Move More, Sleep More – Holiday Activity Goals

Every morning, a have three predictable thoughts – 1) where is the coffee, 2) how am I going to move more today, and 3) how am I going to sleep more tonight. Bet most of you don’t need any help finding your java jolt, but maybe you also think about making gains in your fitness and sleep routines! Here are two fitness products I recently tried that have been encouraging me to move more and sleep more  — check it out how to optimize your workout and rest time!

 Rem Fit Activity Tracker

MOVE MORE: I love activity and fitness trackers to motivate me through the day. Experts recommend getting in 10,000 steps a day or moving for 30 to 60 minutes – it doesn’t have to be all in one session, all your little movements add up! While I typically move enough, it’s interesting to analyze the data to see where I can make improvements – either to kick it up an notch, or allow myself to wind down and take it easy.

 Rem Fit Activity Tracker

The REM-FIT ACTIVE 200 SLEEP & ACTIVITY TRACKER  is an affordable activity tracker that reports steps, distance covered, calories burned, overall activity and sleep attained and a 360 Life Sore. I’ve found, the battery only needs to be recharged about every 7 days and, while it can’t be worn swimming or in the show, the tracker is splash proof.  Data is accessible via an app for iPhone or Android.

 Rem Fit Activity TrackerOne of the things I really like about this Rem-Fit tracker is the comfort and security of the band – the band is much more comfortable than most brands I’ve tried and I appreciate that there is a little loop catch along with the snap closure that helps keep it on the wrist if the band comes undone. I say this because, errr, I have one tracker that I has dropped off my wrist so many times and then finally to never be seen again. And, this may seem silly (but it’s serious for the fitness fashionista) – you can order a rainbow assortment of band colors to swap out to match your team uniform or daily gym style.

SLEEP MORE: Okay, never again am I buying the cheapie pillows from Target or Walmart – as an athlete and busy mom, my sleep time is too precious to be squandered on an uncomfortable, unsupportive and unhealthy pillow. In the past, my lackluster solution to staying comfortable through the night was a huge nest of pillows in a complicated arrangement. My pillow situation, well, sucked and the lack of sleep was making me crazy not to mention keeping my body from properly recovering and repairing muscle from the day’s workout.

Can't Sleep Funny Pic

I used to feel this way!

So, if the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, then I’m guilty of being a little nuts – or, at least a few hours short of a full snooze. I changed my mattress situation and that helped, but still . . . the pillows. Some of them have been around for years anyway, so time to break free and CHANGE for the better.Rem Fit Pillow

Enter the REM-Fit 300 series pillow. Yeah, it’s more than five bucks, but so worth it.  This pillow helps regulate body temperature during sleep and protects against allergens and dust mites. It also actually adjusts to my preferred sleeping style (which is left side) but also is perfect for back and stomach sleepers. Also, the fibers used to make the pillow provide a 4-way stretch which contours to my specific needs while providing a full range of motion. So glad I bit the bullet and made this pillow part of my overall sleep training plan. Don’t laugh, quality sleep may be just as important as an actual workout – muscles recover and stress stays low (did you know an increase in the stress hormone Cortisol can actually lead to injury?). The REM-Fit 300 series pillow and other pillows in the REM-Fit REST Collection would make a great holiday gift for the fitness fan in your life.

What are you doing to move more and sleep more this holiday season? Or, just feel free to share about coffee in the comments below! XOXO – Jennifer

5 Ways to Get 10,000 Steps a Day

Garmin vivofit 2 will help you get your 10,000 steps per day!Have you jumped on the bandwagon and purchased a fitness tracker? I resisted for a while, knowing I am more than active enough will all the running, sports and here-and-thereing I do on a daily basis. However these devices are handy little tools for accountability, have neat features like heart rate and sleep tracking, and even have a social aspect that can connect you with other like-minded movers (like Garmin Connect)!

So, I caved and snapped one on my wrist, the vívofit 2 by Garmin. Love it!  In addition to tracking steps, two of the features I really appreciate are the sleep tracking and the heart rate monitoring – two important data sets that help me optimize my athletic performance. There are so many other features that you can see on the handy backlit display to see how many steps you’ve taken, distance traveled, calories burned, overall time and more.

Garmin vivofit 2

Garmin vivofit 2 can be customized to fit your mood with a variety of spare bands.Plus, with a 1+ year battery, it’s a no-brainer – you just put it on and go about living your life, no worries about charging up every couple days.

Oh, and vívofit 2 has a 5 ATM (50m) water rating2, which means you can jump in the shower or swim with no stress of ruining – isn’t that awesome?! And with different colored accessory bands, you can be fashionably fit and have a different look for all of your moods!

Here are five ways for you to get the recommended 10,000 steps in per day:

5 Ways to Reach 10,000 Steps per Day

Walk your kids to school. Our elementary school is a little over a mile away. That means two round trip jaunts (morning and afternoon) equals 5 miles or 10,000 steps!  Plus, the side benefits of walking children to school are more quality time spent together, a chance to chat with teachers and neighbors, and a reduction in the environmental impact (and just plain traffic jam nightmare) of being stuck in the carpool lane.

Walk your dog. Many of today’s pooches are couch potatoes, which is a shame considering our canine friends are innately designed to be working, moving and exercising. Depending on your pet’s age, breed and fitness level, vets suggest walking your dog for 10 to 30+ minutes while monitoring your pet for signs of overheating or fatigue. A brisk 30 minute walk will get you about 5,000 steps – so, twice a day and you’ve met your step goals for the day!

Schedule power hour breaks. Whether you are working at home or in the office, set a timer (or use the move bar feature on the vívofit 2 activity tracker) and take a 1,000 step “time out”  – this approximate ½ mile break takes less than 10 minutes of your time. Do this a couple times in the morning and a couple times in the afternoon, in addition to the remainder of your normal walking and you should read a 10k step goal.

Take the Road Less Traveled. Take the stairs rather than the elevator, park in the back of the parking lot, take the long way to the park or leave your desk early for the morning meeting and wind through all the hallways on your way to the company conference room. There are many ways to sneak in extra steps towards your 10k goal – you’d be surprised at how fast they all add up if you are just a little bit for “inefficient”!

Go big with a workout. Tackle all of your steps and more with a daily workout that includes some running, walking or other aerobic activity. A 5 mile walk or run (broken up or in one chunk) gets you to a 10k goal, although with some variance for stride length. Check out this chart on “step equivalents” that shows you how many steps per hour for different types of activities and sports.

Do you wear an activity or step tracker? What are some of the creative ways you fit more steps into your day? Please share in the comments below, XOXO -Jennifer

This post was sponsored by Garmin through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about vívofit 2, all opinions are my own.