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Fitness Year

Well, we made it through Mobile Nations Fitness Month in February; it is time to get back to that couch with a tub of ice cream, right? Well -- not so much, no. Just because the official Fitness Month has come to an end that doesn't mean that it is time to ditch the new habits and revert to the old ones. If you were anything like me and had a successful month of February, odds are that you want to continue the positive momentum. The reality, however, is that you may need a little bit of help to keep you going.

Don't worry, I am right there with you. While 20 pounds may be a good amount to have lost, there is still quite a bit left to go -- so the journey continues. Did you know there are a bunch of great BlackBerry applications and accessories that are available that can help you along with your journey? While we did cover a good deal of information during February, there is still a ton more to go.

With the official Fitness Month behind us, I realize that many of the CrackBerry faithful are looking for more motivation. How about instead of being fit for just one month we go for the whole year -- let's make 2012 a year of fitness. What do you think? Will you join me for the rest of 2012 and beyond as we continue to get healthier, shed the pounds and make our lives that much better? My motivation you ask? Well, I don't want to be that dad who can't keep up with his five year old, nor do I want to be a fatty in my wedding pictures that will be taking place in June. What is your motivation?

Hit the forums and let us know how you plan to make 2012 the Year of Fitness.

It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations 

Fitness with BB

When I first caught wind of the Mobile Nations Fitness Month my initial excitement was quickly overcome by a fear of not sticking to it, and ultimately, failing miserably. I knew the challenge was one that I had to grab by the horns and give my all to  -- and I did just that.

Making such a huge life change like completely revamping my eating habits, the way I exercised  and the way I felt about myself was not going to be easy by any means.  With the help of my good friend, Mr. BlackBerry Bold 9930, I knew I was ready to make a change. Let's jump past the break together and check out how the Fitness Month went for me, the challenges I faced and how I was able to make changes to ensure that I did not fail.

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It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations!

"The NoiseHush NX80 Stereo Headphones are a solid pair of headphones that merge style, comfort, and quality for a reasonable price"

In Short:
"Crystal clear sound and the tangle free cord make these a must for those on the go"
Should I Buy?
"Shut out the world and immerse yourself in your music"
BUY NOW

NoiseHush NX80

Fitness Month is almost over and now that I've got my exercise program in place and my music to keep me going, it was time to choose the best headset to stay in place during my workout. Now I've been using the Motorola S10HD Bluetooth Headphones but during long workouts I need something that can last without conking out because of battery life and still be able to block out the extraneous noise of the gym. I've never been a fan of the in-the-ear design as they tend to give me an earache, but in this case I've made an exception for the NoiseHush NX80 Stereo Headphones.

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It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations!

"Awesome recipes and love the way they are sorted for easy choice. Thank you!" - NickyJ602 App World review

4 1/2 star rating

Recipe Box

During Fitness Month at Mobile Nations, we put the majority of our focus on fitness and caloric tracking. Jared did mention how he uses his BlackBerry to eat better. One of the biggest stigmas is that dieting restricts your food selection; this couldn’t be further from the truth. I can confess that I used to think like that and would have an incredibly difficult time trying to come up with a meal plan every week. We would end up having the same meals each day of the week, every week. With that mindset, no wonder the urge to cheat on your diet is so high.

The truth is that there are so many delicious and nutritious recipes out there. If you have a BlackBerry PlayBook, you can find many recipes with the Recipe Box application. With over 700 recipes to search through, you’re sure to find a huge selection of meals to enjoy, while making sure you’re not adding inches to your waistline. Keep in mind that Recipe Box is only available in Canada.

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CrackBerry Kevin's Favorite Mobile Health Accessory is his Standing Desk! Learn About Standing Desks, his Anthro Elevate Adjusta Standing Desk and More!

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ]

With Mobile Nations Fitness Month coming to an end, I just *had* to write a quick long post on the "mobile health accessory" I use the most every day. That honor goes to my standing desk. I know, I know... you probably don't think of a desk when thinking mobile health, but my Anthro Elevate Adjusta does roll on wheels and move up and down, so it passes the mobile test as far as I'm concerned (granted it won't fit into my pocket that well when I leave the office).

The concept of standing at a desk while working isn't new. Many famous people in history like Leonard Da Vinci, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Winston Churchill reportedly preferred working while standing to help get those creative and writing juices flowing. Over the past couple of years there has been a lot of buzz about the health benefits of standing desks, driven by research that concluded the longer you sit, the shorter your life is (all other things being equal). I don't pay too much attention to research as I know it can be argued and manipulated pretty much any and every which way you want, but as someone who's been working at a desk daily since graduating university in 2004, the notion of being a little more active and vertical during the work day intuitively made sense.

