Mac Power Users 119: Geek Fitness

January 6, 2013

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David and Katie talk about the geeky tools they’re using to help get in shape.

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18 thoughts on “Mac Power Users 119: Geek Fitness”

  1. Randall Soules

    Instead of playing music while I walk on the treadmill or ride my bike, I found this great podcast I listen to each Monday morning. It’s very educational and full of useful information. It’s called Mac Power Users. Thanks.

  2. Tim Chaten

    David you weren’t crazy walking at high speeds at least burns the same as runners!

    http://walking.about.com/od/calorie1/a/calorieswalkrun.htm

    Oh by the way I got the Withings scale for Christmas and am now hooked on logging/monitoring everything so I am going to be getting a FitBit and tracking what I eat – got a juicer a few days ago and will be doing that for breakfast and dinners.

    I may be replacing my FitBit with Withings new Activity Tracker – but I am eager to get started with activity tracking now :)

    A great episode – that I’m sure will be helpful to many others.

    Tim

  3. Andy Crossett

    Great podcasts! I listen every week.

    One suggestion for workout is Power 90. It is a workout program from same people as P90X, but is more suited to people just starting out. P90X can be too intense for sedentary people.

    I lost 60 lbs with Power 90 and Lose It. I’m starting a new program to lose 30 more lbs.

    Thanks again!
    Andy

  4. Andy Crossett

    Another suggestion. I do like the fitbit, but have now lost two of them (falling off of belt loop).

    I’m trying to find a better way to attach the device, so its not getting lost.

    1. Tim Chaten

      Has no one kickstarted or developed a 3rd party fit bit belt holder or some other way to body mount it – surprised the official ones are the only ones out there …

  5. Lynda

    Hey Katie! Me too, I *love* spinning, and yes, it is strenuous enough to take some getting used to – but I wouldn’t give it up now, for anything. And I’m right in the middle of you and David – I just got a FitBit and ‘net connected scale for Christmas, and also get to the Fitness Center two or three times a week. I also second your opinions of Weight Watchers online – was successful for me for a loss of 20 lb, which is what I needed at that time.

    Great episode, thanks. What you’ve done here will definitely help folks to be healthier.

  6. Peter

    As something of a fitness geek I really appreciated this show. I have a Fitbit One that I got last fall and I love it. I’ve used other, more traditional pedometers and I found that they also tended to over report to some degree as you noted, but still find having the sense of whether I met a given goal on a given day to be helpful. Before choosing the Fitbit I looked at both the Jawbone Up and Nike Fuel band as well, and didn’t go there for exactly the concerns you raised about professional attire. It’s ironic that I just got email from Fitbit announcing a wrist band! Hopefully as an added option rather than a replacement for the One.

    Peter

  7. David Wang

    Hey David and Katie, I was very interested to hear your podcast because I recently began a fitness journey on my own. I bought a Nike FuelBand and it has been instrumental in keeping me on the wagon till I started seeing results, and from that point I was motivated just by seeing the results. I wrote a long review about it on my blog here if anyone is comparing the Fitbit to the Fuelband:

    http://blogjunkie.net/2012/12/nike-fuelband-review-mind-control-motivation

    Regarding calories burned when walking or running, I believe that the “work” you do is the same (moving a certain mass from Point A to B). But you engage more muscles and elevate your metabolism more, so that you burn more calories in the same amount of time and even after your workout because of that elevated metabolism :)

    Thanks for an excellent podcast and all the best to your fitness journey!

  8. M Bartner

    Hi Katie – Why not use the Dropbox automatic Camera Upload for your trip? Simple, “backed up” to some degree.
    I also use an app called CameraSync that can upload to lots of cloud services.

  9. Paul

    Thanks for the info! I’m wondering, what’s the difference between fit it’s food tracker and the loseit tracker? Why not just use the fitbit one?

    1. Katie

      I find LoseIt to have a much larger database, barcode scanning and many additional features specifically for tracking food. Fitbit seems more of an afterthought. But, it syncs with what you put in lose it, bonus.

  10. Chris O'Brien

    In regards to FitBit and stats, there is this really cool website that JazzyChad whipped up that has some more detailed stats for fitbit… I find it a little better for trending over time than the fitbit website. In a “look at the lines” sort of way.

    So numbers nerds can geek out a little more.

    http://stepstats.com/

  11. Frank Day

    Here is a very powerful tool to help with weight loss while also providing a way of independently reducing risk of premature death, a standing desk or, even better, a treadmill desk (http://www.treadmill-desk.com/). A used treadmill suitable for this can usually be found on craigslist for under $100. Whether one is exercising regularly sitting at a desk the rest of the day is an independent risk factor to premature death. Simply standing in front of the computer is a weight bearing exercise. Make that standing on a treadmill walking at 1 mph or so and now you are burning an extra 100 calories per hour or so. It isn’t an app but you are doing it in front of your computer and it doesn’t take any extra time out of the day to go exercise. I am walking on my treadmill desk as I write this. It takes a little time to adapt from sitting all day to standing all day but it comes easily if done in small parts.

    1. Pavel

      Frank, I am really considering the treadmill desk. It makes so much sense. However I work at a cubicle and people around me are thinking it would be too distracting. Are you using yours in a cubicle by any chance? Is it distracting to others?
      David and Katie, love your show but can’t believe you didn’t include the geek’s ultimate exercise – the treadmill desk! :)

  13. Terra

    Following the holidays, I started using Myfitnesspal. I really enjoy the barcode scanning feature, as well as the way it subtracts my workout calories from the calorie total. Also, when I finish tracking for the day, I like the way it predicts, “If everyday was like today you’d weigh — lbs.” That’s motivating!

    I saw this ad recently, help me out if you know it, where people were talking about what they gained rather than what they lost. I find its easier to stick to a healthy lifestyle if I am aware of what I’m getting out of it. Not just a number on a scale, rather increased energy, feeling calmer and having more patience, etc. For me, working out is as much about mental health as anything else.

    A friend gave me this book, “The Underachiever’s Manifesto” because I used to go overboard on fitness and well…everything! Wellness is a journey, good luck this year :)

  14. Laurel

    I always listen to all your shows but I loved this one in particular! I immediately downloaded LoseIt! and have been diligently tracking everything. Now am thinking about getting the FitBit and a new scale.

    Katie, a question for you. . . After the show are you still happy with the scale you recommend, or do you sort of wish you had the one David talked about (or have you already gone out and bought a new bluetooth one?)

    About Fitbits. Which one is the one David likes, or would get if he were getting one these days. I am so confused after looking at the options!

    Thanks for all your great shows!

  15. Tim Chaten

    Regarding FitBits – its pretty simple – if you want to track flights of stairs then the FitBit One is your only choice.

    The Zip’s big advantage is a longer battery life – it’ll run several months and then a coin battery swap will have it run another few months.

    The Flex is coming out and will be good for those that want to wear it in the water, and on their wrist. It’ll track your sleep like the One, but does not track flights of stairs.

    All current FitBits sync directly to your iPhone 4S or 5 over BT 4.0 – I chose the One because of flights of stairs and sleep tracking. If all you want is step tracking the Zip is great. I’m confident you’ll be happy with any of them as they are all pretty similar.

    Questions?
    Tim Chaten
    iPodEvolution.net

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