Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

I have been looking for a good iPhone application to keep track of my Weight Watchers Points for a long time. Weight Watchers Online has a page that works with the iPhone, but it is SEVERELY lacking in usability, so I kept looking.

Back when I had a Palm Treo, I used to keep track of my points using WWCalc. It was a GREAT program, but Weight Watchers shut them down. I used to wish that the programmer would alter his program so that it could just keep track of anything and allow me to put a formula of my own in it. That is EXACTLY what Edibles has done for me.

You can download Edibles for your iPhone here:

• Edibles – Diet Journal [iTunes Link]

Here is a detailed guide to setting up Edibles to work with Weight Watchers: (more…)

This week we look at fitness gadgets that are so new that they aren’t available to purchase yet. They were featured at the IHRSA (International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association) 2009 Conference in San Francisco.

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Of all the gadgets featured at IHRSA, the only one I could find purchase information for was the TRX Suspension Trainer. It just looks like a piece of nylon with handles, but there are apparently lots of exercises that you do with it.

Here’s a video showing a group class working out with the TRX Suspension Trainer:

After watching the video, almost all of those exercises could be done without the TRX Suspension Trainer. In fact, the people doing the lunges look to me like an accident waiting to happen. Sure, it’s a portable gym for “only” $149, but when you could do ninety percent of the exercises in a hotel room without the gadget, it kind of makes it less worthwhile in my mind.

Via: Diet Blog: 2009 Fitness Trends

This week we look at fitness gadgets that are so new that they aren’t available to purchase yet. They were featured at the IHRSA (International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association) 2009 Conference in San Francisco.

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If you have ever played DDR and wished you could play it against a whole room full of people, that is just one of the many options available to you at an Xrkade (pronounced e-xer-cade). When I first heard about Xrkade, they were just an idea, but now they are in over twenty states.

• xrkade.com

Xrkade is no more a gym or an arcade than Disneyland is a roller coaster park. It’s a cutting edge environment and experience complete with the most advanced gaming and entertainment systems where people become a “human joystick.”

Here is a promotional video showing people playing and working out:

Here is a virtual tour of an Xrkade:

Unfortunately, there isn’t one in Utah, so I can’t really go and try one out. I do love the idea, though. I can’t wait until ALL gyms look like Xrkade!

Via: Diet Blog: 2009 Fitness Trends

This week we look at fitness gadgets that are so new that they aren’t available to purchase yet. They were featured at the IHRSA (International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association) 2009 Conference in San Francisco.

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As if stair steppers and stair machines weren’t enough, they’ve added Jacob’s Ladder to the mix of exercise machines.

• Jacobs Ladder – Ultimate Fitness Experience

Jacob’s Ladder was designed to give a workout without putting stress on the back. This video shows it in action:

The only benefit I can see for using this machine instead of a stair stepper is the fact that you use your arms as well. This workout machine is PERFECT for training firefighters, but for the rest of us mortals, a stair machine is 90% of the way there. If I ever see one of these in a gym, I’ll be pleasantly surprised and INSIST on trying it out, but I doubt that will ever be an experience I’ll have.

Via: Diet Blog: 2009 Fitness Trends

This week we look at fitness gadgets that are so new that they aren’t available to purchase yet. They were featured at the IHRSA (International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association) 2009 Conference in San Francisco.

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When I first saw the Alter G-Trainer, I thought it was silly. Why would someone want to run on a treadmill with LESS gravity? Isn’t that LESS of a workout? Why, yes. Yes it is…

• Alter G-Trainer

G-Trainers enable people to improve mobility and health, recover from injury and surgery more effectively, overcome medical challenges that limit movement, and enhance physical performance.

If you have a sports injury, the G-Trainer can reduce the impact on your injured foot (leg, ankle, etc.) to make running easier while you heal. The same can be true for someone trying to learn to walk again after a severe injury.

The video promoting it, however, only brags about how quickly the runners can finish mileage. What’s the point of beating the 1 mile record if you can only do it in the Alter G-Trainer?

I doubt you’ll ever see something like this at your local gym. You might see it at a physical therapist’s office, but even then, it seems like such a specialty product that this might be the only way you’ll ever see it in action.

Via: Diet Blog: 2009 Fitness Trends

This week we look at fitness gadgets that are so new that they aren’t available to purchase yet. They were featured at the IHRSA (International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association) 2009 Conference in San Francisco.

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If you like mountain climbing, then the Treadwall is a machine that I bet you’re hoping your gym buys next. It’s like a vertical treadmill that you climb up. It’s better than a climbing wall because you are never more than six feet off the floor, you can set it vertically, an easy incline, or even an overhang incline.

Here is a promotional video about it:

They have a Treadwall at the gym in Camp Buehring, Kuwait. Here is a quick video that gives you a good idea of how they work without the marketing hype.

