Be Fit With Biray

FitnessFest, the largest fitness and wellness conference in the Southwest, is always offered twice a year. Once in April (at Ariz. State University in Tempe, AZ) and once in October (at Univ. of Arizona in Tucson, AZ.) And yesterday (10/9) marked the first day of the fall conference which will continue through this Sunday (10/12).

Earlier in April I was the official social media gal for the spring conference – creating YouTube videos, uploading flickr photos from the event. Podcasting interviews with the presenters and even live blogging various sessions.

This time, I have been invited to come back as a presenter to discuss these social media tools and how they can be used in the context of fitness and wellness. The session is entitled “Taking Your Offline Presence, Online” (which I also presented at IDEA World Convention in July) where I will discuss ways fitness professionals can connect with the Internet-savvy client of today by leveraging web 2.0 tools to develop their online authority, enhance their client-business communication skills, and become better health-fitness resources.

If you are interested in coming to the session, please check out their website for more information.

Monday night I was featured in a news segment reported by Keith Yaskin from Fox10 News. The segment was about video games and exercise – was it a legitimate form of physical activity? It basically answered the question most consumers want to know – “Can you lose weight by playing video games?”

I had the opportunity to play a few rounds of tennis on the Nintendo Wii with Keith (which I let him win ONLY because I thought it would be nice to give him the chance to feel victorious). I also demonstrated the ‘workout mode’ in the game Dance Dance Revolution, as well as, feature a produce called Gamercize.

Below is a recording of the segment that aired on TV (sorry for the poor quality… I was rushed for time to put it up. For a clean version, go here) Enjoy!

I hope this media only adds to the growing exposure exergaming continues to get. I imaging it helps people recognize this is not just a trend – but sign of what’s to come in the world of fitness.

I have decided to launch a new experiment. I’m calling it “Utterlicious!” and I will be using Utterli to track my delicious meals (well, I think they’re delicious although some have not shared in my enthusiasm). Every day during the month of October, I will be podcasting about the foods I eat, as well as, posting a photo of my meals. (People have visually tracked their dietary intake on Flickr before, but Flickr doesn’t have the podcasting capabilities of Utterli.)

I realize there are plenty of sites online that have robust tracking features that offer caloric breakdowns of your foods, telling you how many grams of fats, proteins, carbohydrates you are consuming. But I’m not interested in counting calories or knowing my macronutrient details. I think people are too concerned with these things and don’t take the time to listen to their bodies and enjoy the foods they eat. This is why the podcasting component is essential. When you talk about the foods you eat, you tend to really enjoy your meal – or else why would chefs take such pleasure in describing their dishes with such delicious detail! Culinary art should be appreciated!

Therefore I’m dedicating this experiment to the JOY OF EATING! That’s right, I’m going to track my food EXPERIENCE. I believe that if you enjoy the foods you eat (good or bad) that you’ll be more mindful when you eat them. And if you’re more mindful when you eat your meals, you’ll be more conscious about what you’re putting in your body. And if you’re more conscious about what you’re putting in your body, then you’ll make healthier choices (most of the time).

I’ve tracked my meals on Utterli before, but it has always been inconsistent. This time I look forward to logging with more purpose.

Will you JOIN me?

Here is how to do it:
1. An Utterli account, if you don’t have one.
2. Join the group “Utterlicious”

Here are the ‘rules’:
1. Create/Cook a meal (or order one, if you’re dining out) that you’re going to enjoy eating.
2. Take a photo of your meal and upload to Utterli. (I use my cell phone which is more discrete than taking a digital camera w/ me)
3. Call Utterli and explain your dining experience (who you’re dining with, what you plan on eating, why your meal is so utterlicious)
4. Label the contents of the meal in your Utterli description (at some point when you log in to Utterli)
5. Link your Utterli post to the ‘Utterlicious’ group so we can comment on your food choices (which is half the fun!)

Remember, this is for one month! Don’t cheat and ‘forget’ to post on those days you’re eating those french fries or drinking one too many glasses of wine… it’s about putting it ALL out there for one month – good or bad! And consciously enjoying your dining experience!

Bon Appetit!