If you are like me and the majority of the population, you find working out and getting into shape a hassle. It can begins to feel like a chore, and getting yourself outside or into the gym can be like pulling teeth! Turning 21 years old this past May was a real eye opener for me, helping me realize how unhealthy I felt every day. So I asked my parents for one thing and one thing only as a birthday gift: a Fitbit. This subtle and convenient armband brought me to where I am now and enjoying the steps I am taking to feel good inside and out. With a Fitbit and a few other apps that I downloaded to my smartphone, I discovered a workout routine that is easy to follow, even for the laziest gym rat like me! Here’s how I did it.

For basic information on some of the models that Fitbit offers, I will discuss two: Fitbit Flex and Fitbit Charge. The Flex costs around $99.95. This model tracks steps, distance walked or ran, calories burned, and measures the active minutes of moving around and sleep patterns. It comes in about 11 different colors. So, if you have a more low key color palette you can get black, slate, or navy and if you enjoy a pop of color you can get tangerine, violet, lime, or pink. The Charge, which I own, costs about $129.99 and has all of the functions of a Flex, while also tracking the amount of floors you climb during a day and displaying caller ID once you sync the device with your smartphone. This model is limited in its color choices, but still has a good variety. I know that one concern I had when purchasing was: How long will the battery last? How frequently will I have to charge it? Fitbits come with their own USB cord that can connect to any USB wall plug, like the white iPhone plugs or they can be hooked into your laptop’s USB ports. The battery lasts for 7 days off the charger and sends reminders to your phone when the charge is low. This is very convenient for someone like me, who suffers from busy schedules and forgetfulness!

These models, as well as other Fitbit devices, can be purchased online at www.fitbit.com or in athletic stores such as Dick's Sporting Goods and Academy Sports.

When registering your Fitbit as a beginner, you can set your weight as it is in the present then attach a goal weight. This allows the smartphone Fitbit app to track your progress. You are given a beginning step goal which is 10,000 per day and away you go! The benefit that a Fitbit serves the wearer is that it allows you to develop an awareness of the amount of steps you take in a day and pushes you to do more than average. After wearing mine for several days, I began to notice that I would make the excuse: “Got to get my steps in!” to move around the house. I found myself just doing more! I craved the satisfaction of my Fitbit vibrating on my arm and telling me I had hit my goal for the day! All I had to do was walk. Sure I was more motivated to run and try other types of exercising, but just walking made all the difference. And after a while, the Fitbit was unnoticeable while on my wrist, and I had a natural tendency to get out and get active.

If buying and wearing a Fitbit or other type of pedometer is not your thing, then here are some apps that I found most helpful while building my wellness plan.

My Fitness Pal was recommended to me by a long time user that had fell in love with the way the program regulated her awareness of the calories she was consuming. When you download the app and start a profile, you begin with recording where you are and where you want to be in your weight loss/health journey. When setting your goal weight, the app calculates the proper amount of time to reach your goal that will not endanger your health while computing the amount of calories you should consume in a day to reinforce your goal. The app will notify you when you are not eating enough, when you are reaching your calorie cap for the day, and when you’ve managed to consume your balance of fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and proteins! Now, I know what you are thinking. Calorie counting, really? Believe me, the idea seemed daunting to me at first, too. I never thought I would log my food every day. With this app I was able to change the way I looked at food. I could physically see, on a list from breakfast to dinner, what I was shuffling into my body. This helped me to adapt a healthier perspective while motivating me further with my Fitbit.

Map My Fitness became a way for me to double the amount of steps I took in a day. This app is a way for you to log what types of exercises you are doing outside and inside the gym. Any kind of exercise you can think of is mentioned within this program so that you can see how many calories you burn doing various activities. You can link the two programs, Map My Fitness and My Fitness Pal, in order to keep track of the calories you have burned and how many calories you could eat. I figured out that with more calories I burned on one app, the more calories I could consume were indicated on the other. Another wave of motivation pushed me to choose healthier meals, look for more enjoyable ways to exercise, and feel cleaner in my mind, body, and soul.

Though working out can be challenging and sometimes boring, you have to find those motivators to guide you through those nagging tendencies to give up. In college, your priority should be to live your life and have fun while striving toward your future, but you should never overlook your health or how you feel day to day. Today I am 13 pounds lighter and only two months into my new healthy lifestyle. So get out there and find what works for you!