All the climbing bits are interchangeable, so a gym owner could change them out and make the Treadwall be completely different every week. Since it’s so big, it would be impractical for a normal person. This really seems like a product that is marketed to gym owners. Those mountain-climbing obsessed people might be able to find a spot in their home for a Treadwall, but for the rest of us, we can only hope that one shows up at our local gym.

Via: Diet Blog: 2009 Fitness Trends

This week we look at fitness gadgets that are so new that they aren’t available to purchase yet. They were featured at the IHRSA (International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association) 2009 Conference in San Francisco.

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Long ago, they used to make treadmills that didn’t require electricity to run. They were usually small and very cheap. They were powered by you walking on them and to make them go faster, you had to manually change the incline. They were VERY hard to use. It looks like SpeedFit is trying to make a treadmill that doesn’t require electricity, but is much easier to use.

SpeedFit has been around for a while. Their first version of the Speedboard was a flat treadmill that only used electricity to change the incline. The new Speedboard uses no electricity at all. Instead of adjusting the speed by changing the incline, you adjust your speed by stepping on different parts of the bowl shaped treadmill. Here is a more detailed video about the product:

I am uncomfortable with no handrails, probably because I’m used to being on a treadmill that is powered by something other than my own two legs. I love the idea that you don’t need electricity to run it. The motor isn’t what has gone out on my treadmills in the past, however. It was the TREAD that wore out far earlier than a motor. I like the idea of my exercise not costing any exercise. That’s why I go outside and run a lot of the times. Without knowing the price of this machine, it’s hard to know whether it’s something I would like or not. I suspect they are going for the gym owner market instead of trying to sell to the people who actually USE the treadmills, so don’t expect them to be cheap.

Via: Diet Blog: 2009 Fitness Trends

I first heard about Breurer heart rate monitors from Gear Live. Like so many gadgets blogs, they talk about products that are just impossible to buy in the United States. Two years later, it looks like they are finally available through Amazon.com.

• Beurer PM60 Heart Rate Monitor Watch at Amazon.com

You can understand why I might be interested in the PM60 Beurer watch because it looks so good. It’s the kind of watch that I could wear at the gym AND to a nice event. Most heart rate monitors look like ugly digital watches, but this one is as pretty as any of the best digital watches out there. Sure the Nike watches might look almost as good, but their bands are irreplaceable, so you only get to enjoy them for a year at most before you have to toss them out (couple of years if you baby the band like I have on my Nike Imara).

Long ago, I wrote a blog entry about what I wanted from a watch:

• Gadgets Page » I Hate the Watch Designers of the World

I wanted A LOT of things from a watch and to this day, I have never been able to find one that does them all. Even this watch from Beurer falls short, but I’m willing to give it a try. You can see the complete line of Beurer heart rate monitors here:

• Breurer Heart Rate Monitors

I can’t buy it in the States yet, but I love the PM110. Instead of a chest strap, it uses an optical sensor on the hand to track heart rate. Many watches use that sort of sensor, but they are impractical to use while running. Since the sensor is strapped to the hand so perfectly, it would be able to track your heart rate consistently.

I’m even a little excited about their Weight Management System:

• Beurer WM 80 Weight Management System (PM 80 HRM Watch, PG 55 Diagnostic Scale, SB 02 SpeedBox) at Amazon.com

It has a heart rate monitor, a scale and a foot pod that tracks your workouts like a Nike+. They all communicate with each other and it all goes into a software program on your PC computer. Here’s a video showing it.

Congratulations to Breurer for making the jump to the United States! I’m looking forward to seeing what they have to offer!

The excellent Wendy Bumgardner at About.com’s walking blog has a great list of essential gear for walking safely.

• About.com: 10 Walking Essentials by Wendy Bumgardner

Walking is the least gear-intensive sport around, but take her list to heart. You don’t want to find yourself stranded with chaffed inner thighs. You don’t have to spend much money, but you should follow her advice.

Here’s a quickie list:

1. Layered Clothing
2. Walking Shoes
3. Walking Socks
4. Hat
5. Pack
6. Water
7. Sunscreen
8. Route Plan
9. ID and Money
10. Keys

Wendy goes into detail about each item on her list, so click on over to About.com to read all about it!

When Budget Gadgets asked me if I was willing to review their Calorie Heart Pulse Watch, I didn’t have high expectations. I have loved my Nike Imara Heart Rate Monitor for over three years now and I doubted that anything could be good enough to take its place.

I was impressed with how good it looked. It’s hard to make a digital watch attractive, but the Calorie Heart Pulse Watch meets the bare minimum. It shows the date and time on the face of the watch, so that’s a plus.

The pulse is taken with a sensor on the right of the watch. You don’t need to wear a strap around your chest to get a reading.

