Fab Find: The Polar F^ Heart Rate Monitor

First off, I have to say how proud of myself that I am.  I started exercising again in October and have stuck with it for seven whole months!!!  (Pat on the back for me!)  For my birthday, B got me this awesome heart rate monitor by Polar USA, the F6.  So simple to use, I just strap a monitor around my chest and strap a watch to my wrist each time I work out.  I went the sensor on the monitor down, click the button on the side of the watch a few times and it monitors my heart rate throughout my workout.  But it not only monitors my heart rate, it calculates how many calories I have burned – which is awesome when it gets nice and you can be outside again!  I have found that certain things that I didn’t think would burn much, actually burn much more and certain things don’t burn as much as you thought they did!  I have also figured out that the calorie counters on the machines at the gym?  Yeah, not accurate at all.

When you first get your monitor, you enter in a bunch of information about yourself, height, weight, age – everything.  Then that information paired with your heart rate determines how many calories you have burned during exercise.  (Machines at the gym do not take into account your height and your heart rate when calculating how many calories you have burned, thus its inaccuracy.)

B got my monitor off of eBay for about $90.  A little pricy, but these things can get up to $500.  If you want to get really into it, you can download your information from your watch to your PC and track your progress.  (I am not that into it… yet.)  When I first got it, I wasn’t sure how much I’d actually use it, but I have actually found that it encourages me to work out more because I want my calorie burn to be higher!  Totally recommend this for every one!

New er ADDITIONAL Job

Because my life is not crazy/hectic enough, I decided to take on a second job waitressing/bartending recently!  I waitressed/bartended for 4+ years in college and shortly after and always loved it.  The money is great and I just love socializing with both the regulars and newbies.  Recently, B & I went to this little bar called Shuey’s in this little town called Shueyville (near where we live).  I fell in love!  I overheard them say they were hiring, so I filled out an application and started the next week.  It’s just a couple of nights a week, which is perfect because I work full-time (and more) during the day.  But it’s so awesome having a little bit of extra cash (hellooooo shopping!) and getting to meet some new people.  It truly is fun for me and I thoroughly enjoy it!

So if you’re ever near Shueyville, stop in for the best tenderloin you’ve EVER had and a cold one!

Fab Find: The Nikon D3000 dSLR Camera

Holy cow guy, I am in love… This time for real!  I have always loved photography… Love, love, love pictures of anything and everything.  They say a great photographer does not depend on the camera, just like money can’t buy happiness… But it helps!  Enter my new dSLR camera – the Nikon D3000.  I was originally going to go with one slightly more expensive, (the model ran me about $700 with two lenses and a four-year service plan from Best Buy) but decided since it was my first, and I am definitely an armature, I’d start of smaller.  I don’t know if I could be any happier with a camera!  This camera is so easy to use and takes crystal clear pictures.  The settings are incredibly easy to use and it’s just FUN to have!

My next Endeavour is to read the D3000 for Dummies book… It’s gotten great reviews and I am ready to dig in a little deeper than just the preset settings.  So far the pets have been my subject as it’s just getting nice enough (and dry enough) to get outside again in Iowa, so then I can get some outside shots (my favorite.)  Below are a few of my favorites since I’ve gotten the camera – enjoy!