Amy & Aron's

How do you track your health progress? A notebook, your memory, a health tracker app, etc.? I use all of it. That's just because I have been unsuccessful in committing to just one thing. It seems like I do good with one method then I will forget it once so I grab the other. Then I end up with the old trusty memory bank that fails me regularly. Do you know what that rant means? I am crappy at keeping up with it and I am very inconsistent.

For me, finding something that will really work is the hard part. I haven't found something that I can depend on all in one place, comfortably, that I can stick with. The key to me being successful in maintaining any level of health and balance is comfort and focus. I don't want to sound like a recording but, I found an app that will help with that.

I have a Samsung Phone so I didn't even have to download the app. Samsung Health is downloadable from Google Play. It tracks your biometric data and syncs with many partner apps such as MyFitnessPal, Garmin, and MapMyRun to gather more information about your health. It's available 24/7 so I can use it when I am ready. Ask an Expert currently offers urgent care services only. In October, they will be launching specialty services such as nutrition and therapy services, by appointment.

What Works For My Routine

So, what is one thing that is ALWAYS with me? It doesn't take days off, sleep in, or fail me- my phone. That may sound funny but I am admitting it in front of the world, I am device dependent. I have all of my business contacts, games, calendar, alarms, everything work-related, right on my device, and I love it. It's easy for me to keep up with.

When I realized just how awesome Samsung Health is, it made it even better. This is an app that came installed on my phone. It launched right away and I logged in with my Samsung account. I was able to add in my personal info and start tracking.

I can set goals, track my personal stuff, talk to an expert and so much more.

Setting Realistic Goals

Setting goals has never been easier. I set the goal of eating healthier. This is something that our whole family is trying to do. With the tracker, I pick a meal or snack, add the foods I ate, and it calculates the calories for me. I can be realistic and honest with my self. I set my calorie count to 1500, I made my first reward on my first day.

I love it because I am having other issues that I am trying to control with my diet and I can see it in real time. My cholesterol is high and my potassium is low. With the foods I am adding in, I can see the nutritional value as I am getting it. I can't say enough about how cool this is.

When I track my steps, it picks up my actual location on google maps and tracks my distance. I love this. The technology in this app is so efficient. I have been wanting something like this and I have had it all along, I just didn't realize it was so cool.

I invited my daughter to join in the fun. She is challenging me to a 100,000 step challenge. I accepted even though I am loosing miserably. I work from home and she's in marching band. It's been 2 days and she's 6,000 steps ahead of me.

Ask An Expert from AmWell

Ask an Expert is an awesome part of this app. Being able to use my Samsung device to see a doctor is great. This really is convenience. I don't know about you but, when I am concerned about something that may be going wrong, I worry until I get an answer. I can't focus on anything else. With the Ask an Expert available through my Samsung account, I don't have to waste time in a waiting room or spend valuable time waiting in a doctors office.

I am getting ready to Ask an Expert about how I can get back into the swing of things and back into my perfectly fitting clothes. For those of you that don't know, AmWell is a telehealth company that has real doctors that help real people. It is an awesome alternative to making an appointment, waiting a week to be seen, and having to miss work, get a babysitter, driving across town, etc. With Samsung Health, seeing a doctor is a tap away.

Getting A Visit on Samsung Health

Did I mention how awesome this app is? I can use the app to see a doctor right from my phone. I set up my tripod so I could do hands-free, I'm a note taker. You don't have to take notes though. You can get a whole summary sent to your email when the visit is over. That's a great feature for me because I forget to write stuff down. Every answer I get is a chain reaction to more questions.

Seeing the doctor is so easy. I've been here before so I just logged in with my account. Instead of scheduling with a specific doctor, I chose to be the next in line with their urgent care service. What I heard was a little bit further away from what I was expecting so, I am really happy that I saw the doctor today.

There are so many reasons to see a doctor at AmWell. They are real Board Certified doctors.

