Monthly Archives: April 2013

How Speedy Is My Heart? (or Another Gadget For Me)

Posted on April 2, 2013 | Comments Off on How Speedy Is My Heart? (or Another Gadget For Me)

I’ve previously mentioned that I track all my calories on My Fitness Pal. I keep track of both the calories I eat as well as the calories I burn in a workout.

Tracking food is pretty easy. Most things are already in My Fitness Pal, and if they aren’t and they have a bar code, all you do is scan it in.

But tracking workouts are a bit more difficult. There are preset calorie burns for walking and Spinning (you just have to put in how long you’ve worked out), but I don’t entirely trust those.

So I decided to make another investment in my health. I bought a heart rate monitor that also tracks my calorie burns during workouts.

I did a bunch of research online, and I decided to get the Polar FT4F (and I got the pink one because it’s cute).

I ended up buying it at a store near my house instead of online so I’d have it to test out (and it would be easier to return if it didn’t work). I had an old heart rate monitor years ago, but this is way better.

First of all, the chest strap is really comfortable. It’s all fabric (compared to the plastic one I used to have) and it doesn’t stick out a bunch under my clothes. All you have to do before wearing it is get the sensors wet. I tested it out as soon as I got home and it was pretty easy.

Also, the watch part of the system is nice too. The only downside is you can only see one thing at a time (heart rate, calorie burn, clock). It would be nice if there was a screen where you could see everything. But at least it’s easy to read.

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I’m hoping to make it to spin class today. But I have a doctor’s appointment in the middle of the day as well as some family things going on (more about that in the next day or two).

If nothing else, I can test it out when I do my 5K this Saturday. Hopefully this will give me a more accurate number of calories I burn in a workout so I can adjust my food intake accordingly.

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Default ThumbnailSeeing My Heart Rate Spike (or What It’s Like Working Out On The New Medication) Default ThumbnailNew Workout Gadgets And Records (or Improving On My Workouts) Default ThumbnailWorking Out While Cleansing (or Being Easy On Myself) Default ThumbnailTough Workouts (or Having Challenges Every Day) Default ThumbnailGetting Faster Bit By Bit (or Speeding Up My Heart And My Walking) Default ThumbnailCounting Every Calorie (or Seeing Things In Black and White)

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Posted in Fitness, Fun Stuff, Weight Loss

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Spa Night Out (or Why Burke Williams Might Have Beaten Disneyland As The Happiest Place On Earth)

Posted on April 1, 2013 | Comments Off on Spa Night Out (or Why Burke Williams Might Have Beaten Disneyland As The Happiest Place On Earth)

About a week ago, I had seen on Facebook a discount code for tickets to Spa Night Out. I wasn’t exactly sure what Spa Night Out was, but I saw that it was going to be at Burke Williams and there was a gift bag, so I figured why not! I was just hoping for a better experience than I had at Pamper Me Fabulous.

And boy oh boy was this an amazing experience!

First of all, there were some amazing hosts (and they didn’t pay me or give me free tickets to say this, these are my own opinions). The event was hosted by Eventbrite and Spaphile. I was already familiar with Eventbrite. They are an online ticketing service that I already love. I’ve bought a ton of tickets through them, and we used them for tickets for the screening of my twitter documentary. But Spaphile has now become one of my new favorite things. They are a membership program that connects spas to customers by offering discounts! I love spas and I love discounts! I did buy a membership after this event because I have already planned a bunch of places that I want to try with my discount.

Anyway, back to the event. There were a ton of free things to check out. And by free, I actually mean free!

My first stop was the mini-manicure/polish change station.

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I decided on the OPI color Jade Is The New Black.

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I almost never get my nails done because I always seems to chip so fast. But since this was free, I had to do it! And I have to say that after 3 days, I don’t have any chips yet!

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My next stop on my spa journey was to the moisturizing hand massage station.

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(sorry for the bad photos, I only had my iPhone with me)

The hand massage was wonderful, and the lotion that was used smelled delicious! Plus, I had a very nice chat with the woman who was doing the massage, so that was fun.

Finally, I got to have my mini-massage. With the ticket I bought I wasn’t guaranteed it, but I put myself on the waitlist as soon as I arrived, and I managed to snag one of the very last mini-massage appointments of the evening! It was wonderful. The massage therapist asked me which areas I would like him to focus on, and since I spend so much time hunched over a computer, iPhone, or iPad; I asked for him to focus on my neck, shoulders, and back. It was so relaxing, and pretty long for a mini-massage. It was about 25 minutes!

Finally, it was time for me to head out. I stopped by the front desk to pick up my gift bag (which was filled with so many amazing goodies!).

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And the woman behind the desk said I also had this waiting for me.

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When I checked in for the event, there was a fishbowl to put business cards in to. They had a raffle, and of course I entered, but I never win so I wasn’t expecting anything.

Turns out, I won the grand prize!!!

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I get to come back to Burke Williams in West Hollywood to have a free facial! I’m so excited for this!

Also in the gift bag were some passes to come back to the spa and enjoy some discounted treatments. I will totally be taking advantage of those. While I was waiting for my massage, I was reading the spa menu and they have a lot of treatments that I’d love to try.

Overall, I have to say that this was one of the best evenings I’ve had in a long time. I was coming off a bit of a funk before this event, and this seemed to have turn everything around!

Thanks again to Eventbrite and Spaphile for hosting this event. If you see another event that they are hosting, I highly recommend getting a ticket for it (I know I’ll be!)!

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Default ThumbnailA Disneyland Tease (or A Mini High School Reunion Steps Away From The Happiest Place On Earth) Default ThumbnailBurke Williams San Francisco (or Sharing One Of My New Favorite Places) Default ThumbnailNot The Happiest Place on Earth (or My Solo Trip to Disneyland) Default ThumbnailGoing to The Happiest Place on Earth (or How Recycling Ink Got Me an Annual Pass) Default ThumbnailBrows and Bubbly (or Another Fun Evening Out With Eventbrite) Default ThumbnailPamper Me Fabulous (or At Least The View Was Pretty)

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Posted in Beauty, Fun Stuff

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