Does a Smartwatch Help You Exercise?

I have had the exact same watch for the past 15 years and never had to change the battery. The watch face contained a solar panel and I just used ambient light to keep the watch running. When I got the watch I knew that eventually the battery would need to be replaced and so it didn't surprise me when the watch finally died. Most people would be excited at the prospect of replacing 15-year-old technology but I really loved that watch and actually looked at getting another one exactly like it. I also had the option of just replacing the battery and keeping my old watch. Instead I decided to take the advice of my sons and look at some of the new smartwatches on the market and see if there is one that I liked.

One of the problems that I have with most smartwatches is that they require charging on a nightly basis. With all of the traveling that I do it means carrying the charging cradle with me on every trip. Sure I could get a second cradle but that adds expense and so I set my first requirement at having a watch last a minimum of a week before recharging. That eliminated quite a few products and brands including anything from Apple.

Next I looked at available features. There are very few smartwatches that don't integrate with your phone. In fact, that is one of the requirements for being a smartwatch and so I didn't have to worry about that. I did have to worry about built-in GPS or if I was OK using the one in my smartphone. I also needed to decide if I cared about size. I am not a fan of large watches but I do like being able to see the watch face as my eyes seem to be aging with the rest of my body. I carefully reviewed everything that matched my stringent battery requirements. Ultimately I decided on the Suunto 9 Baro.

I have had the watch since Thursday of last week and am trying to learn at least one new feature about the watch every day. Let's just say it is a bit complex. It seems to do everything. It will even tell me if a storm is quickly barrelling in so I have time to get my sailboat back in the marina (a feature I really could have used last weekend). When I start my morning ride on my indoor bicycle trainer, I tell the watch I am riding indoors and it keeps track of my time and calories burned. It also keeps track of my normal steps so I can see if I reach the suggested daily goal of 10,000. While you can, I don't recommend lowering that number.

After having my watch for just a few days over the weekend I have to say that there are a lot of features I didn't realize I was missing in my old watch. Does my new one help me exercise more? I have to say that it does. I looked at my watch last night and noticed I had yet to hit my daily step-goal. I had not and so I went for an early evening walk with my wife. Then I looked at my watch today during lunch. I was nowhere near the middle of my step goal and so I took a short walk after lunch. I also see how many calories I am burning during the day and am more conscious about how much I eat. While everyone says we burn about 2,000 calories a day, my watch is telling me I am sometimes below that number. I shouldn't need to tell you what happens when you eat more calories than you burn (hint: you get fat).

While I enjoy the Suunto 9 Baro it may not be the right smartwatch for you. I found mine on sale at 40% off for only $359.40 directly from the Suunto website. I feel that is a great price for all of the features included. Now we will see if it keeps me exercising.

Nutrition Facts

It is important to teach your children how to budget money. I have a college-age daughter and a college-age son that have different ideas of what that means. They are polar opposites. My son can save money, while my daughter can't. In an effort to help my daughter, I have tried to lead by example. She has $40 that she can spend each week on food. As I am in California during the week, I thought I could show her how easy it is to do.

I leave my house in Utah on Monday mornings at O-Dark-Thirty and catch a plane to the Bay Area. When I arrive, I hit the ATM and get $40 for cash. I use that cash during the week to buy food as well as transportation to and from the airport. Generally I go shopping on Monday night and try to cook all my own meals. Sometimes that works well and other times am running from work to another activity and have to resort to a meal-on-the-go.

I really do try to eat healthy, but sometimes I find myself at the McDonalds drive-thru ordering a couple McDoubles (two patties of beef with two slices of cheese on a hamburger bun). At a buck each, it is a very economical meal. Especially if you leave out the fries and soda. When I get tired of cheap hamburgers, there is always Taco Bell with their 89 cent tacos among a plethora of other fast-food choices. This begs the question of how healthy fast food really is. Here is a list of restaurants with links to their nutritional data:

Arby's
Burger King
Carls Jr.
Dairy Queen
Five Guys Burgers & Fries
Hardees
In-N-Out Burger
Jack in the Box
Little Caesars Pizza
McDonalds
Pizza Hut
Subway
Taco Bell
Togo's
Wendy's
White Castle

After compiling this list, I can see why obesity is such a problem in the United States. Even if you are eating "healthy" sandwiches at Subway, you have to leave off the mayonnaise and cheese and who does that? Nutritionally bankrupt food is really cheap and costs less than healthy food. No wonder we are so fat as a country.

Using The Tools You Have

Last week I started a new diet. Recently I stood on the scale and it gave me a really big number. I had slowly been watching the number rise and knew my current diet and exercise plan wasn't working. It was time to do something else. About a year ago, I wrote about an application for my iPhone called Lose It. I still think it is a great tool, I just happened to get lazy and stop using it. Unfortunately, it shows.

I would not recommend my diet for anyone. It is awful and I hate it. Fortunately it is working or I would stop it right now. The diet is one of those cleansing diets where you drink two shakes a day and then enjoy a sensible 400 to 600 calorie meal. Then one day a week, I go without food and drink this nasty concoction that tastes like a cross between apple cider and the dead skin between your toes (or at least how I imagine that would taste). Yesterday was my first cleansing day and my only salvation was that raspberries went on sale at the supermarket next to my office. I know I cheated on the diet, but I figure if you are going to eat something, raspberries aren't going to hurt. It is the only thing that got me through the day.

So far I am down 5 pounds after the first week and I should be able to continue that rate. The only reason I can continue with the diet is because I know there is an end in sight. Three weeks from today I will be done and can go back to eating real food.

The reason I gained weight is because of my ugly travel schedule. I spend 5 days a week in San Francisco and then 2 back home in Salt Lake. I am good about watching my weight in San Francisco but then binge eat when I am home. Being on this diet showed me where I have eating problems and now I know how to fix them. In 3 weeks, I will start using "Lose It" again, which will help with my portion control and regular exercise. Until then I am counting down the days.