This is good because you don’t have to worry about two pieces of equipment, but it is bad because your heart rate isn’t constantly monitored. You can only check your heart rate when you go to that mode.

Modes

The Mode button toggles between the Time/Date, Alarm, Chronograph, Exercise, and Pulse modes. The Up button in the Time/Date mode toggles between standard time and 24-hour time.

Setting Time/Date

In the Time/Date mode, hold down the Set button for two seconds. The year will flash on the screen. Use the Up button to change the year. When you get to the correct year, push the Set button once to get to the next item. Do the same for Month, Day, Hour, Minute, Birth Year, Birth Month, Birth Day, Sex, and Weight. In the weight section, the Reset button will toggle between Pounds and Kilos.

Unfortunately, there is only one direction when setting this watch, so if you miss your weight, you’ll have to scroll all the way up to 500 pounds before it wraps around to the beginning again. I’m glad they are accommodating for all sizes of humans, but I wish they had programmed a Down button in addition to an Up button.

Alarm

Set the Alarm just like you set the time and date. In Alarm mode, the Up button turns the alarm on and off. The reset button turns the hourly chime on and off.

Chronograph

Chronograph mode is a standard stopwatch. Press the Up button to start and stop it. Press the Reset button to bring it back to zero. If you change modes while the Chronograph is running, the timer will stop. You have to keep the watch in Chronograph mode the entire time you’re using the stopwatch feature. There is no lap feature on the Chronograph.

Exercise

Exercise mode is the mode you want to use if you want to know how many calories you burned during your workout. It works like a normal chronograph. To start it, press the Up button. To stop it, press the Up button again.

If you change modes while the Exercise clock is running, it will continue to keep timing your activity. It doesn’t stop itself like the Chronograph mode does. This allows you to go to the Pulse mode and check your heart rate in the middle of your workout.

The calorie calculation is an estimate of your caloric burn based on a single snapshot of your workout. It is NOT a running total like the Nike Imara keeps. To find out how many calories you’ve burned in your workout, you must press the Up button to stop the watch. Then you press the Set button once. You will see a heart on the screen. Press and hold the Set button for two seconds and it will ask to take your Pulse. Based on your heart rate, it will calculate the number of calories burned.

When I took a calorie reading right after a spurt of running, it gave me a HUGE number of calories burned that didn’t match my treadmill or my Nike Imara readings. When I took my heart rate after my cooldown, however, it was VERY close to the treadmill readings.

You can also estimate how hard you worked and use the watch to calculate your calories based on that. For instance, if you were unable to get the pulse meter to read, but you KNOW you ran as hard as you could run, then you can use the watch to estimate based on perceived effort. To do that, press the Up button to stop the watch. Then press the Set button. You’ll see a heart, when you press it again, it will show one intensity level, press again and it will show two intensity levels. You can choose your intensity from one to five. Once you’ve chosen your perceived level, then hold the Set button for two seconds and it will calculate your calories burned.

Pulse

The Pulse mode is a convenient way to take your pulse during your workout. Hold down the Set button for two seconds until it says, “Touch Sensor.” Then place your finger on the sensor on the right of the watch.

A LIGHT touch is all that is needed. If you press too hard, the watch won’t be able to get a reading. I was able to check my pulse while I was walking and during a light run, but it’s impossible to get a reading during a hard run. I would have to stop running and grab a pulse reading right after my sprints to get an accurate heart rate. I checked it against the readings on my Nike Imara and it was spot on 90% of the time.

The readings that you take in Pulse mode do not affect the calorie calculations in Exercise mode. You must stop the Exercise stopwatch and take a pulse reading within Exercise mode to get a calorie calculation.

Is It Worth It?

I’ll be honest. Learning to use this watch was HARD. The directions given with the watch were cryptic and written by a non-English speaker. I’m pretty good with watches, so I was able to figure out almost everything, but I would have never learned how to calculate calories without the sales staff from Budget Gadgets. Fortunately for you, I’ve done all the hard work for you, so all you need to do is read this review to learn how to use the watch.

Is it as good as my Nike Imara? No, it’s not, but it only costs $10.56 with free shipping. Compared to the 120 bucks I spent on the Nike, it’s a freakin’ bargain. It does 90% of what the Nike Imara does at 10% of the price. If you are looking for an inexpensive watch to time your workouts and tell you how many calories you burned, I haven’t seen a better watch.

Budget Gadgets gave me the watch for free to test out, but if I had to choose all over again, I would go for this watch instead of the Nike Imara. With the hundred bucks, I would have saved, I could buy a lot of different toys.

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Update: 04-06-09: The folks over at Budget Gadgets have given me a discount code for the readers of Starling Fitness. If you make an order, use the coupon code LM5OFF2 and get a 5% discount on your order! Isn’t that awesome!