What I use to Track my Daily Activity and Workouts Apple Watch

This video is perhaps not so much a review but more of an overview of what I use in terms of Tech Fitness Gadgetry to track my activity and workouts day to day. Over the years I have had the opportunity to use a number of fitness tech devises from companies like Apple, Garmin, Polar, Fitbit, Jabra, iHealth, Mio, Skulpt and Atlas. At the end of the day you need to find a device that fits not only into what and how you do your fitness but also it needs to fit into your lifestyle and hopefully make that even a little better in some ways.

For a little over the past year I have been using a combination of hardware and software that are independent from each other but work fairly well together thanks to the flexibility of Apple's Heath Kit and Under Armours suite of Apps that offer connectivity with a host of other companies.

You really need to watch my YouTube video as I explain in detail how I use several independent hardware devices with some very flexible software to bring it all together and fit my fitness and lifestyle needs. Here is a list of what I am using with a short description of what each device and software program offers for me:

Apple Watch (Version 1):
My Apple Watch is great in terms of how it is kind of a personal assistant to what's going on with my iPhone. On top of that my Apple Watch tracks my steps and daily heart rate while acting as a go-between and heads up real time display for several of the fitness Apps I use on my iPhone.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus:
We all know what an iPhone can do, on the fitness side I primarily use Under Armour Apps for my fitness needs as I feel they offer me more detailed information and sharing capabilities than Apple's own fitness related Apps. I use the Under Armour Record App to track my daily activity and I also start and stop any workouts I do using the UA Record App. Since MyFitnessPal is also an Under Armour product both Apps share their information to each other so I can offset any food intake calories with exercise output activity which helps me stay on track when either maintaining weight, cutting weight or bulking.

Polar H7 Heart Rate Monitor (Chest Strap):
Most wrist based Optical Heart Rate Monitors at least for me do not work properly, they always end up missing my elevated heart rate activity so I miss this important information that is vital for tracking true calories burned during a workout. For this reason I can not depend on my Apple Watch's built in optical heart rate monitor to track my heart rate during a workout. My solution to this problems is to strap on my Polar H7 Heart Rate Monitor when I plan to do nay exercise where my heart rate will be elevated, this way I get very actuate heart rate readings and true calories burned during a workout. I have the option of pairing my Polar H7 to either my Apple Watch or directly to my iPhone, generally I pair the Polar H7 to my Apple iPhone since it is the most dependable.

Again make sure to watch my YouTube video below for a much more descriptive explanation on how I utilize all these products for fitness and day to day life.

Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbud Earphones Review

Features:

• Pair and play with your Bluetooth® device with 30 foot range.
• 6 hour rechargeable battery.
• Premium sound in a lightweight design with flexible earhooks.
• IPX4 Sweat and water resistant.
• Take hands-free calls and adjust music with no-slip-grip RemoteTalk™ controls.
• Dual-driver acoustics power music through each ear bud delivering Beat’s signature sound for a great listening experience. 

In the Box:

• Powerbeats2 Wireless earphones with RemoteTalk™ wrap around cable
• Hard shell carrying case
• Universal micro USB cable
• Cable management clip
• Four (4) pairs of multi-sized/shaped ear tips
• Quick Start guide

Difference between Beats Powerbeats2’s and Beats Powerbeats3’s:

• Slight cosmetic changes.
• 3’s use new Apple W1 technology for extra battery life and easy setup.
• 6 hours versus 12 hour battery life.
• Fast charge 15 minutes for 1 hour versus 5 minutes for 1 hour of playback time.
• Price 2’s can be found lower priced on clearance (I paid $79) versus 3’s are around $199.

Sound Quality:
I will not go on record as saying the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds are the best sounding earphones I have tested to date but they are up there in the rankings. the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds have a nice flat sound with not too much high range, just the right amount of bass not to get annoying and a pleasant amount of mid range to warm things up and bring out the vocals in your music. When you crank up the volume they can actually get a bit too loud bet even so they do not seem to distort at all so you keno the drivers are more than adequate for the job.

Fit:
Fit to me is just as important as sound quality, if a pair of earbuds do not fit correctly in your ear canals than you can lose a lot of bas and even low miss which will make the music sound thin. When the fit is good, your earbuds will sodden full and they will even block out a lot of the background noises. I found the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds to fit really well for me when I use the largest buds on them. Once I have put them in my ears I never need to adjust or even think about them again till I am finished using them. I am sure the flexible earhooks also help to keep the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds in place when being very active.

Overall Quality:
I have only been using my Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds for a few months but so far so good and they still work and look like new. They are light weight but well built and the rubber cord and overall exterior is holding up well from my gym usage.

Bluetooth Signal Strength:
I am very impressed with the Bluetooth signal on my Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds, I get fewer cutouts and better range than any other BT headphone I have tested so far. I can even go as far as 60 feet away from my iPhone and still hear my music as long as there is a clear line of sight.

Battery Life:
Battery life on the is about average, not great and not bad, I get about 3 workouts in before I need a recharge which for me is about 5 hours of usage, Beats claims the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds can get up to 6 hours but that would be stretching it a bit when listing to music with a decent amount of bass at higher volume levels. For me this is good enough, I usually recharge after every two workouts to be safe.

Controls:
The con are pretty standard on the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds, you have a power button on the left earbud to turn them on and off and there is also a remote control on the rubber cable that has a built in mic for hands free calling along with controls that allow for volume up and down. There is also the standard pause, answer button for controlling muscle playback and answering and hanging up calls. Strangely enough when I long hold the + and - buttons to skip or replay a track this feature does not seem to be present on the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds like it is on many other BT Earbuds I have used. Not a deal breaker for me since I can always use my iPhone music controls for that.

