I would like to make a confession. I, a licensed Athletic Trainer and certified strength and conditioning specialist, have a hard time staying motivated and making it to the gym. My problem is not that I don’t know what to do (as pointed out by my credentials) but actually finding the time or drive. It wasn’t until I watched a TEDtalk that I realized my perception was skewed. The truth, I discovered, is that good health and fitness can be achieved throughout my day. I could get cardio from walking my dog around the neighborhood. Or, I could improve my muscular endurance when I’m carrying my groceries in or lifting my laundry up and down the stairs. I began to examine my daily activities. I realized that my health and fitness is not solely dependent on the time I spent at the gym. In actuality, it is the accumulation of my day and the healthy habits I create. So, being the goal oriented person that I am, I’ve decided to look for a way to track exactly how much activity I experience throughout my day. How could I continue to up my activity if I can’t track it or create an accurate benchmark? (more…)