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It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations!

"The Arkon Handlebar Mount with Water Resistant Holder is a versatile option for keeping your BlackBerry or other device handy while on the move."

In Short:
"Easy to install and use, keeps your device accessible and protected from the elements."
Should I Buy?
"If you're an avid bicyclist, this case will become indespensible."
BUY NOW

Arkon Handlebar Mount with Waterproof Holder

If you are an avid bicycler or motorcycle rider, you may wonder where to put your BlackBerry while you're riding. Tucking it away in a pocket or compartment works just fine most of the time, but what about when you need to see your screen for GPS, maps, music, or a workout app like Endomondo? The Arkon Handlebar Mount with Water Resistant Holder is a great solution to this situation. This sleek, removable case not only keeps your BlackBerry (or other device) in plain view, it also protects it from the weather, dust, and scratches.

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Fitbit Review

 

It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations 

"With Fitbit you can track your steps, sleep and much more by simply remembering to carry one small unit with you."

In Short:
"Kickstart your workout routine with ease."
Should I Buy?
"It is a great device, as long as you remember to use it."
BUY NOW

Fitbit

One of the hardest things I have done in my life to date was trying to get back into shape; I have tried to change nearly my entire lifestyle to become much healthier. I don’t know about you, but for me, finding motivation  to get back into a normal exercise routine and eat healthier was something I would always think to do.  I would usually try for a week or two and then fall back into the same old rut of not following through. When looking around for various ways to try to kick start my health and get myself more active I began hunting a pedometer – something to raise my awareness around how much I walked (or didn’t for that matter).

While there are plenty of options -- many ranging widely in price from as low as $10 to others that are up and over $100 -- one that continued to stand out in reviews and advertisements was the Fitbit Ultra Activity/Sleep Tracker. So, like anyone else who is intrigued and looking to try something out, I went out and purchased one. Could a little companion that you clip on your belt really kick start a healthier lifestyle and make things change for the better long term? Let’s hit the break and take a look at how this small object made such a huge impact in my fitness success this month.

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It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations!

"The Jambox is an all-in-one Bluetooth speaker, speakerphone and entertainment enhancer."

In Short:
"You can pair pretty much any Bluetooth device and get out of this world audio."
Should I Buy?
"It's a "want" item at a price tag of $199 but I don't think you'd regret the purchase."
BUY NOW

Jawbone Jambox

Ok, as a female, talking about weight, regardless of your size, is ALWAYS a touchy subject. With it being Health & Fitness Month across the Mobile Nations family of websites, I decided it was time for me to get back into my routine of diet and exercise to hopefully lose those dreaded extra pounds. I'm a music lover and have to have it playing regardless if I'm doing my P90X workout at home, driving, cooking or whatever. My problem is I absolutely despise headphones. They never fit comfortably in or on my ears and I've tried different speakers for my MP3 player and BlackBerry devices. All of them either have some kind of background static or just don't sound "right" to me. A friend of mine introduced me to the Jawbone Jambox extolling it's virtues and different uses so I decided to give it a try. Keep reading after the break for the full review!

 

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It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations!

"Omg, no more pen and paper at the gym!!! No more looking like a geek that brings books into everything!" - CJbardsley   App World review

 

4 star rating

 

Gym Technik review

When it comes to getting fit, I suggest you accept any help that you can get. Especially when you’re starting out, it’s extremely important to maintain that motivation. If you don’t you might fly off of the back of a treadmill and land right back on the couch. Being resourceful folk, we do know that we can always lean on an application to help us stay on the straight and narrow. If you have a busy work and/or family schedule which causes you to come up with excuses as to why you don’t have time to figure out a workout schedule, you definitely need the support of a great fitness application.

Now we can’t get through Fitness Month at Mobile Nations without one of the most popular fitness applications amongst BlackBerry smartphone applications – Gym Technik. For years, we’ve covered its numerous updates for good reason; it is, in my opinion, the best workout partner to have by your side. Seriously, it helps you plan your workouts from their impressive library of routines, see written and video instructions for proper execution, upload progress photos and provide an in-depth way to track your results. Now I have reviewed this in the past but, with it being Fitness Month and all, I think it’s important to go over it. So check out the past reviews, and everything else Gym Technik, then have a look at what’s new.

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It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations!

