The 4th week of the BodyMedia Fitness Challenge is now complete. As always it was a challenge to keep up with my steps!
View my progress chart
Let me just be upfront and say that it wasn't a good week for sleep at all. Probably my worst yet. I was crazy busy and unfortunately didn't make the time to get a good night's sleep; something I regret as it did have an impact my productivity. I found that my focus and concentration were a little off. Often times I couldn't remember what I was just about to do or say. I also noticed a change in my appetite. It is true what they say; lack of sleep does increase you appetite. I felt like a bottomless pit; hungry all day long.
Per night, I only averaged 5 hours and 43 minutes of sleep. My efficiency rate was 86% which isn't terrible but definitely lower than I want it to be. Regardless of how well we sleep, less than 6 hours a night is just not enough. At least not for me.
I am happy to report that I am off to a much better start this week. Last night I slept nearly 7 hours with 97% efficiency. I feel great today!
Here are a few of my personal bests since last Tuesday:
Monday 2/27 - 2,541 calories burned
Monday 2/27 - 17,760 steps
Thursday 2/23 - 3:42 hrs:min of physical activity
Here are my worst stats since last Tuesday:
Sunday 2/25 - 1879 calories burned
Sunday 2/25 - 3,553 steps
Sunday 2/25 - 1:35 hr:min of physical activity
I normally wouldn't point out my "worst" numbers. Even on a less active day I usually do a significant amount of steps and still fall within the"very active" category. But not this past Sunday. It was probably the most inactive day I've had since I started the challenge. I didn't even make it into the "lightly active" category which is at least 5,000 steps.
Ironically I was active that day. I attended a TRX Suspension Training course at ClubXcel in Manchester By the Sea. It was an 8.5 hour day plus a 1.5 hour round trip commute. We practiced core, strength and balance exercises all day long. Unfortunately we didn't move around much. We basically stayed in one room the entire time. Needless to say, I didn't even come close to reaching my goal of of 13,000 steps, even though I was active and working my muscles throughout the day. It's now 2 days later and it still hurts when I laugh or walk down the stairs. That was some intense training!
From my progress chart you can see that it was a great week overall. I met all of my goals despite my lack of sleep. Perhaps I should have sacrificed a walk for a nap. ;) This week I look forward to taking a lot of steps and hopefully getting a lot more sleep!
I kindly remind you that you can follow me on Facebook and Twitter to keep me in check. Your feedback keeps me going. I also encourage you to check in on the 5 other amazing women participating in this challenge. I’m sure they would love to hear from you too.
How did you sleep this past week? Are you a good sleeper or do you toss and turn all night?
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Here is some more detail about the BodyMedia FIT armband, taken straight from the source.
BodyMedia FIT automatically tracks the calories burned during your daily activities — from pumping iron to using an iron — and monitors the quality of your sleep, an important factor in weight loss. Add in the easy-to-use food log and you have the information you need to improve your weight loss.
The 3 part system includes:
1. An Armband that automatically captures data
2. An optional Display device or free downloadable mobile apps that give you up-to-the-minute readings throughout the day
3. An online Activity Manager* that analyzes raw data, allows you to log food and presents info in an easy-to-understand way (*subscription required)
Disclosure: Device and accompanying online Activity Manager subscription was provided by BodyMedia via EmpowHER. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of BodyMedia or EmpowHER.
All user-generated information on this site is the opinion of its author only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. Members and guests are responsible for their own posts and the potential consequences of those posts detailed in our Terms of Service.
Add a Comment2 Comments
Congratulations on your progress. Thank you for reminding us how important adequate sleep is to our health and productivity.
Wishing you continued success in this challenge.
Maryann
February 28, 2012 - 5:15pmThis Comment
Thanks Maryann!
February 28, 2012 - 7:18pmThis Comment