FitBit Bloggers Meet

Blogger meets by Indiblogger are always fun, well organized and substantial. We eagerly look forward to such brand engagement activities because of the knowledge we are enlightened with, networking with great bloggers and take a break from hectic schedules. Post successful meets like Wordup, AmbiPur, Nokia, Dove and many more, FitBit anticipated a successful bloggers meet and joined hands with Indiblogger.

For beginners, FitBit is a San Francisco based company that makes wearable fitness bands which monitor your fitness. On 25th August, the Oberoi ballroom bustled with fitness experts, physical trainers, media and bloggers waiting for the event to begin at 11 am. Thankfully I made it in a nick of time with fellow blogger Ruchi. Show host Archana Vijaya savored all attention as she hosted the show in her smart blue dress. Importance of fitness and ways to keep fit was then introduced by Jamal Shaikh, editor Men’s Health Magazine. (He is cute :-)

Woody Scal

With Jamaal and Ruchi

FitBit Chief Revenue Officer Woody Scal then spoke about the company and the products they have launched in India. His presentation opened with a concern on growing obesity in the United States. Also, health reports have shown a trend of weight gain among many Indians, making them obese and pushing them towards various health risks, including cardiac arrest. That’s where FitBit fits in with their tagline “Discover a whole new world of fitness” where they bring a range of wearable bands. The slim wrist bands track the number of steps you take, number of active minutes, counts the calorie you burnt. Not only that, it also tracks your sleep hours, quality of sleep and wakes you up with silent alarm without disturbing your partner. You can sync your stats to your mobile, see real time progress and help you challenge your buddies to achieve fitness goals. Fitness routine turns absolutely fun with these FitBit bands.

The bands are categorized as

–Zip, One, Flex and Charge- For everyday fitness- Ranged between 4000 to 12999 (With basic features catering to daily activities like walking or light jogging, people like me who don’t do strenuous exercise)

-Charge HR- for active fitness- Priced at Rs.13,000  (Suits people who workout daily or are active in gym or running)

-Surge- for performance fitness - Priced at Rs. 20,000 (basically suits professionals or sportsmen) A detailed comparison of features is present in - https://www.fitbit.com/in/compare

Selfie with tech Guru Raiv Makhni

Post Woody’s detailed presentation, Tech Guru Rajiv Makhni took over the show. Any gadget launch is incomplete without the expert’s words. He infused energy among the audience with his wit and questions to all. Jamal and Rajiv together engaged the audience quite well. They invited two FitBit promoters on stage with their Fitbit bands asking them to workout. Real time stats was displayed on screen for us. The session was thorough fun and enjoyable. It ended with questions from audience to Woody followed by networking lunch. No Indian food in lunch disappointed many like me. We settled for cakes, spring rolls, pastries, cookies, sandwich and juice.

Photo-bombed Shwetabh

Got to meet many wonderful people during that time. Its always nice to catch up with old friends Dipali Sharma, Shwetabh Mathur,  Dr Manoj Dubey, Rahul Prabhakar, Yogita Agarwal, Judy . Photobombed Shwetabh and I promise I will do that every time! Was introduced to the lovely Dr Mandira Adhikari and Dr Preeti Chauhan. Dr. Mandira had recognized me through my photos and met me like an old friend. A good observation she has!

Had I stayed back a little longer, I would have met Shraddha Kapoor and Tiger Shroff who were invited during the press meet of FitBit in the second half. 

The Fitbit brand launch was overall exciting and the products too are of my interest. I exercise moderately every day. So I feel, the bands are a good way to keep a check on fitness level. If only they were a little discounted for the Indian market. Another limitation of the bands is they aren’t water proof. A little disappointing for swimmers here.

We happily headed home with Fitbit Tshirts, dreaming to own one band soon. The products are available on Amazon.in for now. Go find  your fit!

Know how's of cardio- Health Book: Day 97

This post for those who don't know what is cardio exercise and why should it be done. While talking to a friend yesterday, who had no clue about cardio exercises, I realized the need to enlighten others about the same.

What?

Cardio or cardiovascular exercises are those physical movements of your body where your heartbeat accelerates.

Why?

If you have desk job, how does your body feel at the end of the day? You may have tight muscles, an aching back, and you feel exhausted even though you haven't done anything physical. Perhaps your shoulders are heavy with tension and head giddy after staring at your computer screen for the whole day. You do not feel the same post a good workout. Your muscles become warm and flexible, the blood circulation becomes good, providing oxygen and energy. You feel energized, refreshed, confident and  proud of yourself and ready, don't you? The reason is that our bodies are made to move, and not sit around all day. This is exactly what we do and ruin our bodies.

Benefits?

• Cardio exercise is a great way to burn calories and help you lose weight
• Did you know that cardio makes your heart strong so that it doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood?
• More the cardio, better is your lung capacity
• It helps reduce risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes
• It makes you feel good, energetic and confident.
• It helps you sleep better and reduce stress
• It increases your bone density

How?

Joining a gym or aerobics may not be possible for everybody. So try these without joining a gym-

brisk walk, running/jogging. cycling, skipping, using staircase or something as easy as jumping. Cardio workout is also important before lifting weights. Do not rush to weights without warming up or cardio. You can only stay fit if the right direction is followed.

Stay healthy, stay blessed.

Play & make it fun- Health Book: Day 14

A brisk walk or jog sounds boring to many. So they plug in their earphones and forget jogging. Others talk on mobile phones while walking. Good lord, that’s not done!

Outdoor time with your dog

Routine is boring, agreed! Following a gym routine or exercise schedule is difficult for many people. It takes a lot to gather that courage and determination for a fitness regime! No wonders once you get used to it, you stop complaining. Getting used to it, is the question! So play up your fitness routine. Yes, don’t exercise, but play. Make it fun!

I am NOT TALKING ABOUT INDOOR GAMES for God sake!

Doggy time-  Have a dog at home? Go for a walk with your pet or spend some time playing with it. And you will vouch for the fact that “Behind every active person, there is a dog”!

Cricket fever- Watching cricket on your TV set while munching chips is not cool. Remember gully cricket during your childhood? Following it is so simple! All you corporate professional people, go for weekend matches! You will be active, physically and mentally both.

Badminton- You don’t need a stadium for it. . Play in your lawn, garden, terrace, neighborhood park or may be on the narrow lane/road near your house.  An economical investment and loads of calories burnt! All you need is two rackets, a shuttlecock with 2 players.

Swimming is the best exercise

Swimming- This is the best natural exercise that burns all fat and calories of your body.  Ya ya, I could not learn to swim ever, but all those swimmers whom I have known till date, have been fit and active! Get a membership for yourself of a nearby sports club or swimming school, as soon as summers approach.

These were easy, weren't they? All work and no play will make you dull. So play up and stay fit!