Heartrate Monitors Blog

Toast to choosing a great resolution on New Year's Eve!

With the start of a new year comes the promise of doing things right. But the first step to making 2013 a great year is to make a solid resolution; something that you can keep up with and hopefully keep going for many years to come. The real goal of a resolution is to make a change in lifestyle for the long-term. Unfortunately, most people tend to set resolutions just looking at the year ahead. When making your resolution, remember that it’s a decision to live a better life and that it should stay with you for many years to come.

But besides keeping in mind the long-term nature of your goal, here are a few other tips for setting a good resolution for 2013:

• Be realistic. Having a realistic goal to approach makes the whole thing seem less intimidating. Choose a goal that seems within reach.
• Be specific – or not. Specific goals keep you focused and on track, but for some people, they add too much pressure. You can choose something general, like eating better, or you can go more specific, like eating vegetarian meals every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Choose what works better for you! You know yourself best.
• Choose a goal you can feel passionate about. So many people choose goals just because they sound good or other people they know are doing it. Instead, choose something YOU want to achieve. Pick something that YOU value. It makes the journey that much more powerful – and it increases your chances for success!
• Brainstorm. If you’re having a hard time narrowing down your resolution, don’t worry – most people do! Sit down and write down what you want to accomplish in the next year. See if you can narrow down your list or even meditate on the question of what you want to achieve in the coming year. The answer you choose you should feel 100% committed to.

Have a tip for choosing a good resolution? Share it with us in the comments!

The holidays can be quite the stressor! So many things to do, surrounded by temptation, and so little time to squeeze in a workout. My, my, my – it’s the challenge of the year!

But, there are some things that we can do to make the most of the holidays and to keep things healthy amid all of the stress. If you’re looking to have a healthier holiday season, try some of these tips:

• Practice portion control. The holidays are a notorious time for overeating. Be smart with portions!
• Choose healthy meals. Load up on vegetables instead of starchy sides. Choose fruit over cookies. Water over eggnog.
• Squeeze in a walk after holiday dinner. It’s good for digestion and for getting your metabolism moving.
• Keep a water bottle with you. Staying hydrated is going to be key not only for your overall physical health, but also for fighting dry winter skin.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator while shopping. It’s something simple that can add a few extra steps to your trip, but it pays off over time!
• Make time to de-stress. Take a hot bath, meditate, read a good book. Just give yourself time to wind down after the holiday craziness!
• Breathe. The holidays will be wonderful – and everything will get done. And hey, if it doesn’t, that’s okay too!

Have tips for keeping calm during the holidays? Leave us a comment!

The Fitbit One

The Fitbit One is shaping up to be one of the hottest holiday gifts on everyone’s list this year. Touted as one of the most powerful activity trackers available, the Fitbit One “turns fitness into a lifestyle.”

For those looking to make serious strides (pun intended) toward better health and a wellness-focused lifestyle, the Fitbit One serves as a great motivator. This tracker never rests, taking measurement of your steps, distance, calories burned, and stairs climbed by day and your sleep cycle by night. You’ll be able to monitor your body’s wellbeing 24 hours a day – and the data it offers can be unbelievably motivating.

Use the Fitbit One to act as your personal trainer and coach by using its built-in Fitbit.com membership, which allows for you to log and track activity, food, sleep, water, body mass, weight, and much more.

For anyone on your list, it’s an amazing gift – but don’t wait to order yours. Get your Fitbit One today at Heart Rate Monitors USA to have it in time for the holidays.

Every year it’s the same thing, “I’m going to get in shape and try to be healthier.” Chances are at some point in your life you’ve made this New Year’s resolution, and then quickly broken it. Stop the cycle of making a fitness resolution and then breaking it! To get you in the right frame of mind for the new year – it’s only a few weeks away! – here are some tips to help you stay true to your resolution and make a better you:

