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ReadWriteBody (http://readwrite.com/series/body) is an ongoing series where ReadWrite covers networked fitness and the quantified self. This week, it is brought to you by Best Buy (http://bit.ly/GH0yFh).
Three and a half years ago, I got my first modern smartphone. And I discovered that the world of apps it unlocked—the ease of tracking my exercise and nutrition on the go—were the key to finally doing something about my longstanding weight problem.
I had some external motivation—my 20th high-school reunion. Vanity, perhaps driven by social media, played a role—I knew there would be a lot of photos on Facebook. Dropping weight proved easier than I expected, especially when I combined the rigors of logging my food data with the virtuous feedback loop of broadcasting my weight-loss milestones.
Back To The Basics, With New Devices (http://readwrite.com/files/owen-thomas-readwritebody-running-2.jpg)
My struggles with fitness haven't ended. Earlier this year, I found my weight had crept up to 206 lbs. That coincided with a slipping of my fitness tracking, I noticed—gaps in my food and exercise logs showed a neat correlation with my weight gain.
So the answer was pretty obvious: Get back to the digital routine that had worked so well three years ago. That was the genesis of the ReadWriteBody series, and I hope you've been enjoying it.
What makes writing ReadWriteBody so interesting is how much has changed since I first tackled improving my fitness three years ago. Apps and smartphones have gotten smarter in tandem. My 2010-era smartphone didn't have a built-in accelerometer, for example. Now my phone can track my steps. I also got interested in new pieces of hardware like the treadmill desk I now spend most of my workdays walking on, and the fitness tracker that can record my heart rate and my sleep patterns.
Here's a look inside my routine:
Video by Ecliptic Pictures for ReadWrite
This article is brought to you by Best Buy, the place to go for your smartphone upgrade. Any carrier, any phone, any plan. Right now, get a FREE $50 gift card when you buy select Samsung Galaxy smartphones. See offer. (http://bit.ly/GH0yFh)
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Source: See How I Dropped 83 Pounds With The Help Of A Smartphone (http://readwrite.com/2013/10/17/readwritebody-fitness-apps-smartphones)