Quest: Unlocking the Fit Gamer Achievement in 2019

Hey all! Just want to firstly say Happy New Year! It has now been a full week into the new year! Since starting in 2016, I am proud to say I think I’ve really started to level up my Fit Gamer stats!

*Disclaimer* I’m not a doctor, nutritionist, fitness guru, etc. just a gamer trying to get fit.

So like the title alludes to, this is the year to unlock that Fit Gamer Achievement! I left last year already grinding my Fit Gamer stats for this year and I’ve started the year off 12lbs lighter than last January (small victories!). Now a week into the new year I’ve held true to goals and I’m working on solidifying good habits (and maxing stats!)… while still making sure I get some quality game time! Also let’s not forget, I’m also trying to maintain and grow my natural hair, healthy body, healthy hair! So here’s a walkthrough of what I’ve been doing to level up as a Fit Gamer:

Tracking my calories!

So I know this can be so off-putting to people, but not if you gamemitize it! It can be quite fun, especially if you use the right app!! I’ve been using an app called Argus for a couple of years now and the more I use it, the more I love it. It has a pleasant interface, which is very important to me Apps like Lose It! and My Fitness Pal the latter which is very popular, are very off-putting to me. The interface is sterile and plain. Argus has a large library of food recorded and so much of it is also inputted by fellow users of the app, so you’re very unlikely to scan a food item with a barcode and not be able to find it or even type in something close to the meal you’re eating. Argus also has an activity feed ala Facebook, for you to use to update your progress, follow others, etc. This feature is also common on other tracking apps, but again, it’s the layout that’s more appealing. Expanding info on your daily, monthly, or yearly progress is as simple as a swiping left, or tapping a tile. Also tracking your calories can be a great deterrent to order or scarfing down large calorie meals when actually seeing the number and how it’ll tally with your calorie goal!

Water intake goals:

WATER! If you do anything, make an effort to drink more water! Years ago my husband and I cut sodas out of our life, I mean a bonus is that it’ll save you like ~$3-6 off your dining out bill. But drinking plenty of water does wonders for the skin and your overall health. Sure I don’t drink soda or juice even, but I really don’t think I was drinking as much water as I needed throughout the day. So during Black Friday, I got a “smart” water bottle, the Hidrate Spark. It has been a great investment in my health. The bottle measures how much water you drink throughout the day and you can see your progress via the Hidrate app. When you’re behind on your water intake, the bottle lights up, and you can also set the app to send you notifications. Again, this is another way to kind of gamemitize your water intake. Every day I want to make sure I max out my water goal! You can also see a graph of how much water you drink throughout the day and a calendar of your monthly intake. You can also “compete” with friends who also have the bottle.

Checking My Weight with a Smart Scale: 

Now this is definitely not something that is necessary, but is something that has helped me. Several months back I purchased an Azumio Smart Scale. I chose it primarily because it was made to work in conjunction with the Argus app! If I’d chosen another scale, more than likely I’d have to use an additional app to log my weight. Aside from automatically logging your weight, smart scales also detect and record your BMI, Muscle Mass, Bone Mass, Water, and Visceral Fat.  It’s just a super convenient way to log your weight, but also provide additional insights to your current weight. Graphs for monthly/yearly views of your weight, can also provide you with insight on how your weight fluctuates.

Step Goals/Exercising:

Set a daily step goal for yourself! Right now my goal is 10k steps a day, but I think hitting 5k steps is a great starting place. Like most, I lead a sedentary life, I do have to put in the effort to hit that goal. I’ve been rather good at hitting it over the last few months, but I don’t hit it every day, so if you do miss a day, just make sure to make it up the next day. Consistency is key! If you work 8+ hours at a desk, try taking walks during your breaks instead of remaining there! I usually take that opportunity to play Pokémon Go and use the walks to hatch eggs and hit PokeStops! With that, find something that’ll encourage you to get away from your desk! Pokémon Go is a great motivator, but I’m sure there are other apps that can encourage you to walk! Add some form of exercising into your life! Hiking, biking, swimming, etc. I have a gym membership, and try to make sure I go to the gym at least twice a week. You don’t have to overdo it with going daily or 5 times a week. Moderation is best and you don’t want to get overwhelmed and burn out! Plus weight loss and weight management are primarily about your diet!!

Budgeting:

So the husband and I are also starting off the New Year with an actual budget! Setting a budget and sticking to it is a sure fire way to manage what you eat! We have an allotted budget for eating out, which also only really nets us 1 “fancy” outing or 2 low budget places. So far (though suuuuuuper) early into the year, sticking to our budget has prevented us from grabbing more than we need, or impulse buying treats! It also feels really good to stick to your budget! We also use apps to keep track of our budgets, there are several! Apps can also make managing your budget fun!

Finding Someone to Hold Me Accountable:

For me… that’s you reading this! And the interwebs! My husband also holds me accountable (buuuuut we also LOVE to eat all the foods together…so sometimes he can be the cause of me backsliding… lol) Get a weight loss buddy so one who can hold you accountable and for whom you can do the same! What’s even worse for me is my husband is trying to GAIN weight… so he gets to eat more things than me!!! But ask a significant other, friend, or guildmate to help keep you on track. Blog or Vlog about it! Have a visual reminder, draw out your Gamer Fit Skill tree and fill it in as you unlock each level!

Not Gaming Unless I’ve Done Some Form of Exercising:

This is a hard, but fantastic motivator. I know I want to play games when I get home. It’s already at the forefront of my mind when I wake up! What am I going to play today? But then NANI?!? I’m just waking up! I haven’t worked out yet or done any walking! I want to game! So I make sure that I do some form of activity throughout the day. You’ll probably also need someone to hold you accountable to this as well if you don’t have a will of steel equipped! It also makes gaming so much more satisfying because I feel like I’ve unlocked this time!

So this is what I’ve been doing so far to level up as a Fit Gamer and keeping me motivated for hitting my Weight Goal this year! If you’ve got any tips or tricks on maxing out as a Fit Gamer definitely send them my way and I’ll keep you posted with my progress and also tell me about yours! Also feel free to add me on Argus if you decide to use the app! Let’s max our skill tree and unlock the Fit Gamer Acheivement!

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