1. Plan ahead- Don’t plan on starting your resolution on New Year’ Eve. If you have an idea for a great resolution, start now while you’re excited and willing!
2. Be realistic- If you make unattainable goals, you’ll be more likely to quit at the first sign of seeing no results. It takes time and discipline to really change.
3. Outline your goals- Write down what you want to achieve in a monthly list, and every time you reach your goal, reward yourself. Rewarding yourself doesn’t mean you can eat an entire bag of chips or indulge in another unhealthy behavior, though. Instead, treat yourself with a gift that keeps you motivated toward your goal. A new pair of Altra Zero running shoes makes a great reward. Other great ideas could be a new water bottle for the gym, or a calendar of motivational quotes to keep on your desk at work. You’re satisfying the urge to treat yourself, but also helping ensure you will keep working out!
4. Track your progress- Keep track of every success, even if it’s small. Tracking your progress will help keep you motivated. Instead of focusing on losing 30 lbs, concentrate on the first five and work from there. Keeping a food or exercise journal is also a way to track your fitness goals, to make sure you’re eating enough and eating healthy while also building in enough time for exercise. Also, if you’re looking to change to a healthier mindset, think about keeping a happiness journal or gratitude journal. Write down at least one thing that makes you happy or that you are thankful for every day.
5. Keep Trying- We’re human, and we all make mistakes. If you run out of steam with your resolution, don’t quit. Start over, start fresh, stay positive, and before you know it, you will be back on track.

HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com has all the tools you need to start a new fitness regimen. We can set you up with a new pair of running shoes, or a heart rate monitor to keep you and your progress on track. The time for change is now!

Regular cardio exercise is important for your heart, body and mind. Not only does it help reduce body fat, but it also helps lower cholesterol, keeps your heart healthy and is an overall mood-booster. However, a problem many people encounter is that they find their workout routines to get dull and mundane. The thought of having to drag yourself to the gym every other day for the same jog on a treadmill can be a big roadblock to reaching your fitness goals.

So what is the solution? Group exercise classes are fun, social, challenging, and some are very new and unique to the fitness industry. So skip the stationary cardio machines, and try attending some of these top group exercise classes at your local gym.

• Zumba classes are designed for everyone, even if you’re not a dancer! The combination of Latin music with a fun and effective workout, will surely make you break a sweat.
• Water Aerobics includes classes such as Yoga, Kickboxing and Pilates that have moved into the pool. These classes are varied, exciting, and many may use props that help with strength building, as you resist each move you make against the water.
• Kickboxing includes a series of repetitive punches, kicks and other self defense moves to give you an effective resistance training and cardio workout.
• Z-Box Fitness is one of the newest fitness crazes around. It blends hip hop dance moves with boxing moves. The class ends with Z.E.N., for the perfect relaxation experience.
• Hot Yoga classes are taken in a 95 degree Fahrenheit room. The heat promotes intense sweating, which will loosen your muscles and help cleanse the body.
• CrossFit group classes will give you a full body workout with its varying exercise routines. Whether you are jumping rope, weightlifting or utilizing gymnastic rings, this strength and conditioning class can help improve your overall fitness.

With the holidays coming up fast, many gyms and fitness facilities may be offering discounted memberships. This makes it the perfect time to sign up and experience some of today’s most enthusiastic group exercise classes.

Ready to gear up with the best in health and wellness gear this holiday season? Need to find a gift for that hard to shop for person on your list? No matter what your shopping dilemma, we’re here to help!

We have AMAZING Cyber Monday savings going on right now. You can save big on the latest and greatest from Garmin, CamelBak, Polar, and other top brands as you stock up on gifts for everyone on your list (and maybe even a little something for yourself!)

Check out our Cyber Monday deals now and save!

Our Hottest Deals and Items include:

• The Fitbit Zip Wireless Activity Tracker: $59.95
• Camelbak BPA-Free Better Bottle .5L (3 Pack of Bottles): $17.95
• Pedusa PE-771 Tri-Axis Multi-Function Pocket Pedometer: $14.50
• Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS Sports Watch (black): $143.50
• Garmin Forerunner 110 Women’s GPS Sports Watch with Heart Rate (pink): $182.50
• GoPro HERO3 Black Edition Action Camera: $399.99
• Polar FT1 Fitness Heart Rate Monitor: $42.80
• Kelty Fury 35 Backpacks: save 20%!
• Polar AW200 Wrist Pedometer & Altimeter Watch: $49.95
• Garmin Edge 800 GPS Super Cycle Computer with HR and Navigation Bundle: $499.95
• Oregon Scientific AW131 Grill Right Wireless Talking BBQ/Oven Thermometer: $38.77
• Wooden Aroma Diffuser with Light/Sound Therapy: $89.95
• BacTrack Keychain Breath Alcohol Detector: $25.00

Here’s where you can get them now – at the best prices of the season! Shop our Cyber Monday Sale.

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, filled with laughter, good company, and of course, great food!

