wonders for me - my skin settled down and got really smooth. Now it’s back to being oily and starting to get clogged and bumpy again. ARGH!  I hate having to choose between clear skin or healthy hair!!

Speaking of hair, YES my hair is growing back!  There are soft downy hairs sprouting along my hairline and I’m shedding much less in the shower. So for all the ladies that are in the same boat, please don’t despair.  With patience, your hair will grow back just like mine is doing.

Even though I like having more hair again, I do miss the clear skin. Also, my cycle at the 6-month mark was more irregular and painful than usual.  I guess things really are going back to “normal” now that the birth control hormones are out of my system. Maybe one day, when I no longer want thick, long hair, I’ll go back on the pill to take care of other issues, but as it stands, I’ll just have to find something else besides the birth control pill to keep my skin clear.

Hang in there ladies!

I just finished a workout. Today was legs. I’m doing high reps with no or light weights. My legs build muscle easily and are naturally rather muscular so I’m not looking to add any more bulk.

Often, when doing high reps, it’s easy to get discouraged. You feel the burn at a count of 6 and you’re suppose to go to 15. When I reach a count of 10, I start counting down from 5. Yes, it’s the same as continuing to count until 15, but something about mentally assigning a smaller number makes it easier to get through the set.  You’ll notice this in professional workout videos and group exercises classes.  The count is always broken down into smaller chunks and it really works! “And 1, and 2, and 3, and 4, and 1, and 2, and 3, and 4…”

I also do high-endurance cardio on certain days. This involves me running on the treadmill for about 90 minutes.  When I first started, I used to want to stop after just 15 minutes!  Now, I can push myself to do the full 90.

When I was working out at the gym, I noticed a lot of people would put a towel over the treadmill display to keep them from constantly checking their progress.  I’m the opposite.  Seeing these numbers keep me going. It’s like instant gratification.  I will look down and see that I’ve gone .43 miles.  I tell myself mentally “C’mon, you can make it to .5. It’s half a mile! You can’t get to half a mile? C’mon!” I set a mini-goal and when I meet it, I’m thrilled enough to keep going. I probably set at least two dozen mini-goals when I’m on the treadmill.  I switch between the distance, time, and calories display.  ”You’re at 238 calories burned. You can make it to 250!” Once I reach 250, I go “Well, that wasn’t that hard. You can go all the way to 300 then!” and the cycle continues.  I really enjoy watching the display change and seeing the immediate affects of my action.

If you’re ever really discouraged, try mentally changing the way you approach your workout and see if it doesn’t make a big difference for you.