The jump rope that kept the “Quarantine 15” away

To say that going into this quarantine had me shook, would be an understatement because I LOVE to eat!  I LOVE food. I LOVE snacks. I love to eat when I’m happy.  I’ll eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s with ease – happy, sad or bored. I knew I’d spent a lot of time bored since outside was officially closed, and of course I’d spend my time eating.  For a bit, I did just that.  I went to the grocery store & Target on a regular basis. What else was there to do? While folks were buying toilet paper in bulk, I was busy buying family-sized Oreo Thins and microwave popcorn.

After those first two months of stuffing my face with ALL the snacks, my son’s included (don’t judge me), I knew I had to get a grip and get it together! The last thing I wanted was to come out of this isolation with an extra 15lbs – or more! The “Quarantine 15” was not about to catch me out in these “new normal” streets!

With the gym and workout studio shutdowns, I also needed a way to  get in some cardio – the walk to the fridge didn’t count. After, a long Amazon search, I came across The Rookie SmartRope by Tangram Factory. The Rookie, for short, is not  your run of the mill jump rope.  The Rookie connects to a free SmartRope app (iOS and Android capability), which tracts your workout in real time.  As you jump, the app counts your jumps, as well as how many calories you’ve burned.

My personal favorite functionality of The Rookie are the interval trainings. This mode alternates between exercise and relaxation and burns the most calories in short periods of time. There are 9 exercise modes to select from, with beginner levels that can accommodate jumpers just getting started, and expert levels for those with fancy foot work and wanting a challenge. Not only is this a great way to stay challenged, but it’s also quite fun.  There’s a sense of accomplishment I feel when I beat my previous time and have burned more calories than I did on a previous jump.  The Rookie also allows you to challenge friends who are also SmartRope users.  Talk about a little social distanced workout!

Jumping rope is one of the most effective cardio exercises out there. While it qualifies as a low impact workout (far less strain on your legs than jogging), it engages all your muscles and burns far more calories per minute.  To date, I have completed a total of 54,000 jumps and have burned about 4300 calories! Overall, I’m feeling good! A few minutes a day on The Rookie SmartRope, is a surefire way to get you right and on your way to burning off those calories.  Here’s to a healthier YOU!