"The SanDisk 32GB microSDHC card offers maximumum storage for your BlackBerry device and is perfect for die hard media users"

In Short:
"Turns your device into the ultimate media machine"
Should I Buy?
"While it stores all of your files, pictures, music and videos, not everyone will need this much memory"
BUY NOW
SanDisk 32GB microSDHC card

Fitness month is in full swing here at Mobile Nations and when creating a daily fitness routine how could I not include my BlackBerry? It's a permanent fixture during my workout for many reasons but most importantly: MUSIC! There's no way I'm stepping onto a treadmill or hopping on a bike without my ear-splitting, heart pounding, let's get this party started tunes. I'm nothing but a weakling standing on two sticks who'll fall off the machine (which I've done by the way) if I can't time each step with the bass beats of certain songs.

That's why I create playlists in my music library that are tailored to my specific workout and its duration. Trouble is there's a small little issue of storage when it comes to porting over my media library. The device's built-in memory and the 4GB SD card that came with my Torch 9800 just isn't enough. I decided to take the plunge and go all the way with a 32GB. My friends called me crazy, I said bring it on. With all of my custom ringtones, personal documents, cached radio stations, and my workout playlists there's no such thing as too much memory. 

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It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations!

Pocket Trainer

I'll be the first to admit I'm not in perfect shape; my expanding waistline is a pretty good indication of that, so fitness month came at just the right time. Now while I joined a gym I'm clueless when it comes to picking the right equipment, how long I should do it for, or if I'm even doing it right. While my co-worker suggested I take advantage of the gym's personal trainers my bank account says there's has to be a cheaper way to learning the basics or maintaining a balanced exercise regimen. After scouring the health and fitness section of BlackBerry App World I think I found the answer I've been looking for in Pocket Trainer by Core Interaction, Inc

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It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations!

"I know I will reach my ideal weight of 87 kg quickly using this" - baz1001 App World review

3 1/2 star rating

OnePound

Okay scale, you hate me and I hate you. That being said we’re going to have to put aside our differences if we’re going to get through this. We both want to see the numbers drop, trust me, I know. The problem is that I think I’m putting more into this than you are. Sure, you’re measuring my weight and displaying it for me (while silently laughing at me), but I’m the one trying to lose it and figuring out my progress. That’s it, I’m bringing in an assistant, don’t try and stop me. Its name is OnePound and it’s going to help crunch the numbers for me. It’s going to let me to focus on diet and exercise, while it keeps track of weight loss, calculates my BMI and charts my journey to skinny town. What about you? Well, why don’t you just sit there and let me stand on you – without screaming for once?

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"NoiseHush combines comfort with quality and puts in all in one afforable package"

In Short:
"Quality, comfort and price make them a no brainer"
Should I Buy?
"Don't sacrifice quality, allow your music to sound its best."
BUY NOW

NoiseHush

With Mobile Nations Fitness Month well underway, and my healthy eating in place, and my motivation at an all time high it was time to grab (against my own word) a nice pair of headphones that would help reduce the background noise to keep me focused. A huge part of my work out routine is my music playlist, and I am extremely particular when it comes to audio quality when listening to the music, but at the same time reducing background noise is equally important. When on the elliptical or on a run the last thing I want to be hearing is noise from my feet hitting the ground or the subtle squeaks of the machine, and the NoiseHush NX26 HD Stereo headphones do an excellent job of just that.

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It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations! Leave a comment and you could win a fitness accessory for your BlackBerry!

Finding the right accessories for using your BlackBerry as part if your workout routine can be a pain, so we're here to help. There are some awesome accessories that can help get you running or better help integrating your BlackBerry with your workout routine and we've got plenty. No matter if you need some sweet earbuds or headphones for music at the gym, an arm band to carry your device on a jog or even a case for when you're taking a dip in the pool - we have you covered. Check out the full line of fitness-related accessories available at ShopCrackBerry.com, and if you pick something up this weekend you can even save 15% during our Presidents Day Sale. Keep reading to check out all of our great fitness accessories and enter for a chance to win one!

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It's Health & Fitness Month at Mobile Nations!

Fitness and Tech

When we came up with the idea for the Mobile Nations Fitness Challenge I was pretty damn excited. I've never been one to go crazy with exercise, and as a blogger I pretty much sit in front of my computer for 9+ hours a day with only a few short stretches of actual exercise. I was eager to have a motivating factor to make me want to get up and do things to be healthier and get myself in shape. I've come to that point (as Kevin calls it "rock bottom") where I realized I would only get worse if I didn't actively do something about it. As part of the Mobile Nations Fitness Challenge I made a plan to eat healthier, exercse more and just be a better me.

Being the geek that I am, I looked for ways to integrate technology into my plan so I could keep myself on track through the process. We've been over some apps and various ways to use mobile technology to compliment these plans, but I think there's a point where enough is enough. Just how much technology is too much? Keep reading for my thoughts on using technology in your workout and dieting routines and just where I draw the line.

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