In the spirit of the season, we’d like to take a moment to thank you, our customers, for being so awesome. Seriously, you guys rock! We love hearing about how you’re meeting and in most cases exceeding your fitness goals. How you reached a personal record. How you tried a new sport.

You run marathons. You make incredible lifestyle changes. You push limits. You inspire others. You take action. You stay motivated. We love being a part of your wellness journey. Thank you for shopping with us!

Ready for Thanksgiving? Be sure to keep your calories in check!

We all are looking forward to indulging into our scrumptious Thanksgiving feasts this week. With the highly-piled plates of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, it is hard to pass on most dishes. We also know we’ll be hitting the gym the following morning to try to burn off the many consumed calories. To help you out, we provided you with a Thanksgiving Calorie Calculator that lists the approximate calories for several menu items. We also included the treadmill time that it would take to walk (or run) off all of those calories.

• Turkey: A 6 ounce serving is 340 calories, which would require a 35 minute jog on the treadmill to burn off. Don’t forget about the gravy, which is 150 calories for ½ cup. Add an extra 15 minutes to your treadmill time to burn off the gravy.
• Ham: A 6 ounce serving is 300 calories. Jog 31 minutes on the treadmill to burn them.
• Stuffing: ½ cup of stuffing is 180 calories or an 18 minute jog on the treadmill.
• Mashed Potatoes: ½ cup is 150 calories and will require 15 minutes on the treadmill.
• Roll with Butter: This will be 155 calories and a 15 minute jog.
• Cranberry Sauce: ½ cup of delicious cranberry sauce will require a 20 minute jog to burn off 190 calories.
• Green Bean Casserole: ½ cup will cost you a 23 minute jog to burn 150 calories.
• Pumpkin Pie: Are you up for dessert? 1 piece of pumpkin pie is 180 calories. Jog for 18 minutes to burn them off.
• Beverages: Don’t forget about the dessert drinks or eggnog! 1 cup of eggnog is a whopping 343 calories (35 minutes on the treadmill,) and a glass of wine is 120 calories (15 minutes on treadmill.)

If you plan on eating all of the above, you will have consumed 2,258 calories, which is equal to a 4 hour jog on a treadmill! It is important to eat smaller portions of your Thanksgiving Day meal, especially if you are attending more than one feast. So, to keep  your Thanksgiving meal healthy, we recommend eating small portions, filling your plate with steamed veggies instead of rich casseroles, and enjoying desserts in moderation. Choose water instead of sugary drinks and try to pace yourself while eating and really enjoy it (you’ll have less of a chance of overeating)!

From all of us at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com, we hope you have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday.

And no worries – we’ll be here to keep you motivated toward staying healthy through the holidays long after the leftovers have been put away

Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans

How many times have you had to cut your workout or other activity short just because you were feeling low on energy? While it’s perfectly natural to feel worn out after a while, it can interfere with your ability to achieve your goals or at least stay on track with your workout. Rather than giving up and calling it a day, however, you can give your body a much needed boost. Pre-workout snacks ensure that your body has the right fuel in order to build muscle and keep moving, no matter what activity you’re doing.

Most athletes rely on energy gels and sports nutrition bars to fuel up prior to exercise, but you can also snack on lean protein sources, like eggs, nuts,  and Greek yogurt, as well as fruit, veggies, and whole grains. But if you have a sweet tooth and want a little “boost” for your workout, you can also snack on something new to our selection: Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans.

While they’re not a replacement for proper nutrition, these delicious yet functional candies do pack a powerful punch for athletes. Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans contain contain special ingredients that will get your motor running again.

They contain B vitamins, which your body requires to produce energy. These vitamins are also lost through perspiration, so it’s essential to replace them when you’ve been sweating. Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans also  contain 50 milligrams of caffeine, which is equivalent to half a cup of coffee. Caffeine doesn’t just give you a powerful energy boost. It can also help you burn more body fat through a process known as thermogenesis. Unlike your average jelly beans, these sport beans also contain electrolytes. Similar to B vitamins, electrolytes are lost through sweat and must be replenished in order to maintain optimal energy levels and performance. Finally, these beans contain vitamin C, which can help in protecting muscles and cells from oxidative damage during exercise.

Whether you’re on a hike, visiting the gym or participating in a marathon, keeping a package of these unique candies with you will ensure that you get something smart for your sport when your sweet tooth kicks in.