• Common Conditions we treat with Urgent Care
• Sinus infection
• Cold/upper respiratory infection
• Bronchitis
• Sore throat
• UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)
• Yeast Infection
• Cough
• Eczema
• Pink Eye/Conjunctivitis
• Stomach Infection (Gastroenteritis)
• Hypertension/high blood pressure
• Flu

 As a bonus to using Samsung Health, you earn Samsung rewards points, subject to the following terms and conditions: http://www.samsung.com/us/samsung-health/rewards-ask-an-expert.

(Just had my visit )

I saw the doctor today to see what I can do as a  woman my age to maintain a healthy weight. I have gained these monstrous 10 lbs and I need them gone, I am at the point of needing a new wardrobe and I don't want to do that.

I already know some stuff about maintaining a healthy weight so, I thought this was going to be a quick assessment with some good advice. It was but more than that...

My Weight Gaining Problem

So, gaining weight too fast is not healthy or "normal". I do admit, I have been out of my groove for a while. Some of the stuff I do regularly now isn't exactly what I would do before regularly. When I lost the 100lbs a few years ago and kept it off for 3 years, I thought I was good to go. That I was done with the wight battle, I am a pro, I can keep it off. Well, I am human and it's sneaking back up on me.

For example, I had to move my office into my bedroom temporarily. WhatI I was doing prior to the move was getting up, starting my day, and then heading to my office. Now I walk up, stand up, and sit in my desk chair. It's not even 5 steps away.  I am losing so much movement, I don't know how to get it back in my schedule without planning for it.

I know that isn't healthy, I need to do more and be more proactive with my health in general. I was doing great, I just got comfortable. With my new health tracker in hand, I feel more confident in myself and in my progress.

Recommendation

My doctor recommended that I get moving, even if it's just walking, 150 minutes a week. That's not much when I really think about it. At first, hearing that made me think that was an outrageous number that I would never be able to work out with my schedule. I'm assuming he noticed the look on my face and continued to explain.


I will need to be active 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week. That really is doable. Not desirable but totally doable. I told him I have an elliptical but I have a hard time staying focused on that. He said just walking is enough. I love that!

For myself, I have lowered my calorie intake down to 1500 a day instead of the 2,000 a day that I thought was right my whole life. I mentioned that at the beginning of the post but, I told him that and he said for weight loss, I should go lower. I am going to drop it down to 1200 and see how I fair with that. Believe it or not, it's pretty easy to cut calories down to fit what I am trying to achieve with the app calculating it for me. I can even add food in before I eat to see if that fits in my calories budget then remove if it doesn't fit.

He also recommended that I go in for a full metabolic work up to see if there is something going on other than just my lifestyle change. It could be something like my thyroid. A thyroid produces hormones that control every organ in our body. It can make you feel totally different if it's not working correctly.

Major Weight Gain Factors

So, just wondering, do you know that stress and lack of sleep cause weight gain? I knew that stress could do it. I have known people that get stressed and eat more and gain weight that way but, I can get stressed and starve and still gain weight. So not fair.  But, I didn't know that sleep effected it.


It is optimal for 8 hours of sleep a night. That would be a beautiful thing. I haven't experienced 8 hours of sleep at night for over 20 years. I could take this world on with a smile if I had 6 hours every night. The sad and very realistic part is, I am doing great to get to get a solid 5 hours. It's usually more like 4- 4 1/2.

I am constantly exhausted. I know I need to adjust that in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Lack of sleep causes more stress on the body and effects things like cortisol to increase. No good. Even if I am dieting, that will cause weight gain.

I have been telling you about AmWell for quite a while now. I love sharing coupons with you so you can use it at a reduced rate. Guess what, I have another coupon code for you to use SAMSUNG3 . It is good for $10 off a doctor visit via Ask an Expert. Normally the price is $59 per doctor visit, so with the promo code, it is only $49.


Disclaimer: Compensation for this post was provided to me by Samsung via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Samsung or MomTrends. Ask an Expert (Online Doctor Visits) is a service offered through Samsung Health that helps you easily connect to medical and wellness experts from your phone. Samsung Health requires a compatible Android phone and a Samsung account. The Online Doctor Visits service is available in the U.S., except in Arkansas. The service is not for people suffering from medical emergencies or serious life-threatening conditions.  If you have a serious medical concern, please call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency department.