Every great craftsman has tools to assist him in his trade.  Carpenters have hammers, saws and planes; doctors and nurses have stethoscopes and sphygmomanometer (that is the fancy name for blood pressure machine); hair dressers have blow dryers, flat irons, and curling irons; and makeup artists have brushes, beauty blenders, and eyeshadow palettes.

I have some tools that have been assisting me in my Flab to FAB journey. 

I love numbers!  I love lists.  I love setting goals and keeping track of things!  If I have a plan I can get almost anything done!  Knowing this about me, for Christmas a few years ago, my husband got me a fitbit one fitness tracker.  I LOVE it and have been obsessed with the thing ever since!

Yes, I do totally realize that it is not completely accurate, but it totally has a positive placebo effect on me!  The numbers on my fitbit definitely help motivate me to stay active and increase my activity. I also use it as my silent alarm clock in the morning.  It wakes me up early to workout without unnecessarily disturbing the other people in my house.

(If you are interested in reading more about fitness trackers, here are some articles that compare some of the top brands.  http://fitness-trackers.specout.com/  or this one http://time.com/516/26-fitness-trackers-ranked-from-worst-to-first/)

Besides just wearing the fitbit device, I also use their website and phone app. There are so many features to aid in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  I use the app to track my sleep, water consumption, and daily food intake. Speaking of food intake that leads me to my next tool…

Like I said, I love to keep track of things.  One of the most important parts of my flab to fab journey is my diet.  I really don’t know what I would do without my Salter Aquatronic Digital Kitchen Scale!  I weigh everything I eat!  (I prefer to use the grams measurement because I feel as if it is more precise.) Using my fitbit food tracker I can log my food intake and be sure not to overeat.  I have been guilty of overestimating my exercise and underestimating my caloric intake. When I weigh out my food it takes all the guesswork out of it.

While eating right is so important, exercising is as well.  My goal is to get in 10,000 steps a day. My Brooks Adrenaline GTS 15 shoes help me accomplish that daily goal.  These shoes are absolutely the most comfortable athletic shoes I have ever had!  I love that they come in so many colors and options.  I don’t have to sacrifice style for comfort and function.

When preforming any type of extended physical activity you need to have the proper type of footwear!  Your feet and legs will thank you over and over again.  If you don’t have the proper type of footwear for the type of physical activities that you are doing, you may end up with an injury.  I have learned the hard way (more than once) that one injury can delay or even hinder any progress.  While I prefer these Brooks shoes, there are all kinds of different athletic shoes to choose from. One brand doesn’t necessarily meet everyone’s needs, and just because they are the most expensive or have the latest innovation doesn’t make them the best choice.  It takes a little while to figure out just which brand and type is right for you, but it is totally worth the time investment!

If you are interested in buying your own fit bit this link is for you: http://www.amazon.com/Fitbit-Wireless-Activity-Tracker-Burgundy/dp/B0095PZHYU

Here is where you can buy your own salter scale: http://www.amazon.com/Salter-Aquatronic-Digital-Kitchen-Scale/dp/B001DQOEDO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442603516&sr=8-1&keywords=salter+scale+model+2006

You know these are some sweet kicks!  If you want to buy your own pair click the link: http://m.zappos.com/brooks-adrenaline-gts-15-hawaiian-ocean-hollyhock-lime-punch