Conclusion:
So far the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds are my favorite earbuds I have used. I love the fit, I love the sound and I love the overall quality of them. Would I have liked to get the newer Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless BT Earbuds? Sure but at over half the price my Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds work great and get the job done in style!

Wacth my YouTube Video Review for the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds:

BCABBA Sanctioned Posing Seminar

As I mentioned in my previous video, I had planned to attend a BCABBA Sanctioned Posing Seminar, this was for last Saturday. Well I made it, did it, and even took some photos and shot some video to share with everyone :)

Keep in mind I am not at all in contest shape, more like hibernation mode ;) I have lost a few pounds since Christmas and I have a feeling I will lean up even more now that I am incorporating come Bootcamp / CrossFit type workouts into my training...

You may notice not too many of the other guys are really all that shredded, most like me also don't have shows till later on this year and this BCABBA Sanctioned Posing Seminar is really to pickup some pointers and make those small improvements that make all the difference in your posing routine.

I want to thank both Men's Physique - CBBF National Competitor Jeffery De Jesus and Men's Physique - IFBB Pro Nathaniel Werner for their help and tips at the BCABBA Sanctioned Posing Seminar!

Get Fit Over 40 Update Video - Bootcamp and Posing Class

Sorry for not posting anything  recently, I have been a bit busy with life in general, I was actually away in Las Vegas for the SHOT Show. I go every year for my other YouTube Channel (Replica Airguns), to checkout the new Airgun related products.

So what's been happening lately? I am down about 5 pounds, not even really sure how it happened, I think it may be just the change from crappy holiday food switching back over to cleaner normal eating? I was up and over 200 pounds sitting around 202-203 for a while and now I am more or less around 196-197 which feels a lot better to be honest.

I have also started doing some CrossFit/Bootcamp classes, my wife purchase a 1 month membership to Bootcamp Effect also know and BEfit, they are located pretty close to me here in Langley and this has been my first week so it's been a bit tuff. I will have made it to 5 classes this week but keep in mind I am also still doing my weight training 4 days per week so this week I have trained 9 times!!! I am a bit beat up to say the least but I am finding the sustained cardio I get during the Bootcamp CrossFit style workout is a nice change and will help my overall fitness.

The last piece of news is I will be hitting a Posing Seminar this Saturday put on by the BCABBA Organization and I hope to pick up some posing tips for my next show and also take some video to share with everyone.

Getting in the Best Shape of Your Life in 2017

Getting in the Best Shape of Your Life in 2017, what does it take?
It has to be a lot more than some New Year's Resolutions, we have all made New Year's Resolutions in the past and usually after we screw up a few times we simply just concede that we are not cut out for this new lifestyle change and we go right back to what we were doing before which was obviously not working for us…

How do we break our old bad habits and make new good healthy habits?
You need a plan that is simple and well laid out, that is not too overwhelming and that allows you some flexibility and forgiveness. It is so much better to start out slow and build as you go, that way instead of letting yourself down when you are in over your head and fail. With a more realistic plan right from the start you will be on track and as you progress you can add more layers to your Health and Fitness journey.

So many people figure they are going to undo years of bad eating combined with low or no exercise in a few months. The radical change is too much and even if they get through the first couple weeks they often burn out or fall victim to an injury because their bodies are simply not ready for such a drastic change.

I you are starting from scratch with a new Health and Fitness program then you need to begin at the beginning. get out and walk, got for a hike, play some sports with your kids, go ride your bike around. Next, find an exercise program that you feel you would enjoy and start out a couple days per week, it can be Yoga, Boot Camps, a Team Sport, anything that gets you active. If you are comfortable lifting weights than that’s a great way to get your heart rate up as long as you truly challenge yourself. Over time you can add another day or two of exercise into your schedule as you are ready for it.

Diet is going to be key in losing unwanted body fat. Again start out slow, start with losing the sugar drinks, cut back on the heavy sauces and creams, go for more proteins and less simple carbs, do you really need a dessert after a good meal? Once you are making better choices you can step it up a notch and start looking at the actual Calories and Macros even if you don't plan on tracking everything, it’s still better to know what's going in your body so you can choose wisely.

Now if you are an avid Health and Fitness enthusiast and want to take it to the next level in 2017 then take a look at what you are doing now, I pretty much guarantee if you feel like you are not making progress then it’s because your program has not changed much over the past year or so. You are doing the for the most part exactly what you have always been doing and wonder why you are not seeing any more progress. At a certain point your program changes from a Progress program to a Maintenance program. If you want to take it to the next level then you need to get out of your comfort zone and it doesn't even need to be that extreme. Even really small changes can get you started back in the right direction moving forward again.

Try this: Add an extra 10-15 minutes to your workout program, tighten up on your eating just a smidgen, save the bear, wine or dessert for special occasions. Tracking your food can be a huge eye opener even if it’s only for a couple of weeks to figure out where you may be going wrong or could make some better choices. And as I always say, "there is no substitute for hard work", you may think you are training hard in the gym but I guarantee you there is more in you to give and it doesn't even require more time in the gym, just the desire to take it to the next level and move out of your comfort zone and push just that little bit harder.

If you feel you need help with your 2017 Health and Fitness Goals and are looking for an Online Personal Trainer to help guide and keep you on track then send me an email to “mike@getifitover40.com” I do have limited space but I have been using a very effective "6 Week Online Personal Trainer Program" with many of my newer clients that allows us to setup, track and figure out a working solution for their specific Goals that is not super invasive and at the end of the 6 week time frame the client has the information and know how to carry on with their programs on their own. This 6 Week Online Personal Trainer Program is $149 US and includes several Skype calls during the 6 week program.