Ok, I don’t run. At least not currently. I do ride, hike, walk and exercise in various degrees though and track it all using RunKeeper. You may want to also if you’d like some extra motivation. Here’s how I got started…
A few months ago I was a on a trip with a ridiculously fit and athletic friend of mine. How fit? His nickname is Super. Super pulled me aside and said:
“You have to get moving. There’s too many cool things we could be doing but you won’t be able to keep up.
Super then reminded me of a ski trip the previous year where I’d had to stop and catch my breath every few hundred yards. I recalled that we’d had a similar conversation after that. Hell, I’d been having that conversation with myself for years and my weight had pogoed up and down for years. Down 5. Down 11. Even down 14 but it would always sneak back. As I wondered what I could do differently this time, Super said: “I’ll help you. Let’s make a plan.”
The Plan to Shrink
I made a commitment to get out the door and exercise a minimum of 3 days a week, no-matter-what and then send a text of what I’d done and for how long to Super. Super in turn would text me when he worked out in some fashion. I search through a dozen or so fitness apps and found RunKeeper early on. Since Super didn’t have the app, I’d just screen cap the screen on my iPhone and send the image to him. Soon enough he downloaded the app as well as joined my “Street Team” on RunKeeper. So far the motivation has paid off. I’m feeling better and down 14 pounds.
RunKeeper has allowed me to expand the motivation by asking more people into my “Street Team” where we can automatically share our progress, whether it’s running or riding or just walking. RunKeeper also estimates calories burned. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the number of calories burned divided by 3500 equals my current weight loss.
Something Learned, Something Burned
One thing that has helped me tremendously happened early on. I’d only been able to get in very short workouts in for several days and I started to get down on myself for not waking up early enough to charge the hills on my bike and make what I felt would be significant progress. I expressed my wussy-ness to my coach who laughed at me and to my relief said:
“It doesn’t matter. Short work outs count too. Just keep going.”
I’d heard the advice before but never quite believed it. This time though, with help from friends like you I’ve kept going. So if you’re interested in tracking your fitness and perhaps a motivation boost as well download app for your smart phone here for:
and hit me up here: http://runkeeper.com/user/briangerry/
